Elmer Cornish

As a diversion, I've started an 18' cutter with a plug and instructions from Admiralty Models.  I don't think they offer the plug any more, but the instructions can be found via a Google search.  The various parts of the keel assembly are each a different thickness, so I used my Byrnes thickness sander to get the right dimensions.
The keel is 3 1/2" sided, the stem 3" the stem apron 4 1/2", sternpost 3" and the sternson knee and transom are 1 1/2".
I chose to make the apron separate from the stem and getting it to match the after side of the stem takes some care.  I thought it easier than cutting it in one piece as David Antscherl did in his practum.  Lining the pieces up for gluing was a matter of sanding several shims to get the pieces centered on the keel with a proper fit.  No rush job here.  Prepping the plug is easy, with  adjustments where the apron fits...just a series of sanding the inner slot equally on both sides (count the strokes) until the apron fit snugly.  Once that was done, I used the keel assembly in the plug to align and glue on the transom.
Maury

Thank's Geoff, She's going together very smooth
 
Thank's Omega, I am thinking that she will be ready for water in a few week 's  ,I may have add ballast at the center of the boat, so that she will sit on her water line ( I will see after I tank test )
 
Best Regards,
Pete

Today, another great day , We had a thunder storm and lost power early this morning , so I spent the day getting the Hull faired. The boat is actually a little more complicated than originally talked about .I then decided that I would do somthing different with the cabin , I made a mock up out of paper once I was happy with it, I made one out of Basswood. I then started making the Bowsprit , ( I taped it together and to the boat for the pic's) The cabin is not attached and is positioned for the pic's. Here are the results

Thank you Hans, The Mini sounds very impressive , Best of luck with your full scale project  
 
Thank you Piet, I could plank Boats all day ,for me It's then that the Boat starts to take shape
 
Best Regards,
Pete

Than's Geoff, Planking is one of my favorite parts of the build, I am pleased with how it turned out
 
Thank 's Harvey, She's starting to take shape, I did find an RC model with the Canting Keel made by Stockmaritime here is the link to the site :n http://stockmaritime.com/modellboote/vo/allgemein.php?lang=en_GB&id_bilder=393163
 
Hi Michael, I am happy with the colors that I have chosen , and can't wait to see her in those colors
 
Thank you Hans, For providing a great wealth of knowledge on these Volvo Boats, I appreciate it , the Mini Transat 650 looks to be a fast boat, and looks like alot of fuin to sail.
 
Best Regards,
Pete
 
 

Thanks Hans.
 
I admire these boats (and their crew) from a distance. I'll stick with my old gaffer (Friendship Sloop).
 
But for grins, I Googled Mini Transat 650 so I have an idea what you've been sailing.
 

 
Looks fast to me!
 
Thanks again,
 
Harvey

Today was another Great day with the Boat. I started by pre soaking my planking material 1 hour before start. I then finished planking the Hull, I am pleased with the results. this Boat has been extremly Fun to build , ( I would recomend it ) I then started Fairing the Hull, I will finish Fairing the Hull in the morning . She's coming out right on the numbers . Here are the results

The planks of the main wale have been drilled for the bolts at the butts and the treenails have been installed.  The bolts are 0.75" in diameter and the treenails are 1.25" in diameter.  Although not quite to scale, I used a 77 bit for the bolts and a 75 for the treenails.  I usually dry-fit the treenails, relying on the finish to hold them in place.  However, I wanted some structural strength with these treenails so I drilled them deeper into the frames and dipped them in dilute glue to secure them.  I realize no one will see them, but it only took a few hours and the added security is worth it.  I wet the wale in the second photo to make the treenails stand out.  
 

 

 
Next came applying a black finish to the wale.  I tried several approaches before making my final decision. I found an unopened bottle of Floquil hull black.  This looked good but when I applied the Watco's finish it rubbed right off.  Next I tried archival marker.  Looked good but the length of time it took to apply tried my patience.  Feiberg's leather dye also looked good and allowed the joint lines to be slightly more apparent but it bleeds into the wood and I was afraid of getting it onto the stem (even with masking).  My winning choice was artist acrylic paint.  This comes in a tube and can be diluted to the desired consistency.  It applies nicely and there was no concern about ruining the stem.  I was a little sloppy in getting paint on the frames when painting the edges of the wale but this will be covered with planking and so will not show.  The photos show the first coat applied.   I am up to 3 coats and will probably go with 3 more.  In between coats I am sanding with 600 grit wet/dry sandpaper (used dry).  Each subsequent coat is more dilute than the initial one.  I have left the aft edge a little long for final shaping later.  The bolts will be installed after the painting is completed.
 

 

T e i l  14

T e i l  13

T e i l  12

T e i l  11

T e i l  10

T e i l  9

T e i l  8

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T e i l  5

T e i l  4

And finaly some  testing: How to "kill" excess shine with mat acryl warnish. Couple of pictures ... it works ... but camera can not show graduation of "killing"
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Next test will be little adding of thin and transparent layer of dark green gamut to try to look same as cooperring on pictures from Greenwich 
 
Little excess of beer ( succesfull fighting with Admiral for last glass of beer in house), and this is it for tonight, now is 21:30, a time for family meeting infront of TV

And there is "thinking" process ... 
 

 
Helping beer can is right beside

Minor milepost... aft half-frames are installed.  I need to trim a bit and then rough fair them before moving to fore half-frames.
 
 

Hello dear friends,

thank you warmly for your comments and kind words, I am very pleased and honored reading all the posts you wrote to me. That is a great motivation and feedback for my work.
 
This week I have started to make shrouds, all ropes are hand plaited on ropewalk and I try to make the rigging in a better way and more realistic than on my previous models.
All the ropes are also improved by weathering and impregnated.
Here you can see the result:
 




 







 
Best regards
Doris

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 78 –Middle Deck Framing continued
 
It has been almost another two weeks since the last post.  Again, the work is pretty repetitive – a carbon copy of the lower deck – but with fancier pillars.  Work continues, however.  At the bow, as seen in the first picture, the installation of lodging knees has begun.
 

 
This has provided something of a break in the hanging knee/beam work going on aft.  In the next picture lodging knee installation has been followed by the ledges and also the bolts associated with each beam.
 

 
Meanwhile, in the next picture, 240 feet aft, the deck hook at the stern has been fitted, followed by the first few beams.
 

 
The deck hook was made in two pieces to save Swiss pear trees.  That center seam will be covered by central deck planks as was done on the lower deck. 
 
As middle deck beams were installed, the aft view ports could be cut, as shown in the next picture.
 

 
There is only one level in view in these aft openings because the rising line is quite high this far back, so there is nothing much to see below the lower deck.  The last picture shows the current state of the middle deck beam work aft.
 

 
The work goes fast when I stay with it, but this time of the year there is much else to do.
 
 Ed

Here is a shot of my Shipyard this morning at 8:00 am , this gives you am idea of how different this boat is when compared to a Cup boat.

Hi Harvey, I just stumbled on to these Boats a few weeks ago, I have seen rc versions of the Volvo Boats,( very impressive )  However they do not have the Canting Keel, Mine wont either. she will free sail with out RC ( Like my Herreshoff Buzzars Bay ) I will be doing an RC Boat next ( BMW ORACLE RACING USA-98 ) It's good to hear from you again
 
Best Regards,
Pete