robdurant

Links More details of the movements of HMS Ethalion can be found in Naval History of Great Britain, Vol II by William James at the following locations: Tory Island and capture of Bellone: pp140-163 Brest blockade duty: p300 Capture of Thetis: pp401-402 List of captured vessels in 1799: pp473-474 A map showing the movements of the Ethalion up until the moment she struck the rocks can be found on this website: http://www.archeosousmarine.net/ethalion.html

Service (some of the text content below copied with thanks from Wikipedia under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License) Ethalion entered service in 1797, operating in the English Channel as part of the Channel Fleet. Battle of Tory Island Soon after commissioning in April under Captain George Countess, Ethalion was engaged in chasing a French squadron under Jean-Baptiste-François Bompart intent on invading Ireland during the Rebellion of 1798. Countess kept the French fleet in sight for several days and was able to signal for assistance. This brought a significant force under John Borlase Warren to the region and the French were defeated at the Battle of Tory Island. Ethalion, with Melampus, took the 40-gun Bellone, which the Royal Navy took into service. Ethalion had one man killed and three wounded; the French lost 20 men killed. In 1847 the Battle of Tory Island earned for any still surviving crew members the Naval General Service Medal with clasp "12th October 1798". (See here for more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Tory_Island ) Capture of Boulonnoise cutter On 2 February 1799, Ethalion was operating with Anson when together they captured a 14-gun privateer Bayonnaise cutter. She was the Boulonnoise, out of Dunkirk, and had been "greatly annoyed the trade in the North Sea". She had a crew of 70 men and had been the revenue cutter Swan. Swan had been captured some two years earlier off the Isle of Wight in an action that cost the life of Captain Sarmon, her commander. Capture of Infatigable On 6 March Ethalion captured the 18-gun privateer Infatigable in the Channel after a 10-hour chase. Infatigable was armed with 18 guns and had a crew of 120 men. She was only one day out of Nantes, provisioned for a four-month cruise. Later that year Captain James Young took command.[2] Capture of Thetis and Santa Brigada (Action of 16 October 1799) In 1799 Ethalion was operating with four other frigates off Vera Cruz against Spanish shipping. The British frigate Naiad, Captain William Pierrepont, was patrolling off the coast of Spain when she sighted two Spanish 34-gun frigates, Santa-Brigida and Thetis. On 15 October 1799 the British frigate Naiad sighted two Spanish frigates. Captain Pierrepont of Naiad gave chase and before dawn Ethalion spotted them and joined the pursuit. At 7.00am the two Spaniards parted company so Pierrepont followed one frigate, together with Alcmene and Triton, which too had joined the chase, while directing Ethalion, to pursue the other frigate. By 11.30am, Ethalion had caught up with her quarry and after a short engagement the Spanish vessel struck her colours. Ethalion had no casualties though the Spaniard had one man killed and nine wounded. Triton, the fastest of the three British frigates, led the chase of the second frigate. The next morning Triton struck some rocks as she tried to prevent her quarry from reaching port. Triton got off the rocks and resumed the chase despite taking on water. She and Alcmene then exchanged fire with the Spanish frigate, which surrendered before Naiad could catch up. Four large Spanish ships came out from Vigo but then retreated when the three British frigates made ready to engage them. Alcmene had one man killed and nine wounded, and Triton had one man wounded; Santa Brigida had two men killed and eight men wounded. The vessel that Ethalion had captured turned out to be the Thetis, under the command of Captain-Don Juan de Mendoza. She homeward-bound from Vera Cruz with a cargo of cocoa, cochineal and sugar, and more importantly, specie worth 1,385,292 Spanish dollars (£312,000). The vessel that Triton, Alcmene and Naiad had captured was the Santa Brigada, under the command of Captain Don Antonio Pillon. She was carrying a cargo of drugs, annatto, cochineal, indigo and sugar, and some 1,500,000 dollars. Prize money was paid on 14 January 1800. In December Ethalion, by then under Captain John Searle, was engaged in the blockade of the French Atlantic Coast. Loss On 25 December she was wrecked on a reef off the Penmarks. Attempts were made to save the stricken ship but the damage was too severe. Danae, Sylph and the hired armed cutter Nimrod assisted in rescuing the crew; Ethalion's first lieutenant then set the remains on fire. Searle, the first lieutenant, and the master's mate were the last to leave. The subsequent court martial honourably acquitted Searle and his officers for the loss. The board ruled that the accident was due to unusual tides against which the skill and zeal of the officers and ship's company were unavailing. Looking in the Naval Chronicles (through Google Books) we find the following entries. Naval Chronicle : July – December 1799 (Vol 2) p707, uncertainty about whether Ethalion is lost “Wind E. Rather Mild. Arrived the Swift cutter, Lieutenant Sanders, from off Brest. By her, accounts are brought, that between the Saints and Penmarks they hooked up a few days since several pieces of floating wreck; one piece a gun carriage marked Ethalion, 24 pounder, and a writing desk: but whether the Ethalion, 38 guns, Captain Searle, is lost on the Saints, or in distress had thrown any guns overboard, still remains in a state of incertitude.” Naval Chronicle : Jan-Jul (Vol 3) p84, Notice of Court Martial and verdict for Ethalion’s captain, officers and ship’s company “Plymouth, Jan. 10. A Court Martial was held on board the Cambridge flag ship in Hamoaze, on Captain SEARLE, his officers, and ship’s company for the loss of his Majesty’s frigate the Ethalion, on the Saints Rocks, December 25, 1799. “After an impartial investigation of the existing circumstances, the Court most honourably acquitted Captain Searle, his officers, and crew. It appeared that the accident was occasioned by an unusual course of tide, and but little wind; that every exertion which skill and zeal could effect was made by Captain Searle and his officers, and the utmost discipline and subordination was observed by the ship’s company, so highly honourably to British seamen in times of danger. The