DB789

Eck, your Harpy looks great - so fast to build her. Vanguard’s Grecian builds into a lovely model (still my favourite build so far, just about eclipsing Adder) but she’s not a difficult build and really won’t take you long!

More slow but steady progress! Topmast and topgallant shrouds completed as are the topmast shroud ratlines. Also added the bowsprit shrouds and the forestays and mainstay. I’ve added the foremast crowsfeet too which was much easier than expected! Lots of lines not fully tied off yet so I can adjust tension if need be. Makes the model look a bit messy. Thanks for the likes. Not sure I’m adding anything with this log that much more accomplished builders haven’t already achieved on the DoK! I’m enjoying the build so will keep going with the log.

Fantastic looking Speedy, I’ve really enjoyed following your build, I’ll certainly be benefiting from your log when I build Speedy later in the year - thanks. Mine won’t look nearly as good and I’m still somewhat daunted by the rigging…. which looks a step up in terms of complexity from Adder, Grecian and Duchess of Kingston.

She looks fantastic Bob, your log is extremely helpful for my Duchess build too - so thank you.

Thanks Bob! Doesn’t look like much progress - but I have completed the ratlines for the lower shrouds and added futtock shrouds too. All very straightforward but a touch messy! I use CA for this as I don’t have the patience to use white glue…. One of the foremast catharpins was cut by accident and needs to be replaced. Made a start on the foretopmast shrouds too.

Progressing albeit still very slowly! The lower shrouds are now fitted on all three masts together with futtock staves and catharpins. I’ve just made a start on the ratlines for the foremast - surprised to find that I’m quite looking forward to doing these!

That’s Trial, not Alert. I’m away for a few days but I’ll open up my Sherbourne when I get home and will try and work out where those blocks go too.

I did try mixing dyes together based on the colour mixes on the RIT website - I think that’s probably the recommended way of dyeing. My dye mixing is all in the Nisha log that I sent to you. I only tried the sequential dyeing for this set of sails as I was disappointed by the colour achieved from tan dye alone. Had no idea if it would work, but was very pleased with the outcome.

Ranger was the sixth and last of my fishing boats, so the dying was more by feel rather than measuring out exact amounts of dye. I used the RIT liquid dyes. This is the tan one, scarlet from the same range. https://www.ritdye.com/products/tan/ I think that the sails are made of linen. I experimented a lot on old T-shirts but the cotton fabric and weave made a big difference to the end colour, so they weren’t very useful. These experiments are all in my Nisha build log, link below. Broadly I followed the instructions and timings in this RIT Dye video for the tan but adjusted the strengths. It came out a bit drab and brown so I mixed up some scarlet and as an experiment put the sails in that for max two mins, maybe less. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wL6NFLL8NI0 I can’t give you more accurate guidance than stronger than the instructions say on tan and weaker on scarlet. You’ll just have to judge it. Sorry I can’t give you better guidance! Your build is looking great so far.

Have fun with this one. I really enjoyed building her, she’s very straightforward and an imposing model when complete due to her tall mast and huge sail area relative to the other Vanguard fishing boats. She’s currently sitting pride of place on my mantelpiece. Sail colour is entirely a matter of personal choice, I have almost the full range across the six fishing boats, I think I like the ‘rust’ colour achieved on Ranger the best, partly because it doesn’t contrast too much with the white seams / thread running across the sail that doesn’t absorb the dye so the overall effect is less striped.

Thanks Andrew, Life has been busy and DoK is progressing, albeit at a near glacial rate. Fitted the anchor rope, had to enlarge the hawse holes to get the rope through. The woodwork on her masts and bowsprit is complete although they still need fittings and woldings added. In the meantime I was given Vanguard’s Sherbourne for Christmas which given her small size I’ll probably build between DoK and Speedy. Thanks for all the likes, apologies for the slow progress.

Thanks Bob. DoK’s hull is now mostly complete and fitted out. All that is remaining are a few eyebolts, chainplates and the outer edge of the channels, belaying pins, and the figurehead’s knight’s head which I’ll leave off until the bowsprit is fitted. The deck furniture is pretty straightforward and well designed - as usual for Vanguard and produce a stunning boat. The use of PE to decorate the hull on this kit is hugely impressive. My only variance from the instructions has been adding breech ropes to the cannons. The biggest challenge for me was the rails on either side of the poop deck. The stanchions are very fragile and part of the same piece of wood as the centre section of the railing. This means that the wood grain runs across the stanchion and they snap really easily. Luckily Chris has already thought of this and provided a spare set of stanchions (kudos to Chris for foreseeing this potential weakness for clumsy builders like me!). Nonetheless, I found it quite fiddly to get all the stanchions fitted and aligned. Not sure that they are, but they’ll have to do. Overall, building DoK’s hull has been rewarding and tested my ability a bit further than on previous builds, which is great and what I was looking for. Vanguard classify this as an “experienced” kit compared to Adder and Grecian which are “amateur”. This feels about right even before rigging, she’s certainly a step up in terms of complexity but still exceptionally well designed and very manageable. The big challenge ahead for me will be the rigging of my first ship-rigged vessel.

That’s a wonderful Speedy, I love the sails. She’s my next build, but won’t be as good as yours!

More progress. The main change since last time has been the fitting of the PE decoration which simulates intricate engravings on the model and looks great. I had planned and tried to use the Klear polish method to attach these but it didn’t seem to work, I thought the problem was that my polish had been open over a year since I built Alert and needed it last - but I now understand that the problem was the method I used. For instructions on how to do this properly I refer you to Glenn’s excellent Alert build log. Wish I’d not rushed and realised this before - using CA as I have is inevitably less tidy. The copper canopy isn’t permanently fixed to the hull yet. Nor are the cannons. DoK’s cannons are Vanguard’s old style of cannon carriage with separate PE capsquares. I didn’t fancy my chances bending these to fit so instead I ordered six new cannon carriages with integrated wooden (similar to those on Grecian, Adder and the newer versions of Alert and Speedy) from Chris. I’ll add breachropes later. The acetate in the stern windows does look a touch grubby so I’ve decided to go for the no glass option in the remaining windows. For the two highly decorative windows on the port and starboard quarter I’ve painted the frames inside black so it’s not just a view of MDF frames. I’ve no idea what it’s called but the “basket” at the bow has been the hardest part of this build so far. As for other logs, I’ve had to file the excess on the base and rear of the figurehead to fit. I’ve left the knight’s head off the figurehead for now as there are several reports of the plume being broken off during the build. I’ll add it back just before fitting the bowsprit. The three gratings/ hatches on the main deck are glued in place, as is the spiral staircase aft - this is a superb piece of design by Chris and exceptionally easy to assemble and install. Next a few more bits of PE, finish the rudder, add side steps and channels, then more deck fittings.

The two luggers, Zulu and Fifie, are very different from the other four fishing boats. If it were down to me I’d probably build Erycina or Ranger with the second being Zulu. But much of it being personal choice.