Rick01

Thinking of you mate. I know the pain having an arthritic condition affecting my lower spine. Just don't push the pain too far even if you 're having trouble resting it just isn't worth it. 

Rick

32 minutes ago, wefalck said:

They were built rough and treated rough in their daily life.

I noticed that when first looking for working dhows, I just didn't feel competent to get a deck to look as rough as those I did find where deck and fittings were well photographed.

Rick

5 hours ago, SiriusVoyager said:

I am a bit disappointed with out the planking came out.

I wouldn't worry too much about the looks, if you search working Dhows their decks don't even have nice neat planking more often than not and as for neat rope stowage - the idea never existed.

5 hours ago, SiriusVoyager said:

Deck planking is now finished.

Fair bit of work as far as trim on the deck yet! 😉 

Rick

You may want to re-check my build regarding decking and the trim that they discuss. The main mast well in particular needs looking at as the tolerances are very fine and getting the mast mounted with all the trim they discuss can be pretty hard.

Rick

Hi - I see you've had a look at my build and will have noted a few of the problems I ran across with the build. To make the best of this you do need to dry fit and measure most items as I was never really happy with what was given on the plans. As for the padding out of the bulkheads I seem to remember at least two needed work otherwise the planking had a dip in it!! 

Have fun and look at as many photos of actual working dhows as you can find, avoiding the tourist ones if you want something with realism.

Rick

1 hour ago, vossiewulf said:

Haha! Sorry Rick, but I'm very glad to see you're still kicking around this forum 😀

Still around but now only viewing. 😞 Arthritis in my spine and dominant wrist plus a couple of cataracts to be attended to early next year have stopped me building anything at the moment. Maybe later next year as I'm also seeing surgeons about the wrist, keeping my fingers crossed.

Rick 

Hmmm I'm not sure if I'm speaking with you or not. Like others here I was traumatised when the build stopped - it was just like finding the last few pages of a brilliant book had been removed!! 😞 

Anyway welcome back mate, it's good to see you here again and I'm looking forward to seeing this little build finished. 🙂 

Rick 

For a master class in building this model check out this build https://modelshipworld.com/topic/15099-lady-nelson-by-vossiewulf-amativictory-models-164/

 for some reason he never completed it but what there is, is well worth reading.

Rick 

I seem to have been blocked from this thread  Australia - If the crocs and spiders don't get you, the possums will . . . either that or the whole string has disappeared. Can admin please see what has happened here.

Rick

5 hours ago, JamesBhm said:

BTW...what did you make the mast rings from? I watched a video of a guy making them from shaped and sanded wood shavings.

I'd like to say I made them of wood, but with no where enough skill for items that small I did twisted wire around a suitable bit of dowel, then ran a dremel cutting disk up the wire to provide a series of loops. A bit of solder and a paint job finished it. As the ship isn't viewed with a magnifying glass I'm quite happy with the result. Bowsprit guys and anchor were another item that needed a lot of adjustment until I had a clear run for all ropes.

Rick

I shifted mine to the rear of the channels - it just didn't make sense otherwise. As it is there is practically no port/starboard movement on the lower spar! As to the rings, if you used PVA glue you could get a bit drastic and soak the lower fitments on the mast, remove, fit rings then replace. I've just done that with the waterways on a model I'm working on as I just wasn't happy with the original fit and knew it was going to bug me if it wasn't fixed.

Rick 

Something I almost didn't do on my original model - mast rings. Bit of a problem for you if you've already mounted the mast! Have you considered this, the correct number is clearly shown on King's sketch of the ship.

Rick

Almost all my ironwork is done using a flat black cartridge paper with PVA glue used to secure it. Pretty well impossible to tell the difference unless you use a magnifying glass on it.

Rick 

It's probably worth re-visiting King's sketch of the Mermaid as it does give a rough idea of how he saw the basic rigging as well.

