Capt. Kelso

Welcome!

At last, whaleboats are about 98% finished. A number of revisions along the way. Oars and harpoons/lances were made from strip styrene and rod. After much research I decided to add a medium blue strip along the strake to the outfitted boats. Some whalers used different colors for each whaleboat (it appears this practice applied to larger boats primarily to identify the station on the ship) while others used the same color to identify the boats for their particular whaleship. Kate Cory has only three boats. I made the sails from Silk span painted with acrylic paint. Overall, I'm happy with the results and feel it was important to finish these early in the project, so I have them as reference points for various stages.

Just checked them out, also listed as "phone screen clamp", think I'll get a set of 8 ($21 US). Thanks for the tip!

Lots of very useful suggestions. No right or wrong answers, my only suggestion would be to do a number of test samples on scarp wood. I like to make a piece of decking or use some scrap scribed decking to test various finishes. I found just using a small piece of wood wasn't always that representative, a large section gives a better reference. Also, do you apply an overall spray finish to your completed model, Dullcote or matt spray? If so, this could obviously impact your deck finish.

Just saw your log. Excellent job!

Thanks everyone for the feedback and recommendations. I'm going to order the Serv-o-matic.

I'm considering buying a rope serving machine. I've never used one but don't think I need anything elaborate. Anyone have experience with the Syren Serv-o-matic rope serving machine. It looks well-made and easy to use. Other options?

Highly recommend an Architect Scale Ruler. Easy to use, can be used for many different scales common to wood ship modelling. Imperial Scale: 1-1/2, 1, 3/4, 3/8, 3/16, 3/32, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 3, 16 https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81iAxJg8tqL._AC_UL232_SR232,232_.jpg

Some progress on the whaleboats. Initially I tried to build these in an "assembly line" process. However, these are essentially scratch built and required research to determine which version to build. I found I couldn't simply make four pieces of each part without knowing how a completed one would look. Also, I started going down the detail "rabbit hole"! The more you add, the more you need to add. There's a lot going on with these little boats. After much trial and error, I finally completed a prototype and feel confident that I have as much knowledge and detail to finish the rest. One issue I am struggling with is whether to add furled sail or not? The completed ship will not have sails and I'm wondering if adding the sails to the whaleboats will look out of sync? Anyway, regarding the paint color. My research noted black and dark green were commonly used during this timeframe. Other information regarding a band of color along the gunwale I found in the previously noted reference material. I have found that Tom Lauria's series on Building a Whaleboat has been an endless source of information, inspiration and motivation. The series covers modeling techniques that can be applied to builds beyond whaleboats. There are references to building the tabernacle and its position which I was not familiar with. But are a key detail. While going through the series I learned how to make the oar locks which I feel add needed detail. There is also a "How To" regarding sail making I intend to try. Once I finish the basic boats, time to add the gear!

There are a number of posts regarding the use of a proportional divider for calculating the number of planks. You might find the information helpful.

The original set of whaleboats that come with the kit are rough shaped solid wood similar to the hull. The revised Model Shipways Kate Cory kit includes laser cut pieces you glue up and shape (similar to their C. W. Morgan). I decided to try the new version as it looked like it would be easier to shape. If that didn't work out, I still had the original set. So, I was fortunate to get a new set and used my Rotary tool to shape the inside. Thanks for the feedback!

After approximately seven months I decided to start working on my Kate Cory build again. I had put it on hold as a result of relocating and struggled with getting motivated to continue. It was hard to figure where I stopped and then, how to begin again. So, I decided to start with the whaleboats. I consider the whaleboats along with the tryworks as focal points of the model. The kit plans offer little detail regarding the whaleboats and notes they did not have a centerboard. Nor do they show any detail regarding a rudder. When I researched whaleboats with no centerboard surprisingly, I found there was a whaleboat, the "Edwards Boat" that had neither centerboard or rudder. You may be thinking, why go through all this research, just build a whaleboat! Sure, but which version. Kate Cory was built in 1856; I need to build boats consistent with that time period. As I went through my research material it became increasingly confusing and difficult to pick "one" design. The book "The Whaleboat by Ansel" contains a great amount of detail and options, for example note the variations in rudder and lions tongue designs in the photo. The book also notes that whaleboat design was constantly evolving, earlier versions did not contain items like "peak cleats", there are numerous mast head design variations, etc. So, obviously, there is no one design. Consequently, I zoned in on an old set of Marine Model New Bedford Whaleboat plans and used these a basis to build a prototype. My strategy is to build one complete boat, and assuming I'm happy with it, use it as a model to build the others. After shaping the hulls, I added the ribs using a strip of styrene as a spacer. The rest of the build is basically trial and error using different size wood. I have a couple of minor details to add and then paint. Don't underestimate the time involved in building these boats. They're small but have a lot of detail!

Welcome!

Nice job!

Excellent job! I struggled with this kit, but a good learning tool. Your results are exceptional.