coxswain

Planking is finished and I gave it a rough sanding.

 

 
Marcus

Cabin Furniture: These are the two bunks. Most of it is made of balsa. The sides of the bunks is 0.5mm mahogany. I think they are drawers, but I have to ask my sister.
 


 
Here it shows how the cabin would look like in the Catboat itself.

 
Marcus

All the items that belong to the cabin. What I will change is the cabin walls. The kit has 2 windows on each side and the my sisters boat has one on each side.
 

 
 
I was at Michael's yesterday and they had enlarged there wood display and I found 1/32" and 1/64" Baltic Birch ply sheets. Had to get those. The 1/64" costs $21.00 each and the 1/32" costs $9.00 Pricy, but worth it.
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I re-did the cabin walls on 1/32" ply and it looks good.

 
 
The next two pictures are of the planking. I soak the wood, bend it a bit by hand, form it on the frame, use lots of clamps, let it dry overnight and the next day use a combination of CA and white glue to attach the plank to the frame. The CA is to hold the plank to the frame and the white glue is used to keep the frames together. I've experimented with this and it works for me.

Pilot area which has been strengthened with scrap wood.

 
The bulkhead has a door opening. Here I will make the door that can be moved, like the real thing.


 
The Cabin floor is 1/8” balsa.

 
The three ½ oval slats are going to be the inner walls in the cabin.

 
Close up how the floor, and inner walls look like.

 
Dry Fitted all items.

 
 
How the cabin will look like in the front to the cabin (bow) there will be a door for storage.

Oh boy does this bring back memories. I grew up in the 60's and early 70's sailing a 24 foot sloop rigged (converted) cape cod cat that looked exactly like this (just a bit bigger). It was strip planked and leaked like a sieve for the first 24 hours after launching it every spring. My bud and I sailed it from Montreal down the St Lawrence and Richelieu River to Lake Champlain one summer. Very sorry to reminisce in your thread - but move over, I will be following your build Marcus and then copying it!
Best, Ian

Next to the garboard there will be basswood planking. Then I will use spackle (to hide the seams), sand it smooth and paint it.

 

 

 
 
Cabin Side Boards. The kit has 2 windows on each side but the actual boat has 1 window on each side.
Here I will redo that. I am going to use airplane ply from Menards (like a Home Depot/Lowes store, but more items) and use that to redo. I will use the plan as my guide and will guesstimate where the windows are located.
 

 

 
Here is a picture of the inside of the cabin.
If I recreate this, I need to have the cabin door open so you can see the inside. The boat will be in a display case. I am open for suggestions.
 

 
My sister did sent me an email with the colors used on the boat and I need to look through the catalog plus will check the big box stores.
 
The following colors are:
The topsides are Semi-Gloss White, deck is Sandtone, and the sides of the cabin are Grand Banks Beige.
Bottom anti-fouling Aquagard - a qt of red.
Cockpit deck and cabin sole are generic battleship gray.
The woodwork is Sikkens Cetol Marine
Maine Silica Sand should be added to paint on surfaces where people will walk, for grit - roughens the surface. On this I will do a practice run on a piece of wood and see hat it looks like. Also use the finest grit I can get as the scale has to match.

More views of the deck installment.

 

 

 
My nosey cat Boomer), who wants to be involved with every boat I built. He is also in the my Royal Yacht Mary build log.

Started on a simple kit of a Cape Cod Catboat by BlueJacket. I suggested that I built this model boat for my sister as she had one made in true scale.
 
The specs of her boat is as follows:
Cabin Catboat
18'-0" by 17'-7' by 8'-6" by 2'-0"
Scale 1/2" = 1 FT
F.C.W - April 27 - 1932
Fenwick Cushing Williams
Jones Cove, South Bristol, Maine 04568
 
History of the Catboat.
A catboat or a cat-rigged sailboat, is a sailing vessel characterized by a single mast carried well forward (typically near its bow). Generally a catboat has a light and shallow draft hull, wide beam approximately half its length, is gaff rigged, and carries a centerboard.
 
Although any boat with a single sail and a mast carried well forward is 'technically' a catboat, some catboats such as the Barnegat Bay type and more modern designs carry a Bermuda sail. A jib is sometimes added, but this may require a bowsprit, and technically creates a sloop sail-plan. A typical New England style has a very long boom that extends over the transom and may carry foresails stayed from a bowsprit.
 
It is generally accepted that the origin of the catboat type was in New York around 1840 and from there spread east and south as the virtues of the type — simplicity, ease of handling, shallow draft, large capacity — were discovered. Historically, they were used for fishing and transport in the coastal waters around Cape Cod, Narragansett Bay, New York and New Jersey. Some were fitted with bowsprits for sword fishing and others were used as 'party boats' with canvas-sided, wood-framed summer cabins that could be rolled up.
 
