Richvee

Yes Kurt. Bit by bit is right. Some of these parts are so small I can only work on them for small periods of time and then take breaks. Slow going. I have the thwart braces to make,finish painting and that should be it. I think I’m going to finish this first one, then go back to the ship and make and rig the boom and gaff. That will leave yardarms, 3 boats and a lot of little oars, harpoons, line tubs and other hardware to make. Still a lot ahead of me. Hope all is well and a happy thanksgiving to you and yours as well!

Continuing with whaleboat number one’ s details. Cuddy details,(loggerhead, lion’s tongue, cleat, starring oar brace, then some paint before moving on to oar locks, thwarts and thwart braces.

It’s not the actual fairing, but the process of looking at the frames, and figuring out/deciding where and how much to sand/file is what I need a primer on. I basically need a clearer picture in my mind of what the final results need to look like.

I wasn’t going to start a log being a “rookie” at planking and probably having very little to offer, but I’ve decided to join the crowd anyway. I got a bit of a jump on some being able to pick up a kit from Chuck at our club, but Im sure you will catch me as I slow down now that I’m ready to start fairing the hill, something I’ve never done before. here are a few shots I took. The first two show the completed keel and the 5 one piece frames test fitted. These next two show all the frames finished and glued up. Everything went together real nice with minimal amount of sanding. I do however think I rushed the gluing process and have I a few frames that could have been more snug in the keel notches ..I think I may have to add a shim or two on some frames. I plan on bringing the model to our next meeting to get some input on fairing and the like.

Welcome Tom. My story is similar though I’ve managed to find time to get back in the hobby before retirement. Started to find some time after the kids were grown. Took almost 30 years off from the hobby. Once my son moved out, I started cleaning the workbench area that he had taken over for making snow and skateboards and found the whaling brig Kate Cory that I had started some 25 years ago. Dusted it off and got restarted in the hobby and here we are 2 years later! Looking forward to seeing your Cuddy Sark take shape.

Beautiful clean work. Love the deck furnishings. That work bench/ chicken coop is outstanding. Can’t wait to see you tryworks. I can 100% relate to the deck coloring. I went through the same process trying to weather the deck on my Kate Cory after it had sat idle for many years.

Hi Jon, Just got around to finding this log. The whaleboats are looking great. As for the copper tape, I agree with you. It needs to be a very smooth surface. I also varnished the hull. Then I applied the tape by coating the hull with 2 coats of contact cement, let it dry, then glued the plates with more contact cement on the back of the plates. So far they're holding on well. Your timing for putting this project on hold is eerily similar to when my KC hit the shelf. While I hadn't started any whaleboats or coppering of the hull at this stage, you are at almost the exact same point with the hull, decking, rails, etc. as mine was when it went into extended hibernation for almost 30 years! Looking forward to seeing you get back to this build. I'll continue prodding along on mine. Judging by the amount you accomplished in just under one month, my guess is whenever you pick back up on this, I'll still be working on mine and you'll end up passing me.. 😊 Rich

Good advice about detail, Jon! Thanks for noticing the cleats. I don't want to tell you how many split in process, or how many came out a tad big and were ruined trying to make the smaller, or how many just didn't end up with the right curve, etc.

Yes Kurt. Thanks so much. really interesting stuff on how a kit plans come together. The black and white photos are great. I think I've seen one of those pictures in an old MS catalog, but the clarity of these prints are amazing. I can get a lot of info from his details there. Thanks again!

