gsdpic

The youtube link worked for me. Cool project, and interesting application of Arduino to modeling. I've done a few Arduino projects in the past but it has been a few years.

Haven't seen this kit before. I'll follow along to see how it went. Those middle five bulkheads look far apart for planking. My guess is that was one of your challenges. Are there two layers of planking? Oh, and by the way, welcome to MSW!

Congratulations on completing this fine build! You certainly deserve to be, and have every reason to be, proud of this accomplishment!

Nicely done! I like all the details and lighting that you added.

Glad to see you continuing with your America build. She's looking really good. The frames don't look too far out of line from here. I also had to do some trimming and a bit of shimming of a few of the frames after attaching them to the keel to get things to line up. You might consider putting on the bilge clamps/sheer clamps before doing much fairing or trimming of the frames. The clamps will reduce the chance of snapping off one side of the frame when fairing or trimming them. I recall that I broke one or two of my frames and had to glue them back together. Of course you might need to do some fairing on the insides of the frames in order to put the clamps on so you'll still have a chance to snap a frame then. Also, one thing I don't see.....there is a small step up where the last third of the deck is a bit higher than the front two thirds. On mine, that step up was also part of the frames at this point...i.e. the tops of the aft frames were higher while the timberheads were shorter. But on yours they appear to be similar height. You may need to add some material around the tops of the frames or just compensate with the deck beams. Keep up the good work. If you have not checked my build log lately, I just very recently completed my America, so it is possible.

Nice shot Phil. Now I feel like an idiot for not bouncing the light off the walls and ceiling for my recent shots, though I have not done a lot of indoor macro photography. I've also done some focus stacking for very small objects or for landscapes but did not really think about it for a medium sized object like a model. Thanks for the tips, now I have something to try today.

Thank you, you are too kind. The finish on your Miss Severn and Fifie tell me I have a ways to go yet but I am getting there. Thank you all, I appreciate it. And thanks again to all those you looked it, commented, and hit the like button on this build log and on the pictures in the gallery. The encouragement means a lot to me.

And so I have marked this as "finished". I still need to sort out what I am doing about the case, but the model itself is finished. Here are a few photos I've taken. I'll post more in a gallery in the completed kits section in a while. And this last one I think @MrBlueJacket will like it. Of the eight model boats I've completed, 5 of them have been from Bluejacket. In front are the two very small scale 1934 America's cup contenders Endeavour and Rainbow that I acquired and built probably 20 or 25 years ago. Behind that is the Bluejacket lobster boat and the Swampscott dory, which I build in the 2015-2016 time frame, and then the just completed America.

Thank you! Yes, I've been trying to figure out what I want to do about a case...more thought and research is required there. Thanks. Understand about life getting in the way....there's a chance that'll happen to me in the coming months but with luck my changes will also result in a better modelling workshop. As for what's next, I'll likely take a bit of a break. But it's funny. If you've followed MSW for any length of time you've probably seen posts where the author refers to having a stash of unbuilt kits. Three years ago when I saw that I thought it was weird. But now that I've finished America, I have my own stash. But nothing nautical. I have several plastic cars, and both the model airways and artesania latina 1/16th sopwith camel. I bought the former on a whim when I got a really good deal on it but after some research I decided I really preferred the latter, and if I was going to invest the time I wanted the better one. I may build the engine from the MA kit and display it along with the completed AL kit, we'll see. As for boats, I've been thinking about one of the MarisStella kits, likely either the Trabaccolo or Pelig. Or, I've been lusting after Miss Severn ever since @Tim Moore included a picture of it in a Typhoon build log:

This is an interesting and timely topic for me, for two reasons. First, photography is one of my other hobbies. Second, I am in the midst of trying to create the final, high(er) quality images for my America build. While doing the build log, I mostly used an ancient point-n-shoot. For the final images I am using my Canon DSLR (5D mk IV). Regarding LED lighting, I have a Luxli Viola II. They certainly are not cheap and it would be hard to justify solely for ship model photography, but if you have other uses I'd recommend them, or the newer Luxli Fiddle. They allow adjusting both the brightness and the color temperature of the light. They can also do colors too, though don't think that applies to ship model photography. They have a smart phone app for controlling the light if you have a set up where the light is not near by. For my final pictures I am using the Viola along with one or two flashes. I should probably invest more in a good back drop.....for now I am just using a sheet thumb tacked to the wall and a second one spread on the table. And yes, macro photography can be brutal for the ship modeller's ego.