Designer Fenwick Williams summarized the original design philosophy as: “The ample beam made the use of stone ballast feasible the high bow provided good support for the unstayed mast the barn door rudder provided adequate strength high coamings served to keep water out of the large open cockpit side decks provided a handy ledge on which to set a lobster trap."  Modern catboat fans appreciate the catboat's traditional design and classic appearance and the features that make it a versatile recreational boat: simplicity, large capacity, shallow draft, stability, and safety in a boat that is easy to sail.
 
The Kit.
Cape Cod Catboat scale ¾”-1’
Model will be approximately 19” long, 28” high and 8” beam.
The overall kit is good. The plans are accurate and easy to read, the laser cut parts are accurate as well there is plenty of strip wood and the metal Britannia pieces look good.
 
Instructions are so-so and there not enough pictures in the manual. It is suggested this kit is for a beginner but I must disagree. The instructions on what to do is sparse or non-existent. It is pretty much a guessing game. If I have the energy I might re-write the instructions and add more pictures and submit this to Bluejacket.  The model is also of a size to be a R/C pond-boat.
 
The kit-bashing department.
I will built the kit pretty much the way it should be but will also incorporate the way my sister’s boat looks. Trying to make it look as much as her boat.
Furthermore, the blocks, cleats and chocks are from Britannia and are nice but I will not use those. I am making them from wood (more realistic). I will forego the rigging line and use the material from Chuck (Syren). Not making the mast hoops from metal wire but instead using a method by Bob F. Stropping blocks will be with rope and not wire.
 
Pictures of the actual Catboat

 

 

 
Original plans used to built the boat and plans from the kit.

 

Lots going on in our life, so slow progress on my projects.  I'm just finishing the last of the frames, and completed the Hahn-style jig last night.  The frames have not been faired or sanded in any way.  Just to test the fit, I set the whole frames in the jig.  i was surprised that the tops of the frames fit snugly and accurately into the notches on the jig with no trimming or adjusting!  Very well designed.  Once I finish the last frames I'll need to check them against the plans and trim/shim so they match exactly.  If that part isn't done right, fitting the keel on the frames will be impossible.

I'm beginning a build of the battle station posted on the NRG's website.  I plan several modifications to the original, andI have increased the scale to 1/2" = 1".  I started by cutting out the base, as well as some walnut and bloodwood for the bulwark frames
 
I then dframed in the gunport with bloodwood.
 
Next came a mahogany waterway.  The photo shows it shaped, but not yet cut to size or installed.
 
I then planked the outside using rosewood for the wale, black strake and rail and boxwood for the planking.  The inner bulwark was planked in bloodwood.
 
 I'm now working on details.  The photo shows boarding stairs, deadeyes and cannon parts.
 
Dave

Excellent news!
 
If you have been wanting to try your hand at our card modeling tutorial, but have been waiting for the subject model, the German torpedo boat V108, to become available again, then you're in luck!  Roman Deytna, the owner and designer at Digital Navy, has graciously given us permission to host the V108 files here at MSW.  They can be found in the first post of Part V of the tutorial.  Thanks, Roman!
 
So, get out your craft knife and cutting mat, print those files, and get crackin' on building your own card creation!  And don't forget to start a build log!

Hi all - another little update. first of all the two small brackets for the ensign staff were shaped & glued in place at the stern.
 

 
Then I figured it would be a good time to build the stern lanterns. They come as a central former with 6 window sections for each one. They fit nicely with very little clean up needed. I decided to cut out the "glass" sections of the windows as I did with all the other windows on the ship. The center section of the former was painted a combination of bright yellow & orange to try & simulate a flame. The window frames were then painted gold & liquid glass maker was used to make the windows. All frames were then glued to the formers & after a little filler & some filing on the edges I finished painting the tops & bases. I didn`t quite get the look I was after,but I think they still look better than just painting the window areas. They won`t be fixed in place until much later & some side supports will be added at that time.
 

 

 
Mark 

That might have been me with the heat shrink idea in Kenneth Powell's build log of the Rattlesnake, post #40.
http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/3656-rattlesnake-by-kenneth-powell-model-shipways-american-privateer/page-2
 
I'm also following this build log as well since I'm also building the Royal William.  I'm not dedicated enough to do a build log, but I'm following all of these great builds in the forum.
 
He's mine so far.
 
