rwiederrich

Rick....it has been fun...and I haven't installed the new pin rails yet, either. I'm working one side at a time currently...before I install the forward forecastle bulkhead and the forecastle decking. The real trick will come when I then install the decking over the forward cabin and the poop deck aft...... Both need to be split and cut away to pass around the masts...then reassembled. I've chosen to stain the decks a grey...because the McKay was built for the Australian passenger trade, where she saw lower latitudes where her decks would become greyed by the boiling sun and airy weather...not to mention the hundreds of passengers traversing her decks. Rob

There is another on the starboard side too..... Thanks Javelin. As it is my habit.....I like to display my models in unique ways. Rob

Drux....I expect nothing less then the highest forms of criticism, sarcasm, tomfoolery, blovinating, and every other form of flattery, while I run amok. It is a right, one must endure while passing through these waters. Rob (aka...Runamoker)

I’m reworking her forecastle. She was fuller forward then extreme clippers. Cutting the pattern and resting it, taking measurements. Lots of reworking. Im going to be removing and replacing all the head gear as well…….. The new decking will be a dark grey… weathered like the main deck at her waist. Rob

Several accounts claim she had Forbes rig, and others claim she had Howes. Anyway… I’m not changing the rig. I worked on several things today. I had to add the blue waterway that was missing I began the forward cabin and the new forecastle. Here are some pics.

Yep, six of -em. Yes, again......the helm was in the helm house aft. She had 5 main deck sky lights...and (not depicted)...she also had flush deck plate glass skylights...all along her deck...both on the port and starboard(Along the gunwales'). One, item I'm wrestling with, is that Crothers does not indicate the large aft cabin on the full poop deck...that the mizzen mast runs through(Like Glory of the Seas)....with skylights on its roof. I agree with most of Crothers interpretation, but, written first hand accounts vary slightly...especially when describing the waist house abaft of the main mast as a full house extending off the flush poop deck....and the catwalk extends to the main cabin/forecastle from that. I'm doing more research and triple checking....but I think my version may vary from Crothers(we'll see) He's rarely wrong.... She had similar structures as Lightning....so I am gleaning from her structures to aid me. Rob

Here is the deck plan of the Donald McKay. From Crothers. Rob

Sorry for the lack of work , but I’m on holiday in Las Vegas and Arizona this week. I’ll begin posting next Monday. Thanks everyone Rob

Yeah …… that’s like pouring the foundation after the house is built. Wait…….I’ve actually done that to an old house my brother in law owned. I’ve redrawn the deck plan based on this new data and it will be fun to construct. This clipper was designed and built for passenger service, so she will have lots of conveniences. Plus, she had 6 boats. Rob

Oh boy...research reveals a load of info, if you're willing to dig for it. My current front carriage house mod...is not correct at all....even though Crothers deck drawing shows the poop extended...or what is called a *full* poop deck. Information derived from an article found in the *Boston Daily Atlas*...claims there is a cabin forward of the poop deck that runs forward toward the main mast, and is in close proximity to it. This means the poop deck is flush with the roof of that aft cabin. Permitting side decking of the waist main deck to be available for working the mast and pumps. There is an additional house that rests on the flush poop deck that the mizzen mast runs through,(similar to Glory), and there is an additional house for the helm. Like the Lightning before her....McKay utilizes extensive flush deck plate glass skylights to illuminate the waist deck state rooms. McKay also uses extensive *box* type ventilators to bring fresh air into the cabins.....very similar to those on the Lightning. This flush poop deck runs forward over the aft cabin.....along a catwalk(past the main mast) that meets flush with the main cabin deck that is flush with the forecastle deck. This, (Like the Lightning) permitted crewmen to easily access stem to stern without having to descend into the waist. With all this new knowledge, I have to make mods to my mods. The rail on the flush poop deck will be turned posts as will be the poop cabin roof.....however, the rail that extends along the catwalk forward to the main cabin and onto the forecastle will be iron stanchions and rail. Rob

Here are some of Mike and I checking out his drawing he made in 1963. And a copy of his latest books dust cover from the publisher. Rob

A couple more images of me, Mike and Glory Rob

Surprise….possibly so, but, I’ve waited many years to finally get to finishing up my Donald McKay open water build. Getting back to her is exciting. She was the second largest clipper ever made, and she will make a great addition to my McKay clipper collection. Rob

I guess I don’t. I wanted to make things as clean as possible. I hate fixin stuff that gets broke. I’ll get all the deck supports laid across the old deck from fantail to cabin forward. Here is a before and after. Rob

Now I’ll begin with the new aft deck house front. It begins much closer to the main mast. The front will contain 4 entry doors and space for 2 ladders and the catwalk This will have the poop deck on top and it will wrap around the mizzenmast and be a flush weather deck…….much like the forecastle. Lots to do….but I’ll begin with the front being built and dry fitted. The gunwales was 7”, making the deck flush with it. Rob

