iMustBeCrazy

Sorry about the delays.

Basically I test fitted a wale and found that a straight plank just wouldn't work, I finally figured that the finer bow messed things up (compared to Cheerful) and that a curve was needed forward.

I did that and it fits nicely but I guess the rest of the planking will need similar. I also marked the wales on the drawings but when I made two new moulds the wale didn't quite line up with the marks, probably something to do with the fairing but the stem midships and transom are all good

with the wale just laying without any coercion. More on the wale when I get around to planking.

Now, Tim is building Speedy, a descendant of Lapwing and has distracted me (see the discussion in his log) so I've started building mine:

Just the coaming and doors for the moment, I forgot the obligatory 1 cent coin but the doors are about 15mm high and awaiting the glue to dry before sanding.

36 minutes ago, oakheart said:

I still don't understand having the stairs at right angles to the doors, the access is difficult enough anyway.

The hull is quite narrow there, most efficient use of space?

41 minutes ago, oakheart said:

I hope you have written this all up on your Lapwing build log!

Give me an hour.

1 hour ago, oakheart said:

I very pleased with the mini machine

You should be, and I'm sure you will find it indispensable.

Meanwhile there's this Vigilant drawing which shows that the companionway may well have sat on the coaming.

But after playing around and cutting some wood I've nearly decided the companionway was actually a solid block of wood with the doors (badly) painted on

46 minutes ago, Mark Pearse said:

She's very nice. Is that a heavyweight sharpie?

Thanks Mark. No she's an 18' Swallow, designed by (I think) a Sydney dentist.

30 minutes ago, SighingDutchman said:

By the way: can anyone tell me how I mark this build as 'Finished'? Thanks!

If you edit post #1 you can edit the title.

7 hours ago, oakheart said:

Next question has to be, what about the hinges

A quick google would suggest that by the early 19th century you could get almost any hinge you could imagine.

I think something like this in black or brass:

8 minutes ago, oakheart said:

So do we think the lid would be made of planks with visible joints as I did on my V1, or would it be more refined with the planks closely joined and not really visible ?

My best guess? I think the aim would be watertight or near to it, this is officer country. You don't want the Captain breaking his leg slipping on a wet ladder.

The roof might even be just two very wide boards. As I said, a gutter under the join at the hinge. Probably a half lap where the door meet, the lid covers the top of the doors.

But still guesses.

1 hour ago, oakheart said:

That would make it both stronger and easier for them to build.

Yes, but it still must be removable.

I'm still thinking a flat hinged lid but with the hinge line offset 2 or three inches to port and a drip rail (1" x 1") around the underside of the lid (not drawn yet).

Still need the lid, panels on the other side, glass on the forward and aft sides, 3" timbers in all four corners (replacing those 1x3 bits at the doors).

Like this:

A couple of possibilities, the first built on top of the hatch coaming the other surrounding it. I think the latter is more likely based on drawings and models.

7 hours ago, Gregory said:

in the Gallery under “Contemporary Models

This Brig (original photos by Larry Van Es) looks close to me. 

14 minutes ago, oakheart said:

my dilemma is how did they actually make the doors. should they be trapezoid and hinged oddly as I have done, or ?

As I said, I'd just make the whole thing square to the deck.

The shuttlecock is sitting against a skylight, the companionway is forward of that and has a sliding roof.

51 minutes ago, oakheart said:

Thinking more about it, placing the doors on the side

ZAZ6430 also shows them on the side and covers Fancy, Kite, Racer and Sprightly. Speedy is also mentioned. The Vigilant class opens aft.

26 minutes ago, oakheart said:

How she got down the companionway in that dress we will never know.

Head first like a shuttlecock?

I'll do some enlargements of your paintings.

16 minutes ago, druxey said:

Can you say where this painting is from and a date? Looks about 1830 to 40 to my eye.

Pretty good guess, https://www.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/rmgc-object-15591

5 minutes ago, Greg Davis said:

It was just a bit sad to see how much waste there was between using the table saw to get about 1.5mm thick sheets and then to sand the sheets down to almost nothing.

