FlyingFish

So lockdown again in the UK, and every cloud, as they say, has a silver lining - lots of time to try and understand the process I have to learn to get on with this project. I have cut out a set of frames from the plan and elevation drawings made from measurements and observations of the available plans and photographs. First I created six stations, adapted from the plans for the RC model, and with a deal of reshaping. I cut these out in ply and tacked them onto the keel with hot melt glue to take a look at the lines. Tempting though it was to use them, I could see that this was simply not enough to fair the shape of the hull, not to provide a secure enough frame for the ribbands needed to hold the ribs. I also realised that I was taking shortcuts that will lead to mistakes later, so these have been ditched. I have been on a very steep learning curve to try and get my head around the lofting process, and drawing up of a set of offsets from scratch. I decided this was important (if not absolutely necessary in building this model) if I am to really understand the process at least to the level that I can understand the methodology properly. If I want to copy the real process of construction of a lobster boat then many move stations will be needed, and they must be more accurate.

The barrel looks great - I was wondering how to make these as I have no moulding experience. You made a good job of it!

Following your build too, and you have made a great start neilm! Its taking me a long time to decide on the hull shape as there are so many conflicting photographs and builds out there; so I'm not sure it lives up to your generous comments so far! I'm trying to build it in the same way as lobster boats are done, but trial bending of the ribs for some of the tight radius bends near the transum are proving difficult. Hope to be posting more next week, as I get a set of frames put up.

Great job, it's certainly an interesting challenge!

The transom is assembled in parts, which will be planked later: and glued...

The plans are taking shape... and the keel is ready for assembly.

He was a great actor indeed, and I'm sure would have been chuffed to have a pub named after him!

I had seen this which must have been taken at the same time

James, yes it was a great picture to take your date too - lots of opportunities for a reassuring arm on the shoulder!

Hey jlt13th that's a great picture, and confirms what I had thought, but it's great to have the confirmation. It also shows the shape of the bow planking at the turn of the stem. Thanks so much!

Thanks Keith and Mark for your interest. Yes the plans he refers to are for an RC build, and as he mentions they are good, but he has had to adapt a fair bit. He has done some stunning detail work and weathering on his model! I also have plans by Pat Tritle again for an RC model. Because these need to have a working prop and motor the keel and hull shape are not accurate to portray the 'real' thing, and several other dimensions are incorrect. I'm currently drafting a set of plans based on photographic evidence, and for the keel, using plans from Novi lobster boats which are as close to Warlock as I can find. I'll post some images of the keel shape and early test parts soon - be interested in any thoughts from you.

