Paul Le Wol

Phil, great looking planking and nice modification on the #11 blade!

Hi Glen, I appreciate your Comments very much!

Hi Keith, thank you for your comment. You are very kind indeed!

Hi Everyone, thank you very much for your Comments and Likes. This update starts with completing the hardwood facing on the guards. When built they were made from Iron Bark. The face plank that wraps around the stern was shaped on the same mold as the previous planking. They are made from 1/16" x 1/8" AYC and painted with Vallejo Anthracite Grey 71.052 before attaching. The first plank was pinned to the stern, the wood was slid away from the guard, glued and slid back on the pins and clamped. This sat over night. The ends are sanded to 45 degrees and the next plank locks in behind the previous plank.. Then I worked towards the bow. The holes for the portlights were enlarged using a step drill bit that goes from 1/8" to 1/2" in 1/32" increments. It was turned in by hand. Previously the holes for the hawse pipes were made but I forgot to take a picture before the were covered. Regular 20 pound printer paper was used to suggest metal plates around the hawse pipes. A piece of 1/4" brass tube cut at 60 degrees was used to get the oval shape. A piece of 5/16" x .029 thick wall brass tube will be soldered to the end of the 1/4" tube. The deck planking was started under the overhang of the forecastle deck so that the beams could be installed. The 5/64" AYC planks were painted with Vallejo Model Color Old Wood 70.761 that was diluted about 50/50 with Vallejo air brush thinner. They were wiped right away with a cloth and allowed to dry. The next day a coat of WOP tinted with dark grey pigment was applied and wiped off immediately. The camera really picks up the black but it actually looks less crazy in real life. The patterns for the knees were made from 1/32" plywood and once shaped 1/16" wood strips were glued to their backs and shaped. They needed a bit more thickness so 1/32" strips were glued to them and sanded to the proper thickness. The beam was glued into place after being painted The knees were then attached The forecastle subdeck could now be installed using 1/32" plywood And then the mast was test fitted I think the main deck should be completed next. Hope to see you then,

Keith, wonderful news and wonderful work!👍

Lake Erie Vlogger has posted a video of MV Cuyahoga being towed to Port Colborne to be scrapped. A sad day on the Great Lakes. https://youtube.com/watch?v=cGG2Se8MDC4&si=QzVYh7r56Z79FRUt

Diver,congratulations on completing this beautiful Sanson. Tugboats are the best!

Beautiful planking Yves. She must look amazing in real life.

Hi Gary, good to hear from you. Thank you very much for your comment.

Hi Julie, great introduction to your build log. Good luck!

Thank you Keith, I greatly appreciate your comments!

Gentlemen, thank you very much for your generous comments!

Hi Everyone, thank you very much for your Comments and Likes. The part of Wapama's hull that is grey has been painted. I tried using Vallejo Model Air USAF Light Gray 71.276 but it was lighter than I wanted. Added 4 drops of Vallejo Model Air Steel Grey to a full bottle of USAF Light Gray and I think it darkened up just enough. The lockers that sit under the overhang of the forecastle deck were next. They are made from 1/32" plywood and sided with 1/32" x 3/32" AYC. Once the end walls were sided there was a bit of adjusting to ensure that they cleared the deck beam and knee that are situated aft of them The inboard walls of the structures were sided and doors were added. A jig was made to construct the stanchions that support the deck beams and everything was dry tested for fit More painting For a change of pace I started to build the cabin deck houses. They extend down to the same footings as the main deck house to make it easier to make the end walls vertical. The side walls of the aft cabins were lined up with the side walls of the forward cabins to make sure that met vertically. The sheer of the deck was drawn on the cabin walls and the side walls of the aft cabins were then situated. I spent a fair bit of time trying to get the red for the hull below the waterline figured out. I came to the conclusion that it should look like the far shot that Phil @Dr PR took of Wapama at the pier. The red almost looks black because of the light, the water and the reflections. So I used Vallejo Model Air Hull Red 71.039 which I just happened to have a bottle of. The next thing will be the the outer planks on the guards and deck planking. Hope to see you soon.

Hi Patrick, nice mod on the runabout!

Jacques, congratulations on finishing your Lancha Chilota. This has been very enjoyable build to follow.

Jacques, such great news! Congratulations on your wedding. Good to see you working on the Bateau again.

Hi Ian, I may have to keep editing my post. Don’t know what is going on over at Amazon but those clamps are now 40 CAD.

Hi Glen, thanks very much. Those clamps are used to re-attach the screens after fixing mobile devices. Got them from Amazon. 33CAD for eight of them. They come in handy every once in a while. I think I searched for mobile device clamps.

Keith, she’s looking more amazing every time I see her.

Thank you John, have a nice holiday. Wishing you well!

Hi Gary, thank you very much for your comments! Hi sheepsail, thanks very much for your comment and extreme like😀

Hi Everyone, hope you are all well. Thank you for your Comments and Likes! This update is all about the stringers that run run the length of the main deck. Now that the main deck house is permanently glued in place the first stringers to be installed will be the assistant stringers. They run on either side of the deck house so they were the easiest to locate. Strips of 1/16 X 3/4" basswood were glued to the underside of these stringers between the bulkhead to support the other stringers and the 1/32" plywood subdeck. Next came the main hatch stringers They are glued inboard of the assistant stringers. Lastly came the side stringers that sit on top of the main hatch stringers. The subdeck was then laid. I used 8 pieces just to make the gluing easier. The main Hatch was laid out and the coamings were glued to the subdeck. The strongbacks were hung on the coamings and the hatch boards were glued into place. A few coats of paint. I think the painting of the hull will be next. I hope to see you then!

Gary, congratulations on completing your Lucia A Simpson! She is exceptional. Hopefully you have inspired others to build this beautiful model.

Keith, those small changes made a huge difference. Nice!

Hi Frecap, I think they look great. Fine work!