Ethalion was stationed off the Saints, to preserve the line of cruisers watching the enemy’s ports.” pp86-87, Account by Captain Searle of the sinking of Ethalion “MONTHLY REGISTER OF NAVAL EVENTS” “Captain SEARLE’s Narrative of the Proceedings on board his Majesty’s Ship the Ethalion, from the Evening of the 24th of December, 1799 till the Moment in which the Captain and Officers were under the painful Necessity of quitting her. "At four P.M. Point Le Cheure bore S. E. by E. three of four leagues, standing off and on off St. Matthew’s, with an intention of beating to windward in the morning, to reconnoitre the position of the enemy’s fleet : a service I was particularly anxious to perform, as I knew no opportunity had occurred for that purpose since the 18th of December, when the Fisgard, Ethalion, and Sylph, were all driven off the coast by a hard gale of wind ; and I knew the Fisgard could not have regained here station at that time. "At eight o’clock I gave the usual and necessary directions and precautions, to the officer of the watch, and to the pilot, for keeping the Ship in a proper situation during the night; and to inform me if any change of wind or weather took place, and whenever the pilot wished the Ship to be put on the opposite tack ; and at the end of each watch to acquaint me (as was the custom every night) with the situation of the Ship with respect to the distance from the land-- St. Matthew’s light then (at eight P.M.) bore E. by N. about three leagues ; the Ship then standing to the southward under her treble-reefed topsails, fore-topmast staysail, and mizen staysail, with the wind S. E. and lying up S. S. W. going a knot and a half. "At half past ten she was, by the desire of the pilot, again wore. At twelve the light bore N. E. by E. three or four leagues ; at which time Lieutenant Jauncey told me there was not much wind, and I directed a reef to be let out of the topsails, and the jib to be loosed, to be in readiness to make sail at a moment’s warning ; which order was complied with. "At half past one A. M. the light bearing E. N. E. between five and seven miles, Lieutenant Quillim, the officer of the watch, acquainted me, it was the desire of the pilot to wear again, and stand to the southward till four o’clock as there was but little wind ; but at ten minutes past three, although the Ship had not gone more than two miles from the time of her being wore, and the light was then in sight, and bearing N. E. by E. (the night very dark) the rocks were discovered close ahead, and in attempting to wear clear of them, the Ship struck : when I ordered the hands to be turned up, and got the pumps to work, and the boats out ; sent the Master to sound ; started the water ; threw the guns overboard ; and used every exertion possible to get the Ship off. "At four she struck very hard, and knocked away the stern-post : made signals of distress to the Sylph. At six she fell over on the starboard side, and bulged. "At day-light saw the Danaë, Sylph, and Nimrod cutter ; made the signal for boats to assist – finding she had bulged in several places, and parted on the starboard side amidships ; and seeing the impossibility of saving any of her stores; sent away the idlers, and the first division of seamen, in our own boats, to the Danaë, Sylph, and Nimrod. "At nine Lord Proby came alongside, and another boat also from the Danaë, followed by one from the Sylph. The water was now over the lee gunwale, and the greater part of the stern totally under water ; and it was at this time difficult and dangerous for boats to approach the Ship, owing to the very great surf amongst the rocks. At eleven o’clock, having got all the people out of the Ship, the first Lieutenant by my directions set fire to her remains, and Mr. Bellinghall, the Master’s Mate, cut away her lower masts, which being done, and after I had seen all the commissioned Officers and the Master into the remaining boat, I was then under the painful necessity of abandoning her. – "The anguish of my feelings during the whole of this unfortunate affair, but particularly at the moment when I was obliged to abandon the Ship, those who have experienced a similar misfortune will readily judge of. – I wish it was in my power on any other occasion to describe the very great merit of all the officers and ship’s company ; sure I am their exertions, their promptness in executing my orders, and the steady perseverance they shewed, was never on on any other occasion exceeded ; for in no similar instance was there ever less confusion. "I now think it necessary to observe, that the shortness of the days at this season of the year makes it utterly impossible for any Ship to reconnoitre the enemy’s fleets in Brest, unless she keeps off St. Matthew’s during the night ; and I need not observe how difficult it is to ascertain the precise distance of a light, and the uncertainty of keeping a Ship in a safe position, without the assistance of some headland or mark for a cross bearing ; which in this instance was prevented from the extreme darkness of the night , for although the bearing of the light is always a sufficient guide with respect to the Parquet and Black rocks, yet it is of no use to avoid the dangers of the Saints when cruising within them ; and neither myself, the Master, or Pilot, thought it possible that the light could be seen at all at the distance of eighteen miles which the Ship was from it when she struck, although it was then so distant, and this opinion will be corroborated by the testimony of all the officers. It is also material to observe, that the Master of the Nimrod, who has been some time employed in the same service off Brest, was likewise on that night as deceived by the appearance of the light, that he drove amongst the rocks at a little distance from us, but got off without receiving any material damage – "I flatter myself the above statement will receive the testimony and concurrence of those officers who have been employed off Brest, and that it will afford the most satisfactory proof that my wish to keep off St. Matthew’s proceeded from a zealous desire to fulfil the purport of my orders." p174 : An sad, and ironic footnote. “Jan. 15. Win N. W. Cloudy. Arrived from a cruise the Sylph sloop of war, Captain Dashwood. A seaman of the Ethalion, from excessive joy at the very honourable acquittal of Captain Searle, the officers, seamen, and marines of that ship, drank so much liquor, that he fell, fractured his skull, and died instantly. Verdict. Accidental death.

