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rwiederrich
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Everything posted by rwiederrich
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Rich..check this out....
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Jared...I feel ya. Once we have built a significant part of our vessel...to tear it all out is a gut wrenching notion. I crossed that same threshold myself....but because I was part of a group trying to realize the true structures of a McKay clipper....I was compelled to make the untimely correction....if I had any hope of staying the course of producing the most accurate McKay vessel thus far. It just had to be done...and it surely wasn't beyond my ability. It became a matter of the will.
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Indeed, and that is the plight of so many. They are told....but that is usually by someone who doesn't know themselves. No Criticism is intended.....we are telling people now...when we come across them. The ultimate desire is to get manufacturers to make the changes....so as not to lead builders astray. That is the hardest task at hand. Rob
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We do not wish for any builder of these kits to feel belittled or criticized in any way. These discoveries came to Rich and myself many years ago and we were just as surprised as many of these kit builders are, when we discovered them. But as you say,.....we wish to help and correct these issues for others who are making this journey. Rich is creating a plan to make these revelations known to the general modeling public and to manufacturers of said kits. But currently....all we can do is intercept builders as they build their models and if possible, reveal our findings, so they can self correct their own models. Rob
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I all fairness. Modelers who undergo one of these kits....are putting great trust in the research the model designers have done. The designers are putting a great amount of trust in the hopes that the modelers are not historians and will not be aware their kits are full of inaccuracies. Buyer beware....or in this case modeler. It's really an easy fix for modelers....but it requires foreknowledge. Its easy for manufacturers....it only takes a little retooling and redrawing. Accuracy requires effort. Rob
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Rich....I completely agree with your assessment. We have talked these issues through plenty of times before. It is difficult when builders have simply followed their models plans, and we come along. No disrespect to any builder...for sure, but it is nice to lead builders in the right direction when these issues are found out early....before the damage is done. I praise Jared and others on their builds...not on the poor drawings they have followed. It boils down to research. I pray we can encourage others to notice the errors and correct them before they get too far along. On the other hand...they are doing good with what they got. Just trying to help...as you are. Rob
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Have you been following the changes that have been recently discovered about the McKay naval hoods and cutwater? Kits today are misrepresenting the bow of McKay clippers...and they are sorely inaccurate. I hope you have seen the info, Clipperfan has amassed on the subject. Good build. Rob
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Wonderful job....I hope you have been following the threads on the newly realized McKay cutwater and naval hoods..... and forecastle changes to the plans of these models. Most manufacturers get it all wrong, making their models sorely inaccurate. Good build. Rob
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And so it begins.... Rigging stays, backstays and headgear. Standing rigging is the strength of the framework that holds the masting, to which the sails are energized. A world, all in of itself.... Good job! Rob
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Still waiting on the bulkheads to arrive. Any day now friends.... Rob
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One simple rule I try to always follow: Always pre-rig all your blocks on the mast (that means some homework), rig your mast off model(If you can), work from stern to stem(this allows you room to work all around the mast without bumping the next mast, work from bottom up( this permits you the freedom from not having to work within a hole of rigging...you have room above), work from inside-out (nothing is worse then when you have to go inside the rigging envelope to add something deep within, that you missed), You must always be thinking 4th dimensional. Height, depth, breadth, time. Of course, you can never forget the component that binds it all together, and that is, how much detail are you going for? Now, one item I modify, and that is, the bottom -up issue. I never add the main yards until I have completed the shrouds. They're just in the way. I actually add them last on my mast builds. One last thought....building your masts off hull works the best because you can simply rotate the mast to work on it from all sides, adding blocks...rigging, and such, then when all your individual yard and sail lifting/control lines are in place...you can glue the mast directly in...and then begin to belay all your lines. I treat each mast as a single unit...it makes for better organization, and it created each mast job into its own little project...breaking up the whole thing into smaller pieces. Which is good for the psyche' . Treating each mast as its own project, helps the entire project move along nicer. IMHV. Rob
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The anniversary is a great reason to make her hull completion a goal.
