chris watton

With the help of my little friends
 
 

 
I completed opening the 110 openings on the ships hull.  Next is the equally arduous task of lining all the openings.
 

 
 
Unfortunately it did a number on the ribs which will need further trimming once the deck beams are in place. The drill saw help a lot in this process
 

Looks absolutely stunning, and as you say, exceptionally sleek.  I wanted this for my birthday in May this year - but next year will be just fine.  I've alerted the Admiralty!

Work in the shipyard has continued very slowly due to the lovely weather we have been having in the UK, as well as busy work.

All the yards and rigging lines are now in place but most of the lifts and braces are not tied off yet so I can adjust tensions and ensure that the yards are aligned. It’s a fiddly business, as I tighten one line a couple of others seem to slacken, will take me a while to balance it out. 
 
I also need to go through the rigging and touch up painting, in particular I used unpainted brass rings attached to blocks which need to be painted black where possible, should have painted these black first (or just bought black ones next time!). Likewise the parrel beads are shiny black plastic and need to be dulled down with some matt varnish. 

Duchess continues to be a big learning curve for me, entirely positive. But I’m not absolutely sure whether the run of each line is exactly correct. The lines bunch going through the tops and whilst I know which is which they do tend towards a bit of a tangle, especially on the mizzen mast with the cross jack and lateen yards just below the top. 


Not that much left to do, but busy couple of months ahead. I’d like to take my time to ensure that I can keep everything aligned. I hope to finish her in August. Still have the anchors to add too. 

11 months after starting, DoK is finished. I’m very pleased with the end result, although she’s not quite as tidy as Adder or Grecian, but that’s more a measure of how easy Chris has made the latter two kits with his most recent innovations. Dok is rightly classed by Vanguard as “experienced” whereas the other two are “amateur”, she has certainly been more of a challenge and taken considerably longer to build. Learnt lots as usual and my first ship-rigged model. Overall, yet another outstanding kit of an interesting ship from Vanguard, thanks again Chris. 
 
It’s a lovely sunny day in the UK so photos outside for a change. 


A bit of a break from building now, after that I have Sherboune and Speedy waiting to be built. I think Sherbourne first as she’ll be nice and quick, rather than getting stuck into another year long build such as this one. I hadn’t planned to build Sherbourne, but was given her as a present. I’m glad I was as I’d like to try a few things and develop some new skills on a small build. On Sherbourne in particular I’d like to try to plank the deck myself, try ochre painted sides (whilst I love the look of the bare wood sides in many of these kits, especially in the nice pearwood Vanguard uses, I can’t imagine in real life that many ships weren’t painted to protect the wood, maybe I’m wrong?), and finally try and achieve a usable wipe-on poly which isn’t readily available in the UK. 

Well done, Kevin, she looks superb!

Hello gentlemen! Great to see you again. Let's continue

Chris loves a bluff bow.

Considering this is your first build, your model looks amazing!

Considering this is your first build, your model looks amazing!

Bow area is always an issue, more so with built up forecastle bulwarks. My mandate to myself with this was to try and make this area as strong as possible to help minimise possible distortion that often sets in with such curves around the bow, with some areas looking more angled than curved. But damn that area was a nightmare.... (As in trying to do this so that it is easy for the modeller to understand and build up).
 
I am so overdue designing a kit with a nice simple beakhead bulkhead!

First time trying to add shrouds and deadeyes. I can see why next to planking, many characterize this as one of the hardest parts of making models ships. Definitely a slow process to try to get them close to being right. 
 
There needs to be a seizing at the top between the two halves of the line after it loops around the mast. I did it kind of loose to make sure I could adjust the relative lengths of the two ends to try to make them even horizontally. No magic tricks to doing this, just fiddling and patience. 

Bow area is always an issue, more so with built up forecastle bulwarks. My mandate to myself with this was to try and make this area as strong as possible to help minimise possible distortion that often sets in with such curves around the bow, with some areas looking more angled than curved. But damn that area was a nightmare.... (As in trying to do this so that it is easy for the modeller to understand and build up).
 
I am so overdue designing a kit with a nice simple beakhead bulkhead!

Final pic of gun deck before upper deck is added to the old mule...

Finalising the upper deck pattern now that bulkhead tabs have been removed, bowsprit fits like a glove..
 
 

Bow area is always an issue, more so with built up forecastle bulwarks. My mandate to myself with this was to try and make this area as strong as possible to help minimise possible distortion that often sets in with such curves around the bow, with some areas looking more angled than curved. But damn that area was a nightmare.... (As in trying to do this so that it is easy for the modeller to understand and build up).
 
I am so overdue designing a kit with a nice simple beakhead bulkhead!

A fun day at the pond!

Bow area is always an issue, more so with built up forecastle bulwarks. My mandate to myself with this was to try and make this area as strong as possible to help minimise possible distortion that often sets in with such curves around the bow, with some areas looking more angled than curved. But damn that area was a nightmare.... (As in trying to do this so that it is easy for the modeller to understand and build up).
 
I am so overdue designing a kit with a nice simple beakhead bulkhead!

I use Titebond. I'd also suggest removing that and trying to manipulate the front into a curve first. As it's thick ply, I'm out of suggestions. I don't know if soaking would ruin the part. I'm be inclined to make that part from two thinner laminations which will be easier to bend. 

Well done, Kevin, she looks superb!

Well done, Kevin, she looks superb!

Well done, Kevin, she looks superb!

Thanks to all for the likes and encouraging comments.
 
Preparation for Deck Planking
 
I will not be using the supplied etched deck preferring the look of my own boxwood strip. Before I can begin there are a few things that need doing.
First I add the inner counter and transom pieces. These required a fair bit of trimming and sanding to get them to meet closely and to fit between the two stern compartments. They were painted off model with Admiralty Paints Red Ochre.

I made up the hatch coamings and gratings a while ago while I was waiting for some parts and managed to remember where I had put them. The kit pieces for the ledges are rounded. I soaked the gratings and shaped them to match the curve.
 
The forward and main hatches will sit directly on the beams but the capstan and hatch forward of it are made to sit on the deck. I have cut a piece from 0.8mm fret and glued it to the base so that it will now sit on the beams and I can plank up to it.
Others have commented (@Blue Ensign, @AON, and @Richard44) on the small forward hatch, which is either a steam grating or with cut-outs for the hawsers (or maybe both). To have the hawsers running tight against the riding bitts and immediately forward of the stove looks unusual and awkward so I have scratched another from 4x1mm pear for the coaming and some Caldercraft grating pieces.

The hatches are aligned and glued in place using the etched deck.


The margin planks are the first to be placed. I made them in three pieces. The forward two pieces are cut from boxwood sheet to cope with the curve at the bow and the third from 4mm stripwood.
 


 
I can now move on to the main planking but I will need to order some more boxwood from Hobbymill before I can complete it.
 
David
 
 

 

Maybe a D-Day landing craft next Chris 😬

Bow area is always an issue, more so with built up forecastle bulwarks. My mandate to myself with this was to try and make this area as strong as possible to help minimise possible distortion that often sets in with such curves around the bow, with some areas looking more angled than curved. But damn that area was a nightmare.... (As in trying to do this so that it is easy for the modeller to understand and build up).
 
I am so overdue designing a kit with a nice simple beakhead bulkhead!

Finalising the upper deck pattern now that bulkhead tabs have been removed, bowsprit fits like a glove..