Craigie65

So started the shrouds. Things linig up . Yards not an issue. Only pain ti the formost gunport lids that I keep hitting as I am doing the foremast deadeyes

What a lovely clean build you are doing here - your ship looks fantastic 👍

Very neat work David. I have also been looking at the RMG plans of which there are a surprising number named “Trial”, though I suspect at least one is just a proposal of the sliding keel arrangement  by Captain Schank, a couple say they are copies of plans sent to the yard for building dated May 1790 but one (ZAZ6418) states it is the plan of the ship “built” dated 9th September 1790, so perhaps closest to the final layout?  Interesting most of the plans show an additional grating/companion way to the starboard of the forward sliding keel, providing access to the Boatswain, Carpenter & Gunner’s store rooms. That plan also shows a raised skylight over the Commander’s cabin and a cover over the companionway.
The contemporary model does not show these details and as Chris has mentioned in his prototype log, it deviates from the various plans in a number of ways, I suppose we shall never know the true relationship of the plans and model to the real vessel - all very interesting! 

I had the same problem. Goodwin gave a length for the breach ropes which was too long for the size of the ship. Though I discovered this after the first two so I had less to redo.
 
Great work

That is looking very good, very neat!

Dave, the jig makes sure that the sides taper in at the correct angle and it's easier to fit the axles and sides together. However in this case only a simplified jig is possible because the barrel is fitted during the make up of the carriage rather than as an addition. Also Dave, beware the rule of 3x barrel length for breechings. Perhaps I've interpreted the rule wrongly but it hasn't worked for me in this case.
 
 
The guns and carronades have all been fitted, however when I offered up the first gun, I realised that the breechings on both guns and carronades were too long. I set them at 3 times the length of the barrel but at this length, they would all have been falling into the hatches when fired. (DaveB please note) I spent an unhappy few hours yesterday shortening and re-seizing them to the eyebolts.
A slight flat was sanded on the trucks of the guns to provide a bigger surface for the pva.
When making up the carronades, I used a blackened pin to connect the base to the truck and left it protruding by 2mm rather than cut it flush as directed. The pin is located into the deck and holds the carronade firmly in place.
The ropes require some further manipulation to make them lie more naturally.



I have also been making up most of the deck fittings over the last couple of weeks. Mostly they are made up as per the instructions but I have scratched the main and forward hatches using cut down 6x3mm pear strip. I prefer the look of hatches with a curved surface even if the plans and model of Trial in the RMG show them as flat. The laser-cut gratings make a curve easy to achieve wit ha short soak and drying around a suitable curved surface.

 


Thanks for looking in and for the likes and comments.
 
David
 
 

Don’t know if this helps, but in the AOTS for Diana this is labelled as the sheer line 

Assuming you are correct Craig, and I think you are, I cannot believe how stupid of me not to just take the line all the way through to see such a basic thing by myself.  
Allan
 

Don’t know if this helps, but in the AOTS for Diana this is labelled as the sheer line 

Don’t know if this helps, but in the AOTS for Diana this is labelled as the sheer line 

Foremast Lower Platform Blocks
The lower foremast platform has a number of blocks fixed to it, via eyebolts. There are 11 x 3mm single blocks and 4 x 4mm double blocks.
 
It was quite a time consuming task to seize the block and then to add the eyebolt, using the method detailed in my last post. The key aspect with this task was to ensure the blocks were on the required alignment for the rigging, once the eyebolts are added to the platform. It was also important to check that the required rigging thread could be fed through the block holes. Once all the blocks were completed and added to the platform I did make some test threads. One end of each test thread was stiffened with ca. to aid the threading process.  As can be seen in the attached photos I was able to fit the test threads. I have noted that the top right hand eyebolt is not fully seated, which has been fixed since taking the photos.

Thoughts On Moving Forward with Mast and Yard Rigging
Moving forward I am now going complete the work on the lower foremast, such as adding the wolding, adding the iron banding to the square mast section above the platform, adding the various mast blocks, adding the cleats, etc.
 
