ClipperFan

@Jared Your friend's dad made a beautiful large Revell model Constitution. It's a shame about those sails. Depending on how important it is to her to save the sails, I would use a thin toothpick, apply the thinneest line of krazy glue on one edge and hold the two pieces together until it sets, usually a minute or two. Once all repairs are done, I would then paint a light coat of white on both sides to protect and strengthen them.

Rick310, There's just something so mystical to me about this particular piece. Perhaps it's because Donald's son Cornelius McKay crafted her directly off the mold lines lifted from the lofting floor as Stag Hound herself was being built. Next year is the 175th anniversary year of Donald McKay's entry into the rapidly heating up competition to bring material and passengers to the West Coast. It's the anniversary of the launch of Stag Hound "the Pioneer craft of the California Clipper Fleet". That's how Cornelius described her in his letter to Capt Arthur H Clark when he turned over his beautiful model and line drawing on November 18th, 1896.

@rwiederrich @Vladimir_Wairoa @Luis Felipe Lori Fidler, Associate Director of Collections, Old State House Museum, Boston, MA just sent me nine more photos of Cornelius McKay's glorious clipper Stag Hound model. She took some nice bow and stern pics but due to shelf location, couldn't get any of the rest of the model. Immediately noticeable is her sharp 40 inches at half-hull floor. This is what makes some refer to her as McKay's sole extreme clipper. His second California Fleet Clipper Flying Cloud while still an extreme clipper had a 10 degree flatter floor with 30 inches at half-hull. Gradually McKay continued with flatter floors, culminating in his final medium clipper Glory of the Seas which had a mere 8 inches at half-hull but was nonetheless still a very sharp clipper design.

@rwiederrich can you specify the exact types of lines or threads you used for running vs standing rigging. From the pics and descriptions @Jared is describing, it looks to me like he might be using oversized lines.

@Jared Your port side lift is tighter. I haven't rigged models in years but from viewing @rwiederrich rigging, it appears like he uses thinner lines. Maybe he can describe the scale of lines he utilizes. I will see if I can find any references he made on his Glory of the Seas build.

@Jared Rigging is probably the most patience trying aspect of a beautiful clipper ship. I like how you used small weights to get a more natural look to your footropes. I also respect the many challenges of rigging in tight confines. However, it looks like you can still get your lines a little more taut by taking slack out at top of yard ends. Now that your fife rail is secured, it should be no problem to tighten lines at the top. Nice work on siezing your lines too.

@Rick310 In the 3 Buttersworth Stag Hound paintings, all aft boats are black. There do appear to be some white boats on the long house abaft the foremast but it's hard to tell. Details aren't the clearest.

Rob, Good catch on the black boats. It strikes me as odd that craft possibly intended as lifeboats (and ultimately used as such when Stag Hound tragically caught fire) wouldn't be painted a light color like white or light blue. But you're right. Contemporary paintings do show black boats... go figure.

Rob, It's one of the more noticable features on the Scottish tea clipper Cutty Sark. Not a suggestion or challenge but on that ship, even her boats carry her name too. I figure it was a standard feature on all clipper ships. Your's is very distinctive and easily readable too. Kudos!

Rob, That Stag Hound nameboard is just awesome. It's such a tiny space I wasn't sure you'd be able to fit it in. Nicely done!

Rob, I remember your clever use of plastic for your quite convincing gin blocks on Glory of the Seas. Teaser: there's even a short "how to" on your gin block construction process. These copper welded ones are far superior to those and they were incredible. I'm looking forward to seeing more of your detailed gin block build process. At this point, it wouldn't surprise me to discover you're actually utilizing an electron scanning microscope!

@Jared She's really shaping up to be a lovely tall ship.

@Jared beautifully done! I am in awe of how craftsmen like you can create such impressive yards. Now you only have 14 more to go. 😉

@Jared beautiful brass work! The high quality of your craftsmanship is impressive.

@Snug Harbor Johnny great observation. In fact, the era of these beautiful sailing thoroughbreds was too short lived. But while they served, they were the undisputed epitome of sailing ships ever. Pity that not one has ever been preserved to be seen intact today.

Rob, Here's a highly detailed Boston Daily Atlas description of a non McKay clipper, built by Paul Curtis, East Boston, called the Queen of the Clippers, Oct 6, 1852. This is perfect confirmation of the role Duncan McLean played in not only documenting but also promoting these maritime racehorses: http://www.bruzelius.info/Nautica/News/BDA/BDA(1852-10-06).html

Rob, Thanks for the compliments. I'm much more comfortable with this result than my previous efforts. It reminds me to keep in mind that we're actually working in three dimensions and not to ignore that fact. As for your conversation with Mike regarding the facts as supplied by Duncan McLean, I agree almost 100% in principle. Some mistakes have been uncovered but only by using one or two other reliable sources have we revised those specs. Three I can think of involve the upper depth of keel vs lower. In that case, Henry Hall's notes reinforced a more balanced division. Then there was the rake of the masts being reported as 4 & 1/2 per foot, when Cornelius McKay's handwritten notes confirmed it was actually 4.2" per foot. Finally there was the bowsprit seeve being 4 & 1/4" per foot and not 4 & 1/2" per foot, again confirmed by the same handwritten notes. My suspicion is that McLean probably got the notes correctly and somehow final reporting when printed included minor errors. It just reinforces that we have to constantly check and recheck these specifics to ensure final accuracy. I've also read McLean's descriptions of other clippers launched by Paul Curtiss, either of Boston or Newburyport which have just as much details as those of McKay's. Proof that Mr. McLean was in high demand for the beautiful clippers of his day.