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Vlad is sending your copy to me (from what I understand), and I'll pop it off to you. As you are probably aware...McKay launched his ships with simple stub masts....so if I can pull off just finishing her hull by years end...I'll have launched her as was the prototype. On her 175 Anniversary. We'll just have to see. No one knows the future.. Rob
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Fantastic work Rick. She is moving along nicely now. I find it kinda funny, that, apart from most builders, I always build my masts entirely, individually. One at a time. Everyone has their own method. Reflecting on my Great Republic build....I began with the foremast and worked back. Realizing that, this technique caused more problems for me...when adding the sails. I reversed this method on Glory of the Seas...and starting from the mizzen, worked out so much better. I didn't have to work around previous work. I could work straight on and over the hull. Yeah....you have a point....the solid hull kits, require that you cut out all the parts.....so in essence, you are practically Sudō scratch building. Great job. Rob
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After Michael Mjelde told me specifically that Chapelle never had peer reviews of his data and drawings. I began questioning the validity of them when things look wrong.
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I'm sure that it was.....however, when you're cold, nostalgia and pride gather close to the warmth....of the fire. Rob(Doing my bit to clear the lofting floor of shavings to reveal the truth)
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That sound like it might be a monumental task. Profits are all these big model kit manufacturers are thinking about. Still, it wouldn't hurt to at least inform them of the blatant errors, they allow in their so called scale model kits. Revell didn't make any corrections to their Thermopylae kit. Not sure they even make that kit any longer. Still...the expensive wooden kits might make the change if they are concerned about accuracy. Maybe *close* is good enough?🤥 Rob
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Donald McKay was a naval architect visionary. However, that seems to be limited to the clipper design. When other yards were quickly converting to steam ship building and design, McKay held his ground. The loss of several of his ships that he alone paid for, contributed to his financial failure...along with the demise of sailing vessels, outpaced by new steam ships. Webb, went on to be a very successful steam ship builder...others too. Unfortunately, McKay was a victim of his own dedication. His brilliant career did bring him great wealth and high honor. It was his stubborn lack of vision for the future of iron steam ships that brought him low. It was his own choices....not the advent of a superior vessel. Rob
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I agree...I find the errors passed down to be unfortunate. It's easy to sell something to a person ignorant of that something. Rob
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Exactly. McKay built Staghound completely...her masts. yards and rigging as well. And as you suggest.....most clippers used similar deck features and equipment. With that being said, however, McKay's ingenious pre-thought spilled over into deck features on his clippers. So many have been previously mentioned here and elsewhere. So to think his deck designs might be different is not outside reality. Duncan McLean's own overwhelmed remarks and acknowledgements of what a *Perfectly* provisioned vessel should look like, was expressed many times when describing a McKay vessel. His own words, such as *Ingenious, skillfully executed, masterfully provided, well equipped....only reinforces the fact, that McKay used extraordinary skill and foresight in fashioning his vessels with modern and ingenious structures. His attention to provide for his workers comfort was just as prevalent for providing for the men who would sail his vessels. One note to remember: McKay permitted his captains to be involved in rigging decisions, but he had overall control.....because the rigging design, in most cases fully effected the sailing characteristics of the hull. No matter how well the hull was designed...if coupled with inadequate, or faulty masting, yarding, or sail plans....the entire vessels performance and reputation was in jeopardy. McKay, wasn't down with that. Rob
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Mike told me Chapelle had no peer review concerning his drawings and many items he includes or eliminates can be suspect. Unlike Chapelle...we cross reference and compare, historically what McKay did, or most likely did....based on his actual practices. I completely agree, Rich. Somethings fishy with this model....and Chapelle's drawing/design for it.. Rob
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The Challenge has the same winches on her bits that Chapelle drew for the Staghound. Intetesting
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The Challenge was a Webb designed clipper. However McKay was a clipper visionary. I would not use w Webb design to validate a McKay design. Especially when Duncan McLean describes her in such detail with having an ample, airy, well lit space for a shift of men to bunk. And no other clipper of the era had Naval Hoods either. Proof , we can not use what others did to conclude what McKay did. He worked to his own tune, setting records and building what no other designer would dare. Donald McKay’s one of a kind clipper fleet is my evidence. Just in case you wanted to know how I feel about it?🧐👍 Rob
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So very much appreciated Vlad. Your work can not be praised any higher.... And in 3~4 weeks, they will arrive and I can begin the hull......I'm so excited. Rob
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I'm still apt to believe that the typical forecastle of British clippers was relied upon when they concluded the W/C's were to be outside the forecastle proper.....and not within as McLean describes. Full height Topgallant forecastles even drawn my Campbell...show a forward bulkhead with windows and companionways. Rob
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