Roger Pellett

Gary, Looking forward to this. Thanks for your interesting history of the boat and the industry. My wife and I visited New Bedford in October 2019 to attend the NRG Conference there. We really enjoyed the evening speaker who spoke on the town’s history and the diverse population that settled there because of the whaling industry. We ate several meals at the restaurant on the pier across from the hotel where my wife made a dent in the lobster population! I was surprised at the large fleet of fishing vessels tied up at the pier. We midwesterners often read about the decline of the US fishing industry. It’s encouraging to read that a segment is alive and well. I would like to go beck there when we have more free time to spend. BTW, the presence of the 75ft “Six Bitter” Coast Guard Patrol vessels would date the picture of the Peirce and Kilburn Shipyard from Prohibition; 1920’s. Roger

I believe that Bluejacket’s kits of steel hulled vessels are solid wood hull, not POB. These can be built up into attractive and accurate models. Roger

IMHO the all wood model is a convention reflecting the classic Dockyard models of the past. These were made from high quality woods with just enough paint to highlight certain features. A properly built Dockyard model made from the “big three” woods- Boxwood, pear, and holly is a beautiful thing indeed. In the 1930’s American Manufacturers offered solid hull wooden model kits. These featured rough shaped pine hulls to be finished by the builder. These models were intended to be painted. Two prized examples in my collection, built my father are still as good as new. In the 1970’s the American market was invaded by European POB (Plank on Bulkhead) Models, most of which were junk hyped by a marketing plan. During the 1980’s the Nautical Research Journal ran a series of articles describing these titled “Piracy on the High C’s” Despite this, builders anxious to display their outstanding craftsmanship to their friends and neighbors finished these “bright” to highlight the woods used. The kit manufacturers encouraged this trend by offering “deluxe” woods like pseudo walnut with no relationship to the Dockyard models of yore. To me, one of these models repeat with lots of bright brass fittings like anchor chains, ring bolts, portholes, etc. shouts novice. Today the builder of wooden models has choices for kits that will produce stunning, accurate results. If you feel the need to build an Age of Nelson model companies like Syren and Vanguard come to mind. These can include quality woods that like the old Dockyard models lend themselves to a clear finish. On the other hand, Bluejacket offers a series of American workboats and ships that are intended to be painted. See recent posts about Schooner Wyoming and 1890’s Battleship Oregon. Like any art form, taste is required to match he subject to the presentation. Roger

Looking at the owners manual for the Jet saw, it looks like a well made piece of equipment. Unfortunately, I don’t seem to be able to bring up the reviews so can’t tell if they are material. In either case, I would want to know how the motor drives the saw. 1/2hp is not exactly high powered and of course 1/3 hp is even less. Can a higher hp motor be substituted later on? The motor on the Jet saw mounts on the outside driving a pulley/belt combination on the inside. It looks like replacing a motor or substituting a larger one could be done abet with some steel fabrication. Like most technical things that Amazon sells they are sketchy on the details for the Rikon saw. Before buying I would want to know how the motor is linked to the saw, what sort of blade guides are included, etc. With their two vertical rotating wheels and narrow base, bandsaws can be prone to vibration. I call my 14in 45 year old Sprunger “galloping Gertie!” Annoying, but it still cuts wood. To minimize vibration it is important to get both wheels tracking in the same plane. Back when, the Rockwell Delta 14in Bandsaw was the tool that serious woodworkers bought. I believe that both the 14in Jet and Grizzly are clones of the Rockwell saw. If I had a lifetime of woodworking ahead of me I would either look for a gently used Rockwell or new Grizzly. Roger

Huge lathes are also still required for propeller shafts.

