BobG

Thanks for the welcome, Fitz. I've been reading the forum for a long time and figured it was time to participate more since I was benefiting so much from so many others. Bob

Thank you, Duane. I love the Indian Girl Canoe as well. It's a simple kit but it wasn't without it's challenges for me. There were so many tiny planks to glue and lots of small frames to bend. I found out that I really like to use medium viscosity CA while building it. I know a lot of modelers hate CA glue and advise against using it but I've found, that if you are careful and precise, it can make things go much faster without a lot of complicated clamping. I've glued my fingers together occasionally, of course, but I have found that, if I work on a piece until it practically lays perfectly where you want it, then a little CA will works very well for me gluing the piece in position. I've been considering building one of the Midwest kayaks too. I think these small, uncomplicated models can be really lovely when they are done well. Bob

Thank you, CDW. Several of my former Coast Guard buddies ended up stationed in Florida. I have relatives in the Tampa area and have visited there quite a few times. I'd have to own a boat if I lived in Florida! Bob

Thank you, Scott, and thanks for the heads up about looking for plans early. The idea of building a ship from scratch kind of makes my head spin at my level of experience but it is very appealing to me. Bob

I've been through Mariposa many times on our way to Yosemite. Lovely community.

Thank you, Chris. I think that I read somewhere on the forum that you had ties to the Eureka or Crescent City area. My wife and I love it up there. The great redwood parks are some of the most beautiful parks in America and the rugged, northern California coast is wonderful. The Storis was a great ship and Alaska was very rustic and undeveloped back in the 60's. We would make ports-of-call in far flung places like Nome, Dutch Harbor, Adak in the Aleutians and the Pribilof Islands in the Bering Sea. These isolated places were remote and ramshackle back then and had some real rough and tumble characters living there. I can tell you that there wasn't much to do in these places for a 20 year old kid back then which is why the Beach Boys songs had me longing for southern California after I left Alaska!

Thank you, James. The Bering Sea was certainly wild and tough going at times but, as a kid who grew up in the flatlands of the midwest, it was an exciting adventure. I became a bit of an adrenaline junkie aboard the Storis. One of my assignments was going over the side in the motorized life boat or zodiac boat during rescue operations. It seemed like the more perilous the rescue, the more I loved it. That sense of adventure carried over into my personal life for many years as I got very involved in wilderness sports like rock climbing, mountaineering, mountain biking and backpacking. I've hung up my climbing shoes and my mountain bike but I'm an avid road cyclist now and my wife and I still hike a lot in the Sierras and on our travels.

Thanks, John. The Storis was a very special ship with a long storied history in the Coast Guard and it was hoped that she would become a dockside museum in Juneau, Alaska. Unfortunately, that failed to happen.

