Venti

Got a response from ModelExpo finally! They sent a copy of the part sheet, so I'll throw it in here in case someone else needs it! WP1472MLMuscongusLobsterSmack-PartsListRev8723.pdf

I appreciate all the extra information, everyone! DeeDee, thanks! I read your build log and the boat you made is incredible! Hey Robert, thanks! Those pictures look great! Would you be willing to get all the pages about the MBLS and post them here or send them to me? 😁

Unfortunately it says "Borrow Unavailable" at the moment. I assume someone else is borrowing it now and I'll keep checking on it. But I saw a picture on someone else's build log and I'm not sure it'll be all that helpful. I think I've decided to forgo the pre-shaped planks given in this kit. I want to get extra practice lining off the hull and bending/shaping the planks the "real" way. Is this a bad idea for this ship? Not sure if they give the pre-shaped planks because it's a learning kit and/or because it's small and difficult to plank. The garboard seems it might be a little difficult but otherwise I don't foresee anything too bad. With this I need some help choosing the size of strips to use for this. The planks given in the kit are 1/32" thick so that seems like it should be the thickness. The width of the planks are kind of all over the place... around 3/16" wide with sheer strake at 3/8". Once again my wood sheets are not labeled correctly and did not come with a parts sheet to identify parts so I will contact ModelExpo and try to get that.

Thank you Jacques, I will check it out as well!

Interesting. Unfortunately, the libraries near me don't have it 😭 I wouldn't mind buying it but I'm afraid that the small picture wouldn't be of any real use...

Yeah! I've seen a few really nice modifications people have done in their logs! I was hoping to find plans for the smack but I haven't been able to find any yet. Would have been a huge help in the Pram and I assume will be for this as well.

Just finished the Pram which was a ton of fun but I am much more excited to start this one! This style of planking seems much more enjoyable to me and is what I've seen done the most on bigger ships. I think I'm going to order some black synthetic rope and some sheave blocks as a little upgrade from what the kit has. For a few days I'll probably be reading instructions and build logs again to be better prepared but I might not be able to help myself and get started 😅 Index: 1-17: Information mostly about Chapelle's book and how to get it 18: Part Sheet

Thank you all! I think I've decided on going with Syren as well. Mostly because I would also like to get some better sheave blocks and ropesofscale doesn't have those haha That makes perfect sense! Good! You're so close and it looks amazing!

Whelp, a big day today. Just finished everything up!! Started with getting the back stays. With the fore stay done I used a rubberband to hold the mast back and to help it from moving. I then used a knot that can be easily tightened and holds under tension (knot 1472 is closest I could find quickly. Instead of both ends doing the same knot, just doing one with the loose end of the back stay). Once this is done, it's incredibly simple to tighten both sides equally. This also made it easy to lash the loop under tension. After this was done, it was just a couple more things. Hoisting the sail and main sheet. This was pretty simple but tying them off on the small cleats was annoying. Not sure if it is because the quality of the cordage or bad technique haha. I was following Trevor's masterclass on belaying to a cleat here: I ended up just doing a loose coil of the sheet on the floorboards. I just imagine it is used often and wouldn't be in a fancy pinwheel. Not sure how it would actually be stored while in use. All in all, I had a ton of fun building this and have learned so much. I just couldn't stop working on it in all of my free time 🤣 I've got the smack instructions out and have started reading them and I've already ready many a build log on it. Look forward to starting a new log and thanks everyone for the comments and likes on this one!

I did not think about the material making that much of a difference, but that makes sense. Maybe I'll look at getting new cordage for the smack as it seems a good bit more complicated and I could use any help I can get. I'll look around, but if anyone has suggestions on which supplier has good quality stuff, let me know! I will look through the many MSW sponsors. Ah yes, this one looks much nicer than stacked overhand knots! Excellent explanation, thank you! I suppose it's like calling the mast the "wood" 🤣

Trevor, thanks again for some of your knowledge! I feel I will never stop learning new things with this new hobby haha. Got a little more done last night! I thought I was going to finish her up, but I got a headache and stopped for the night. I finally got the backstay plates on the mast (I was waiting to get a better idea of the angle they would be at before gluing them on). I would love to find a way to glue the extremely short nails in while still letting the plates swing freely. I got the Halyard and Downhaul attached. The travel done. Almost forgot to put the block on there before... but remembered last minute. And I got the forestay done... Saw lots of issues people were having with this part so it took me a very long time to make sure I got it right. I'm not really sure the intended way to make a loop for this is. (I should probably go read Trevor's log again because it likely says 😆) but I just went with the one loop knot I'm familiar with... Number 290 in Ashley's book of knots. I'm also having trouble with the other knots needed... the instructions call for half hitches (#48 in the book) and I end up doing two (#54). It doesn't seem to tighten up very well which isn't an issue for this since I'm gluing them in place anyways but would love some insight on what some better knots for this would be. With this, is there a good knot for stopping the rope from going through holes? Like for the Downhaul line or Traveler? I usually just do 1 or 2 overhand knots (#46)

Good morning, all! I have just recently started making lots of sawdust and I have started planning a long list of ships to do haha. I love the look of the Winchelsea and would love to build it, but I just wanted to ask about where she sits from a difficulty standpoint. I have only really read through one build log (Trussben's) and he made it look easy, but I suspect that speaks more to his skill than the build being easy 🤣 I am almost done building the Pram, then I plan to build the Lobster Smack and then plan to get the Vanguard Sherbourne. Not sure if that's enough experience to dive into building a Winnie or if I should do something a little bigger (been looking at either Vanguard HM Brig Harpy, HM Brig Sloop Flirt, or HMS Speedy). Thanks!

I think mostly, I'm not sure what the entire process of attaching the sail to spars is called. If there is one haha. Oh duh... If I would just look at any of the pictures I would have seen that haha... Well that's good then, I think it will come out ok! I'm pretty unhappy about how dirty my sail is getting 😭I did use plastic wrap to separate it from my cutting mat as I've read people saying that will transfer colors. but once I cut everything out, it was downhill... I should have left the plastic wrap on.

Got a little done on the sail. Got the gaff and boom connected. Got some of the thread wrapped around stuff. Is this all called rigging? The step says lashing but maybe that's just rigging the top of the sail to the gaff? Idk. I used entirely too much CA to hold the knots where I wanted them. I think I have the boom too far out (? Away from the mast) so the sail won't be parallel to the mast. A little more to go and she'll be done.

Got the boom, gaff and mast done today! Boom and gaff went well, I think I beveled the ends too much so they're pretty small but should be fine. I also sanded the pad on the mast for the boom so it looks significantly better. I haven't glued it on yet because I'm not sure where it needs to be exactly. I got the mast 99% done. All that's left is to drill some holes and then I can start putting it all together... Easier said than done I think... I got too excited and didn't quite follow the instructions for the mast. Once the 8" x 12" and 3" x 12" sheets were dry I traced the parts needed to be cut and cut them all out. I then just glued them on one at a time until finished. I think the instructions way is harder to make mistakes but thankfully I had no issues.