After that I will prepare the foremast shrouds so I can add the foremast channels to the hull so the chainplates are aligned to follow the flow of the shrouds.
 
The normal process for rigging a model boat is to add the standing rigging, such as shrouds, ratlines, futtock staves, stays, etc. before adding the yards. I have always found it awkward to rig things like the yard lifts and truss pendants after the standing rigging has been added. I have often thought it might be easier to add the yards to the mast first but not sure if there will be other issues with adding the standing rigging with the yards in place. I noted that @ECK has adopted this approach on his Indy build. I am going to give this method a try on the foremast to see how practical it is. Fun time ahead.
 
 

Post One Hundred and Eight
 
Capping rails.
A little more progress but exceedingly slow.
I have now added the Capping rails for the waist, along the  gangways.

2761
The kit version which were a tad short were replaced with Boxwood versions.

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I lined up the inner edge with the Qtr deck and Foc’sle mouldings and shaved the outer edge back to the outer line.

2753
Poop rails were trimmed slightly at the aft end but otherwise fit without issue.

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The Qtr deck rails line up accurately, and are fitted as with all the cappings, with the inner edge flush to the bulwark.
 
The tricky ones are the Foc’sle cappings, but even so are not far off the Bow  Bulwark shape.

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As part of my modifications the rail continues to enclose the bow.

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The Bowsprit slips below the rail and Bow Hook to tenon into the step on the deck below.

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The fettlin’ continues…..
 
B.E.
16/11/2023
 
 

Working drawings.
When Uphams Shipbuilders was sold off in the late 1960’s the paperwork; half models; full models and all their boat plans were thrown onto a bonfire! They would of course have had no idea how important an historical record of nautical history they had destroyed.
Although it would have been very much easier to build a facsimile of Vigilance to the closest known plans, I wanted to do it right and scratch build her as she was in 1926, as far as is possible.
There are no plans existing of Vigilance, so it was assumed that Harold Underhill’s plans of Valerian, the sister ship to Vigilance was a natural starting point. 
 
I traced the lines plan into CAD, and then took rough comparative measurements from photographs of the boat. Immediately there are questions to answer.
Firstly the sheer line. This image of Vigilance’s original sheer was  taken of her on props on the harbour foreshore.
 

Compare this to her sheer today, shown below and in the stern shot of her on the slip shown above and it’s clear what has happened over the years:

Vigilance has clearly hogged over time; the sheer is pretty flat. The stem and stern are different shapes from the pictures we have.
Underhill’s drawings were not taken from the boat, but from the original plans. The sheer at the stern is very pronounced, and there are other anomalies which don’t seem right; the centreline planking from the stern post to the counter timbers was typically straight, not curved. The forefoot curved to the keel to at least the fifth or sixth frame, not as in Underhills plans.
Underhill’s sheer plan of Valarian portray a very ramped sheer aft, not found in Lowestoft or Brixham boats which are both less pronounced.

There are other fundamentals – what was the datum used to set the frames; were they paired and how were they arranged? The exact nature of the keel timbers, forefoot and stem, as well as the set out of the elliptical ‘Rye’ like counter and taffrail timbers. Underhill’s plans do not include structural details, and there is some variance between his sheer/profile; body and half breadth plans.
 
The original deck layout may well be the hardest to discern – even seemingly permanent evidence like the bitts have been replaced, so some detective work will be necessary. However I’m expecting that because so much of the original ship has been changed it may never be possible to get to the truth about her plans.
 
It is evident that Underhill’s plans are of limited value to this build.
 
At this point I must give my thanks and credit to the 'Friends of Vigilance CIO'. I rang their Chairman and he very kindly agreed to ask the Board of Trustees if I could have some access to the boat whilst on the slip, and sight of some of the plans. This the Board agreed, and so I visited Vigilance at Sirling and Son's slip in Devonport dockyard,  Plymouth.
 
