Mirabell61

The Corvette 'Alisma'  encourages this Norwegian tanker on yet another Atlantic Convoy
Watercolour 14.5 X 10.5” 
 

lovely planking job!

Continuation of the planking doing the same thing measuring tapering bending then gluing 
 

 

 

 

 
Didn't take anymore pictures but here it is finish exterior planking complete
 

 

 

 

 

 
Lovely lines this schooner has 
 
Regards
Richard

Continuing planking I measured each bulkhead to batten so that I knew how much to taper each plank
 

 

 
Used Jim Byrnes disc sander to do all tapers fantastic machine (all his machines are fantastic) once I got close to the batten I had to taper sides as well this prevented gaps between planks
 

 

 
Each plank could be bent and laid onto bulkheads with out using clamps,  
 

 

 

 
You can see the dimensions of the tapers from inside
 

 

 

 

 
Lot of fun doing the planking
 
Regards
Richard 
 

Post 26
Companionways and hatches
I will start with the Companion to the Captain’s Cabin, effectively a hinged sky light.
This is reproduced in the kit as a brass etched item, with the coamings and head ledges pre-formed in a wood material. These are shaped to reflect the proper joints rather than a simple edge join.
The item goes together very well and it is a straightforward assembly particularly for the novice builder.
The kit version is as per the drawings in the Goodwin Alert book. A boxy affair with a flat top and glazed square lights.
A slight puzzlement is that the kit version has 42 lights contained within the frame whereas the book drawing has 30 lights, which for me looks better, less like a grating.
 
There seems to be as many variations of the Skylight design fitted to Alert as there are models and paintings.
 
Within the Alert book there is a contemporary painting of a model dated 1775 showing a clerestory style skylight.
The contemporary model of Hawke (circa 1777) shows the familiar pitched roof glazed sides version.
The modern Cole model of Alert has a glazed top but longer, and in a different position.
The Irving Kingman model also has a version of the pitched roof style of skylight.
 
I made up the kit version but I tweaked the thickness of the framing to allow for the skylight to sit in a recess rather than just positioned atop the Head ledges and coamings.

3242
Using micro brass tubing I added hinges to allow opening of the light.
 
My preference is for something slightly more interesting than the kit provided item, so I opted for the clerestory style as shown in the painting of the model of ‘Alert.’

The oil painting by Joseph Marshall 1775.
 
 The notation in the Goodwin Alert book reads:-
An oil painting of the Alert cutter model dated 1775. Various features comply exactly to the modified draught of the Rattlesnake used for the 1777 Alert. These include the squared gunports, the five shroud deadeyes and three backstays chain plates. The painting formed part of the George111 Collection of ship model paintings.


This is at variance to the notation in The Science Museum:- who hold the painting, and gives the date as 1755. Perspective view, possibly drawn to illustrate an experimental design rather than an actual plan. a model is known to have been built from design of Sir J Acworth d.1749. - Not part of the series of ship model paintings commissioned by King George III. - Ship is cutter, 6th Rate; eight were in service 1753-1754

Interesting to note that the table on which the model sits, does say ‘Alert’.

The paired stern quarter view painting
 
Regardless of these descriptions, the model as painted does look very close in design to the Alert I am modelling.
Still I digress.

3241
This is the first attempt of creating the skylight using a bit of Boxwood scrap.
My prime concern was getting the scale looking right as I don’t have specific dimensions, but it looks ok to my eye.

3232(2)
A view as per Joseph Marshall’s painting.
 
B.E.
26/10/2019
 

8.5. The bottom boards
I make also a paper template to determine the shape of the bottom boards.

 

Gluing the bottom boards together.

And sawing them into shape.

Drilling holes for tree nails. The attentive viewer will see that I added a plank at both sides of the board. When I fitted the board, it was much too narrow. There was plenty of room to add a plank.

Placing bamboo tree nails.

The central bottom board.

