Elia

Last fall I began tinkering with making a dory for my schooner with the idea of casting them in resin. The reasoning for casting them was that I didn’t think my build precision and tolerances could yield a stack of dories (5-6) in which the nested dories would resemble real stacks of dories which pack together fairly tightly.

I used a plan for a 15 foot (measured along the bottom of the dory) version. This is representative of the dories used during Arethusa’s era, and the length of dory used for halibut, cod, and other larger dory trawling fishing.

The first photo shows the plans I used.
The second photo shows the bulkheads aligned on a small build board. The transom and stem were extended to the build board and glued in place. Later on they were judiciously cut off the build board once the planking was complete.


The third photo shows the strakes used on the sides of the hull. The largest width strakes could have been left straight; I chose to pre-cut the lower edge to aid in alignment with the bottom plank. Take note that the upper strakes are purely straight planks with no in-plane spiling. This was very common.


The fourth photo shows the bottom surface glued and secured in place. The bottom has a slight rocker or camber (fore-aft) to it.


The fifth photo shows the second strake glued in place. The lap strake assembly method presented slight challenges to me. I tried applying the very small bevel to the mating surfaces of the adjoining strakes. When assembling it was difficult to get the strakes to stay in the correct spot as the bevels and the clamps (applying force - to the beveled surfaces) resulted in the upper strake/plank moving.


The sixth photo shows the dory with planking complete and cut off the build board. You can see the extended stem and transom in this photo.


The seventh photo shows the dory upside down.


I’ve done a little clean up on the dory, having trimmed down the stem and transom and will add the rail strips. I received a starter resin casting set for my birthday and my casting attempts will follow shortly.

Cheers,

Elia

Hey Group 
I've moved into our new house - I've attached photos of my new workspace (which needs to be set up - I also have a three car garage and a large deck for workspace) and my study where I have a big wall to house a ship model (you can see the profile of the plans of the 118 Commerce de Marseille which would easily fit in this space at 1/48).  Its either this ship or the 74 - funny  aside -  I bought a smaller Weber gas grill this past weekend - the Spirit - and I'm trading up for the Genesis because the wife said it was too small.   So maybe I should go for the 118 built as the 120  L'Orient - since she says go big or go home ! 
Chris

Hello Shipmates, Elia-Patrick-Greg-Boyd-Bob-Edwin-Tasmanian-Nigel-Frank-Rich I do thank you for your nice words and comments!!! :) Summer has arrived to Greece (temperature is 30 plus degrees Celsius) so more time to spend outside.Little progress regarding the ship. I installed the starboard stair and wooden stanchions and I just  begun to build the 1st boat out of ten :( !!
 
Kind Regards
Dimitris

William L. Crothers
I am very sorry to report that Bill Crothers passed away on Friday, May 1.  He was in his 103rd year.  Bill’s research and writings on American clippers and packets, in particular his intensive exploration of the structures of these ships, place him at the forefront of contributors to our knowledge of these subjects.  I am personally indebted to him, for without his work there would be no framed Young America model, nor perhaps more excellent examples to follow.  It was my special privilege to have briefly known Bill and to have his valuable comments on my work.  I will always value the interest he showed in the model, no less than the writings that made it possible.
 
Ed

Dimitris,
 
Very nice work on those stanchions and rails.  I find the deck layout and furniture very interesting.  It's quite different than a typical ship-of-the-line, with the cabin extending out from beneath some deck portions.  It seems to be maybe reminiscent of a clipper ship.  ?
 
As always - it great to see and follow along with your progress here.
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

Quick update:
I installed the great beam, and I'm in the process of installing all false stanchions (and replacing the ones coming from bulkheads extension). I also drilled the hawse pipes. The hull is ready for painting; I might do a first light coat to identify any problem. I was thinking painting the hull and deck completely after I finish the deck planking.
 