Readers may be interested in an historical note here. Covered Slip No. 1 is of great importance. Will Stirling who is in charge of the restoration has this note on his website: 
 

“No.1 Covered Slip is the oldest remaining covered slipway in the world. Built in 1763 the slip was 250 years old in 2013. The roof was added in 1814. 
The slipway is 53m (173′) long and the roof is supported by a double line of 23 trussed wooden pillars. At the north end, the roof is apsidal in order to accommodate the bowsprits of ships.
Although the slipway was re-laid in 1914 it has undergone comparatively few alterations and is still used as was originally intended. It is now a Scheduled Ancient Monument (the same listing as Stonehenge).
Quite incredibly Will Stirling has a family connection to the slip; In 1798 his great, great, great, great grandmother, Eliza Barlow, launched Nelson’s flagship, the Foudroyant (80 guns) on this very slipway. Her husband, Admiral Sir Robert Barlow, was an Admiral in Nelson’s navy and their daughter, Hilare, married Nelson’s brother, William Nelson”.
 
 
 
It is quite something that this place is still dedicated to the building of wooden sailing boats, and when you visit the sense of history is palpable.
 
 
 
 
 
 

The Vigilance's  masts and rigging were removed before the boat was brought to Plymouth, and the internal bulheads ceilings engine and fittings removed. Over several visits I was able to take measurements of her main timbers, the spacings of frames, divisions of frame parts, ceilings, beams and most of the other structural elements. It’s possible to see where replacements have been made, although the chronology is difficult to work out. 

It was also apparent that the Shipyard’s task is more like a rebuild than a renovation; many of her older timbers are beyond saving, and a new sheer has had to be agreed. Because Vigilance has hogged, a fundamental decision was to agree the sheer line for the renovation. The Trust members were provided with a set of lines from the naval architect from which they decided that lifting the sheer by 150mm (5.9”) at the stern would restore a fair sheer, and hopefully reflect how she was built originally.
The Trust very kindly gave me sight of this plan, in profile view including the shape of the keel, forefoot and stem. This along with measurements I made of the deadwood, was invaluable in establishing the midline. One key task was to resize the keel to 12.75” by 8”, ignoring the greenheart keel added by Ken Harris. This simplified the drawing of the key dimensions, using 8” from the base of the keel to the rabbet at the centreline.
Several visits to the boat followed, as she was dismantled, and valuable measurements taken - more of which later.
 
What has become apparent - confirmed in converstation with Will and the shipwrights at the slip - there are some oddities in her build which have left us all scratching our heads.
 
I did spend a great deal of time attempting to fit the new sheer and profile to the linesplan I had of Valerian. Underhill only included four buttock lines, and no diagonals. I badly needed her lines measured, but of course it was not reasonable to expect the shipyard to put up with me crawling all over her for hours getting in their way!
So I was very grateful when the Trust also agreed to let me have a copy of their surveyed linesplan – they have really been exceptionally helpful all along, and this now gave me a way to finally get a set of frames drawn out to the measurements I took inside the hull. I have not used Underhill’s plans since. Working out what she was like in 1926 would prove to be challenging.
 
Further details of the work being undertaken to restore Vigilance can be found on the Friends of Vigilance's facebook page here, including a great chronolgy of photographs, and on their website here.
 
 

Big milestone today, second planking complete (well apart from a few sessions of sanding!)
 
Overall happy with the way it came out but still glad this is going to be painted as my woodworking skills; especially at the Stem & stern still need improvement.  Paying much more attention to lining off the hull and splitting the hull into bands to plank did help in the long run.  Initially frustrating at times, having to bend and shape planks, then re-bend then trial fit again, this process seemed to fall into a rhythm I could follow by the end. A couple of planks went wrong, but (one split under the pins/clamps which I didn't notice and another I shaped too narrow, again not noticing until it was dry.)  as I said, all okay as its all going under paint soon! - Phew...
Additionally I paid no attention whatsoever to grading of the strips, so I ended up with nearly all the dark ones on one side, which would have looked bad if left unpainted.
 