This is my first build log on MSW , and second scratch built boat, both lockdown projects. Why Orca? It’s arguably the most iconic movie boat of all time, with all the associated romance of being a star in a huge film. It’s also a huge challenge, and a good test of the many modelling skills I have to learn to enable me to move on to more complex builds. Talking of romance, January 1st 1976 was the first date I had with my wife of 38 years – we went to the cinema – guess what we watched? So that’s why it has a special memories for me! The research for Orca has not been easy, despite there being a number of previous models built, with some excellent reference material available, and a fanatical fan base posting pictures. Her secrets are well hidden. As far as I can see there are no available plans of the original boat, Warlock, a Novi lobster boat typical of the Maine and Nova Scotia coasts, and only three photographs of her. Orca herself was sadly allowed to rot away, with only fragments remaining in the collection of fans, and in the memory of Joe Alves, the master production designer who transformed Warlock into Orca. The plans I’ve seen online for Orca are for an RC model, and whilst they are representative of Orca, they are not of the type of keel or hull nor accurate in the detail of the pilot house or foredeck when measured against stills of Orca from the film. I can find no images of Warlock or Orca’s keel, or shape below the waterline. The film images of Orca listing or sinking are of Orca II, a GRP copy, which had no keel, but a metal frame and barrels used to change the ballast as part of the effects. There are some differences between Orca I and II which can confuse, not least that Orca II’s mast is off-centre. So there is some detective work and guesssork involved. I have studied the plans of other lobster boats available, and there are some You Tube clips and galleries online of lobster boat construction. Orca has distinctive stem, straight to the waterline, unlike many lobster boats which have a continuously curved stem. These images of Warlock show what I mean: The first decision therefore is whether the hull is built-down or skeg-built. The latter is found in traditional wooden lobster boats, creating a shallower flatter hull section. However this usually required the engine to be higher necessitating a box or step up platform in the pilot house. Warlock had (surprisingly) a 4-cylinder petrol (gas) engine, but no box – the pilot house floor was the same level as the aft deck, suggesting a built down hull… As lobster boats moved from sail to power the hull design changed from a true displacement to a longer wider semi-displacement shape. They had a flatter aft but retained the keel and skeg to protect the prop and rudder and allow them to come right up on a ledge at slow speed, for example: It’s unlikely that Warlock had the horsepower to get the hull beyond displacement speed, and certainly she did not have a flared bow, but a softer chine suggesting she did not cruise that fast, and the flatter after section will have kept her prop deeper in the water, helpful in a following sea. I have chosen therefore to make her as a semi displacement hull, with a skeg built after section. The engine is assumed to be small enough to be enclosed below the pilot house decking. I will attempt to use the same method of build as the real boat, that is to assemble the stem, keel, keelson, prop shaft and hook, then attach temporary frames and ribbands before fitting steam bent ribs, then carvel planking up from the keel before removing the frames and ribbands. The whole process being illustrated beautifully here: https://wlb3.smugmug.com/Maine/JBBC I will credit and draw on the large volume of research already available though other model builders logs, and also from the upcoming series of You Tube postings of Master Shipwright Louis Sauzedde who is planning to rebuild Orca in his workshop on Rhode Island see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-myybwQLeM&ab_channel=TipsfromaShipwright Of course much of this work will be hidden in the finished model, but authenticity is clearly important. I may well stand corrected, but I think If I manage this , it will be the first model of Orca built in this way. I would be very pleased to hear from makers of previous models on this methology. After the hull is planked, and deck fitted, the challenge is to reproduce the film prop complete with all the artifacts and weathering. Don’t expect to see much at first, I still have lots to research before I start. I hope this build will help others contemplating this build, and I encourage criticism from the many experts on this forum whose work is so inspiring! I have a small Delta band saw, scroll saw and hand power drills. Other than that this will be done by hand tools. All materials will be from wood and other stuff I have in my store, most of which is recyled. Finally no sharks will be harmed in the making of this Orca.

Thanks for the welcome guys - yes, will consider a log Mark, and Bruce - I'm probably more ignorant than fearless!

After a 'pause' of 40 years I have come back to modelling through the lockdown opportunity to be creative. Those forty years have been spent working as an educator in secondary (high) school, and now retired with a passion for working with traditional tools (albeit in a very amateur way) I have found great happiness and fulfillment in getting back to my roots creatively. Living in an area of great maritime history is obviously an asset for the hobby. My first project has been a scratch-built traditional lapstrake or clinker built Irish lake fishing boat, based on photographs of a Lough Corrib boat. It is made from poplar and iroko. I have fly- fished for trout in this kind of boat in the past, and although they are all now made of GRP these beautiful old boats drift slowly and surely down the foam lanes and are a great platform for what we call 'lough style' wet fly fishing over here. Here are a photo of it almost complete... I also scratch modelled a seagull outboard of the 1950's made here in south England. Having whetted my whistle, and got a little confidence back I'm researching two more boats, this time one lapstrake and one carvel built, both traditional to the south west of England. I plan to build these next year. Meanwhile, I decided to try a project that is designed to develop my skills (having read Chris's warning to newcomers!) to make sure I don't take on more than I can chew. This is to build a 1:20 scratch build scale model of Orca (from Jaws). I've spent a month researching, including the great build from ndeconte on this site, who has done a tremendous job. I rejected all the plans I found so far as most are very inaccurate, and I am drawing my own. I am planning to build it from the keel up as a carvel build boat including the ribbing and planking, rather than a balsa or r/c type build based on frames. I am drawing the plans at the moment. Would welcome all advice from you experts out there, not least of which is help on the most puzzling aspect so far... Orca appears to have a mast about 5" to port of the centerline which may be because the lobster boat Warlock upon which it was built had no mast and a cabin door frame on the centerline, as far as I can see. So lots to learn, and I'm loving it!