Working in Huon Pine makes me cry with every cut, every piece you can buy these days is salvaged.

You could try using plane shavings, a thick shaving would be about 0.2mm with very little wastage.

14 hours ago, oakheart said:

Working on the companion way

Tim, this is a bit of a tough one. I did a bit of experimental archaeology (masking tape outline on floor) and unless the roof opening is at least 18" (and I mean absolute minium) I would have trouble getting in in a reasonably dignified manner (admittedly I'm not a flexible as a young commander).

As it is I suspect the normal method of entry would be to sit on the deck with your legs over the coaming and stand on the ladder two or three rungs down.

But contemporary models show you're most likely on the right track. I would suggest it was built over a hatchway with a raised coaming just like the bread room one but with no grating, square to the deck not the keel as drawn, it may slope down to port (or may not) to assist draining, tight joints to reduce leaks, it may have a small gutter under the hinge, it may be glazed on at least one side. Alternatively it may have a half sliding roof.

Of course I may be completely wrong.

This might give you an idea as to how small it is although this one is lower than that on Speedy:

4 hours ago, Tomculb said:

and presumably Craig

Not me, I'm building something with no photos. It's much more umm 'fun'.

Meanwhile the was a program on TV the other day which had bits of Hurleys movies, I didn't know about them.

Some bits from youtube.

This shot caused me to speculate that they changed compasses.

However I now realise that the forward compass it a normal binnacle compass and the aft one is an azimuth compass for taking sights.

And alters some of my speculation as to where things were on deck as the (azimuth) compass shown is further aft.

1 hour ago, oakheart said:

OK, Ok  I will change it to the real thing

Owner and Master.

1 hour ago, oakheart said:

how do you find out all this stuff.................

Curious I guess. We have just been discussing water coming up around the rudder so a flush grate sounded like a silly idea, you mentioned Cheerful so I looked at her drawings. The first indeed showed a flush grate but the second showed the alteration.

Most drawings don't actually show grates (another of those "we don't show everything" things) however one that does is Tower, a tender for the transport of pressed men, which shows a grating which can be locked.

And by the way, your grating does look nice.

8 hours ago, oakheart said:

Cheerful version which is flush with the deck rather than Bills original 

A raised grating to access the bread room was the norm with Cheerful being an exception, however she was later modified (ZAZ6472) so it must have been a bad idea.

8 hours ago, oakheart said:

Now I am confused. I do not get the reference?

I was thinking barrels of cognac, thus joining the smugglers.

8 hours ago, oakheart said:

should I add two more in the corners, it would also hide that ugly gap.

There would likely be six, they should disappear through the deck (or appear to).

1 hour ago, oakheart said:

some of the barrels

You've said a few times "it's not Speedy", are you joining the other team?

1 hour ago, mtaylor said:

I would think these vessels used something similar.

I was thinking the same later but couldn't find any evidence. But I think you're right.

6 hours ago, oakheart said:

and just to confirm my decision

And it is your decision, you are owner and master.

However, many things are left off the drawings, none of the 'family portraits' show catheads, horses, backstays, ............. as far as I can remember.

6 hours ago, oakheart said:

What are they called, on the transom, those angled timbers.

Counter timbers. They usually stand on the wing transom and extend to the taffrail.

58 minutes ago, oakheart said:

I can't see any details on the drawings

ZAZ6349 (Vigilant as fitted) I think is the only 'family member' drawing that shows anything. It's quite an elaborate structure with two wc's and a number of lockers and extends all the way to the stern.

10 hours ago, druxey said:

with a slot for the tiller.

I suspect they had a canvas cover over the slot and tiller.

4 hours ago, oakheart said:

I just need to put some kind of lining around the post just to neaten it up

You might find THIS thread useful.

7 hours ago, oakheart said:

Is that from zaz6425? I have a copy of that, should have checked it.

It's the Danish version, G5757 .

2 hours ago, oakheart said:

a much nicer tiller

A much nicer tiller indeed.