popeye the sailor

I work on one ship.......but all the while, I'm thinking of other aspects of the other builds. when I hit onto something, then I make the jump and do it right away. I don't want to lose any cool ideas

thanks Aldo.......it's going better than I thought it would well Bob......guess I'd better get an update on her right away..... what?.......I didn't put in any pictures of Inga?

Captain's choice I would say.........some even had "bow chasers" on the fore deck. a second pair down below

2mm blocks!!!! wish I had some for my Gothenborg.......that's some nice detail in itself! you need to finish this.......this was your ship of turmoil........your marriage.....the house........starting school, not to mention, the problems you faced with her build. through it all, you managed to build a fine looking ship.......but your focus took a hit...ie, the problems. now that the smoke has cleared, you need to get into a 'post turmoil' build......one you can build in happier times......and work with comfort and leasure. most of all, you'll think with a clearer head.......catching these problems before they even start. I know it seems sad.......but you will find that they ALL do that.........the finish of all build, have that melancholy feel

that's what they said to me about joining the commodore's table. now Sjors up and left.........Augie's hard at it with his confed.....and I'm sitting here with a blasted cold {I still have one more day of work to go through}. congrats on the promotion......you'll come to find that rank really doesn't matter all that much.........what matters is the person behind it. if there a proper rank to give you, it would be 'friend'......that, I believe, covers every rank in the MSW listing I think i said it earlier.......nice work on you Aggie.......more pictures please...I'm getting withdrawls already

nice bit of progress you've done there. with the Billing's kits, I get cotton thread. it is nice, but it is the worse, when it starts to get fuzzy. I used some of it by staining it with India Ink......does quite well in keeping the hairs down. if there is a craft store near you, look in the jewelery dept........I've found some bead threads that work real good.......and they can be found in different thicknesses too. for the Nordkap and the Cux 87, I used polished hemp thread. it's great for large scale kits, and looks just like real rope. it is a bit stiff and unruly, but it can be shaped by pinching it in your fingers. you'll find something, I'm sure

you think everyone's impatient to see new pictures..........gee......now where do you suppose we got that from??? second step ratlines look great Sjors........the top sets will be a piece of cake. they're not that big are you going to tackle the San Ildefonzo soon, or are you going to wait till the Marage is finished?

hi Augie........ MArk: "YES! he was my boyfriend! thanks for the good word;) Andy: thanks for the 'slight' shove......it's cool to laugh a little when I do finally get another off the wall build going......I'll expect to see you in the front row. {you can sit next to Bob } John: not a subject I sit and muse over, I assure you. the pictures are serving me quite well. I wish this was a larger kit.......the ratlines are going to be pretty small compared to what I see on other builds Adam: thank you my friend! I don't know about the genius part though.....but I am glad to be finally be rigging this fine lady! Edwin: thanks! I do hope that what I have in mind for the future...happens. you'll see a much larger version.....hopefully with all the ornamentation too!

not to worry Sjors.........you'll have it all well in hand by the time your done

that looks real sweet Andy..........I have to do some for the Gothenborg! I have plenty of brass rod......which would probably be thin enough to work with. I was wondering how to do this........you've made it look simple

well........let's see......hmmmm. in your earlier post Mobbsie, your spelling of 'lanteen spanker' could lend a lot to the imagination. since the 'head' is located at the bow of these ships.......that would make for some strange goings-on, for passing ships to observe it is uncertain which end of a ship would go under first.......I guess it would depend where the damage was. if the stern went first, it would give you a 'head's up' that indeed, you ARE sinking......and should the bow go under first, well......I guess your going in 'head first'. I actually think the head would be like a 'Bedae', in a sense. in early times, modern products weren't invented.......so one must have had to rely on the ocean spray, as the primary method of choice. one thing that this ship doesn't have, is grating at the bow...I haven't seen any in the pictures.......so that tends to make one wonder further. so.......what do they do......hang over the sides of the bow? it may be true.......since this practice has been carried on by high school students, who wish to convey a message to other passing motorists. I wish they had a Marty Feldman emoticon ........."your Egor?" "no.........it's Igor.........is your name 'heir Fraunkenstien?" "no........it's Frankenstein." "suit yourself...........I'm easy!" anyway................it's all good Kester.......I'm sure some folks have wondered where that terminology came from. bet it would be fifty lashes for the one who actually did it "I swear........I didn't know! I followed the signs!" {several sailors hiding behind some cargo, snickering} "I told 'em ta folla the signs!" {the others start laughing}. I know Andy.........I thought I had scurvy or something. I got more laughs from the M&M and lobster boat builds. I love levity....I got levity all through me......I gotta come up with another crazy build. who could resist this famous line: "you take the Blonde........I'll take the one in the turban!" I never tire watching Mel Brooke's movies I do apologize myself........kind off went off the beaten path. I am glad that no one brought any critters with them.......anything but that movies, music, and bass guitar is good.....sports is not.......I'm not an athletic supporter. I like anything Monty......but not a full monty........been a fan of the Python crew for ages there........I think I muddied things up a bit ..........soon I'll have another update, and all will be right with the world. Larry........I didn't forget you! thanks for the good word.......I haven't used that magnifyer much, but on this build, it has been nice to have. just when you think you have all the blocks your going to need in place, a few more are needed during the build. it makes it real easy to see the holes i've had to drill. get better my friend, so you can put your back to work again.....I miss watching your progress

with the hull planked as well as you have it.......I think warping is the last thing that will happen. very nicely done