Hello. My name is Bob Garcia and I live in Sacramento, California. I first joined MSW way back in the fall of 2014 and, although I've been reading the forum since then, I only but began posting recently. So I thought it was time to properly introduce myself before I try to start a build log. I'm 73 and, like many of the older members here, I enjoyed making plastic models as a kid growing up in a small town in central Indiana. I usually made cars and hot rods but also airplanes that I would hang from the ceiling in my bedroom. My favorite classes in high school were machine shop, metal shop, and wood shop. Making something was much more interesting to me than most of the regular classes. College wasn't on my radar at when I graduated in 1964 so I went to work on the assembly line at the Chrysler transmission plant in Kokomo, Indiana. Although I quickly got bored out of my mind, I earned a good enough wage to buy a 1964 Corvette. That car was a girl magnet and I thought I was in heaven. However, that year was short lived as the Vietnam War was heating up and my draft number was getting close. I had decided to just wait on the draft but several of my high school friends had joined the US Coast Guard and they persuaded me that it had a lot to offer. So I joined in January of 1966 and spent the next 9 weeks of boot camp in frigid Cape May, New Jersey. After boot camp I was sent to Kodiak, Alaska, for an 18 month tour of duty aboard the US Coast Guard Cutter Storis WAG-38 and that's where my love of ships and the sea began. The Storis was fondly known as the Galloping Ghost of the Alaskan Coast. We were involved in primarily in search and rescue operations and international fisheries patrol in the Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska. We patrolled from as far north as the Arctic Circle, south to Juneau and west to Adak in the Aleutian Islands. When out on patrol the work days were long and tiring but also very exciting since we were often involved in SAR operations while out in powerful, Alaskan storms that churned the seas up to 50 feet at times and encrusted the whole ship in ice. This was during the Cold War era and tensions always ran high with the Soviet Union. At one point we were given the green light to take action against Soviet fishing vessels that were constantly violating our territorial waters. We were the first ship in the history of the United States to seize a Soviet vessel on the high seas after we caught a trawler fishing inside what was then a 12 mile limit. They fled into international waters with us in hot pursuit and they only came to a stop after we threatened to fire across their bow. We placed an armed boarding crew aboard the vessel and took them in tow. While towing them to the mainlawe were intercepted by their large mother ship and some other ships in their fleet and, after tense negotiations, they agreed cooperate and their captain was eventually flown to Anchorage where he pleaded no contest in court, was fined and returned to his ship. A few months later this scenario was repeated again as we seized another Soviet vessel. After 18 months of tumbling around the Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska I was able to choose where my next duty station would be. I elected to go to southern California. The Beach Boys were singing about California Girls and I was eager to meet a few. For the next 2 and a half years I was stationed at the Captain of the Port Los Angeles/ Long Beach. It was great duty. I was an engineman and coxswain on one of the 3 man, 40 foot utility boats. We were mainly involved in harbor security patrols, law enforcement and search and rescue. In January of 1970 I was discharged and two weeks later began going to college using the GI Bill. I eventually graduated from UC Davis and settled into a career and family until I retired in 2009. The Storis became the Queen of the Fleet in 1991 as the oldest active ship in the Coast Guard. She was decommissioned 2007 after 65 years of service which began in 1942 during World War II patrolling the North Atlantic and Greenland. She was placed in the moth ball fleet in Suisun Bay near San Francisco and a concerted effort was launched for her to become a dockside museum in Juneau, Alaska, but that fell through and she was unceremoniously sold to a scrapper in Mexico in 2013. It was a shameful ending for one of the most storied ships in the history of the Coast Guard. When I began occasionally reading the MSW forum 5 years ago the build logs sparked my interest. Two years ago I built a small dory boat by Artesania Latina which was not a very good kit. My next build was the Batelina from Maris Stella followed by the Indian Canoe from Midwest. Both of those were vey nice to build. I am currently two months into building Chuck's wonderful Medway Longboat and I'm learning so much. I'm about to start the rigging and, even though it is a very simple rigging, I think I'm going to need some help so I plan to start a build log. I would like to move on to scratch building at some point. It would be great to build a model of the Cutter Storis and a Coast Guard 40 footer sometime in the future. I've certainly caught the ship modeling bug and I've learned so much already from so many of the fine, experienced modelers on this forum . So thanks very much to all. Below are a couple of photos of my completed builds of the Indian Canoe by Midwest that I placed on a piece of driftwood I found and the Batelina by Maris Stella in front of a mirror: Bob

I think a lot of small boats make wonderful models. Yours is looking great. Bob

I'm so glad to see you are building this model, Leukutus. The Calypso is a model that I'm very interested in and I will be eagerly following your build. Jacques Cousteau was a hero of mine. Someone I looked up to because of his fantastic documentaries that educated millions of people about world beneath the seas and our need to preserve it. During part of my 4 years in the US Coast Guard as a young man, I was stationed at the Captain of the Port Los Angeles/ Long Beach for a 2 1/2 year period from the fall of 1967 to my discharge in January, 1970. At one point the Calypso was docked in the Los Angeles/Long Beach Harbor and was lucky to get to personally go aboard the Calypso and speak with Jacques and his son about some important issues involving a worldwide LORAN program. We met on the mess deck and had a great discussion about the LORAN system and the Calypso in general. His son then gave me a tour of the boat. I was a recreational SCUBA diver at the time also and I was in awe of the amazing, futuristic diving equipment they had. They encouraged me to keep diving and I left with grand visions of maybe joining them someday but, of course, that never happened. Cousteau was a visionary, ocean environmentalist and he did so much to enlighten the world about the importance of preserving our oceans. Unfortunately, if he were still alive today he would be appalled at the pollution and degradation of our oceans and sea life he loved so much.

