robdurant

A brief update today. I realised I hadn't put on the vessel name decals yesterday... so on they went. 
 

Photo etch for the pintles and gudgeons next... (blackened using IPA to clean, "Casey's brass black", and then water to rinse)
 

And then it was time to focus on the deck a little... Scuttles were blackened and then added... 
 

Hatches assembled... I'll leave the hatch open a little to show off the extra detail that Chris has designed in for this hatch. These are still dry-fitted at the moment, and I shall add the rope handles before gluing in place. One of the other builds I read on this forum noted that the forward hatch is offset to starboard very slightly, so hopefully I'll remember that when I come to gluing it in place. It's shown on the plans - just easy to miss.
 
  
And a few more parts - the base for the steam winch, and another part - these were blackened / painted, and then glued in place making sure to line them up carefully using appropriate sized rods where they need to line up with holes in the deck.
 

And finally... the view from above.

Thanks for all the encouragement. It's so encouraging to see things moving ahead so well now, and to be spurred on by the likes. As I've said many times already, this kit really is beautifully designed, and makes the task of building a real joy. It's nice to get to the stage where you see real progress each time you work on it.
 
Rob 

Well, what a productive day it's been... surprisingly so. Yesterday I managed to fit the remaining uprights behind the bulwarks along with the part that runs round the stern and tying off points.
 


 
The hull was then masked, and painted Tamiya matt acrylic Cockpit Green (XF-71). The secret with these paints (when brush painting, as I do), is to resist at all costs the temptation to go back over a bit you've painted already until it's truly entirely dry. Any attempts to repaint an area will drag the skin that is probably already forming, and it'll turn into a hot mess (ask me how I know!)... the tamiya paints seem far less forgiving than the Vallejo acrylics that I use more often ... there are, however, colours that Tamiya simply seems to nail that I can't find anywhere else. The blue I used on Ethalion, the green I'm using here. They just have a nice scale subtlety that avoids you being slapped round the face with the colour - this is, of course entirely subjective - so, paint your model whatever colour pleases you and feel free to ignore me

I do like this muted colour and how it contrasts against the pear, and I'm pleased with how it turned out.
 


At this point, and as I put the model somewhere safe overnight, I thought a picture with the first, and third wooden boat I built would be an interesting contrast... Caldercraft's Sherborne and Pickle are of a similar size... 

I also painted the strips that run along the bottom of the green stripe, black. As always, Chris provides marks that show precisely where all of these things should go, which makes it really quick and easy to get these parts into place. This morning the first job was to glue these black stripes into place.

I don't know what I'd do without masking tape! I figure if masking tape will hold the part in place while it glues, I've probably got it fitted reasonably well... if I'm using clamps and nails and screws and a vice, I probably haven't taken long enough to get it fitting before I glue it... I figure this approach also guards me against getting taken out when a glue joint fails somewhere down the line! 🤣 
 
So... bulwark tops were fitted, and paint touched up... and here we are. 



I'm not planning to paint the bottom of the hull on this model. I've painted all of my hulls before, but I'm rather pleased with how this one has gone, and I think I shall leave it obvious that it's planked all the way down.
 
More updates soon, I hope.  Thanks as always for looking in, and for your encouragement and likes.
 
Rob

I have started planking the hull.
 

 
I started with the port sheer strake. First I glued it to the filler wood between the first two bulkheads. After the glue set I proceed aft, gluing the plank to a few  bulkheads at a time. I had to work slowly near the bow where the hull flairs outward at the top, getting the right twist in the plank to make it fit flush against the bulkhead. But after the first five or six bulkheads the plank fit snugly against the remaining bulkheads.
 
After the sheer strakes are in place I will install the garboard strakes. Then will come the long process of tapering the remaining planks and installing them. This will take some time.

Decals on...  I used Microset and then Microsol to apply the decals. This allowed me to get them to really soften round the wood grain. Thankfully, the wood seemed to take this really well, and although you can see the wet look on the wood in the last photo (from applying the depth marks to the other side of the keel, this has now dried to the same colour as it was before. 
 
A quick point of note- when you're marking out where the depth markings go, don't forget that at least some of the sheet plans aren't 1:1 scale with the model... In fact, they're about 1.3x smaller - so do factor up your measurements before you mark out where the decals are going. This becomes important again when measuring up and making the spars (which, it's worth noting, have the correct measurements written next to them.)  




Thanks for looking in
 
Rob

Well, what a productive day it's been... surprisingly so. Yesterday I managed to fit the remaining uprights behind the bulwarks along with the part that runs round the stern and tying off points.
 