Interestingly I note that Whitcombe has put one of the ship's boat hanging over the stern... Given the painting was only a year after, is it likely that's where that ship's boat was kept all the time? Presumably it was easier to use it from there than to have to lift it from midships. And which of the ship's boats would it be? I guess I've got a bit of time to work all that out before I get there on this build

"HMS Ethalion in action with the Spanish frigate Thetis off Cape Finisterre, 16th October 1799", Thomas Whitcombe, 1800 (public domain image from Wikipedia)

Ethalion: the mythological figureEthalion actually only gets the very briefest of mentions, but mentioned he is. He turns up in Ovid’s Metamorphoses, but with his name spelt Aethálion. You can find it in the first section of Pentheus and Bacchus, in the account of Acoetes and the Lydian sailors. Acoetes is a farmer’s son with itchy feet. He doesn’t want to take on the family trade so he sets himself up as a merchant instead. He gets his own ship, and off he goes. The action takes place on one day when they’re on a voyage to Delos, an Island in the South Aegean sea. The wind blows them off course to the Island of Chios, and “by skilful rowing we made the shore.” On the shore they set up camp for the night, and as dawn breaks Acoetes orders his men to take on water. When they come back, they’re all there, but there’s trouble brewing. Mate, Opheltes has a boy in tow. He found him, and now he intends to take him home as a prize slave. Acoetes picks up something’s wrong – this is no mortal in this body – he asks the god to pray for the men… but the men are having none of it… “don’t bother praying for us” they say… Acoetes tries to stand up to his crew, but it’s full mutiny… the most violent punches him in the throat, and he barely manages to save himself from falling into the sea… Bacchus – who was disguised as the boy – is properly awake now, and asks them where they’re going take him… The crew, tell him not to worry and ask him where he wants to go. “Naxos. That’s my home.” He says. And the crew swear that’s where they’ll take him… Acoetes starts trimming the sails to sail to Naxos, when the crew overtake him… They want to go in the opposite direction… The crew, in full mutiny now, push Acoetes back. “I suppose our safety depends on none but you!” says Aethelion as he jumps to the tiller to steer away from Naxos. Bacchus pretends to weep, but as they bend to their oars to row the boat suddenly stops, stock-still in the midst of the waves and sea… Raising the oars they realise they’re tangled with ivy, and vines reach up to entangle the rigging, as Bacchus rises up his head adorned with grapes, waving a spear and surrounded by a mirage of tigers and lynxes and panthers… The sailors are terrified and jump up even as their spines begin to curve, and their skin grow black, and their noses protrude, and their hands turn to fins and they become dolphins… And so only Acoetes remained of the sailors to set course for Naxos and tell the story.