Rob, Here's the revised aft fo'c'sle bulkhead with all changes you recommended: (1) both companions moved inward for better clearance below due to vessel's sharply inclined hull. (2) twin outer ladders now reside where companions were before. (3) splashrail height is down to 14" bringing total fo'c'sle bulkhead height to 32". While it's not in the sketch, I believe that iron safety rails with wires strung between them, like we saw on Glory of the Seas would be sensible to prevent a 5' fall risk, similar to that of the aft poop deck.

@Jared beautiful ratlines. I am impressed with the patience and persistence you display in this endeavor. You might want to get further away from your subject and then use the zoom feature on your cell phone to eliminate distortion. Personally, I love the bird's eye views of your impressive deck work.

@druxey Thanks for the compliment. Rob pointed out that I missed the sharp incline of the Stag Hound prow. It means where I placed companions doesn't leave enough room for internal ladders down below. I will relocate them to where the outermost set of windows are now. That frees up room for twin forecastle ladders up from the main deck for access above. We've also discussed splashrail height, lowering them to 14". That brings height to 32", same as poop deck rail height. I'm also considering making windows a little smaller, to be more in line with those seen on the front fascia of the rear coach house on Glory of the Seas.

Rob, Good catch! The perils of my not comprehending the sharp curvature of a vessel's prow. Point taken. Companions need to be moved inward. That opens up an outer area for twin ladders to then be mounted outside of relocated companions. This also opens up room downstairs for dual WCs. A couple other thoughts: Stag Hound is 39' shorter than Glory of the Seas I'm beginning to think maybe a 1' or 14" splashrail might make more sense than two 18" ones equalling 3'. An 18" monkey rail plus 1' splashrail equal 30", while plus 14" equals 32" (same as poop deck rails) I may narrow windows too, as they look like they're a bit large. Ladders now being outside companions, I'll put panels behind them. I appreciate your feedback.

@Rick310 my apologies for not replying sooner. I would definitely welcome the chance to meet and view the McKay Stag Hound model in person. It would be even more fun to view other works of art or models dedicated to Donald McKay.

@Jared Your ratlines look beautiful and authentic. That sewing method is brilliant. Afterwards, no one will know how these impressive shrouds were created.

Rob, Here's my mostly finished fore fo'c'stle bulkhead fascia. Getting the arches cleanly sketched free hand is frustrating. I should really use french curves before these could be considered ready for publication. When you consider how radically different this concept is to the standard open faced "stuffed" windlass underneath, I suspect this idea will generate quite a few discussions. Yet, this look is how I and Rob see Donald McKay's treatment for any of his clippers with a low main rail forecastle deck height. That includes obviously Stag Hound, Flying Cloud, Flying Fish and many others. Considering that, before he jumped into the California Clipper ships, McKay had extensive experience building Atlantic Packet ships, it probably shouldn't come as a surprise that he knew how to create living areas in challenging spaces. This completely alternative concept is based on evaluating facts described by Duncan McLean and our discussions on windlass placement. Once it's accepted that an 1850 Emerson-Walters complex iron geared design was the "patented" version mentioned by McLean it sets up an investigation. Where do you mount such a heavier device? Top-heavy items are anathema to sailing ships. Just ask the crew of the Vasa. That necessitates relocating it below. Another advantage of such a choice is protecting the device from the elements. In addition, by dropping down just 3 feet, it now creates a lofty 8 foot high accomodation for one watch of the crew. According to McLean's Flying Fish description, this area was not only of a generous height, but it was well lit and ventilated too. So, there would have had to been windows in that ship's even lower 4.5 foot high forecastle bulkhead. And, again others have disagreed with this interpretation but it makes sense to me. Twin waterclosets are before the companions. Placing these just forward of the ladders to below just makes pragmatic sense. It meets all criteria of the Boston Daily Atlas description. Besides which, in Stag Hound down below is exactly where twin WCs are placed for use of the captain and all ranking officers. While these windows are on full display, I imagine there were probably protective storm shutters for bad weather. Companions are in the forecastle wings. I see these as having twin folding doors which both open simultaneously and have a sliding hatch above. Twin ladders could be mounted in front of the two molded areas so as not to block window views. Since there are no photos of these wonderful ships, almost all of this has to be conceptual. We are all doing our best to realize the most authentic appearance of Stag Hound based upon the best evidence we can uncover.