Next…….I removed the aft hatch on the main deck. Space is cleaned up and ready for Measurement taking. Rob

We’ll here we go. I first removed all the ladders, skylights and the aft helm house. Then I removed the rail. I will be retaining the rail to use it as a template for the new one. I then used the high speed dental hand piece with a sharp pit and cut the carriage house in half at where the mizzenmast passes through. It made its removal much easier. Some pics. Rob

This will be one of the first things I will correct. That is, replacing the stanchions with scale ones carved in the correct pattern. The poorly executed stern rail has always bothered me. So I'm going to tear it all down. I hope to get to some demo tonight. Rob

Oh man Vlad...she is looking good. tying in those sheet to the clews can be diplomatic. You're eliminating the bunt lines all together correct? I see the stunnsail iron work, are you going to add the booms and their rigging.....or eliminate them too? This girl can get busy real quick...can't she? One thing your larger scale does provide and that is, larger rope and block details/connections. I've noticed this a while back...but I like the little trick you use to secure the running lines to their belay pins on the rail. You thread the line through the pin hole, then insert the pin. Securing snugly without making it permanent. Then when all is well glue it and make a rope coil for it. Smart idea....when you have the room to thread. Well...she's looking very fine Vlad...very fine. Rob

Pat, that might be so...but I think my excitement exceeded theirs, if not solely for the knowledge that Mike is publishing a 4th addition to his Glory of the Seas saga. It's the gift that keeps on giving. Mike has also informed me that he would like my model to accompany him on any book signings and reviews he may be engaging in. Rob

Just a note for folks wondering what Mike is looking at in the first pic I posted. That is my remade shadow box of a plaque Mike had originally presented to the son of a crewman who served on Glory. The original plaque spent its time on a schooner that was built by the father(crewman)(Sorry, I can't remember all their names off the top of my head). When the son....who inherited the schooner passed away.....the family went through his collection and sold or parted with much of it. Serendipitously I found the plaque(now missing its glass) for sale on Ebay. I had to have it.....and I repaired it...remounted it in a new shadow box I made for it and...now it hangs in the library. Mike hadn't seen it since, he originally presented it over 35 years ago. He was moved. Needless to say, Mike and I have a lot of conversations, and he sharing new treasures from Glory coming in the future. Rob

Thanks Nils. Well I was going to start on the Western Shore, a clipper built in Cooz Bay Oregon, but I have yet to receive the plans from a friend, model shipwright Steve Priske. So, I decided to do a bit of extensive remodeling and convert my first attempt at Glory...into the clipper Donald McKay. The last of a group of four clippers Donald McKay built for James Baines of the Black Ball line in England. James Baines was so impressed with this latest model of McKay's and of her sheer size, (second to that of the Great Republic), that he names her after his friend and builder Donald McKay. As is my usual habit of creating unusual displays for my clippers, I will be placing her in the open sea diorama base I made for her several years ago. It too is getting an upgrade. If you pop over to my log on the subject, you can follow there. Thanks for the fine comments Nils. Rob

Yeah....it was a real honor. He was so impressed and even commented and made a strong point to note the use of scale men on her.....he said that really helps bring her size to life. We are far from over with discussions about Glory. His new book is coming out soon and he suggested he wants to use my model during book signing and review sessions. Mike also sprung some exciting news on me too.....he is planning a fourth book. Unlike the newly published 3rd book, which is more or less a biography of the captain who sailed her for several years....but is a specific story about her last voyage that she sailed under her own power.....up the West coast from San Fran to Canada. His transcript is ready to go to review. The story behind it is fascinating. He actually was able to transcribe the entire event from 2 crewmen who actually sailed on her during that voyage...back in the 60's. Can't wait for that book. Plus Mike has many more unpublished images of Glory we have yet to see. Stuff keeps coming out of the woodwork. It was a great visit. Rob

Pictures of Mike Mjelde and hid daughter Arina viewing Glory of the Seas. What a meeting Rob

My biggest trepidatious move will come when I begin removing all the old deck furniture and houses. I have a general idea of what McKay's deck plan was (thanks Crothers), but no images exist...except for a few paintings and a very descriptive outline of her features written at the time of her launching and subsequent loading for her first voyage. I'll need to glean from what I know of clipper Lightning's deck plan for internal venting and lighting of her lower decks to aid me. Her forecastle and poo decks were joined by a long gangway that connected them along side her main mast. Again reflective of her sister Lightning. She also had 7ft gunwales...so I might need to add some to her monkey rail to heighten this discrepancy. I'll make more descriptions as I go along. Rob