Reserved for contents

Introduction It’s time to attempt something I’ve been wanting to have a go at for a long time. A frigate of the napoleonic era. Having spent a lot of time looking round, I decided that I had neither the tools, the time, nor the expertise currently to complete a fully-framed scratch build. I was drawn by Chuck Passaro’s HMS Winchelsea, not least because I am sure the instructions when they are released will be utterly brilliant and the builds look beautiful so far, however at the time of writing the prototype is not yet completed. Given these factors, added to the expense and difficulty in sourcing good quality wood in the UK, I came back to model kits. I hope to keep on dabbling in scratch building though, and I have a cross-section of Triton underway for that purpose. I wanted to build a model in 1:64, partly because it would give a good contrast to the boats I already have in the house, which are of the same scale. I looked at Victory Models, however, though there Pegasus and Fly models are very handsome in their own rights, I could not reconcile that they were not quite Frigate enough in my mind to fit the bill. Having built two of Caldercraft’s models in the past (HM Schooner Pickle and HM Cutter Sherbourne), I was keen to come back to the same manufacturer, as I have found their models to be rewarding to build, and to have a level of detail that is manageable, but results in great looking models. Sadly, HMS Surprise, though prototyped, has not been released by Caldercraft so that was not an option, though I am a great fan of the Aubrey / Maturin series by Patrick O’Brian. However, Caldercraft do have another Frigate already in their line-up. HMS Diana. An Artois-class Heavy Frigate of 38 guns. Having seen other builds of sister-ships on ModelShipWorld.com, and since I am married to a Classicist, my interest was piqued by the other boats in the class, and I settled on Ethalion – built in 1797. In part because I didn’t really want a scantily clad woman glued to the front of the boat when I finished it, and Ethalion brings the possibility of a dolphin. Once that was decided, it was time to break out google and a some books, and try and track down firstly, who Ethalion was, and secondly some of the history of this particular HMS Ethalion.

Hi Tony, Thanks so much for those pointers. I've been somewhat lax in posting over the past few weeks, but I have made considerable progress. I decided to keep pretty much to the kit, but to add an approximation of sails. Your log has been extremely helpful in this process, and although the results I have aren't nearly so neat, and the rigging isn't so authentic, I'm pleased with the results I've got. So... to the pictures... A lot's happened since 9th December. I decided the 'just wood' look wasn't really working for me, so it's had a bit of paint now... I've turned the masts, booms, yards on my lathe. I replaced the wood for this task with larger walnut dowel, which helps in three regards. 1. It allows me to centre the wood carefully to get a more even round. 2. It allows me to put a square end on the bowsprit. 3. It doesn't need staining or painting - it just looks nice out of the tin (cardboard tube!) I also rigged the cannon (with breaching ropes, but not aiming tackle). I unwound the rope to create an eye to put the rear of the cannon through (cascabel?). This looks more effective than tying it round, which is the method I've used before, and also means I don't have to do clever tying which seems somewhat too bulky when I've attempted it. Then I launched into sailmaking using modelspan tissue... At this point I paused, because I remembered a comment that I read in another log (possibly Tony's - tkay ? ) that sails attract dust like nothing else... So I finally got round to doing something I've been meaning to for a long time, and built a boat-box from wooden display box section stained with ebony stain and perspex. It's just large enough to fit Pickle and Sherbourne (as long as I have the square sail on Sherbourne trained round as though the wind's coming over the starboard quarter... That was the aim, anyway... Then it was back to building... The mainsail was next... Then the doorbell rang... And it was my next model Just as a comparison... here's the centre-former of the next model, which is also 1:64 - HMS Diana, which I intend to build as Ethalion (1797), one of her sister ships... Yep... those Frigates may not have been the biggest ships out there, but you wouldn't have wanted to take one on with a cutter! I stopped long enough to build a board to keep the straight keel straight. Then it was time for Ratlines, swivel guns, anchors, lifts, braces, etc... The finishing touches... And here it is, finished today: It isn't perfect, but as a first attempt at sails, I'm really pleased... Not sure I'd attempt all the sails on a frigate, though! Thanks so much for all the encouragement and advice along the way. Happy building Rob [edited to restore photos, 11, 13 July 2017]

