RMC

Hi Martin.

I have appropriated Baranov's cathead as best I can. I think it will come out quite well, though nothing is finally tied off at the moment.  A couple of stray threads are to be cut off and a minor adjustment or two are still to be made.  Thanks again for the reference.

The rigging thread through the cathead in the following photo is now more taught.

And I've finally done something about an ensign. I have attached cleats on the side and just above the side galleries. They seem to work.

The ensign doesn't look too bad but I think it's a bit heavy and tends to foul some of the other lines.  It is a double thickness (printed on one side and doubled over) so I will see what alternatives may be available (eg: becc).

Hi Peter - regarding the gun carriages - they are made of rather moderate quality walnut ply.  At this stage I intend to leave the carriages 'natural' (ie: just a coat of polyurethane) as this appears to be their correct appearance.  In doing this the ply would show up as just that.  The alternative would be to paint them ochre, and at least now I will have the choice.

Incidentally I have ordered the Granado Anatomy of a Ship, a copy of which, to my suprise, turned up in Bendigo, a country town in Victoria.  Thanks for the tip.

Bob

Hi martin

That is magnificent.  I wish I had seen it before I had started this anchor business.  It's probably a bit late now, but I will look to see if I can modify a couple of things.  Thanks very much for bringing it to my attention.

Bob

Kieth: thank you for taking the time to help.  I think I have made some changes consistent with your suggestions. I shall post photos  in the next day or so.

Jim Thanks you you too.   I had thought to drop lines from the cathead to the anchor as shown in the first of your photos - it's certainly a superb model. The second - kedge anchor - shows the flukes on the deck.  In my case the hammock netting prevents this.  I have come up with an acceptable alternative (to me anyway), though I am not overjoyed with it.

Alan (AON) Is building the Bellerophon version of the Vanguard, and I know there are others doing the same. This may help. The figurehead shows a rather odd-looking  head being held rather threateningly in the hand of Bellerophon.  As a fan of the Sopranos my first thought was for a horse's head or that B had bumped off his horse Pegasis, but it seems that it is a goat's head from the chimera, a mythical Grecian horror with the head of a lion, the body of a goat and the tail of a serpent!

This is from the plan.

The figurehead supplied.

This is the chimera.

Thanks very much Alan for the kind comments.  I have stowed all the extraneous bits from the kit, but will exhume them later today with, I hope, a favorable answer to your Bellerophon question.

Bob

PS: anyone who tells you that retirement isn't what it's cracked up to be is wrong.

Thanks Jason. It turns out the ensign that I was experimenting with is the correct one.

Meanwhile I have been trying to stow the anchors - which at this late stage has turned out to be very frustrating indeed.  The process lends support to my contention that evolution, if it does its job properly, will result in humans eventually having three hands: one, to hold an object, and the other two to do the work.  At the moment nothing is finally tied off, and I can see in the first two photos there is a bit of stray thread hanging near the middle of the anchor, and i neeed to reposition the knot a little.

The second (kedge?) anchor is a pain.  Tying off the lower end is straightforward.  Where to tie the fluke end is a mystery  - to me at least.  The only place I can see is the rail and that does not seem to be very satisfactory at all.  At the moment the thing is held in position by gravity and grave threats to its existence.

Suggestions are invited - indeed, are compulsory.

The plan is of no help whatsoever.....

....and while having a general whinge, the Granado gun carriages are quite disappointing.  I have ordered some carriages from Syren which seem to be the right size, or at least may be modified to fit.

No doubt about it Martin.  The pain is almost unbearable.

On a completely different subject: ensigns.  The flags supplied with the kit suggest a white ensign is appropriate.  However contemporary paintings show red ensigns.  Which is correct?  If I'm forced to hoist an ensign incorrectly, it may as well be the right one.

I hereby waive my patent rights Jason - though a small donation would always be welcome. Of course a larger one would be even more welcome.

Things have been delayed a little.  I forgot to do the stunsail booms. I've made them up and I'm now watching the paint dry ...  Once they go on the anchors can be mounted.

The lanterns are now installed my having delayed as long as possible - partly because of their fragility and partly avoidance - because it's a rotten job.  I first tried to mount them by simultaneously putting the three supports into the holes drilled into the stern fascia.  This was not a good idea.  Best glue the two prongs of the upper support in first, then carefully slip the lower support through the hole provided in the upper support and then manipulate it towards, then into the hole drilled for it in the fascia. Then, of course, the lanterns didn't want to sit properly...   I found the whole business rather fraught.  At least they came out respectably in the end.

To my pleasant surprise the Granado showed up today. A quick look suggests that is quite high quality.

Just caught up with your log Nigel.  You're doing a lovely job.