There is an active maritime museum associated with the historic ships along San Francisco’s waterfront. I believe that they have now managed to get themselves designated as THE National Maritime Museum. They might have records that you are looking for. Ship ownership can be difficult to pin down. It is not unusual for each vessel within a fleet to be its own separate company. There were two reasons for this. First, Each vessel might be owned by a different group of people. It was common for various tradesmen in the maritime community; shipbuilders, sail makers, ship chandlers, etc. to buy shares in the vessels that they were involved with. Second was liability. Ships get into trouble. If each ship was its own company, financial damages resulting from liability due to an accident would be limited to the vessel involved, not the entire fleet. Items 3 and 4 (registration) are two different subjects. She was registered at the Port of Los Angelos and later San Francisco. This means that these were legally her home ports. She would therefore be subject to manning requirements, taxation, and other legal requirements in effect there. Since these were both US ports, she would fly the American Flag. During these same years her owners chose for her to be Classified by Lloyds. Lloyds is a Classification Society. These non-governmental organizations publish standards for ship construction and inspect vessels under construction and in service. If the ship meets their standards it is given a rating. These ratings are periodically published in Registers, eg; Lloyds Register of Shipping. Insurance underwriters can then look the vessel up in the register, check the classification and assess insurance risk without actually having to see the vessel. Roger

Chris, Your readers might be interested to the backstory behind Captain Shank and his “drop keel” invention. In the early years of the American Revolution, British Strategy was to split New England from the rest of the American Colonies by an offensive down the Lake Champlain/ Hudson River axis. This of course required control of Lake Champlain, resulting in a shipbuilding race between the Colonists and the British throughout the summer of 1776. The British won the race resulting in the October 1776 tactical victory at Valcour Island. The shipbuilding race, however, delayed the campaign until the next year when the Americans trapped and forced the surrender of the British at Saratoga. The Royal Navy Officer responsible for the British shipbuilding effort was the same Captain Shank that designed your Cutter Trial. The Lake Champlain Campaign required shallow draft vessels and the urgency to launch armed craft before the end of the short summer season resulted in vessels on both sides unable to sail to windward; the American Gundalows and the heavily armed British Radeaux Thunderer. This had a notable effect on both the tactics and outcome of theresulting battle. This is speculation but I believe that Shank’s drop keel invention was inspired by his Revolutionary War experience. Roger

Ted, The Viking Expedition Cruise ship Oceanus visited Duluth several times last summer. For forum members not intimately familiar with Midwestern US Geography, Duluth is at the western tip of Lake Superior the western most and largest Great Lake. Duluth also boasts the largest harbor on the lakes. The cruise lines have recently discovered the Great Lakes as an attractive destination for both foreign and US passengers but some don’t include Lake Superior destinations because of the Lake’s size and relative isolation. We are, therefore, pleased to see Viking visit our city. Last fall, Viking ended their Great Lakes cruising season with what they called a 70 day Longitude Cruise. Beginning in Duluth, the ship traveled across the Lakes, down the US East Coast, through the Panama Canal and down the South American West Coast; the reverse of your trip. The snow in our yard has almost melted, so soon it will be time to see Oceanus and perhaps her sister back in our harbor. Roger

If my memory is correct, I believe that her hull shape is intended to allow her to pop up when gripped by ice. Sort of like trying to grab ahold of a watermelon seed! My wife and I last visited Mystic in 2019. The seaport is better than ever. Roger

My ship models are all cased. The cleaning lady is interested in them so is careful. So far, so good! Roger

Very nice work! I grew up near Akron, Ohio; in the 1950’s headquarters, and manufacturing hub of four major US rubber companies. My father worked for one: BF Goodrich. Back in those days, Goodrich sponsored a series of lectures that their employees and their families were invited to attend. I remember attending several given by a man named Donald McMillen an arctic explorer and owner of the Schooner Bowdin. We saw a number of movies narrated by McMillen of Bowdin in the arctic ice. I believe that Bowdin was named after McMillen’s Alma Mater: Bowdin College. In the mid 1960’s I was a very junior naval officer working in the Navy’s Nuclear Propulsion Program. Our training included a month at a Shipyard; mine at Electric Boat in Groton, CT. On one of my few days off I drove to nearby Mystic Seaport. There was Bowdin. Since then Bowdin has had several owners. WoodenBoat Magazine has followed her fortunes and misfortunes. I seem to recall that she was restored/rebuilt recently and is somehow affiliated with Bowdin College. Roger