Brilliant. Some wonderful people gave me a jeweller's saw for Christmas, so I'm looking forward to trying that out... I think this build is going to go slowly, and hopefully plod along beside the new incoming project - HMS Diana from Caldercraft, but built as Ethalion (1797). That's due to arrive in the new year and will be much easier to get on with in the evenings without annoying the neighbours Happy Christmas to you all

Aah, I'm glad you mentioned that, Tony, as I hadn't spotted it... I've been focusing just on the hull, but I am hoping to try out some sails (and even add them if they turn out well enough), so I'll have another look at the logs on this site, and perhaps add some more belaying points on. Thanks so much for the heads up! Rob

Thanks again to all for the likes and encouragement Yes, it really does spur you on when the pile of wood starts to look more ship-like... Lots of progress today... The rudder's on. Made up the anchors. Also put the channels on along with the peg boards inboard. I made replacements of these parts from beech to contrast the hull, rather than use the walnut ply, as I wanted them to look a little bit less flaky... Also made all the frame heads and swivel gun mounts out of beech to continue the theme... Long story short, here's the progress so far... Really pleased with how it's coming along. Take care Rob [edited to restore photos, 11, 13 July 2017]

Hi again, A little more progress. The deck's down. I marked out the shift pattern and then I put the deck down using a pencil to simulate the caulking: I've also planked the inside of the bulkheads, and opened up the gunports and oar ports again. Then I put the capping rails on. (The second picture below has some of the deck furniture roughly in place, but not fixed, just to see how it looks... I couldn't resist ) Once the capping rails were in place, I trimmed them back, and added the stern. The stern fascia was first put in boiling water, then clamped round the cutlery holder from the kitchen sink to give it a curve. Once dry, it was fitted in place. This left a small gap at the bottom (so that the top was level with the tops of the capping rail, which I remedied by adding a small strip of walnut) I added the lettering on to the stern - you'll notice I dropped the "U" from the name to match my wife's old school (brownie points for free!), and then it was on to the wales... Think that's it for now. Managing to stick to the plan of not painting anything... the only things with any paint on so far are the remaining photo-etch, anchor, cannon. Quite pleased with the effect at the moment. Next job is to tidy up the ends of the wales, and put the rudder on. Happy building. Rob [edited to restore photos, 11, 13 July 2017]

Time for an update... I didn't really see the benefit of posting every time another plank went on, but here's the result... And another comparison with Pickle... Also - while waiting for glue to dry... (and trying to build my patience!), I began the cannon... these were a little rough as they came out of the cnc cut walnut ply, but by pinning them all together, I was able to tidy them up enough that I'm happy with them (at least without a milling machine, I think I'd struggle to make better from scratch)... And one with them on the deck to see how the ports line up... (although they're not on their wheels yet, and the deck is yet to be planked...) Finally, the bulkhead stubs were removed and the deck marked up for three-shift planking (I think?!?). I used some veneer I had left from Royal Yacht Caroline for the waterways. The gaps at the edge should get covered up by the planking that will go on the inside of the gunport pattern (he said, hopefully!). Starting to take shape Happy building Rob [edited to restore photos, 11, 13 July 2017]

Thanks for all the advice. I've paused to reflect on the best way forward as I finish off the second planking on my Sherbourne (bring on the scrapers!). Almost there now. Just two planks left on the port side. I'll have to invest in a jeweller's saw. I managed to find some replacement coping saw blades with a higher tpi, so I'll give them a try. A scroll saw does sound like a good idea though (might have to wait for that kind of investment!). I'll have a look round and see if i can get a bigger drum sander, too. Thanks again Rob