So next update will be the sanding, filling, primer & painting stages.  Thanks again for the likes and following along.

Post One Hundred and Six
 
I have now reached a part of the build where there is a lot of bits and pieces.
Bulwarks to sand level, gunports to clean up, and mouldings and cappings to fit.
There is also a lot more dust.
Getting the rails to run correctly and look acceptable to the eye has proven the most difficult part of the build for me thus far.
It took several constructions/de-constructions, to arrive at a sequence I found acceptable, without the urge to instantly rip it all off again.
 
This is what I found by trial and error worked best for me.
 
The most critical rail is that running between the gun-deck ports following the sheer of the hull.
I opted not to fix this first, as indicated, but I marked the line of the rail using Tape.

2714
Before I commit to glue I want to see how it will eventually relate to the rails above it.
 
Before adding the capping rail along the waist (section515) I think it is better to add the continuation of the 3mm strip to the forward end of the waist, following the sheer.

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I also added these before adding the topside decoration along the Qtr deck and Foc’sle.
 
Below this the 4mm strip can be added.( I am using Boxwood strip) I stop the strake short of the forward end of the waist. This strip is referred to as the ‘second wale’ left over from Indy’s time as a Sixty-four.
The forward sections of the 3mm and 4mm strips are then added to terminate at the bow stem.

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I am keeping an eye on the line of the main gundeck rail still marked by tape.

2700
Before fixing I use the upper rail with the scroll work to check how that will eventually relate to the intended fixing line.

2702
The lower 4mm (second wale) is then added.

2710
Once fitted the decorative rail is fitted above it, ensuring an even curve, and that the scroll work at the aft end meets the rail below it.

2712
 2mm strips are then added to the 3mm rail, this completes the  Wale for the Fore channels.

2715
The decorative scroll work at the break of the Qtr deck is now fitted ensuring the scroll meets the rail below it.
The Topsides are instantly improved by the addition of the mouldings.

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To complete the rails a 2mm strip which defines the Channel areas is applied atop the 3mm rail.

2711
The rails line up at the bow but need a fair bit of cleaning up at this point.

2716
This is not the end of the story, the gunport rails and waist capping rails are now to be added, and the decorative rails and
scroll work need some fettlin’ to address the rather ‘blocky’ look of them.
 
I am relieved that this part of the project has been completed  without ending up with any mismatches or ugly rail angles at the bow. I found it quite a testy part of the build.
Onwards….
 
B.E.
11/11/2023

Channel Update
I have now experimented with adding a shortened middle chainplate for the rear most channel strop arrangement. With the shortened middle chainplate it will allow the lower chainplate to be fixed to the hull above the gunport.

I have also be working on the foremast channel. I did add some additional material to the bow end of the channel to fill the gap that existed between the hull and the channel. I am now happy that the channel sits flush with the hull.

I am now going to turn may attention to making the lower fore, main and mizzen masts.

Next Build decision…
It’s been a while since the last build, and summer has been busy.
Over recent months I have been doing my due diligence, looking for a candidate for the next build.
It had to be a fishing boat of course, and this time with sails. Two candidates emerged.
 

Living on the southwest coast of England I turned to local boat heritage. In Falmouth, Cornwall, a handful of boats still work the Port of Truro Oyster fishery, by sail – no power allowed by ancient bylaw.
For centuries the fishery has operated in this sustainable way.  The boats are being kept alive by a group of dedicated owners and friends. One example of a Falmouth working boats is the 26’ gaffer; pitch pine on elm and oak, built by Alf Smithers and Peter Mayes in 1966. There is something compelling about the tremendous effort the owners are putting in to keep the tradition alive. Added to that it is possible to take a trip on the boat in the summer and watch her at work, as she pulls the small 3’ dredge along the shallow sands. A worthy cause.
The ‘Alf Smithers’ made it to my shortlist, and I’d like to build her - or should that be ‘him’?
 