So I will start deck planking soon, but I have a question which may sound stupid but here it is: since I decided to paint the deck, do I need to bother simulating the black caulking between planks on the deck? i don't think it will show up after I paint the deck (grey)
 
Cheers,
Stephan

Hi Elia -- yes, thats ARETHUSA in the background at the request of the client who commissioned the piece. I was fortunate to have access to Eric R's exceptional model in the Mystic Seaport collections. Can't find how to attach a photo of it here but i'll keep trying. I have lots of them if you think it would be helpful to you. Note the model is deliberately 'weathered', as though she just finished a busy season. Have detail shots of the masts too which show a very uneven finish due to the hoop wear. Best to e-mail me at russ@russkramer.com directly.

OK here you go...

Patrick, Igor, Dimitris, Lawrence,

Thank you all for the birthday wishes! It was a very nice day. And I received some modeling stuff.
 
Patrick,
 
I've passed 50 by a few... it is hard to imagine/remember being 21... I'm quite happy with my current state (except for random aches and such). 

I'll go check on my mailbox - i must have too many things saved - I'll clear it out.

Cheers,

Elia

Hi Elia. Sorry to hear about what's happened. I hope you'll be able to sort it out and get back on track.
 
Cheers
 
Patrick

Hi Ella -- Thought you'd like to see the painting I did last fall of ARETHUSA with a hard working crew aboard aother fishing schooner in the foreground. Keep up the good work on the model and thanks for the added inspiration.
 
Best, Russ

Shipwrights,
 
It has been some time since I last posted progress photos and I'll let you in on why there haven't been any... I think I really messed up. I was at the point of staining my masts and spars and decided to use some minwax stain. I applied the pre-stain conditioner, let sit the requisite time, wiped off the excess as directed, and applied the stain. I used the pre-stain conditioner having read that it helped create an even stain coloring, with reduced dark and light regions. I was very happy with the masts and spars in their unfinished state. I was horrified to see the results of the staining - very obvious dark and light regions. OMG as the kids text. Not good. Not only were they dark and light..I wasn't happy with the general pigment. So... I have created a thinned acrylic paint 'wash' to apply over the stain (oil based) to help even the overall look. We shall see. When I get a little further with trials I will show the results.
 
Elia

Russ,
 
Thanks for stopping in and sharing your work.  That is fantastic!  That painting captures much of what I imagine the energy on deck was when bring the catch in....with rolling seas...great stuff.  Just wondering - is that Arethusa in the background?
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

Shipwrights,
 
It has been some time since I last posted progress photos and I'll let you in on why there haven't been any... I think I really messed up. I was at the point of staining my masts and spars and decided to use some minwax stain. I applied the pre-stain conditioner, let sit the requisite time, wiped off the excess as directed, and applied the stain. I used the pre-stain conditioner having read that it helped create an even stain coloring, with reduced dark and light regions. I was very happy with the masts and spars in their unfinished state. I was horrified to see the results of the staining - very obvious dark and light regions. OMG as the kids text. Not good. Not only were they dark and light..I wasn't happy with the general pigment. So... I have created a thinned acrylic paint 'wash' to apply over the stain (oil based) to help even the overall look. We shall see. When I get a little further with trials I will show the results.
 
Elia

Patrick, Igor, Dimitris, Lawrence,

Thank you all for the birthday wishes! It was a very nice day. And I received some modeling stuff.
 
Patrick,
 
I've passed 50 by a few... it is hard to imagine/remember being 21... I'm quite happy with my current state (except for random aches and such). 

I'll go check on my mailbox - i must have too many things saved - I'll clear it out.

Cheers,

Elia

Shipwrights,
 
It has been some time since I last posted progress photos and I'll let you in on why there haven't been any... I think I really messed up. I was at the point of staining my masts and spars and decided to use some minwax stain. I applied the pre-stain conditioner, let sit the requisite time, wiped off the excess as directed, and applied the stain. I used the pre-stain conditioner having read that it helped create an even stain coloring, with reduced dark and light regions. I was very happy with the masts and spars in their unfinished state. I was horrified to see the results of the staining - very obvious dark and light regions. OMG as the kids text. Not good. Not only were they dark and light..I wasn't happy with the general pigment. So... I have created a thinned acrylic paint 'wash' to apply over the stain (oil based) to help even the overall look. We shall see. When I get a little further with trials I will show the results.
 