The three bottom boards

The central bottom board is secured with a bracket and a wedge.

 

 

I place now also the knees of the center board case.

 
While working at the center board case and studying the plan, I discovered that something was wrong with the center board. Two thwarts will be laying on the center board. It is hardly visible on the plan, therefore I colored the forward thwart red on the picture below. In hauled up position the arm of the center board must be high enough to give space for the thwart. Mine does not (see inset: the board is even not yet fully hauled up and there is no place for the thwart).

I have to make a new, adapted center board. I make first a card board mock up to try it in both hauled up and lowered position. On the first picture you see the original center board to the left.

 

 

Now I make it in aluminum. The new one to the left, the old one to the right.

The new center board in hauled up position. Now there is place for the thwart.

The boat as it is now.

 
Thank you to follow.
Thank you for the likes.
And thank you for the constructive comments.
 
Till next week!

beautiful job on the framing method Geert,
 
a nice light-weight hull, providing plenty of space for further fitting out to the inside of the shell......
 
Nils

many thanks for catching up Pete,
 
thanks for commenting the oven and other details...., and yes the etched fish will be used, I will try to pad them up a bit with Fimo clay and bake it over if it works, to get them a bit more flechy 3D looking. I also wanted to do some eels wiggling in the fish boxes.
I have ordered some reddish (bordeau colored) cotton cloth for the sail making, but may also try a more brownish tinted color, perhaps even two colors on the 5 sails, like some of the actual Zeesboots have
 
Nils

waterkettle (scale 1:24)  for tea or coffee making
 

oven chimney tube
 


 
revoveable chimney-tube rain cover

Hi Martin,
 
thanks for your check-in, and for your nice comments...
For further fitting out gadgets I was searching for an oven (Cabin heating and boiling up water for tea / coffee). I was looking for doll house furniture or so, etc... but these were all in wrong scale 1:12
Then by luck found one in brass  at Ebay in scale 1:24, did a bit of modification, painting to it, built a setz off tube over the cabin roof leading chimney tube, and here we are... Even found a small waterkettel in scale 1:24..
the fire extinguishers and the ax are also in the correct scale. I`m also looking out for some red/brown polyester or dralon cloth (surplus rest bits from an actual sailmaker) for making the sails from.
Also many thanks to all who clicked the "likes"
Nils

 
 

 
 

one fire extinguisher near to the engine and gasoline storage
 

 
 

the chimney top will be modified
 

 
this view into the cabin is from the outside, here without the ladder
 
 

Status:
cabin roof and slide hatch both planked and varnished. For the two crew members I made two mugs from brass tube and a big jug for fresh drinkwater (made from wood dowel)
The porthole flanges are pinned to the cabin walls.
I`m intending to fit an oven with a waterkettel on it, also inside the cabin, as well as a fire exstinguisher and a fire axt for safety reasons
Have meanwhile also received the textile for making the berth pillows, unfotunately there was no old shirt I could sacrafice for that job...
 
Nils

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

Status :
Raw deck is on, new glassed portholes with rivet holes, openable cabin hatchway, outcuts for viewing cabin  and chain pan, deck and cabin roof and will be planked sperately...
The cabin will be mounted permanently when the deck is planked. A water can and two mugs will be stowed in the little locker between the berths. As soon as I find some waste-cloth with checkered blue white decore, the pillow cases will be made, and last not least the small iron oven will be set between ladder and portside berth, perhaps with a kettle on the top...., the oven exhaust will be led over the cabin roof....
 