Secondly, I searched through Edgar J March’s book on English sailing trawlers. This well-known and rich source of information includes the second category of boat I have been looking at.
I read of the sturdy nature of these gaff ketches or ‘smacks’; built in yards like Upham’s, Dewdney, Jackman, Munday, Furneaux, Chilson and many others.
 
They have evolved to have the power to pull a deep beam trawl, the stability to weather the unpredictable seas beyond Torbay in the Western Approaches and yet the speed to land the catch and get the best price at market. I had read how the design had been taken to the North Sea ports and to Denmark and adapted for the waters there, and how the introduction of steam had eventually consigned them all to history or to be converted into gentleman’s cruisers. However, in their day they evolved a technology for catching fish that was taken all over the world.
 
In the famous fishing port of Brixham, just up the coast from here, a handful of examples remain from the turn of the 19th century thanks to the tireless support of local volunteers: Pilgrim; Leader; Vigilance; Provident - a ‘mule’ class trawler, and Golden Vanity - a gaff cutter known as a Mumble Bee.  
 
March’s book has plans of Trawlers which he had measured; the Ibex; the Master Hand, a later boat from Lowestoft, and others.  His drawings and thorough lists of scantlings and methods of building have informed some wonderful scratch models of Ibex and Master Hand, some already on this forum.
 
But many of you will know all of this, so I’ll cut to the chase.


 
The Brixham trawler the Ibex caught my attention – there are outline plans; an excellent existing 1:20 scale model by Jan van den Heuvel with a good gallery of photographs; an RC model by Allan Read, and I’m sure many others.
 
Skippered by John Henry Widger for 18 years, she was fast, winning the local regatta in 29 out of 33 races – so many times they gave her the trophy to keep.
 
She came to a sad end, sunk by a U boat in 1918. Brixham expert (and past head waiter on the Queen Elizabeth II) Bob Higginson told me that legend has it that the U boat skipper Kapitänleutnant Ralph Wennenger apparently knew the area from visits to Tor Bay before the war, which presumably is why he had been ordered to the area. Not wanting to waste a torpedo on such a small vessel, he surfaced, and mercifully allowed the crew to abandon ship, before opening fire on the vessel with the machine gun. The crew escaped to safety. The submarine also put down the Addax, General Leman and the Perseverance the same day.
Recently a local trawler brought up timbers in her net at the exact coordinates 14 miles S.E. by E. off Berry Head where the Ibex sank. Some had bullets lodged in them. I have a section of her beam timber here by my desk as I write.
It’s a compelling tale and building her would be an opportunity to return some of her original timber to a model.
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Then a local news story caught my eye. A not-for-profit charitable trust in Brixham had been successful in its bid to the National Heritage Memorial Fund for £820,000 to fund repairs to ‘Vigilance’, the last Brixham sailing trawler to be built at Upham’s yard in 1926. She was converted into a cruiser in later life. Her sister ship, ‘Valerian’ (or her original plans) were surveyed by Harold Underhill, and his plans are available to purchase. Models exist, notably one in the Royal Museum at Greenwich in 1:32 scale.
 
I got in touch with the folk that sail the Vigilance today. I wanted to know what differences there were between the two original sister ships, and whether they could help in my research on plans.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Tony Bridle the volunteer ‘first mate’ of Vigilance and member of the ‘Friends of Vigilance’ couldn’t have been more helpful. We met in the pub named after the boat in Brixham and poured over the Underhill plans of Valerian I had bought from Brown Son and Ferguson Ltd.
Tony understands these boats from a fisherman’s point of view – his family has fishermen going back to the 17th century, and we spoke of how the boat would have been rigged to set the beam trawl, and of the lives of the crew, including the ‘tackers’ - lads who had to help work the sails, coil the hundreds of feet of 6” trawl warp in freezing weather and cook the food all for no wages.
Little did I know at the time that the plans would prove of very little help.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Vigilance is now hauled out at a shipwright’s slip a few miles from here, under restoration to return her as far as is practical to her original state. With the kind permission of the Vigilance Trust’s Chairman, I got in touch with the boatyard’s owner, Will Stirling. He very generously allowed me to visit the slip to measure Vigilance and catalogue her timbers.
 