Before moving on to the boom, gaff and yardarms, I thought it is about time to at least make one whaleboat. I've decided I will make one to completion, try to take notes and see how one comes out, then tackle the other 3. I've given a lot of thought to the color scheme. Looking at countless pictures and visiting New Bedford and Mystic, the colors vary greatly. I've decided to stay close to Ronnberg's colors on his 1/2" scale model in New Bedford, except I'm going with white boats where he went with the blue/green bulwarks color on his. ..As I've mentioned earlier, I started this model some 30 years ago. back then the hull was sanded, rails and deck added, topsides and bulwarks painted. At that time, I used a floquil "rail green" on the bulwarks. Recently I came across the bottle in my storage, and low and behold, it's still as good as new! So the whaleboats will have the same green inboard as the main ship's bulwarks from the thwart stringers up. Green thwarts, cuddy board and bow box. Grey ceiling, black rails, black gunwhale strake. The sheer strake will be assorted colors for each boat. I'm thinking blue, yellow, and red. The 4th, spare boat that sits astern on the tailfeathers was a spare, so there would be no identifying stripe on that one. I may make an exception and outfit this boat fully as well, even though it was a spare. Ronnberg did this as well, and I'm leaning this way as it gives a nice appearance to the finished model with all four whaleboats finished and equipped. I started with carving/sanding the machine carved hull to shape. Approximately 1/16" think and 1/32" at the top where the ribs will be placed. Below is the beging of the carving. The top of the rails have not yet been shaved down to 1/32" Once this was done, I added the flat keel, (1/32 X 3/32 thinned to 1/16" wide at the stem and stern.) Then the rail. 1/32" strip on the inside and outside Once dry the rail was sanded and the outside rounded a bit. Next came the exposed tops of the frames, (1/32" srtip) the thwart stringers (1/32 X 1/16), the clumsy cleat, and the bow rails with it's open slot. I've decided against planking the ceiling. I'm planning on fully equipping all the boats, so by the time I've added thwarts, line tubs, harpoons, masts, oars, etc, very little of the ceiling will be visible. Next up was the cuddy board and standing soles. Both were made with 1/8" X 1/32 strip. For the cuddy, the strips were glued edge to edge, then trimmed to fit with about 1/32" of the rail showing on each side. I think that will give a nice touch with the black rail showing a little around the green cuddy board. The standing soles were not painted, as the crew needed sure footing these were eft unfinished. I plan on trying to get a weathered wood look for these. (Thanks for the tip, Bruce!) Next, I planked the bow box with 1/8" X 1/32" strip. My research shows many boats had a vertical board at the very front that ran under the bow box planks. If you look close at the very front, maybe you can see I tried to replicate that. Added the oarlock pads, and the horn cleats on the rails. That's where I'm at now. Again, the question arises, how much is too much detail on these little boats? I think I'll add the pads under the thwart stringers that held the oars upright when under sail, or running with a whale, the foot brace up near the cuddy board, and of course the cuddy board details---Loggerhead, lion's tongue, cleat, steering oar brace, and lifting eyes. I think that will be a sufficient amount of detail.

I'm wondering if the bars were different colors through the renovations...?? Here they look black... Here, ochre... and here it's tough to tell I'd say the choice is yours. I wouldn't think either would be "wrong" Personal opinion. I like the black for a little contrast. On a model I think it would make that detail "pop".

Love the idea of thread for those bars! it looks perfect.

Jon- I have to ask...By the looks of your builds, you don't mess around with anything small!! What scale are you planning for the Kate Cory? And...Is it going to sail??

Thanks for the likes everyone. Jon - Looking forward to your buildlog. If I can be of any help in your research let me know. There's so much detail you can add to whalers. The question for me has been what to include and what to leave off.

Had a nice weekend up in New Bedford at the museum. I could have easily spent half the day looking at Eric Ronnberg's 1/2" scale Kate Cory. So much interesting stuff there. Some inspiration to get my whaleboats going

If/when I ever plank my first hull, I hope my first effort can come somewhere close to yours. Well done!! I went solid hull for my first attempt.

The plastic worked well for the 2 pin pin rails on either side of the fore mast. This time they're epoxied on there. Halyards and downhauls for the Jib, flying jib, outer, inner, and topmast staysails are in. I found it interesting the topmast halyard didn't have a block at the head cringe of the sail, it was just sister hooked to the head cringe. So I just hooked the downhaul to an eyesplice in the halyard as shown below in the top of the picture. Jib and flying jib halyards and downhauls That brings me to here... Next, I think it's time to get serious about these darn whaleboats. But not before a a little weekend trip to the New Bedford whaling museum. The wife and I are headed up there early tomorrow morning to spend a day there...Russ--I'll ask about the plans they used to sell on line..maybe we'll get lucky and they'll have a set laying around they would sell.