Well, not much progress, but a little. This project is going to be a slow one, as I'm working on it while I work on Sherbourne to get a feel for whether I have the scratchbuilding skills (and patience) to try something harder. That said, I had a good headscratch, and I think I'm beginning to work out how I can turn boards of walnut into something resembling parts of frames (given the distinct lack of power tools). So here's the progress so far. I've printed off the plan for frame 0 (at a factor of 0.75 to make it 1:64) and stuck the component patterns onto the walnut with pritt stick to allow me to remove the patterns later. Then very gently with a coping saw (I've ordered some finer blades!), I cut roughly round them. The next challenge was the bigger hurdle. I don't have a scroll saw, band saw or any powered sander... but I do have a basic stand for to turn a hand drill (750W) into a pillar drill... so I mounted a proxxon drum sander part into the drill chuck and lowered the stand as shown in the photo, so it was permanently level with the work surface... It sounds horrendously loud - so loud in fact, I had pity on the neighbours after a short while... and I had to keep one hand on the drill power button... but it kind of did the trick... My issue was that although it was sanding the excess away, it left a pretty wavy line, so a larger drum would be handy. It looks like the following would help: * A better way to cut the frames out, so I can cut closer to the lines (i.e. a scroll saw / band saw?) * A quieter way to sand the frames, so I don't annoy the neighbours and provide a variety or sanding disk sizes to allow me to attain smoother sanding (perhaps an oscillating spindle sander?) Anyway - progress... and I'm encouraged that this isn't impossible, just time consuming and requiring patience on my part. Pictures below:

Thanks Pete, and thanks everyone for the likes. I'm planning on using walnut. But this is very much a try-it-out project, so that may well change. I've got some wood on order for the frames at the moment. Rob

Hi, Hoping to make a fully framed frigate in the future in 1:64, so this seems the perfect place to try out some of those skills. I've only done plank on bulkhead before from kits, so it's a bit of a journey into the unknown, but how helpful to have so many others who've travelled the path before me! I scaled the plans down by a factor of 0.75 to take them from 1:48 to 1:64 (where 3/16" is equivalent to 1ft). Here are the picture so far. Parts are walnut. I've left the keelson, keel and false keel longer than the plans and intend to trim them down later on in the build.

Hi Frank, There are no characters included in the kit, but I bought them separately from here: http://www.cornwallmodelboats.co.uk/acatalog/amati_crew.html They're amati figures (I think the 25mm figures, which works out at around 5' 3" in 1:64 scale - the next size up i 35mm which comes out as around 7' 4" - so giant!). They come in white metal, and I painted them using Vallejo Acrylics. They do look quite good. Thanks for the compliments Rob

Thanks for the likes and the helpful comments. It's the first time I've soaked planks so I'm on the learning curve. It is encouraging to have other builds going on at the same time. Bit more time today so I'll try letting the planks dry before I fit them finally. Might make a start on some other bits while I'm waiting for that to happen.

Now we're up to date... I've been using the same strategy with the second planking to try and get really neat runs of planking without lots of drop planks and stealers... time will tell whether I end up getting bitten, but so far I'm pleased with it. I have a thermos flask with freshly boiled water in it, and then here's what I do for each plank: Use paper to take a map of the curve of the plank (as though spiling) Mark out the width of the plank to fit and trim with a craft knife and sandpaper. Bevel the edge of the plank (I have good intentions, but I'm not very good at this yet!) Soak the plank in the _hot_ water for 30 seconds Edge bend the plank according to the paper prepared above. (with 1x4mm walnut, it'll hold it's shape fairly easily) Use plank nippers to bend the plank in for the bow and stern. Test, re-test, and glue in place with pins (or near the top, clamps to avoid pin marks) And here are the results so far... There are gaps in between several of the planks, which I suspect may be shrinkage... I'm hoping next time I can spile, to avoid the soaking process, and that way avoid those gaps... Of course, it may not be shrinkage at all, but simply that my skills aren't quite up there yet Anyway - I'm pretty pleased with how it's going, and the rest of the planks will be under the waterline and painting dull white, so it's not looking too bad now! In amidst the planking I decided to start on something completely different to freshen up a little... I've begun the gratings. And I found a sailor left over from Pickle to keep eyes on proceedings too Once the edging is on, I'll sand these to have curved tops... But that's for next time. Happy building Rob [edited to restore photos, 11, 13 July 2017]