Visiting the slip today you are immediately immersed in smell of the sea; of green oak, the trappings of the shipwright at work, and the quiet determination and expertise of Will and his team to restore these wonderful ships.
Will immediately offered help in the research should I decide to go ahead. As it happens they are trying to align what they were seeing in front of them with the lines plans they have, no doubt aiming to piece together the many changes and repairs previously done through the years.
 
Next morning, I settled with a coffee and the Times crossword. The first answer I filled in was ‘Trawler’!
So, Vigilance it is - you just can’t argue with fate, and the Alf Smithers will have to wait.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Rigged the mizzen yards, pinned the the yards to the mast and secured them

Gun Port Lid Assembly
Today I started work on the gun port lids. There are 6 gun ports per side which will have lids.
 
The first task was to collect all the various parts, which was a mixture of wooden and PE parts. The various lids were placed in their respective hull positions to ensure I built them up correctly.

Using the eyebolts as an alignment guide the various wooden parts were glued and clamped.

The next task was to add the hinges.

Once the eyebolts were glued in place the gun port lids were painted, red for the inner surface and black for the outer surface.

The next task will be to fit the lids to their respective gun ports. Starting with the right-hand side bow gun port I drilled the holes, in the hull, for the hinges and the thread. I took a couple of pictures with the gun port lid dry fitted. I noted that actual gun port opening was wider than the gun port lid and I then realised that I did not add the kit supplied gun port linings so I will need to add them.

Post One Hundred and five.
 
Bulwark Spirketting
This is now added to the Quarterdeck and Poop decks, pre-painted before gluing into place.

2661
Painting on the model is made more difficult due to the tumblehome of the Topsides along the Qtr deck.

2668

2669
Quite a change to the look of the model once this is done, but with gunport fettlin’ and other work, some restoration will be inevitable as the build progresses.

2673
The decorative facia panels at the break of the decks are also added at this time.
These remain unpainted and are treated with w-o-p.
 
Toprope scuttles
Back in Post 99 I said that I have some reservations about the Top rope scuttles being represented by gratings.

0050
They are generally shown as closed boards, without framing, and with lifting rings attached, as on Victory (Above)

2664

2667
This seemed a good point to knock up a couple of closed scuttles to see how they look.

2670
Altho’ more historically correct, I’m not sure I prefer them to the supplied gratings from a purely aesthetical viewpoint.

2675
 
B.E.
08/11/2023
 
 

Progress update, not as long has been spent on Trial as I would like but steady progress is still something.  Started the second planking, by first adding the top plank and the garboard as per. Chris's instructions.  Then the remaining area was divided into plank widths mid-ships then divided into three sections for planking and (hopefully) a symmetrical appearance.  The bands were divided up using flexible masking tape I got from Chris, tacky enough to stay on the first planking, but easy enough to peel back for adjustments.  The intervening spaces divided up using Chuck's planking fan as post #42.
There has been some odd-shaped planks coming out of all this measuring and edge bending, but I guess that is the point, overall satisfied with the results, by still no way would I dare leave my planking unpainted! 😱  Another week at this rate and second planking might be about done.
 
Again thanks for the likes and comments and looking in! 

Again, thank you so much for all of your kind comments, they do mean a lot to me, and helps reaffirm my enthusiasm for the hobby. I know that my products and business live or die based mostly on word of mouth, they are very low volume compared to the main players, as it takes much longer to produce each kit, and the pear is not as plentiful as standard kit wood, always having to order 2-3 months in advance for the quantities I need.
 
Anyway, another thing I forgot to mention is that I have produced a few sets specifically for 18-gun brigs, and only because at some point, I shall produce my own 18 gun brig. I have a set of armament, 16 x 32 pounder carronades (1795-1815), with laser cut pear carriages, 3-d printed barrel and carriage wheels (like on Indy, Grecian and Trial Cutter), and 2 x 6 pounder long guns (Blomfield). No etch to go with them, but I could include the small copper eyelets. If there's any interest in this set, let me know.
 