It's been a frustrating few weeks in the shipyard. I've re-rigged most of the upper stays, fore royal stay. Just too much slack after tightening the cutting-in tackle. I must have re rigged the 4 backstays half a dozen times. I think I have all the standing lines where they need to be now. Ran the jib halyard and downhaul, and belayed the downhaul to the bow rail. Then, more trouble. As I tried to belay the hauling end of the halyard to the pin in the small pinrail on the fore mast, I realized the little two pin rail on either side of the mast is not going hold up the strain, off they came. So now I need to construct some new pinrails. Got an idea at work today. I found these plastic dividers we use. The thickness looks to be just about perfect. Hopefully I can fashion 2 rails, with two belaying pins in each that will hold up when affixed to the spider band with lines belayed to it. Because as you can see, the wooden one shown below didn't stand a chance.

I have found with all info available between Mystic, New Bedford Whaling Museum and other sources, the question becomes how MUCH detail and extras do you want to add. Figuring how much is too much, how much am I capable of, has kept my interest in my build at a high level. Also can't help but think how much more detail one could add at 1/4" scale!

Pulling up a seat for this build. One of the great things I've found about modeling a whaler is the extensive education I'm receiving about the American whaling industry in general and the whaling vessels in particular. I'm sure you'll enjoy this build as I am with the Kate Cory.

Thanks guys. That makes sense.

Looking for some advice. This week I finished off the cutting in tackle not without some setbacks. First, I had a pretty major catastrophe as I swung my arm around the model too quick and snapped the fore royal mast off right under the royal crosstree. . The fix took some time. The repair is not real pretty, but fairly well hidden under the crosstrees. The top most ratlines are going to have to be redone. with the repair done, I managed to finish the cutting in tackle, tension the lines and secure the lower blocks to the belly chain bit. All things considered, I'm happy with the cutting in tackle. Here's where the problem has arisen. Upon completing the Cutting in tackle, I noticed a LOT of my standing rigging had way to much slack in the lines because of the tension from the cutting in tackle. I cut away the fore topgallant and main topmast backstays, the outer mainstay, the main topmast stay and spring stay and main topmast spring stay. I reattached them, but haven't secured them all yet. Is there an order I should secure theses stays in that may avoid slack as I proceed, or is this just trial and error until I get all the lines to look good with no noticeable sag in them?

As I get closer to finishing off the standing rigging, I'm have difficulty keeping the lines tight enough as to not slack as I add higher stays. I have subsequently untied the fore topgallant and main topmast backstays, along with outer and main topmast stay, and springstay and main topmast stay. As I try to secure these again, it seems as I get near the end, one or more lines slack again. I've noticed a lot of people step the main masts, rig them before moving on to installing and rigging the topmasts, and topgallant masts. Unfortunately this isn't an option for me anymore as the masts were completed as a whole unit and then installed. Is there a preferred "order" for securing these stays that may cause them to slack less? Or do I just need to keep adjusting until I find that "sweet spot" where everything looks taught?

Thanks Kurt. I was pretty happy with the look. Wayne, I hope you get back at it soon. I've seen your log, you're off to a great start. Be sure to check out John B.'s KC log, as well as the many Morgan builds on this site. In particular, Bruce's Morgan, particularly his whaleboats, are stunning. Not only am I learning ship modeling, but I'm getting quite an education in the history of American whaling. Fascinating subject, IMO. I'm learning the hard way I shouldn't have tied off the standing rigging. I've already untied the backstays, and will probably need to undo the inner main, outer main and spring stays to re-tension them. It was a productive Sunday in the shipyard. Not only finished the cutting in pieces, I managed to get the blubber hook rigged. Ends are just wrapped around the windlass until final adjusting. Still need to lash that hook to the bit as well.

Upper blocks shackled into the pendents. Lower blocks fit with wooden toggle, and blubber hook. A little extra detail adding the small rope handles on the lower block with the blubber hook. Now all that's left to do is rig these things.