Tallshiptragic

The RFD ones go in for service during refit so the ones we get will probably be WEST offshore like the four midships. But I'm not going to change them haha

Not a problem Piet. I've still got the 's' and 'O' for the shut and open next to the arrows to add.... That won't be fun. Though with captainsteve saying he's wanting to critique my accuracy to the real ship... Hahaha

Added decals to the four West offshore SOLAS and RFD SOLAS life rafts, ray marine rudder angle, wind angle, COG - course over ground / knot speed, depth in feet gauges plus the two yanmar engine gauges and gyro compass to the helm station. Oh and the red arrows for the hatch dogs.

Made up some more decals. These are for the life rafts, the raymarine gauges, yanmar engine gauges - these are on the helm station - open shut arrows for the hatches plus compass roses for the gyro repeaters on the helm station and two yet to be made up which are on either quarter of the poop deck.

Hi piet, they're model graphics MG747 US gothic stencil. I've done a quick goggle and this US website http://www.hobbywarehouse.com/Woodland-45-Degree-USA-Gothic-RR-Numbers-White-1-16-5-16 Came up right away.

Hi Piet, the ones I have are actually from the Netherlands. I'll have a look when I get home as they have a company name on them. These I've had for years but I'm pretty sure they came from Cornwall model boats.

Hi Pat, honestly it does get cold enough over here we need to actually wear pants, and rumour has it there might be that vertical water falling from the sky again, can't remember what's it's called again, bee so long

Haha thanks Steve. It's not a bad career I suppose. I get to work on a tall ship, but as I'm supply, I don't have to stand watches don't miss that at all! Just to let you know, we have our last day sails of the year tomorrow arvo and over the weekend then that's it for the season. We're off to Monkey Mia and shark bay for two months next Thursday and once back, pretty much straight into refit for three months over winter.

Does this make it easier for you? The block seized to the davit could be either single or double - usually double.

My average day onboard, baking bread to running the foredeck

Hi Steve, haha yeah officially I'm the chief catering and supply officer. So I look after the catering and store supplies for the ship as well as the voyage budget. So I'm the hardest worker on board! But I'm also a ticketed officer, keeps my options open plus I can stand in as bosun/second mate.

Thanks Patrick and Pat for checking in. She has come along easily and quickly though it helps knowing the ship as intimately as I do. Sometimes I find it difficult also to just study the plans without knowing certain things. This ship is quite an easy build for me in that respect. Though even once the hull and deck is complete which you're right, probably won't be long... The masts and rig are just as complicated. Luckily though, I've de-rigged this ship, removed sails, bent on sails, taken off yards, repaired turnbuckles, tarred stays and shrouds, replaced running rigging on the real thing, it should come together again quite easily, and I'm the chef! Haha

Had a little fun with something different tonight. Hull draught numbers. I've used a rub on dry decal white number set for this, which requires patience but looks much better than a decal in my opinion as it's just the numbers straight on the hull. If you're not familiar with draught numbers, the metric system which I've only encountered on the ships I've sailed on are numbered in 20cm positions. 1M or 10, followed by 2, 4, 6, 8 - 20cm,40cm etc until the next metre which would be 2M or 20. The numbers themselves in the metric system are 10cm in height as standard which works out to 1.7mm in 1/56 scale. Around the stern, as the hull slopes significantly compared to the bows, the numbers increase to a height of 18cm on the hull - this of course will be different on all ships as the angle a stern slopes will be different to the next. This is done as to look at the numbers from the waterline they are still at the correct levels. The stern numbers are also in line with the props. On naval vessels the draught numbers would change here and show the draught of the projected item from the hull (eg: props, stabilisers etc and would have 'proj' at waterline level as to not confuse anyone about the actual hull draught. A separate stern hull draught would then be shown on the centerline of the transom. Leeuwin doesn't luckily, and even though the stern draught numbers are inline with the props show the hulls actual draught as the props don't project below the keel. Pic 1- bow draught numbers Pic2 - stern draught numbers using larger font Pic 3- side profile showing how the numbers are inline on the hull when looking at them from the waterline.