Thanks so much, Don, for the detailed information and photos. I'm swimming along in your wake and am staying afloat from the ideas I'm gleaning from your build log! My idea to of using the curled shavings on the mast to enlarge the base a bit came to me when I remembered reading a build log where the author had made wooden mast rings by laminating shavings together around something that was the diameter he needed for the rings. Then he just finished them off with a hard, clear finish. They looked great so I thought maybe I could use my shavings in a somewhat similar way to save the mast. I just finished shaping the boom completely by hand and that took a while. I couldn't figure out a way use my electric drill to shape it since it was tapered from both ends to the middle. So after making an octagon I just started sanding by hand. It turned out well but I think I figured out a way that I could have used my drill to make it go faster but the idea came too late! Were the ball trucks you got in your kit quite a bit smaller in diameter than they are on the plans? I think they may have been drawn to big on the plans because the size I got looks pretty natural for the mast. Oh, I found the parrel beads hiding in the bag with the blocks. I guess I need to learn to take inventory more carefully! All the best, Bob

You're getting close to completing her, Don, and she's looking great! I finally got all the thwarts in and the metal work done that holds the mast. I also painted the knees and got them installed. Then I hand made the roller and glued it in and assembled the fixed block at the stem and glued it in place. All those thing went pretty well for me. Then I shaved the mast into an octagon and mounted it in my electric hand drill just like you did to taper it. I had to control the wobble like you did as well but I finally got a nice taper from 3/8" to 1/8". However, when I test fit it on my boat I had a very noticeable gap between the thwart and the metal ring...oops! I realized that I simply tapered the mast from one end to the other without taking into consideration that the section from the floor boards to the thwart needed to stay 3/8" in order to get a tight fit between the thwart and the metal band. I wasn't quite sure what to do short of ordering another piece of Alaskan cedar from Chuck and do it again. After sleeping on it for a night I decided to try and fix the mast. I had used a small modeler's plane to shape the mast from a square into an octagon and had saved had the curled shavings. So I decided to try and wrap those shavings around the bottom portion of the mast while gluing them in place with CA. It went pretty well. Then I began carefully sanding it after the glue hardened making sure I kept the bottom portion up to the thwart at 3/8". That went well also but there were obvious tiny flaws and small chips that would be even more apparent once it was painted. So I sprayed that section with several coats of filler primer and then filled the remaining flaws with Elmer's Wood Filler and carefully sanded the section with 220 and 400 sandpaper. It turned out great...smooth as a baby's bottom. I'm painting it now and it looks really good. I'm waiting for an order from MicroMart for some Doc O'Brien's Weathering Powders that Chuck used on the rudder hinges and the grapnel and I'm going to order a block buster from Model Shipways too. I had no idea they had such a thing until I read it in your log. A couple of questions: Did you notice that Chuck has parrel beads for the gaff? I have no idea how to make those or what size beads I would need for them to be in scale. Also, did you hand make all the hooks and deadeyes? I've never made anything like that so it will be challenging for me. And lastly, how did you end up making the mast bands? Even though this is certainly about as simple as rigging gets compared to the spider webs of those square rigged ships, it's all new going for me. Stropping and all those knots...I have no idea yet...?? Did you make thimbles like Chuck did for the single blocks? Good luck on the circular breathing. Keep at it, you will eventually get there! Bob

Thanks, David. My wife just told me that we have one of those up in the broom closet. I got it out and the brand we have is Pur Steam and it looks very similar to yours. I've been using a small, non-steam, travel iron and just barely wetting the planks with my finger before using the iron to apply heat and bend the wood. I'm looking forward to trying your steamer method now as well. Bob

This is a very interesting build and it looks great. Can you elaborate on your "steamer" that you use for bending wood? Is it a steam iron or something else? Thanks. Bob

Fantastic job, Jason! It's a beautiful boat. The quality of the deck fittings look great. Are those the stock fittings that come with the kit? Bob

Beautiful boat with a striking color scheme!

Beautiful dory...very nicely done!

Hello Chris, you've received some good advice here from some very experienced modelers. I thought I'd add my two cents worth since I'm a relative beginner and I am currently building the Medway Longboat. The Longboat is a beautiful model with the high quality materials, instructions and support that you can always expect from Chuck's kits. However, I agree with Chuck and most of the others here, that it would not be the best first model for someone who is just starting out in this hobby. The Longboat is actually my 4th model but it has been quite a step forward in complexity over the first 3 models that I have built. I had previously completed the Saint Malo dory from Artesania Latina, the Indian Canoe from Midwest Products and the Batelina from Maris Stella. I have thoroughly enjoyed all the models that I have built so far. The only one I wouldn't recommend is the Saint Malo from AL. It had poor instructions and there are much better dory models available. The Batelina from Maris Stella makes a very nice small boat with a beautiful, natural walnut finish. Each of the models I built before I started the Longboat had their challenges for me but none of them were as involved, delicate and intricate as the Longboat. Each of them also provided me with new problems to solve and new skills to practice. Things like what glues and tools I like to use and when, what paints and finishes I like and how to apply them, skills involved in fairing the hull and planking which is very much an ongoing learning skill for me, and things like shaping and carving by hand and often doing so on a very small scale etc, etc. Each of those builds taught me a lot and built my confidence and desire to build another model and prepared me to be able to enjoy the challenges of building the Longboat and further grow my modeling skills. Yes, I could have started with the Longboat but I know for certain that I would not have been able to build her as well as I'm doing right now. So I'm glad I started more simply because I'm able to do a much better job on the Longboat as a result. My advice is to find a small boat that captures your attention. One that you really like for one reason or another that is fairly simple in her lines and won't take all that long to complete. I find these small models with simple lines are very beautiful in their own right when done well. There isn't as much going on to pull your attention away from the simple beauty of the sheer line, the nicely faired frames, tight planking and carefully crafted thwarts etc. Done well you can really see the beauty of their design. Good luck on whatever you decide! Bob