Regards,
Bill

Started with the bottom planking last night. This is my first hull planking job, easy as it may be compared to other ships, attention to detail as this is a single plank build. Not sure who to give credit for the clamp Idea, but seems to do the job.

Did a bit of laminating the past few days. Ready for some sanding. Not sure if I should treat the wood now or wait till the end?

Just for Don...LOL

Oh! and did I mention! I got this little gem as well.....

Holidays kept us busy... Got some new stuff... Had to do some changes to the shop...


 
New Tool Box and some new Special tools just for ship building....

 
Now maybe I can return to building.....

Fairing the hull. Making sure the hull frame is as smooth as a baby's bottom. 

Thanks Don and hof. hope not to disappoint! 
Here she is out of he clamps and jig. looks strong, nice and straight.

Did a bit more filing of the bulkheads and frames...gluing and clamping... now waiting...

Welcome to my official first build log and first ship build. After careful consideration, and thanks to many of you, I have decided on the Batelina as my first ship build. I was told this would be a good choice to get me going, so, I picked up this kit from Rick at Modeller's Workshop. He also hooked me up with Zoran from MarisStella, both are really nice guy's, going out of there way for the hobby.
 
Now to the kit itself, I noticed how nice a quality the wood was, properly bundled, no warping whatsoever. The laser cut plywood parts are equally nice. The step by step manual looks complete and readable, good pictures and a full scale plan with all the views needed.
 
One more reason I picked this kit was the two build logs I found on this forum. Both have super detailed build pictures and extra info not found in the kit.
 
Here is the one from Zoran
http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/11779-news-and-info-from-marisstella-ship-model-kits/?p=420044
 
And this one is from donrobinson
 
http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/14153-batelina-by-donrobinson-finished-marisstella-110/?p=438912
 
 
I'm not sure that I can add much to what has been done. This will simply show how a first timer can do at this kit. All that I can hope is for mine to turn out half as nice.
 
Here are some pictures after a few nights. Slow but steady....
 









Here you can see my home made Keel Clamp. Rudimentary but it works...

Hello All, Thanks for stopping and for your likes and comments.
 Well a week has gone by and I don't have that much to show, For some reason I thought I would have had lots more to show, but I have started on the planking and all is going smooth. At this stage Stefano is 810 mm long so I suppose this is maybe why it is going slower than I thought. No matter there is no rush. The transom has proven to be a little bit of a hair puller outer but fortunately with my already thinning hair there was not much to grab onto and all worked out 
 
The first row of planking installed at top of bulkheads, no tapering done on this strake. The bulkhead extensions are to be removed later on, therefore there is little glue applied to these points of contact with the planks. It is necessary then to pay special attention while installing the first four strakes and be sure there is adequate glue applied to their edges and proper clamping is applied.
 

 
The new shipyard aka dining room
 

 
And here Stefano is beside the Pegasus, the Pegasus is 500 mm in this picture 310 mm shorter than the Stefano. Pegasus is 1:64 and the Stefano is 1:63

 
 This week is the Trabaccolo,
 
See You All Later

Here are some of the plans, first one is an overall, second one showing how to build masts and spars and the last two are all about the rigging these are just for the foremast. The plans are all scale size so any measurement can be accurately taken off of them , I believe they are 35" x 50" and there is 14 of them. The main mast has three dedicated sheets and the mizzen has one. One sheet is all about the sails and the rest are the construction of hull and various items required. The instruction book is 36 pages which may seem small but with all the information you need on the plans the instruction book is more than adequate. It does an excellent job of outlining the various steps and is easy to follow.
 




 

Hello All, Thanks for your comments, likes and for stopping by
 
 This is Barque Stefano week for me so I will show you some progress from this morning
 
Today was bow and stern filler blocks, the kit supplies these in a block that is partially laser cut I finished cutting mine with my scroll saw. The stern filler block requires you to glue three 20 mm thick pieces together, then shape accordingly. The top of the filler block rises to the stern to allow for the planking or madiere, this rise is approx. 7-8 mm. This should be done first, the next profile can then be made by measuring down approx 20 mm from this edge. The last profile is made by tracing the outline of the last bulkhead from the fore side.
Blocks cut from blank

 
Showing the rise of filler block and how planking will fit

 
Showing the formed blocks, the red marker is just added to better see the lines

 
Stern block attached

 
The bow blocks are much easier to make and follow the same principle, marking the profile lines and shaping
 

 
This last picture is just to show the lines of the hull, started to fair the starboard side to show how things should meet up. Still required are two small pieces of filler on either side of bow, then start fairing tomorrow. Ignore gap on starboard side, that was fixed. Tools used were belt/disc sander, dremel and sandpaper.
 

 
Have a Good Day