 
The hull was then masked, and painted Tamiya matt acrylic Cockpit Green (XF-71). The secret with these paints (when brush painting, as I do), is to resist at all costs the temptation to go back over a bit you've painted already until it's truly entirely dry. Any attempts to repaint an area will drag the skin that is probably already forming, and it'll turn into a hot mess (ask me how I know!)... the tamiya paints seem far less forgiving than the Vallejo acrylics that I use more often ... there are, however, colours that Tamiya simply seems to nail that I can't find anywhere else. The blue I used on Ethalion, the green I'm using here. They just have a nice scale subtlety that avoids you being slapped round the face with the colour - this is, of course entirely subjective - so, paint your model whatever colour pleases you and feel free to ignore me

I do like this muted colour and how it contrasts against the pear, and I'm pleased with how it turned out.
 


At this point, and as I put the model somewhere safe overnight, I thought a picture with the first, and third wooden boat I built would be an interesting contrast... Caldercraft's Sherborne and Pickle are of a similar size... 

I also painted the strips that run along the bottom of the green stripe, black. As always, Chris provides marks that show precisely where all of these things should go, which makes it really quick and easy to get these parts into place. This morning the first job was to glue these black stripes into place.

I don't know what I'd do without masking tape! I figure if masking tape will hold the part in place while it glues, I've probably got it fitted reasonably well... if I'm using clamps and nails and screws and a vice, I probably haven't taken long enough to get it fitting before I glue it... I figure this approach also guards me against getting taken out when a glue joint fails somewhere down the line! 🤣 
 
So... bulwark tops were fitted, and paint touched up... and here we are. 



I'm not planning to paint the bottom of the hull on this model. I've painted all of my hulls before, but I'm rather pleased with how this one has gone, and I think I shall leave it obvious that it's planked all the way down.
 
More updates soon, I hope.  Thanks as always for looking in, and for your encouragement and likes.
 
Rob

Decals on...  I used Microset and then Microsol to apply the decals. This allowed me to get them to really soften round the wood grain. Thankfully, the wood seemed to take this really well, and although you can see the wet look on the wood in the last photo (from applying the depth marks to the other side of the keel, this has now dried to the same colour as it was before. 
 
A quick point of note- when you're marking out where the depth markings go, don't forget that at least some of the sheet plans aren't 1:1 scale with the model... In fact, they're about 1.3x smaller - so do factor up your measurements before you mark out where the decals are going. This becomes important again when measuring up and making the spars (which, it's worth noting, have the correct measurements written next to them.)  




Thanks for looking in
 
Rob

Decals on...  I used Microset and then Microsol to apply the decals. This allowed me to get them to really soften round the wood grain. Thankfully, the wood seemed to take this really well, and although you can see the wet look on the wood in the last photo (from applying the depth marks to the other side of the keel, this has now dried to the same colour as it was before. 
 
A quick point of note- when you're marking out where the depth markings go, don't forget that at least some of the sheet plans aren't 1:1 scale with the model... In fact, they're about 1.3x smaller - so do factor up your measurements before you mark out where the decals are going. This becomes important again when measuring up and making the spars (which, it's worth noting, have the correct measurements written next to them.)  




Thanks for looking in
 
Rob

Decals on...  I used Microset and then Microsol to apply the decals. This allowed me to get them to really soften round the wood grain. Thankfully, the wood seemed to take this really well, and although you can see the wet look on the wood in the last photo (from applying the depth marks to the other side of the keel, this has now dried to the same colour as it was before. 
 
A quick point of note- when you're marking out where the depth markings go, don't forget that at least some of the sheet plans aren't 1:1 scale with the model... In fact, they're about 1.3x smaller - so do factor up your measurements before you mark out where the decals are going. This becomes important again when measuring up and making the spars (which, it's worth noting, have the correct measurements written next to them.)  




Thanks for looking in
 
Rob

Decals on...  I used Microset and then Microsol to apply the decals. This allowed me to get them to really soften round the wood grain. Thankfully, the wood seemed to take this really well, and although you can see the wet look on the wood in the last photo (from applying the depth marks to the other side of the keel, this has now dried to the same colour as it was before. 
 
A quick point of note- when you're marking out where the depth markings go, don't forget that at least some of the sheet plans aren't 1:1 scale with the model... In fact, they're about 1.3x smaller - so do factor up your measurements before you mark out where the decals are going. This becomes important again when measuring up and making the spars (which, it's worth noting, have the correct measurements written next to them.)  




Thanks for looking in
 
Rob

Thank you for the kind comments @JacquesCousteau @AJohnson

Well, what a productive day it's been... surprisingly so. Yesterday I managed to fit the remaining uprights behind the bulwarks along with the part that runs round the stern and tying off points.
 