A few thoughts on the kit I thought now that I am done I would add a few more thoughts on this kit. I enjoyed building it and generally the kit is well done. It is not for the faint of heart or inexperienced. Though to be fair, Bluejacket does rate it an "8" on their 9 point difficult scale so that is no surprise. The materials were generally all good quality. In the end I even decided that I liked the britannia metal blocks. The wood was good quality and there was an appropriate amount, though I did replace the deck with some nicer cherry wood instead of the bass wood. I made a few other substitutions as well, such as wood mast hoops instead of the brass wire loops. The instructions were a bit uneven. Many sections had good detail but in a few other places the instructions were little more than "use the supplied material to build the thing in the picture". I felt like the rigging instructions were very much more like the latter. There are only 30 or 35 lines on the boat, seems like it would not have been that difficult for the instructions to identify the size of the rigging line and blocks used for each line as well as the belaying point. Finally, a huge thank you to those of you who have looked in, and commented, and hit the like button. You provided guidance and encouragement on this long journey. Also, a huge thank you to those that did their own build logs for other America kits, such as @TUEL, @greatgalleons, @mojofilter, @hamilton, and especially @Kevin Kenny. I referenced all of those build logs multiple times and watched pretty much all of the videos that Kevin produced, and my build turned out better because of those prior build logs.

And so I think I am done. I feel like I sort of hobbled over the finish line. I added the last couple of rigging lines, and a bunch of rope coils both to the deck and hanging from the pins. I was a bit underwhelmed with my rope coiling ability, but it is not the first time I have had that feeling. I then did the nerve wracking switch from my temporary building board to the real, cherry base board. I still need to take one last look at the plans and the instructions to see if there is anything else I forgot that I'd like to add. And maybe look in the box for leftover parts that should've gone on. Then I need to do a bit of clean up in the spare bed room and get out the DSLR to take some better pictures of the finished product, which I'll post here and in the gallery. At that point I will officially mark the build log as finished. For now, here are two pictures using the crappy little point-n-shoot.

I have not seen a build log for this kit before, so will follow along with interest. Looks like you are off to a great start!

Thank you for taking the time to comment, Phil. I appreciate it. I've already referred to your topsail schooner sail plan/rigging thread several times while doing the rigging here. What you say makes sense. Oddly, the one and only thing shown on the plans regarding the vangs is an attachment point on the very aft edge of the deck, which does seem like it would have exactly the issue you mention, interfering with the swing of the boom. Perhaps that is where the hook could be used, to allow it to be detached to give space.

Thanks all for the likes and for looking in. Just a quick update to say that I am still working on the rigging, but making progress. I now have the chainplates and deadeyes attached and have the lanyards threaded through them, though need to tighten them up and seize the ends of the lanyards. After that I just need to decide if/how/where to do the vangs, as they are not really shown on the plans with the kit. Then the rigging will be done and on to the clean up and finishing touches.

Welcome to MSW from a fellow Austinite. That radial engine looks pretty incredible...something tells me you'll do just fine with ship building.

Getting Close I have now made and hung the last sail, the jib. I still have some of the running rigging for the jib to do, plus I need to complete the shrouds. I need to attach the chain plates/lower deadeyes, then bind the deadeyes together. I have the deadeyes attached to the shrouds on the port side but not yet on the starboard side. Then just some finished touches and I'll be done. I am looking forward to completing it and to putting more care and effort into getting some final photographs instead of just the quick snapshots with this crappy old point and shoot.

Oh man, this is insane. It has been a while since I scanned through the non-ship builds, and now I am a little sorry that I did. I had never heard of this company. I really like the Cobra, and I see they have a Jaguar E-Type coming soon. Feeling much temptation. Maybe I'll be satisfied if I just follow along with your build.

Thanks @Kevin Kenny as I have come to expect seems like every plan is a bit different.

Just to follow up, I've completed two of these things. So far I've just been running black line through the blocks (or bullseye in one case) and seizing the line to the line attached to the block on one or both ends, as shown below. There are three more on the bowsprit rigging that I will do the same with.