All the best

Bob (rmc)

Good grief Nigel - go for your life. That's what this log business is all about.  I've borrowed (ie: stolen) ideas from all over the place. 

I must pass on to my family that I am to be  emulated (well deserved of course).  They'll get a good laugh.

Thanks Bob for the thought.

The cleats on the boom are to tie off the sail, so I think I will leave them alone.  

I have been experimenting  to see if a cleat above the side gallery will work without fouling other rigging and it looks OK. It's a pity I didn't think of the flag earlier.  I  will put on the cleats and try the white ensign I have, but if I can't get it to hang realistically I'll try Mort's suggestion of the becc flag.  Evidently at the Nile, Nelson was a Rear Admiral of the blue  (thanks Peter), so I'll see if anyone sells those.

Thanks for the kind notes Martin, Nigel and Jim - much appreciated.

There are still a few things to do on Vanguard. The anchors are a work-in-progress. I found what I understand to be the correct knot for the anchor cable and in most of the photos of anchors I have come across seem to have the anchor ring (?) served in a manner shown on the photo below. So I decided to give it a try with the following results.

I have since touched up the copper wire showing here - though the close-up exaggerates all  its faults.   I have now done the remaining two which have turned out a little more neatly than the first.

Thanks Bluto (Popeye the sailor?).  I'm glad my log has been of help.  I have often found when looking at someone's log or on the internet, that whatever I want to see is just out of shot.  I therefor tend to go a bit overboard with the photos hoping that as much as possible - good and not so good -  is shown.

Hi Martin

Thanks for the note.

Yes.  It is nearly finished, but I think the ensign will have to be consigned to the locker. I can't see any way of raising it now, though I'll continue to think about it ..... Unfortunately I have nowhere to put it .  The thing is more than 1.2m long and nearly as high so I guess it will remain forever as a work-in-progress.

All of the guns/gunport lids are now finished. This is how it all looks, including it seems, a crewperson.  Hope all the photos don't overdo it.

I have now ordered a Granado.  It will be interesting to see how the quality compares with Vanguard.

Thanks Grant.  I'll take a look.

Hi Peter

I have now decided on the Caldercraft Granado.  Thanks for the advice.  All I have to do now is find somewhere to buy it as I cannot find an Australian distributor.  Cornwall Model Boats seems the most likely, and I have come across Premier Model Ships on the web which seems to offer it quite cheaply. Has anyone dealt with them?

All the best

Bob

Thanks Bill.

The starboard gun ports are now complete - now working on the port.  I'm hoping the rope supports to the gun port lids on this side will be a little better as I've learned a few things in the process.  Here's how things look.

I see the following photo doesn't show up well. I'll photograph the other side when I finish and hope it comes out a little more clearly than this.

I'm finally finishing the the gun ports. Here are a couple of little jigs that may help others in the same .. (er)... boat. They both work well.

This jig helps centre the gun barrels and provides a guide for their consistent height.

This provides a guide for the gun port lids to be at a consistent angle.

Thanks for the advice Peter.  I have looked at the Caldercraft Granado - it definitely looks better than the Amati version.

All the best

Bob

Here are the flags supplied by Chris Watton with the kit. I have cut out the mercantile flag to see how it looks.  I presume the white ensign is the correct flag to use.

Mort; I have looked at the Model Boats' flags and they are, I think, superior to these.  If I end up putting a flag on the model, I'll go with them. There are two considerations regarding my flag dilemma: first, the real difficulty in mounting it; and second, that the flags I have seen on many models make them look rather toy-like.

This is an experiment to see if I can get the flag to hang naturally - this could certainly be better.

On another topic: looking at another project -  Amati's Victory Model bomb vessel 'Granado' appeals.  Has anyone some feedback/comments on this?

Thanks Mort, I'll have a look.

Thanks Jason for taking the trouble to reply.  Unfortunately access to the inside of the stern fascia isn't possible. I did look at Victory on the net and checked out the staff-mounted ensign, but putting the hoops on at this stage is just isn't on.

Peter: I hadn't thought of the pin rails. I'll see how it works out.  I am going away for a few days.  When I return I will post a photo of the flags Chris Watton sent me when I bought the kit.

Regards

Bob

Hi Peter

Thanks for taking the trouble to help.

After having a look at the crowded deck and being unwilling to drill into the top of the decorative facia, I think my Vanguard will have to go without an ensign.  The plan shows a block on the main gaff (which I have installed), the line going down to a block somewhere on the deck.  The arrangement you describe sounds far more sensible, but if you can find an accessible belaying point on the inner bulkhead (see below), please let me know.  However I could run the line down and belay to the eyelet shown in the following photo, and may give that a test run to see how it looks, but I am rather lukewarm on the idea.

Aside from all of this, the rigging is finished!

Incidentally, if anyone  has suggestions for another ship to build, please let me know.