 
The hull was then masked, and painted Tamiya matt acrylic Cockpit Green (XF-71). The secret with these paints (when brush painting, as I do), is to resist at all costs the temptation to go back over a bit you've painted already until it's truly entirely dry. Any attempts to repaint an area will drag the skin that is probably already forming, and it'll turn into a hot mess (ask me how I know!)... the tamiya paints seem far less forgiving than the Vallejo acrylics that I use more often ... there are, however, colours that Tamiya simply seems to nail that I can't find anywhere else. The blue I used on Ethalion, the green I'm using here. They just have a nice scale subtlety that avoids you being slapped round the face with the colour - this is, of course entirely subjective - so, paint your model whatever colour pleases you and feel free to ignore me

I do like this muted colour and how it contrasts against the pear, and I'm pleased with how it turned out.
 


At this point, and as I put the model somewhere safe overnight, I thought a picture with the first, and third wooden boat I built would be an interesting contrast... Caldercraft's Sherborne and Pickle are of a similar size... 

I also painted the strips that run along the bottom of the green stripe, black. As always, Chris provides marks that show precisely where all of these things should go, which makes it really quick and easy to get these parts into place. This morning the first job was to glue these black stripes into place.

I don't know what I'd do without masking tape! I figure if masking tape will hold the part in place while it glues, I've probably got it fitted reasonably well... if I'm using clamps and nails and screws and a vice, I probably haven't taken long enough to get it fitting before I glue it... I figure this approach also guards me against getting taken out when a glue joint fails somewhere down the line! 🤣 
 
So... bulwark tops were fitted, and paint touched up... and here we are. 



I'm not planning to paint the bottom of the hull on this model. I've painted all of my hulls before, but I'm rather pleased with how this one has gone, and I think I shall leave it obvious that it's planked all the way down.
 
More updates soon, I hope.  Thanks as always for looking in, and for your encouragement and likes.
 
Rob

Thank you for the kind comments @JacquesCousteau @AJohnson

Well, what a productive day it's been... surprisingly so. Yesterday I managed to fit the remaining uprights behind the bulwarks along with the part that runs round the stern and tying off points.
 


 
The hull was then masked, and painted Tamiya matt acrylic Cockpit Green (XF-71). The secret with these paints (when brush painting, as I do), is to resist at all costs the temptation to go back over a bit you've painted already until it's truly entirely dry. Any attempts to repaint an area will drag the skin that is probably already forming, and it'll turn into a hot mess (ask me how I know!)... the tamiya paints seem far less forgiving than the Vallejo acrylics that I use more often ... there are, however, colours that Tamiya simply seems to nail that I can't find anywhere else. The blue I used on Ethalion, the green I'm using here. They just have a nice scale subtlety that avoids you being slapped round the face with the colour - this is, of course entirely subjective - so, paint your model whatever colour pleases you and feel free to ignore me

I do like this muted colour and how it contrasts against the pear, and I'm pleased with how it turned out.
 


At this point, and as I put the model somewhere safe overnight, I thought a picture with the first, and third wooden boat I built would be an interesting contrast... Caldercraft's Sherborne and Pickle are of a similar size... 

I also painted the strips that run along the bottom of the green stripe, black. As always, Chris provides marks that show precisely where all of these things should go, which makes it really quick and easy to get these parts into place. This morning the first job was to glue these black stripes into place.

I don't know what I'd do without masking tape! I figure if masking tape will hold the part in place while it glues, I've probably got it fitted reasonably well... if I'm using clamps and nails and screws and a vice, I probably haven't taken long enough to get it fitting before I glue it... I figure this approach also guards me against getting taken out when a glue joint fails somewhere down the line! 🤣 
 
So... bulwark tops were fitted, and paint touched up... and here we are. 



I'm not planning to paint the bottom of the hull on this model. I've painted all of my hulls before, but I'm rather pleased with how this one has gone, and I think I shall leave it obvious that it's planked all the way down.
 
More updates soon, I hope.  Thanks as always for looking in, and for your encouragement and likes.
 
Rob

You have been busy Rob, like the colour scheme you are going with, very nice. 

Very nice job painting the hull. The minimalist approach really highlights the fine lines, and the green is a nice touch.

Well, what a productive day it's been... surprisingly so. Yesterday I managed to fit the remaining uprights behind the bulwarks along with the part that runs round the stern and tying off points.
 