Nils

front view engine, flywheel, waterpump, generator and transmission V-belts
 

view of working cockpit and rudderstand for helmsman, also access to mizzen mast and its sail lines
 
 

outcut in cabin and deck for cabin inside view
 

cabin hatch closed, with removeable slide pannel and slide hatch cover
 

cabin hatch opened
 

open hatch with access to the ladder on the innside. The main mast slides into the 8 mm square socket
 

the ladder will be shifted a bit, in order for the drawers under the berth to be opened. if access is required there
 

view to chain pan in front compartment. Access to the chain-and storage compartment is through the hatch in the openable front cabin bullwark under deck
 

ladder down to cabin floor
 
 

status
 
the stb. half of the base deck (without planking) is now on, clear to be seen  is the curvature of the deck in two dimensions....
The 0,8 mm ply has been cut out acc. to the card template. The little rectangular gaps at the outside edge will be filled out with little ply plates, prior to planking
 
Nils

 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 

Status :
I shortened the side deck supports and fitted the inner cockpit liner. Some days ago I found these openable porthole from brass castings, they will suit the cabin walls above deck...
 
Nils
 
I`m using beechwood flexible strip 8 x 1,5 mm for this job, it easily follows the bending curve, without breaking
 

even narrow bends are no problem, large diam. 15 mm, lid with glassing 12 mm
 

3 part brass casting porthole
 
 

here the modified laundry pegs come handy again
 

 
 

cockpit space now increased
 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 

Hello fellow builders,
Thanks for all comments, and thanks to all the "likes"
 
Am now starting with the Zeesboot deck, resp. with the cardboard template for the 0,8 mm deck, and all the small outcuts at the deck side, and with the cabin....
I intend to plank the deck with 1mm thick oak stripes...
 
Nils

card template for the ply deck...
 

removeable slide for the cabin aft wall hatch, when the companionway-cover is pushed towards the cabin front, (inside view)
 

brass frame and slide

Good morning Pete,
many thanks for your words, and your nice idea ref. to smoke and sound... much appreciated...
I will save it up in my mind, just as for the oily cloth you once mentioned.
My next activities will be to carry on with the decks planking, I`ve been postponing this for quite some time already, but need to "jump into the cold water now", before concentrating on rigging and sails
 
Nils

many thanks for catching up Pete,
 
thanks for commenting the oven and other details...., and yes the etched fish will be used, I will try to pad them up a bit with Fimo clay and bake it over if it works, to get them a bit more flechy 3D looking. I also wanted to do some eels wiggling in the fish boxes.
I have ordered some reddish (bordeau colored) cotton cloth for the sail making, but may also try a more brownish tinted color, perhaps even two colors on the 5 sails, like some of the actual Zeesboots have
 
Nils

waterkettle (scale 1:24)  for tea or coffee making
 

oven chimney tube
 


 
revoveable chimney-tube rain cover

Hi Martin,
 
thanks for your check-in, and for your nice comments...
For further fitting out gadgets I was searching for an oven (Cabin heating and boiling up water for tea / coffee). I was looking for doll house furniture or so, etc... but these were all in wrong scale 1:12
Then by luck found one in brass  at Ebay in scale 1:24, did a bit of modification, painting to it, built a setz off tube over the cabin roof leading chimney tube, and here we are... Even found a small waterkettel in scale 1:24..
the fire extinguishers and the ax are also in the correct scale. I`m also looking out for some red/brown polyester or dralon cloth (surplus rest bits from an actual sailmaker) for making the sails from.
Also many thanks to all who clicked the "likes"
Nils

 
 

 
 

one fire extinguisher near to the engine and gasoline storage
 

 
 

the chimney top will be modified
 

 
this view into the cabin is from the outside, here without the ladder
 
 

Status:
cabin roof and slide hatch both planked and varnished. For the two crew members I made two mugs from brass tube and a big jug for fresh drinkwater (made from wood dowel)
The porthole flanges are pinned to the cabin walls.
I`m intending to fit an oven with a waterkettel on it, also inside the cabin, as well as a fire exstinguisher and a fire axt for safety reasons
Have meanwhile also received the textile for making the berth pillows, unfotunately there was no old shirt I could sacrafice for that job...
 