.....gotta look in the MSW rule book about words over ten letters

a stunning frame Augie.......nicely fared. I don't like to use brads either.......if I do, I pull them out after it's dry. you've come a long way, in a short amount of time....she looks great!

oh John..........you kidder you! tee-hee-hee I wish someone had told me that earlier. I was looking for the name of the lines that hold the shrouds together at the futtocks, when I saw it. I learned my word for the day ! thanks for the good word

what can I say...........I like to pay it forward

sorry about that Kester.......I keep call it a spanker. I was looking through Colin Riches "ship modeling from kits" book, and I stumbled across that very term......OK.....I'm a little smarter now..... thanks for the good word! I don't have too many hanging vines Frank......don't need to be confused, any more than I already am the only ones I have are the crosstree futtocks and the lower yard lifts. is that how you did your yards? thanks as well for the good word thanks Anja and Augie......everything has it's own time...it's nice to going in the forward motion though thanks for the good words. one more pair Sjors.........I swear! while I'm doing the lower ratlines, I can be shrouding the upper part thanks for the good word! thanks Capt. Andy.........has a nice ring to it.....don't it it's nothing compared to the work your doing....fantastic! thanks Bob...........appreciate the good word! thanks to those who hit the like button as well. I did leave the main shrouds for a reason.......there are a few cosmedic aspects that need to be done. these are things I wanted to do.....tabling her didn't help the matter. I will add them in for the next update. again, thanks to all for your kind comments......I feel like I accomplished something

with this completed, it is time to do the shrouds. those pesky stray lines bugged me all through the gaff assembly..........time to put them in their places. after the dead eyes were tied and painted, the first pair of lanyards were done. both sides. the second pair was done, making sure that they didn't cross the first pair. I like these shots...........

I have more updating to do here........I was dying to try out my idea of attaching the yards to the masts. I decided to assemble the spanker gaff { I hope that's what it's called} before I did the shrouds on the mizzen. there is a lower yard that is to be attached here as well.......I'll get to that later. the gaff was rigged with the blocks needed for the task. there is another thread coming out of it......I had drilled holes through the gaff. this thread will be strung with perrils and then threaded through the gaff, fastening it to the mast. I did have one problem though......the block under the top, is threaded through a hole I drilled and cemented in place. while I was threading the block, it pulled out.......thus creating a repair but.....soon the repair was done and the gaf was raised into position. the pulley assemblies on the fore end of the gaff was done...... then the perrils were added, and the thread was run through the hole I had drilled. more adjustments were made to the height of the gaff.........I have to leave room for the lower yard. the lift assembly was also added. the vangs were added at this point.....more adjustments were done to counter the bowing of the gaff. now the thread that was run through the hole in the gaff, had cement on it. it should be dry by now, so I can start wrapping it around the gaff and hide that entry point. all points here were tied off and cemented.

no.......I think I have it right......you've totally ratlined the first steps, fore, main, and mizzen. you've shrouded the second steps, fore, main, and mizzen. you still need to shroud the third steps on the fore, and main..........the mizzen won't have any, and you need to shroud the bow spirit....that's three sets left to do. still..........it's some pretty sweet work your doing

I watched the multi - part documentary on you tube one day...........it was very good........sad, but good. there was mention about the Olympia being the one that was sunk...........that was proven not to be the case. I have a bit of trouble believing the video.........not a whole lot of evidence there, and extremely poor testing on the author's part. the one factor that was left out.....what would be the motive be for sinking such a vessel?

it depends on you taste in ships Jim {good to know you by your first name, by the way}. I'm kind of a fishing ship nut myself, but I love them all, and I build whatever she needs. I can see your admiral's point, especially if she has to clean it. my admiral won't touch them....... ....she loves them and what I do, but she is so afraid to break anything. I had my AmericA out in the hallway {my 'dead space'} for a while. I went out there last week for something or another, and found that spiders had taken over the space between the ship and the wall! it is in the living room now........a sitting duck for my grand kids, who likes what I do as well {don't know how many times I've said 'don't touch' }. in my mind.......anything with rigging should be in a case anyway. they are very 'admiral friendly' try a tug........or a lobster boat.........go for the grand scale.........a Nordkap!

hey Dragzz......... bad thing about that deck platform.........perhaps some heat and hand manipulation will straighten it out. if it can be flipped over and glued down, you could weight it till it sets. on the doorways......I think it would look better if that liner strip was all the way around the openning. if it creates a problem with door fit, they can always be sanded down to fit.

good to hear your back Andy. take your time......a tug and a snooze......it will clear your head, so you can produce more of your fine work!

I 've seen that site.......they were the ones that bought up the old Billing USA , so you can even get these kits from them as well.