Next up was planking... I wanted to try spiling, but I didn't want to splash out on lots of extra wood at the time, so I thought I'd try edge bending the wood to see how well I could get it to fit. I was fairly pleased with the results, but even using the tick strips, it became evident just how much edge bending was required to get a nice run of wood without lots of stealers and drop planks... Next time I hope I'll be able to get the wider planks and spile instead. Nevertheless, not too bad for a first planking. Again, you can see bulkhead 9 waiting to jump out and get me! Next it was time to put the transom on - and this was where I had to deal with bulkhead 9. I tried just gluing the transom on and leaving a gap, but it looked really messy. I would have had to double-plank the bulkhead so that I could fill the gap between it and the transom, so I took the transom off again, and sanded down the bulkhead so it was even. Now it plays nicer! That meant I was ready for the second planking. [edited to restore photos, 11, 13 July 2017]

The next task was the gunport patterns. These were placed for 30 seconds in water straight out of the kettle, and then clamped round a coffee mug that was roughly the same radius as the bow of Sherbourne. A couple of hours later, they'd dried, and held their shape beautifully... In fact, I'd bent them slightly too far round, and putting them back into the hot water for a few seconds loosened them up and allowed them to be glued and clamped in place while the glue set... This job's a little bit fiddly, but well worth taking time over, because it affects whether the guns will look right in their places later on, and has a big impact on the symmetry of the boat. After drying overnight I took off all the clamps, and I was really pleased with how they'd turned out... perhaps .5mm down on one side, but not so much it'll be noticeable. For those of you wondering how she sizes up against Pickle... here you go (apologies for the reflections / quality of the pic - I was in a hurry): [edited to restore photos, 11, 13 July 2017]

The next task was to fill the gaps between bulkheads 1-3 and 7-9 with balsa to help me find a smooth flow as I finished fairing the bulkheads. You may notice in these photos that I clean forgot to add the bow formers that sit up against the keel former at this point, and had to cut into the balsa to add these retrospectively. Again - too much haste, and so less speed! You can see in this photo how bulkhead 9 is at a slight angle - with the starboard side (on the left of this photo because it's keel up) slightly further forward... across its width, this adds up to ~6mm! Eventually, it started to look like I was hoping it would... I added a strip of lime to the bottom of the keel former to help the rabbet. [edited to restore photos, 11 July 2017]

So - to the build. I started about a month ago, and unpacked the kit eagerly... having checked the parts I got the ply keel out and checked to see if it was flat... sadly it wasn't. It was about 5mm out lengthwise, and two or three from top to bottom, giving a shape rather like a bowl. Attempted remedies of making one side damp and weighting it down for 48 hours seemed to work at first, but minutes after the weights were taken off, the ply sprung back. Rather than give up, I decided to be brave, and use the keel as a template to make a new one from a sheet of walnut I had. Several hours later, I'd made this (and included an extra frame to help with the planking). It was only later on in the build that I'd realise that bulkhead 9, which forms the base of the transom was wonky because the back of the deck was not square... That's my fault for being in too much of a hurry! We'll get to that later, though. I roughly faired the bulkheads to take off the worst of the excess material at the bow and stern, sanded a rabbet into the keel former, and then I used the deck to square up the bulkheads and glued the bulkheads into position, using lego blocks to square them up. Here you can see the results with the walnut stem and keel added. [edited to restore photos, 11, 13 July 2017]

Well, I'm a little late starting this building log, but it's been an interesting model to build, so I thought I'd share my experiences. Hope it's helpful, anyway. I'm hoping this will be an opportunity to try out some new skills and improve my planking skills before attempting something a bit larger! First off, a quick look at the kit itself. It comes in a small, but really nice and sturdy box, with everything packed in very neatly. The instructions are much more simple than the instructions for Pickle (a more recent kit, I believe), and reading them through I was glad I'd built Pickle first. Nevertheless, having build Pickle, these are perfectly adequate. The plans are excellent, and give lots of detail, including step by step illustrations for the construction of the hull. Looking closely you'll see the the walnut ply used for the cannon carriages and capping rails has been cut out right to the edge... on the other side this has led to a slight split going through the capping rail itself, but nothing too major, and it should be simple enough to put right (I'll mount it good side up!) So far I've found that all the materials are provided with plenty to spare, just as with Pickle. [edited to restore photos, 11, 13 July 2017]