Nils

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

Status :
Raw deck is on, new glassed portholes with rivet holes, openable cabin hatchway, outcuts for viewing cabin  and chain pan, deck and cabin roof and will be planked sperately...
The cabin will be mounted permanently when the deck is planked. A water can and two mugs will be stowed in the little locker between the berths. As soon as I find some waste-cloth with checkered blue white decore, the pillow cases will be made, and last not least the small iron oven will be set between ladder and portside berth, perhaps with a kettle on the top...., the oven exhaust will be led over the cabin roof....
 
Nils

front view engine, flywheel, waterpump, generator and transmission V-belts
 

view of working cockpit and rudderstand for helmsman, also access to mizzen mast and its sail lines
 
 

outcut in cabin and deck for cabin inside view
 

cabin hatch closed, with removeable slide pannel and slide hatch cover
 

cabin hatch opened
 

open hatch with access to the ladder on the innside. The main mast slides into the 8 mm square socket
 

the ladder will be shifted a bit, in order for the drawers under the berth to be opened. if access is required there
 

view to chain pan in front compartment. Access to the chain-and storage compartment is through the hatch in the openable front cabin bullwark under deck
 

ladder down to cabin floor
 
 

Great looking winch Kevin,
 
Nils

The model is balancing  purely on its lead cast keel on the garage floor.
Pete

Good morning Pete,
many thanks for your words, and your nice idea ref. to smoke and sound... much appreciated...
I will save it up in my mind, just as for the oily cloth you once mentioned.
My next activities will be to carry on with the decks planking, I`ve been postponing this for quite some time already, but need to "jump into the cold water now", before concentrating on rigging and sails
 
Nils

Hello,
Continuing work on the benches.
First I rounded the edges of all the benches and then did a trial fit of each bench location
 

 
After the trial fit, I sealed the benches with 2 coats of satin polyurethane.
I also made a small jig to make sure each bench was attached at the correct angle.
 

 
After attaching all the benches, I made a bunch of what are called "pillars" or supports for an upper platform.
I made them a little wider than the rectangle that was called for, so that I could cut the same angle on one end as the bench angle.
I did this so the pillars could be glued to the side of the benches, making the adhesion stronger.
 
Painted pillars

 
View of angled end of pillars. Tops not painted for better adhesion to upper platform

 
All "Pillars" installed

 
Next, I cut, shaped and painted 69 footboards to be added to the benches
 

 
The footboards are only 2 MM wide and half of the footboard is to overhang the benches. So only 1 MM of the footboard is to be attached to the bench.
In order to accomplish this, I took a spare bench and reduced the width by 1MM. As shown in the next photo, I used this reduced bench as a jig to lay the footboards on the benches the correct 1 MM.
 

 
Footboards all installed.
The footboard are supposed to be installed over the hatches, as shown in the next 2 photos.
So, they must have been removable when loading cargo. (I am assuming!!)
 

 

 
Footboards all installed
 

 
As always, thanks for visiting and for the many "Likes"
 
Frank
 
 
 
 

Nils I like your chimney very much.
It was well worth the effort.
Because I am as enthused as you about your boat , I have an idea ( again )
As you know I am into rc sailing versions of boats and have come across some you tubes of rc boats with sound and smoke.
After some research I have found some brilliant sound and smoke modules.
One in particular is programmable to make the sound of a host of engines and on one of the settings it would sound near on like a tuc tuc boat engjne.
There is also an Australian design smoke unit which runs off cheap baby oil instead of the expensive stuff.
The unit is favourably priced.
I was thinking.....
With a little bit of your " boat stand " redesigning you could make the stand say 50mm higher and mount both units and batteries underneath and run two tubes.
One to the stove and one to the exhaust.
The speaker unit of course will be built into the stand.
You coukd also run leds to have lights where you want them etc etc.
Sorry to interfere but it would make the model more exceptional than it already is!.
Pete

beautiful job on the framing method Geert,
 
a nice light-weight hull, providing plenty of space for further fitting out to the inside of the shell......
 
Nils