Thanks Chuck. I went back to the plans and finally found the belay pin...it's easy to miss but it's there. Your guess of around 11/16 is right on...maybe a smidgen over.

Chuck, I'm about to try and make the belaying pins. What is the length of the pins that you made for this boat? Thanks. Bob

Este es un barco maravilloso. Me encanta cómo que también has puesto cada una de tus hermosos embarcaciones en miniatura en una vitrina. ¡Tienes una colección fantasiosa! This is a wonderful boat. I love how you have put each of your beautiful, miniature boats in a display case too. You have a fantastic collection! Cordial saludo, Bob

Very nicely done, Tom!

I messed up a plank also and had to remove it and make another one. Then I actually sanded through a "bump" near the bow after I had all the planking done. I just couldn't bring myself to soak it in CA Un-cure and try to take it off and redo it at that point so I delicately made a small splice and glued it in. You can see it if you look closely. I not totally happy with it but my wife said, "You're the only one that's going to notice it." So my build has got some blemishes here and there but, overall, it's pretty nice so far. It seems to me that, unfortunately, we often learn more from our mistakes than from our successes and that appears to be true for me in this hobby! I read an old post here once where an experienced modeler advised a beginner to finish his build no matter what because that was the best way to learn and become more skilled. I thought that was sage advice and so I'm dedicated to finishing this build even if it isn't "perfect." Breath support on the didge can be daunting. I've gotten dizzy playing a big bore didge that required lots of continuous air. People often think that circular breathing is breathing in and out at the same time which is physically impossible. The trick to circular breathing is to use your cheeks to squeeze a "pocket" of air from your mouth cavity to your instrument while simultaneously taking in air through your nose. The pocket of air from your mouth keeps the instrument going while you're taking air in through your nose. Those are two separate, physical actions that have to happen at the same time. It's learning to get the timing of these two physical actions in sync that is challenging to learn. One way to begin to wrap your head around it is to take a paper straw and pinch it so that it restricts the airflow when you blow through it and you can feel the back pressure. Then place the straw in a glass of water and blow through it so there is a small, steady stream of bubbles coming out. Now fill your cheeks with air and practice pushing the air from your mouth through the straw as you squeeze your cheeks together and get a feel for that process. Then it's time to try and take a breath in through your nose when you need to and, when you do that, squeeze the air in your mouth out into the straw gently and simultaneously to try and keep the bubbles going. Trying to do this on this small scale is a bit easier since it doesn't require as much air as it would on your sax and visually having the bubbles as a reference can help. It was exciting the first time I actually got several breaths linked together while maintaining the drone on didgeridoo. Have fun! Bob

I do have some photos, Don, but I've never posted any on the site before. I like the size of the photos you are posting. What size setting are you using? I've been encouraged to start a build log but I've hesitated just because of the additional time commitment and also because I have the uncanny ability to make computer related work go sideways in any given instant! Actually, my son played alto and soprano, not tenor as I stated before and, unfortunately, his playing fell to the wayside once he went to college and now he's busy in his career. He may return to it someday. I came back to playing my guitar after a 30 year absence. I wish I had never set it aside for all those years but that's water over dam now. Didgeridoos are fun to play. Learning to circular breathe is a challenge but, once you get it, it's like learning to ride a bike, there's a moment when it just happens and then it's there ever after. Check out some YouTube videos to see some state-of-the-art didge playing. It's unbelievable what some people can do. There have even been orchestral pieces written that feature the didge. Anyway, I managed to make rods for the windlass using my Dremel but not before snapping two of them. I'm glad Chuck included an long piece of the 1/16 x 1/16 boxwood in the kit. Bob