I added a 32nd scale cannon crew set to the product list, as I do plan to produce a cannon diorama at some point.
 
Finally, Midwest Model Shop emailed me late last night, with a link wo a first impressions review of our diminutive Saucy Jack (Not sponsered by me, he ordered and paid full price just like anyone else - I didn't even know he was doing this until be sent the link):
 
 
 

Post One hundred and Four
 
Gangways
The sub-deck pieces slot neatly atop the skid beams held in position by the bulwark lugs.

2646
Separating the deck sections made it necessary for me to add a support beam at the forward end to support the joint against the Foc’sle breast beam.
 
It struck me that on the plans there are no butt joints to the planking. The length of the Gangway is some 41’ which would suggest that some butt ends would be required.
 
The planks would be fixed to the beams which are unevenly spaced across the waist with spaces of: 2@50mm 2@30mm, and 2@ 35mm. which makes it a little more difficult to work out a repeat pattern, but there are only six strakes.
With an open sided gangway it is obvious if a butt join has nothing to support it beneath.

2649
I worked a system using scale planks of around 28’ maximum to utilise the available fixing points.
I started with the innermost strake and worked towards outboard with a final spiled plank at the bulwark.
 
This completes the Indy planking on my version.

2652

2660

2650

2651

2659

2656

2657

2653
I have to say that the Castello Boxwood supplied by Vahur at Hobbymill EU was a pleasure to use, excellent quality.
Movin’ on.
 
B.E.
06/11/2023
 

Spent the week making up all the yards. Not rigged yet as they have to be painted first. There are some differences from other yards I have done. In this the fore and main topsail yard have a different central configuration compared to the mains.
 
Pre spray painting. Note I use tape instead of the cardboard as I never get the cardboard correct. The tape sprays up nicely. Unfortunately I was short 2 8mm dowels in the kit but luckily I had spare dowels in the shipyard.
 



After Painting mizzen
 

 
Main

Fore and spritsail
 

 
 
Next week will be gigging the yards.

 

Cheers guys
 
Of course, I cannot please everyone all the time, and will always have someone not happy. Here is a snippet of an email I received earlier this week:

"I have now decided on the Sphinx kit and the kit was delivered today from a German dealer. I have to be honest but very surprised that the cannons are included in the kit in plastic. For a kit that costs 1000, - €, this is really not acceptable. Is this how the kit is delivered by you? Also, the anchors in plastic do not correspond to the otherwise flawless level of the kit."
 
Well, I did initially offer metal cannon and anchors for Alert. The problem was that the cannon were actually oval in shape, and the monogram just a blob, and the anchor was rectangular in profile, rather than square, plus the hole for the ring was no longer a hole, and both had mismatch. Also, the octagonal winch for the Alert shrunk so much, it no longer fitted, plus that too was 'squashed'. I threw the whole lot away and initially went for cast resin, followed by 3-d printed resin. I guess the customer thinks that 'plastic' is a cheap and quick way to rip off the customer, rather than a new technology to more accurately represent the original parts, with zero shrinkage, no mismatch, and every hole perfect. The 9-Pounder cannon for Sphinx takes 3.5 hours to 3-d print 5 kits worth. In that same time, 100 kits worth can be produced if cast. Same applies to the stern decoration, which takes 7 hours to 3-d print, and you keep all the definition that is on the master file, rather than a blob of metal that wouldn't even pass muster for a children’s Clair's Accessories shop.
 
On a personal note, I really have never cared too much about the material used for parts, as long as the end result looks right.
 
I did originally sub contract the cast and 3-d printed resin parts, which was far from cheap. For example, a single 32 pounder cannon barrel cost 1 Euro. I think some do not differentiate between high volume injection moulded plastic and much lower volume cast or 3-d printed resin.