egkb

Well, slowly getting back to the shipyard.  At the point just before planking the deck, which I hope to get to tomorrow.  Here is where I am at now.

It's been a while since I've provided an update. Travel, life in general and family have kept me busier than normal but it's starting to calm down enough to let me get back to the shop and my friends at MSW. My plans were to hold off on doing so until the hull planking was complete, but there's enough progress to show some pictures and point out areas that were more difficult than the normally difficult parts...
 
Before I start, my previously posts indicated I was working on the port side, well. I may have had one or two too many holiday spirits, I actually have been laying planks on the starboard side...
 
Looking at the first picture you will see where I was attempting to make a piece of wood for the stem area. I wanted to remove the downward curve in the aft planks in effort to get a run that is more straight. I probably made 3-4 pieces before I could get it close enough to glue in place. I kept breaking the wood or just did not het the shape right. Finally I had a brain storm and decided to make a prototype using heavy stock paper. Once I had the paper shape close, I traced it on the wood and file it to fit from there.
 
The remaining pictures show the starboard side planked, minus the sanding. I have a few spots that looked low enough that I applied some Hobby-Lite filler. Hopefully the remaining high/low spots sill sand out – there are also a lot of pencil marks that I hope the sanding will remove. I tried a pencil eraser on some of them but for some reason would not come off.
 
Next steps
Finish planking the port side
Sand hull
Start working on that long list of “I need to touch that up” items
start deck planing

Just time for the last pre-Christmas update as we hit 250 hours into the build.
 
Sanding of the upper hull has been completed and the second layer of the channel wales added.  The hull has been stained after a coat of Minwax Pre-stain.  For this portion of the hull, I've used 30% Golden Oak.  As the intention is to have the upper hull much darker than the lower portion, a second coat of stain will be applied later (after treenailing).
 

 
Before we get to treenailing, the second layer of the main wales will be added and painted  ...  hopefully in time to ring in the New Year!
 
The very best of the Holidays to all.  Be happy, stay healthy and ENJOY!

I contacted Model Expo for replacements for the 1/8" and 5/16" dowels that came severely bowed. Replacements arrived within a few days. The 1/8" dowel is straight enough but the 5/16" has and S-curve in it with about 1/8" bow on each way. The original 5/16" dowel had about 3/8" bow right in the middle.
 
The 5/16" dowel is for the fore mast and it's about 15" long. I've been trying to find ways to straighten this dowel out but so far it's winning. I don't have anywhere locally to buy spruce dowel. Only poplar and oak.
 

 
The anchor windlass is smaller than what the plans show. I am trying to decide if I want to adjust the pads to fit the windlass or just let the windlass sit on them a little funny.
 

 
Alternatively I could attempt building a windlass from scratch. It's pretty intricate though and the mill and lathe that I have are way too big for doing such small work. Once it's all completed I don't think it will be worth the effort.

I did my first planking and what a job is that. It good that there will be another planking before the final result. This is much much more difficult than I ever thought. There are now 6 planks on the port side. Next after Xmas is the starboard side. Just now there is X-mas the family dinner the papers and wine and food.
 
I wish you all  a merry Christma and a happey and healty 2014
 
By for now from the Rotterdam Dockyard
Jan 
 
 
 
"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder"

Thanks Guys, really enjoying the deck...  Adding another 4 hours to log...
 
I am wondering about gangway and skylight.  Is it most realistic if decking goes underneath or do they sit on top of the decking like most other deck fixtures such as windlass?
 
Thanks for looking and Merry Christmas and holiday season to all. Happy crafting..  Ollie

Just a small update....the boat is really coming along nicely.
 

 
[/url]
 

 

 

Coming together nicely now Mick. It is a pleasure to follow along.
 
Have a great Christmas to you and your family, and an even better New Year!
 
Eamonn

Got a few hours off this weekend and spent some time with Emma.  Don't tell my wife.  
 
I continued fitting out the interior details. Aft, I installed the "sleepers" which are the beams that support the "sole" (the floor of the rear cabin). Similarly, the beams that hold the forecastle floor were installed. As an aside, any sailing vessel I've been on calls the forward storage area the "sail locker" so I will call it that.  It is my boat after all and I'm the captain 
 
Here are some detail shots of laying for forward floor boards (joists if you build houses).  

First, the foremost and after-most beams were installed, taking care to make sure they were semi-level.  Then the middle beams were installed using a "checking" plank /straight edge thing.  You can see it labeled "DOWN" in the photo.  Clothespins were used to hold them in place as the glue set.  
 
As another aside, clothespins have a "just right" amount of tension that doesn't dent the wood.  My metal spring clamps hold like nothin' but can dent the wood.  I prefer a piece that fits, and the "clamp" is simply to hold it in place as the glue dries, rather than force it in place as the glue sets. I almost NEVER use pins.  They leave holes that I find unsightly and can occasionally distort the piece being glued in. 
 
Here you can see the fore and aft sleepers installed.  Please note too that I continue to thank myself for making the deck beams removable. Soooooo much easier to work on the interior but still be able to locate parts according to the deck plan. 

