Tigersteve

Hello,
today only a small update. I located the positions of the Rails, wales and gun ports at the hull. 
 

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 266 – Fore Lower Topsail Yard Continued
 
Apart from the braces that will be installed later, the last items of rigging on the lower topsail yards were the buntlines.  There are two on each side.  In the absence of sails these are stopped at the buntline blocks on top of the yard as shown in the first picture.
 

 
Buntlines are normally passed through blocks on the underside of the tops or crosstrees at the head of their associated mast, but with the addition of the second topsail yard, the lower topsail buntlines are rigged through double blocks seized to the forward topsail shrouds as shown.  The starboard side is shown in the next picture.
 

 
From these double blocks the lines run down through fairlead holes in the top, inside the shrouds, through the fairleads on the #2 shrouds, and are belayed on the main pin rail on each side.  These lines may be seen passing vertically down from the shroud blocks through the top in the next picture.
 

 
The lower ends of these lines may be seen belayed at the side in the next picture.
 

 
You may note that in these pictures the shroud lanyards have been re-wrapped above the deadeyes.  These were unwound earlier to re-tension the shrouds and backstays as mentioned in an earlier post.  The running rigging of the two lower yards has also been tensioned, secured at the pins with some dilute glue and the excess line clipped off.  The clutter of these unsecured lines on the deck and above was becoming an unsightly nuisance, so it was time to get everything neatly secured.  The next picture shows the forward deck cleared of excess rope.
 

 
One of the next steps will be to make and add rope coils at the belaying points.  The lower yard tacks and lazy tacks are still only temporarily belayed until the sheets are rigged later.
 
 
Ed

Another photo to illustrate the interior planking process. Midsection planks pre-painted and installed.
Steve

I thought I had already followed this. Oh well- now I am.
Steve

I finally finished one of the walls on the middle deck! Whew! I also made some small doors too. I know that this wall is not actuate,  nor is it in the right place.  But I'm not making the full middle deck and I just needed something to cover up the bare frames.  I am currently working on the other wall for the other side of the ship. I positioned the doors so they are slightly open. 

 

 
Thanks!
 
 
Jeff 

The running rigging is done (I think) except for trimming off the excess line and adding rope coils.  I'll hold off on that in case problems arise that require a redo of something.

I was having a difficult time with the belaying using a tool I fashioned.  I made up a different tool consisting of a sewing needle inserted point-first into the end of a chopstick, using the eye to guide the line around the belaying pins.  It worked very well in the tight spaces around the bottoms of the pins.  The needle has to have a very small eye, as close to the end as possible.

It's very satisfying to have reached this point.  The shrouds and ratlines are next!

Steve - I'm reading a nautical oriented book taking place around the Revolutionary War. The guys are doing a lot of rowing around. Every time I read a section like that I picture this boat.

FYI...The reason for the alternative woods is two-fold.  First to make these projects affordable and Boxwood and pear are very expensive.   In addition,  I am not sure you guys are aware of this yet, but you will be soon.  The price for C.Boxwood has increased 75-100% over the last two-three months.   There are very few places in the US right now where you can get really nice stuff without grain that is creamy and wonderful.   At least not in the large sizes that I need.  The current costs for this stuff is now $40 and up per BF.   I was getting it for almost half that price six months ago.  Just got what is probably my last shipment of awesome looking boxwood this morning at that price before I have to either raise my prices or start thinking about a different wood overall.  When your wood guys run out of their pile....they will be very shocked to learn about the increase.  And will probably pass that on to you.  So my advice....if you use boxwood a lot,  buy all you can over the next few months from where ever you can find it.
 
You are looking at really nice boxwood boards that are 3+" thick, 5-5 1/2" wide and 30" long.   If you knew how much this stack of wood cost you wouldnt believe it.  I am looking to buy another batch within the next few weeks to try and hoard it at the lower prices where ever I can find it.  Gilmer now charges the lowest at $40 per BF.  Other sources have garbage boxwood or its even more money with boards half the thickness and width.
 