I used thick mahogany strips for my capping rails. It'll bend to a point very well after soaking in warm water and use of an iron. Though do this is steps until you get the desired bend. Otherwise it will break.

Thanks Patrick, but you can't use the windlass without the controller That's the yellow thing with the cable coming out and looping around haha This plugs into a socket on the hatchway next to the windlass, beneath the on/off switch for the windlass.

Anchor windlass and belfry completed.

Started work on the anchor windlass. Main drum housing, gypsies - what the chain actually runs over, warping drums, and hand brakes for the gypsies. The only thing left really are the hand winding brakes on the ends of the warping drums- these disengage the gypsy while the warping drum still rotates. There's a sort of 'a' frame over the front of the windlass which the sea chains are attached too as the fore bell. These aren't actually part of the windlass as such so I'll make them up separately.

Thanks very much guys. I'm quite happy with how she's coming about. Still a lot to do on her decks before I look at making up the masts - inlets for water, fuel, deck lights electrical outlets and ship to shore power connection. Not to mention the two dorys, which will be models in themselves! And for those of you who only like ships with guns, I've decided to mount the two signaling swivel guns on each quarter.

Hi Grant, two options for you. First pic shows the sheet mounted to an eye bolt on the bulwark then the bitter end comes to a cleat on the capping rail. This is how the course sheet on Leeuwin works. Next pic shows a sheave in the bulwark. The bitter end would pass through the sheave and lead forward to a cleat so being so close to the ladder shouldn't be a problem. It its still too close for comfort. Move the sheave forward. This is the arrangement on the Barque Europa. If a sheave fitted I've shown the makeup of a sheave, definitely not just a hole. Also with the different rig choices from Leeuwin and Europa, both ships are the same size and the fire course on both ships are the same sail area. And both rigged to typical mid 19th century rigs.

Wanted a couple less cluttered pics so pulled the model out into better light.

Roughed out the pin rails both on the bulwarks around the fore and main mast shrouds and the pin rails around all masts. You will see there are extra rails where the fore and main shrouds will be, these are purely steps to help step onto the shrouds. The rails are just pinned in place at the moment. Final cleaning up and of course addition of the pins still needed.

Hi grant, might be easier if you could show part of the plan. To give an idea of the arrangement. Seems very strange for the forcourse but could be right. As for size diameter of rope, we have used 28mm line onboard both Leeuwin and endeavour replica.

The sheets for the forecourse would go to a block on the fore peak directly and not through the bulwark. The main course would also go through a block on deck rather than a fairlead through the bulwark. The forecourse would also taper inwards from the yard on this era vessel.

Hi Patrick, thanks. Yeah I never built her in the past because of it. Problem is we'll be in refit in two months so some deck fittings at change. The rig always changes depending on which set of sails we have on. Currently we have the oldest set of sails on her, some from the 90's and some from the early 2000's. While the sails are technically the same size - depending on who was the sail maker at the time, they may be cut differently so positions of buntlines etc are not always in the same spot the joy of a real ship!

Added bollards today and also made up the rescue boats bow line. This is attached to the port aft spring bollard. A lanyard is attached to the bow line to one of the stantions on the poop deck - this is for easy and quick retrieval after launching to keep the line away from the port prop. At the end of the bowline is a spliced eye. On the rescue boat itself there is an attachment spliced on to an eye on the bow with a wooden toggle- this toggle goes through the eye of the bowline attached to the ship. Again this is for an easy release and not having to worry about untying knots in an emergency. Another lanyard is attached to the rescue boats toggle to the inside of the rescue boat. One to easily pull the toggle out and pull the line into the rescue boat without leaning over the side. A mouthful, so have attached a sketch to show it clearly I hope