 
After laying the joists/sleepers, I was really exited to start some deck planking.  I first planked the sail locker.  I really wanted to joggle the decking up in the locker there, if not for any other reason than to say "joggle" a few more times. Joggle Joggle joggle.  Joggle is a funny word.  Alas, I figured that if I were building a real boat, I would just cut the beam ends square, leaving a hand/arm gap so when I inevitably  drop my keys down into the bilge, I at least can reach in and get them out of the muck. 
 
Here I cut all the planks to length for a fit-up. They aren't glued in yet. The instructions are notoriously poor, so I used my judgement. 

 
 
Then I glued them in using absolutely tiny spots of glue.  It looks exactly the same as the non-glued in photo above. 

 
It occurred to me when I was stalking others' build logs that you can get lost in the details.  I think I might try to end each post with a "big picture" shot or two. So here is a front-on and a port quarter shot with everything glued in and the deck beams resting in place.  
 


 
 
Cheers!
-cb
 
**post updated March 23 to include missing photos from server crash

It’s the season. Its pure kitsch, but I had to add it now. Feel free to hum or whistle an appropriate tune according to your personal taste or custom.
 

 
The brass bell was a gift. I used two 0.3 mm brass eyelets and a small piece of copper to mount it.
Merry Christmas and a happy New Year to you all. Thank you for all the encouragement and wisdom. I’m very much looking forward to seeing you again in 2014!
Gregor

Just to keep you up to date
This is only fairly rough painting to get a base before doing it very carefully   
 

 
That is roughly what the hull will look like
Just hopefully a lot neater   

The keel is now back on, glued and pinned in several places. A very small amount of filler to smooth the edges and then onto re-applying the copper tiles.

Okay so adding 20 hours to build log...
 
No worries Tom. Glad it shed some light on the Mermaid for you...
 
Jeff, i don't mind at all mate. If i could be of advice to Sailor I would..
 
Well i have made good progress on planking my deck.. The shift planking is much like some of the mosaic and tiling patterns i have done just different terminology.. I have it well under control, only query is how to calculate when joggling should begin?? I gather it is when the cut at end of plank exceeds a certain length.. ? Regards Ollie..

Thanks Casey...I love Midwest's kits too, great plans sheets and excellently illustrated instruction manuals. Last update for tonight...
 

 

Thanks Pete and yes I am totally hooked. I got a little more done tonight as seen by the pictures. Not a lot really but the cabin is done. Note the burgundy centerboard and brass centerboard pulley.
 

 

 

 

 

Just a quick update, I just finished painting the hull along with an orange pinstripe (the pinstripe was another "first" for me). Next I start final assembly, I will post more as I progress. Thanks for looking. I also posted a YouTube video of the build up to before I had it painted so anyone who'd like to see.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maCyuAwvdqs
 

 

 

 

Oh...whew...  for a moment there I thought you had added some modificatons to the superstructure.  
 
Anyway, good to hear you're back at the bench.

Hello shipmates.
Thank you all for your kind words of encouragement
Jeff -: I used the dark stained ones as they look as if they were more predominant to see.
 
Half the deck is done just got to do the other end.
Remade the pumps as I was not happy with the look.
 
Regards Antony.

Have a Great Christmas Jim, and I look forward to seeing your repairs to that fine build, and a Ballahoo in the New Year..
 
Eamonn

I know that I'm moving like a turtle, but as I have'nt plenty of time....
 
Deck the halls !!

Don't worry, Jan, everyone has the same experience -- no matter how careful we think we are being.
 
There's a saying many on the forum use which is something like 'measure twice, measure again, cut once' which indicates that the problem exists. But, as you have found out, working with wood and glues that we can dissolve means that we can develop patience to do it more carefully next time.
 
Tony

So far so good.
 

 

 

I decided to get back to work on this kit now that I'm done with my Fantail Launch II. Next in line to do is paint the hull so let's see how my second time ever painting a water line goes. No complex curves to mask off here so it should be a piece of cake. Picture of hull masked off and ready for paint below. I'm thinking of satin burgundy Krylon spray for the lower, semi-gloss white Rust-oleum Ultra Cover brush on for above the water line and clear lacquer for the deck.
 

Supplies have arrived from CMB! New keel has been cut to fit, I just need to sand it down to the correct thickness as it is 0.5mm too wide. Working and present wrapping this weekend so progress might be a little slow. I'll post picture updates when I can.
 
I also bought myself some Christmas presents, just received a silver soldering kit and a airbrush and compressor. Time to learn how to use these.....!

Hi Patrick,
 
As 'egkb' mentioned earlier, I will be receiving a 'Ballahoo' kit for Christmas and will be starting a build log alongside my Snake. It will be my second build so I will be using it as a test bed for improving the skills I learned on my first build and hopefully trying out some new ones.
 
It looks like a nice simple kit for a beginner and it is always nice to have someone building 'alongside'....!
 
See you in the build section soon.
 
Jim