Bob, I like both cats and dogs; I am partial to yellow cats and Beagles, but my wife won’t hear of either; “i’m Allergic (cats), they (Beagles) don’t behave, what happens when we travel (either), etc.” After having to drive a rental car home from SW Florida to NW Minnesota because of airline cancellations I am ready to forgo traveling in favor of a dog or cat but it doesn’t look like that is doing to happen. Having said that, my son has an overly friendly female Golden Retriever that is about as subtle as a medieval battering Ram. She could destroy any well built ship model in nothing flat! Roger

More or less along this same line- Authenticity of ship fittings. Nothing shouts “Novice assembled model kit” like out of place brass fittings. Unless you are reproducing a c1900 Steamship Office Model, 99% of load bearing metal fittings aboard ship were wrought iron- anchor chains, hatch ringbolts, etc. Bright brass is just a kit manufacturer marketing ploy to add glamor.

Andy- My thought’s exactly!

I like stand but no hub.

Thanks, Some things don’t change, “Climate Change” notwithstanding. Exactly one week ago we had a violent Northeaster storm. High winds, Massive waves crashing into the Duluth Entry, and power outages most of he day throughout the city. Not unlike the weather that sank the Noble. Roger

Way back when, AJ Fisher, the Rolls Royce of Model ship fittings offered many of their brass items with an “oxidized finish.” This was a tight black matt finish. I have some of these fittings that are 80 years old. The finish is like new. I have no idea what it is. Roger

Good news! For many years, small cities around the Lakes have wanted these old ships as tourist attractions to stimulate economic activity. Once they get them like any other “boat owner” they find that a boat is a hole in the water to put money in. Sadly, they don’t attract the type of tourists willing to spend lots of money so most are a losing proposition, falling into disrepair. To be successful, the Maritime Museum Business seems to require a Critical Mass; a variety of displays and activities that keep visitors coming back to see what’s new. Mystic Seaport and the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum are examples of this. The museum at Kingston appears to be a well established successful operation. Hopefully, Keewatin will be a great addition to their collection. Roger

The second model might have some interest to someone wanting to tackle a restoration project. The key here is your location. Ship models obviously top the list of things hard to ship and anyone who is able to safely ship the model is going to charge far more than it is worth. If you live in an area with a high level of maritime interest offering it for “local pickup” might find it a home. New England would be ideal. If you live in Wyoming or Montana, no. Roger

I just happened on to your post. Earlier you mentioned a discrepancy between the plans and your model’s hull. These solid hull model kits are furnished with the hull rough carved by machine. It is assumed that the model builder will shape the hull to its final dimensions. This is usually done with the help of cardboard templates made from the hull shapes shown on the plans. Roger

My career involved working with the ASME piping code. With the exception of the rules for the highest classification of nuclear piping, the rules for designing high pressure piping have not changed appreciably since the development of the personal computer. Code rules for reinforcing openings continue to be based on redistributing the material removed from the hole around the opening: just like Candarga’s shell plating. In the USA, materials have historically been cheap and labor expensive. Our design codes are therefore often based on low allowable stress levels and simple fabrication techniques. In 1980 I made a trip to Darby, UK to see if we could cooperate with a company named Aitons on a project in Australia. British Standards were the opposite of ours- Highly stressed materials built to very careful fabrication standards. The maritime classification societies- ABS, Lloyds, etc. at least must make an effort to bridge this standards gap as they are dealing with an international clientele; both the ship owners and the insurance companies. Roger

Keith, that’s the ABS & USCG “1 ft rule.” According to the SNAME papers, any opening in the hull’s shell plating must be reinforced with a heavier plate extending 1ft past the hole. Roger