Ready for Jib I've mostly resolved my issue without redoing anything. The thing that bothered me was the angle between the fore gaff and the rigging line attached to it. On the sail plan and on other builds, it is in a near straight line, not angled so much. After more investigation, there seemed to be three contributors: 1. The mast height issue, though they are not as far off as I first thought. It is more like 1/8th of an inch each, but in opposite directions. 2. The angle between the gaff and the fore mast was not as great as it should be. 3. The rake of the fore mast is a little too great, further angling the gaff toward horizontal. I was able to sand a bit off of the fore gaff clapper and tighten the rigging to angle the gaff higher. I also used the jib stay to pull the top of the fore mast forward. Those two actions greatly reduced the angle between the gaff and the rigging line, at the expense of causing a bit of a ripple in the fore sail, something I am willing to live with and which might dissipate on its own. So with that I am now ready to make and hang the jib. There are three or four rigging lines associated with the jib, plus I still have to complete the fore shrouds and do the main shrouds, more bowsprit rigging, as well as the two main sail vangs. So, one sail and about 10 more rigging lines...oh, and the two parrels, and I think that will be it. Here's a current picture showing the current state, with the improvement to the fore gaff. You can see I put on the fore shrouds, since they are below the fore stay on the mast, but have not done the chainplates and lower deadeyes to attach the lower end of the shrouds.

Rigging Thanks for the likes and comments, appreciate it. I've been working on the running rigging for the main, top, and fore sail. I am almost done with that, just have the complicated fore sheet to do, and the two vangs for the main gaff. Then I will do the standing rigging which will allow me to hang the last sail and do its running rigging. I feel like I am doing things a little backwards, doing sails then running rigging then standing rigging but that seemed easiest to me. I also realized that since I am dying the white running rigging tan, the rigging process is kind of like planking....cut a piece, soak it, let it dry, and then put it on the model. Fortunately the rigging line dries much quicker than wood. Unfortunately I am a little unhappy with the angle of the fore gaff. It should be more steeply angled, with the aft end higher. Unfortunately the angle was a bit restricted by the gaff jaws and clapper that I made. Of course if I fixed that, then I'd need to remake the fore sail and redo a bit of the rigging. But I already have another minor repair that needs to be done on the fore gaff jaws, as the tip of one of them broke when I was drilling a hole for the parrel. It is one of those times when I really don't want to redo it, don't want to take such a big step backwards this close to the finish, but I fear it will bug me if I leave it the way it is. I think the current position of the gaff takes away from the rakish appearance that is such a key part of the America. Not sure if the standing rigging lines that go between the tops of the masts will make it better or not. Edit: I investigated more and realized the angle is not too far off but somehow I ended up with the main mast about a half inch longer than it should be and the fore mast about a quarter inch shorter than it should be. So that makes the angle appear farther off than it really is. Obviously, still far easier to fix the gaff and sail than to fix the mast lengths! Anyway, here a couple pictures showing the rigging that I've done so far. I still have a few untrimmed ends sitting on the deck, and will also need to make and place some rope coils around some of the cleats and belaying pins.

You might investigate "liver of sulphur" as an option. I used it on the hull of my America (see link below) to give the copper an "old penny" look.

Thank You! Thanks, the anticipation and satisfaction definitely builds as the finish line approaches. After my last post I realized that this is pretty close to the four year anniversary of starting this kit. Though there was one 19-month long break, from June 2019 through Dec 2020, and a couple other one or two month breaks where I did not work on it at all.

Thanks for the likes folks, and thanks Nic for the comment. It took me longer than expected but I've completed and attached the main sail to the boom, gaff, and mast. I've also attached the top sail to the mast. I did have one minor oops moment that I am trying hard to ignore. Despite using a pattern that I compared to my particular model for the sail, I ended up with the top of the main sail about 1/8th or maybe 3/16th of an inch too wide. Not sure how it happened, though I admit I never compared my sail to the pattern after initially cutting out the sail. So the gaff is just not quite as long as it should be compared to the sail. But I only discovered that after completing the sail....8 or 10 hours of work I think...so left it as is. Now I need to do at least some rigging to have a place to hang the jib, which I have not yet started to make. Thus far I have just used regular thread or some leftover rigging thread from my not-completed Niagara build. For the rigging I'll use the Bluejacket line, which also means I need to try out the brown fabric dye I bought to dye the white line some shade of tan. I did a quick test on a short piece a while back and it worked ok, just need to figure out the process for doing larger quantities. Anyway, below is a picture as she currently stands. I really need that jib on there to balance things out. But I feel like I can almost see the finish line from here, thanks to the relatively simple rig of the America, especially compared to those square-rigged behemoths that some of you like to build.