russ

Richard:

Your model is coming along really well. Great work.

I would go with Chuck's plans on the bowsprit angle. However, to my eye, your angle looks about right. If it jives with the plans, then go with it. 

Russ

It will be finished in the fullness of time. That is what I tell people when they ask about my models. 

Russ

Kenneth:

You are making good progress. The head rails look good as does the figurehead.

My only concern is with the top rail when viewed from ahead. The starboard side is longer than the port side, but if they are at the same level otherwise, I think it will be okay. The upper ends of the top rail meets the cathead I think, so I am guessing you will trim them off when you install the catheads. 

Russ

Rich:

Your boat is coming along really well. Good work. 

I would start hand sanding at this point. If you use a rough grit, it will not take long to finish the hardest parts and then move down to 220 grit and the 400 grit to finish it off. 

Russ

Chuck designed this kit meticulously so I will be surprised if it gives you any trouble with fit etc. Have fun. 

Russ

Your work is beautiful. I like the large scale and the level of detail it afford. I always like these small, little known working vessels. Thanks for sharing. It lends a lot of much needed inspiration. 

Russ

There is one copy listed on ABE.

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?bi=0&bx=off&cm_sp=SearchF-_-Advtab1-_-Results&ds=30&kn=William+Bainbridge&recentlyadded=all&sortby=17&sts=t&tn=ready+to+hazard

Russ

I remember building this model about 28 years ago if I recall correctly. This build takes me back in time a bit.

Nice job on yours. Well done. 

Russ

Kurt:

My money is on Beech. I recall Dr. Feldman had good things to say about its scale resemblance to oak. 

Russ

Maury:

Sorry to hear about the errors. I have been there. It taught me to never trust any drawing, but redraw and refair everything. I strongly support Druxey's advice on diagonals. Just when you think it looks right, draw out the diagonals and many hidden problems can be fixed.

On a centerboard hull, being shallow draft, I would advise, in addition to the horizontal waterlines, three or four buttock lines and the same number of diagonals. The buttocks will help fair the floor timbers down low in the middle of the hull. Without them, there is little to tell you anything useful below the lowest waterline. The diagonals in the body plan should run so that they cross the body sections at places in between where the waterlines and buttocks intersect the body sections. That will pick up those areas that the waterlines and buttocks do not address and give you several more points of intersections to ensure a fair drawing. It is a lot more work, but it will pay enormous dividends. 

One thing to remember about the diagonals, and you have probably already seen this, the diagonals, when projected in the halfbreadth, will appear as convex curves or perhaps in some areas close to straight. However, they will not show as concave or hollow curves. This is because they approach the body sections at, or nearly at, right angles whereas the waterlines intersect at all sorts of shallow angles. 

Good luck with the redrafting. 

Russ

From those angles it looks okay. Check it out from several angles and take some time with it. Your eyes will tell you if there is anything really wonky. 

You will likely have a little more space per plank at the stern than at the bow. 3/32" is 6 inches at your scale and that should be okay for the smallest width. 

Russ

Gary:

You are building a very nice looking model. The capstan is an improvement on the metal version. The skylights are especially well done. Good work. 

Russ

Ken:

You are making very good progress. The hull planking came out very well. I think the color choices are attractive. I would not have thought walnut could look that good, but it does. Good work. 

Russ

This is a nice looking kit. I like how the deck planking came out. Your planking strips are always very good. I use them regularly. 

Russ

Doug:

Well done. I look forward to seeing what you come up with. 

Russ

Doug:

I am huge Underhill fan. When I got into wooden shipmodeling, his books were among the first I read and I still refer to his work whenever I need a pick me up.

However, his work is a secondary source while the Lloyd survey would be a primary source. The primary source is contemporary with the ship and far outweighs information from a secondary source written decades after the ship went out of service. So, simply because Underhill built his model without hanging knees does not mean that the ship did or did not have hanging knees. This all boils down to what you are after in the modeling process. You can build the model exactly as Underhill did and the result will be a fine model for which you can be justifiably proud. Or, you can research the vessel and attempt to build it as it actually was built. The result will be a fine model for which you can be justifiably proud. The difference is, which one will please you personally the most? I always tell people to build the model that pleases them best. 

Russ

Doug:

The information on Lloyd's surveys being digitized is good to know. 

I found the listing of Leon in Lloyd's Record of American and Foreign Shipping. Those volumes are digitized at Mystic Seaport Museum. They have several decades of these publications online. 

https://research.mysticseaport.org/ships/?post_type=mystic_items 

The initial survey was done in Laurvig so that would be housed DNV, wherever that is located. 

Unless someone complains, we can continue here. Or you can contact me via PM. 

Russ

I just discovered that the collection of Lloyd's surveys has gone back to Lloyd's and is no longer at NMM. 

Here is a link to get some help. Not sure how they will respond, but you can ask them. Look under Historical Records. 

https://www.lloyds.com/help-and-glossary/faqs

Doug:

Please do not limit yourself to the original survey. She was surveyed numerous times over her career. Some of them, they might not have, so get the earliest survey you can.  Good luck with your search. 

Russ

Doug:

Leon was built in 1880 and her 1882 Lloyds Record of American and Foreign Shipping entry gives her classification as A 1-1. It says she was built of fir, pine, and oak. She was copper and iron fastened. She had a metal sheathed bottom. 

She was surveyed by Lloyds at Laurvig in January 1881, just a few weeks after her launch in December 1880. Their surveys are kept at National Maritime Museum, I believe. I would contact NMM and see if they have her original survey. That would answer a lot of questions.  

Russ

Sam:

Thanks. Absolutely correct.

Russ

Sam:

Good to see you got back at it. Have fun.

Russ

Very true. 

Russ

Carl:

Exactly.

Russ

Pat:

Thanks, but I have not stopped completely. It needs to be on its way out the door sooner rather than later.

Russ