Keith, Cangarda’s restoration was described in three papers presented at Classic Yacht Symposiums held jointly by SNAME and the Herreshoff Marine Museum In 2006, 2008, and 2010. I know that you have some of the papers but I thought that the following would still be of interest. As Bob Cleek explains she is required to be licensed by the US Coast Guard (USCG). Her license does not permit her to carry passengers for hire. Her owner also chose for her to be classified (for an insurance rating) by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS). ABS rules are not necessarily the same as USCG. Satisfying both was a major problem. ABS was particularly difficult as no one there knew much about designing a reciprocating steam plant. Neither USCG or ABS would agree to a riveted hull- corrosion concerns at the rivet hole- frame interface. This required a new welded hull. Some of the bulkheads from the original hull were salvaged and used. Like many modern high end yachts, the as welded hull was “faired”. The entire hull was covered with an Epoxy based fairing compound and then hand sanded with two man longboards. A model of the restored Cangarda would, therefore, not show plating seams. The deck is all wood engineered to meet ABS requirements as the upper “flange” of the hull girder. It consists of two layers of 3/4in plywood with an inter layer of Epoxy bedded fiberglass. The teak on top of the plywood is six quarter material; 1-1/2” thick! As Bob points out, there are no fasteners in the teak. The papers do not explain how the teak is bonded to the ply. There is apparently no steel deck plating beneath the plywood. All of the equipment in the engine room except the boiler is original: The main engine, two feed pumps, the circulating water pump, the air pump, the bilge pump, various gages, and even the electric switchboard. The restoration benefited from a previous owner who removed a tremendous amount of material, including the Cuban Mahogany deck structures, and carefully stored it. He, the previous owner, sent the main engine to England to be restored. Finally, after all of this meticulous restoration, she was hauled to an ordinary boat launch ramp on a low-boy trailer. As she entered the water she capsized but righted herself! The only damage was to one of her stabilizer fins. Roger

WoodenBoat also reported that a diesel electric hybrid engine has been installed in Mystic Seaport’s previously coal fired steam passenger ship Sabrino. If true, IMHO this is a real shame as she just becomes another diesel powered day boat. My wife and I last visited Mystic in 2019 on the way to the New Bedford NRG Conference and I seem to remember one of the guys in the machine shop saying that the EPA was hassling them about operating a coal fired vessel. I see very little market for Cangarda as most billionaires seem to favor yachts that look like mini cruise ships and are loaded with up-to-date marine toys. Plus, except for a few die-hards like me (who falls well short of her assumed purchase price) no one will want to deal with her steam power plant. Considering the latest news, her logical owner might be Mystic Seaport. Her Estate administrators should soon realize that boats are not passive assets. Transferring ownership to a well funded organization like Mystic might prove to be the best option. Mystic, in return would again own a steam driven passenger vessel, just not coal fired. Roger

There is an interesting backstory here. Cangarda was saved and restored by a guy named Robert McNeil, an American Venture capitalist. Concurrent with the Cangarda project he was also financing the reconstruction of the large America Schooner Yacht Coronet at the International Yacht Restoration School at Newport, R.I. Unfortunately, Mr. McNeil died in 2021. His heirs apparently don’t share his enthusiasm for old yachts so Cangarda is for sale and work on Coronet halted. The current issue of WoodenBoat Magazine reported that Coronet has been launched and towed to Mystic Seaport where she will hopefully be completed by a pair of brothers who own restaurants in NYC. Mr McNeil was apparently an advocate of “authentic” restorations. In Coronet’s case, this meant no auxiliary engine or electric lighting, even though he had planned to use the vessel for long distance voyages. This philosophy also influenced Cangarda’s restoration, and quite possibly her resale value. While he could have fitted her with modern Diesel machinery, she was instead powered with a carefully designed steam plant complete with reciprocating engine, generator and pumps. He then went a step further by deciding that this complex collection of machinery would be run with a unattended engine room. This required the development of a sophisticated computer system as well as elaborate instrumentation and sensors. Whether a new owner wants to take on the operation and maintenance of this machinery remains to be seen. Roger