Elia

Russ,
 
Thanks for stopping in and sharing your work.  That is fantastic!  That painting captures much of what I imagine the energy on deck was when bring the catch in....with rolling seas...great stuff.  Just wondering - is that Arethusa in the background?
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

It has been some time since my last update and with a little time off of my feet I've been able to do little things here and there on Arethusa.
 
I have begun making masts....first time in oh, about 5 years!  I'm following my method I wrote about in the downloads section some years ago.
 
Here are some photos showing the major steps.  My only process change has been to use a plane to remove material instead of the rasp/file originally shown.




 
On the hull - I touched up the anti-fouling paint and hull sides, made some little scroll art at the bow names, and applied Dullcoat over the outer hull.  It is the first time I've used Dullcoat and I am happy with the results.  The shininess of the acrylic paint is gone and hull details are more clearly visible.  One odd and funny (to me!) aspect of the photos - you may see what looks like scupper run-off 'weathering'.  It isn't.  What you are seeing are reflections from clear, highly glossily packing tape I used to seal the 'work stand' box. 



 
On the deck I finished painting the checker boards.  I've deviated from my 'pristine' modeling approach by applying a semi-transparent paint layer to those details and the deck battens.  I think it gives appearance of worn painted boards and battens.  Also worked on were attached the windlass brakes and connecting links.  Luckily I hadn't glued those down yet - I found one of my soldered joints to have broken.




 
And a final photo showing the two lower masts.  The masts have been tapered and cut to length, only requiring flats and rebates where a host of spar related hardware goes.

 
Cheers,
 
Elia
 

Earlier than my steering wheel endeavor I had fabricated the cat heads and installed the chainplates. All of the deck furniture remains only temporarily placed for context.
 


 


 
Funny thing about the deadeyes - they don't want to stand upright, as in the photos. They lay over, free on their pivot pins...
 
And last, but not least, thank you to all those who've 'liked' my updates!
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

Patrick, Igor, Dimitris, Lawrence,

Thank you all for the birthday wishes! It was a very nice day. And I received some modeling stuff.
 
Patrick,
 
I've passed 50 by a few... it is hard to imagine/remember being 21... I'm quite happy with my current state (except for random aches and such). 

I'll go check on my mailbox - i must have too many things saved - I'll clear it out.

Cheers,

Elia

Patrick, Igor, Dimitris, Lawrence,

Thank you all for the birthday wishes! It was a very nice day. And I received some modeling stuff.
 
Patrick,
 
I've passed 50 by a few... it is hard to imagine/remember being 21... I'm quite happy with my current state (except for random aches and such). 

I'll go check on my mailbox - i must have too many things saved - I'll clear it out.

Cheers,

Elia

Dimitris,
 
Very nice work on those stanchions and rails.  I find the deck layout and furniture very interesting.  It's quite different than a typical ship-of-the-line, with the cabin extending out from beneath some deck portions.  It seems to be maybe reminiscent of a clipper ship.  ?
 
As always - it great to see and follow along with your progress here.
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

Hello shipmates, a little extra work, not part of the instructions regarding the stanchions and handrails. I used walnut strips 2mm X 2mm to simulate wooden stanchions that I saw in other build logs of the Vespucci.
 
Kind Regards
Dimitris

Hello shipmates, Boyd and Greg welcome aboard. I do thank you for your nice comments  for stopping by and also for the likes!! :)
Elia-Frank-Slog-Edwin-Nils-UpstateNY-Mike-Igor-Patrick-Rich-KeithW, thanks for all your visits to my build log for your kind comments and also for the likes!! They are very encouraging!! :)
So i did some additional work. I installed the stanchions and the hand rails to the bow deck... Here are some photos..
 
Kind regards to all
Dimitris

Beautiful work, Patrick.  I have great respect for your skill and execution on this and your other similar models.  Amazin,g tiny scale work.
 
Congratulations!
 
I'll be on board watching your next little 'Faberge' sail boat. 
 
Cheers,
 
Elia