Rick

I've just looked back at my copy of the instructions. I made a few notes at the time and basically I threw my hands up in despair and then turned to Petersson's book as it was fairly obvious that the rigging plans had been taken from this book. I took it slowly, mounting and rigging each mast/spar fully before going to the next (working up the mast obviously).

Good luck!

Rick

2 hours ago, JamesBhm said:

(sounds like more or less what you did?)

Pretty much - I lashed a block to the head of the mast at the rear. Ran the halliard from the block, through a free running block with a hook lashed on

it back through the topmast block, then down to a spare belaying pin port side. The hook was secured in one of the eye bolts on the deck. Similar to the halliard as shown on p27 of Petersson. Hope my explanation is fairly clear.

He also has a problem with the anchor cables on p21 - he's never going to get both anchors lowered at the same time! Note that the guy who put the Mermaid together has also followed Petersson on that point. 

Rick

Don't forget that you still need a hoist for the spar/sail so a block at the head of the topmast is needed. I also ran the rigging through the block and down to eyebolts by the main hold. That may not be the correct anchor point but at the time it was the best idea I had. If you come up with some other way of handling it I'm happy to re-rig mine! 

Rick

6 hours ago, JamesBhm said:

have the anchor dangling loose from the cathead tackle. I’ll have to figure out how to address that (Rick, any thoughts?). I’m not above adding another pair of bitt heads on the cap rail just for the anchor.

I re-jigged my model around the time we were all discussing the stern and its shape. I added a pair of bitt heads, but you need to be careful as it's easy for the anchor to foul the bowsprit braces. Page 1 post 27 has an illustration of her under sail with the anchor lashed up but it's not clear what to, so for my money it's a bitt head. You may also want to give yourself a refresher on those first few pages as there are a couple of points on the mast and its rigging that will need to be watched for. I'm afraid mine is now well encased in glass and I can't get a good photo easily, but if you think one will help I'll see what I can do.

Rick

That. Was. Close!

Rick

If my memory serves me correctly, the bowsprit/bulwarks problem is due to the bad instructions. The supplied bulwarks have a front and back, with the back being slightly higher than the front. This however is not noted on the instructions, so, like me you've probably fitted the bulwarks on back-to-front! You will also find another problem in that the three holes on the stem will be fouled by the bowsprit unless you really play with the whole setup at that point. I seem to remember that I had to adjust both the cut-out that the bowsprit sat in and the support that it rests on. Which-ever way you go the forestay holes will be a problem by the look of the clearance you have on the stem (I had a row with the maker of the kit over this). 

Rick

With the rigging, run the rope through the pin rails from below and then just push the belaying pin through the hole securing the rigging. This way once you've completed all running rigging any tension adjustments can be made. Once happy all you need to do is make up separate coils to look like excess rigging hooked over the top of the belaying pins (hopefully you can understand this 😉 ).

Rick

Well we survived the last couple of years pretty well, and as you'll see from my signature I've a couple more kits under my belt (plus a couple that I didn't illustrate here). This is still probably my favourite build and from time to time I'm tempted to get it again as I feel I could do a much better job this time round. I'm keeping on following your build but I've only got around another 25 years before I start pushing up daisies, so I'm expecting you to do the right thing and finish within that time span. 😉 

Rick

Good to see you back on this project, remember King doesn't seem to show a bell anywhere and also (as I recall) no sign of bilge pumps. I was advised when I built this that some small cutters had dismountable pumps.

Rick

I always feel that the option of a clear Perspex side should be available, just to display the intricate work that goes on inside the model. Check this out https://www.arcair.com/Fea1/201-300/Fea206a-Wellington-Hill/00.shtm

Rick 

15 hours ago, realworkingsailor said:

You might get a kick out of poking around through here: https://www.bombercommandmuseumarchives.ca

Thanks for the link Andy - I already know at least one of the stories "Winston Parker". I'm deeply involved with a FB page about Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf where he was held and am helping set up a web page covering all allied POW's held in Europe during WWII.

Rick