This is also the reason guys why my block inventory has been in bad shape.  I was waiting on this nice stack of wood.  Once I find time to mill it up I will get right on restocking the sizes of blocks I am out of.
 

 
Chuck

Its going to be just like the Cheerful project.  But the plans will NOT be sold separately.  The plans will only be included in the starter package which has the bulkheads.  There will also be no bulkhead templates on the plans.  There is no reason to include them since you get them laser cut.  This is being done to make it very difficult to pirate.  As of right now there will no longer be a book published.  This will just be released the same as I did for Cheerful with a downloadable free monograph and you can buy the starter package in Cherry or in Yellow Cedar if it works out.  So far I am liking how the Cedar wood looks and works.  But we shall see how you guys respond to it here.   In addition to the starter package there will be a large number of mini kits for various other details...like a quarter gallery mini-kit....casting set...ships wheel mini kit, etc.  You buy what you want or make them from scratch instead.  That is the plan.  I am actually cutting a set of parts for Mike as we speak....and one for rusty as soon as my wood order arrives.
 
ETA on starter package being released.....as soon as I get the hull planked up.
 
Chuck

Another photo to illustrate the interior planking process. Midsection planks pre-painted and installed.
Steve

Another photo to illustrate the interior planking process. Midsection planks pre-painted and installed.
Steve

Thought I'd take a small break from painting to dry-fit all parts again. While there are several more coats that need to be applied, I believe it's getting closer to an acceptable finish.
 
In this dry-fit I am looking at the thwarts and questioning if they butt up against the frames enough. I feel I may need to redo these so they butt up against the frames more. Any thoughts fellow Pinnace builders? Will this be a problem during inboard planking?
Steve

Another photo to illustrate the interior planking process. Midsection planks pre-painted and installed.
Steve

The inboard planking will be completed in sections due to the multiple curves required from bow to stern. I planked the cockpit section with pre-painted 1/16” and 1/8” strips. These will be filled and repainted when the rest of the planking is complete to hide any seams. 
 
I am using basswood for this part of the planking.
Steve

I like the color and the pre-painting seems like a good idea at this stage to avoid the inevitable slop/bleed onto the thwarts and seats.

Another photo to illustrate the interior planking process. Midsection planks pre-painted and installed.
Steve

Another photo to illustrate the interior planking process. Midsection planks pre-painted and installed.
Steve

Another photo to illustrate the interior planking process. Midsection planks pre-painted and installed.
Steve

Another photo to illustrate the interior planking process. Midsection planks pre-painted and installed.
Steve

Another photo to illustrate the interior planking process. Midsection planks pre-painted and installed.
Steve

Taking a break from CAD drawing on two new projects; after awhile the old eyeballs start doing barrel rolls so to break away from the screen I bounce back to working on the ship. Here are a few images of making the bow chocks which have both horizontal and vertical rollers. The challenge was fitting each to there respective hull locations with different angles.
First was starting with square brass tube and inserting it into the opening in the hull and scribed a line on the external side of the hull. Then drilling two holes and inserting rods and cutting and filing smooth. Then two additional holes drilled and then filed to fit.

 

 
This shows the size of these chocks.
 

 
Here they are for final fitting.
 

 
Now back to more CAD drawing.
 
 

I have started the deck planking process. I have tried to place the false deck as straight as I could but unfortunately that did not work out very good. As you can see, for some reason the deck is not straight at the stern... However, I would not rip it off, because this part will be covered with a second deck, so I believe that it will remain as you see from the photos.
 

I forgot to mention that I painted in black the bow section:

I can't believe my last post was April last year. Anyway I finally  found some time to resume the construction. With great help from my significant other, the main sail was roped, and seized to the hoops, then laced to the boom and gaffe. It is now ready to be installed with a temporary furling (I'll  complete the furling when the rigging is done).
Next, rigging the main mast; with a bit of luck,  I'll be done this Summer given the pace...
 

Another photo to illustrate the interior planking process. Midsection planks pre-painted and installed.
Steve

Steve....I'll try to add more pages so you can have something to follow.  Thanks for your attention and comment.
 
Rob