 
The hull was then masked, and painted Tamiya matt acrylic Cockpit Green (XF-71). The secret with these paints (when brush painting, as I do), is to resist at all costs the temptation to go back over a bit you've painted already until it's truly entirely dry. Any attempts to repaint an area will drag the skin that is probably already forming, and it'll turn into a hot mess (ask me how I know!)... the tamiya paints seem far less forgiving than the Vallejo acrylics that I use more often ... there are, however, colours that Tamiya simply seems to nail that I can't find anywhere else. The blue I used on Ethalion, the green I'm using here. They just have a nice scale subtlety that avoids you being slapped round the face with the colour - this is, of course entirely subjective - so, paint your model whatever colour pleases you and feel free to ignore me

I do like this muted colour and how it contrasts against the pear, and I'm pleased with how it turned out.
 


At this point, and as I put the model somewhere safe overnight, I thought a picture with the first, and third wooden boat I built would be an interesting contrast... Caldercraft's Sherborne and Pickle are of a similar size... 

I also painted the strips that run along the bottom of the green stripe, black. As always, Chris provides marks that show precisely where all of these things should go, which makes it really quick and easy to get these parts into place. This morning the first job was to glue these black stripes into place.

I don't know what I'd do without masking tape! I figure if masking tape will hold the part in place while it glues, I've probably got it fitted reasonably well... if I'm using clamps and nails and screws and a vice, I probably haven't taken long enough to get it fitting before I glue it... I figure this approach also guards me against getting taken out when a glue joint fails somewhere down the line! 🤣 
 
So... bulwark tops were fitted, and paint touched up... and here we are. 



I'm not planning to paint the bottom of the hull on this model. I've painted all of my hulls before, but I'm rather pleased with how this one has gone, and I think I shall leave it obvious that it's planked all the way down.
 
More updates soon, I hope.  Thanks as always for looking in, and for your encouragement and likes.
 
Rob

Well, what a productive day it's been... surprisingly so. Yesterday I managed to fit the remaining uprights behind the bulwarks along with the part that runs round the stern and tying off points.
 


 
The hull was then masked, and painted Tamiya matt acrylic Cockpit Green (XF-71). The secret with these paints (when brush painting, as I do), is to resist at all costs the temptation to go back over a bit you've painted already until it's truly entirely dry. Any attempts to repaint an area will drag the skin that is probably already forming, and it'll turn into a hot mess (ask me how I know!)... the tamiya paints seem far less forgiving than the Vallejo acrylics that I use more often ... there are, however, colours that Tamiya simply seems to nail that I can't find anywhere else. The blue I used on Ethalion, the green I'm using here. They just have a nice scale subtlety that avoids you being slapped round the face with the colour - this is, of course entirely subjective - so, paint your model whatever colour pleases you and feel free to ignore me

I do like this muted colour and how it contrasts against the pear, and I'm pleased with how it turned out.
 


At this point, and as I put the model somewhere safe overnight, I thought a picture with the first, and third wooden boat I built would be an interesting contrast... Caldercraft's Sherborne and Pickle are of a similar size... 

I also painted the strips that run along the bottom of the green stripe, black. As always, Chris provides marks that show precisely where all of these things should go, which makes it really quick and easy to get these parts into place. This morning the first job was to glue these black stripes into place.

I don't know what I'd do without masking tape! I figure if masking tape will hold the part in place while it glues, I've probably got it fitted reasonably well... if I'm using clamps and nails and screws and a vice, I probably haven't taken long enough to get it fitting before I glue it... I figure this approach also guards me against getting taken out when a glue joint fails somewhere down the line! 🤣 
 
So... bulwark tops were fitted, and paint touched up... and here we are. 



I'm not planning to paint the bottom of the hull on this model. I've painted all of my hulls before, but I'm rather pleased with how this one has gone, and I think I shall leave it obvious that it's planked all the way down.
 
More updates soon, I hope.  Thanks as always for looking in, and for your encouragement and likes.
 
Rob

Well, what a productive day it's been... surprisingly so. Yesterday I managed to fit the remaining uprights behind the bulwarks along with the part that runs round the stern and tying off points.
 


 
The hull was then masked, and painted Tamiya matt acrylic Cockpit Green (XF-71). The secret with these paints (when brush painting, as I do), is to resist at all costs the temptation to go back over a bit you've painted already until it's truly entirely dry. Any attempts to repaint an area will drag the skin that is probably already forming, and it'll turn into a hot mess (ask me how I know!)... the tamiya paints seem far less forgiving than the Vallejo acrylics that I use more often ... there are, however, colours that Tamiya simply seems to nail that I can't find anywhere else. The blue I used on Ethalion, the green I'm using here. They just have a nice scale subtlety that avoids you being slapped round the face with the colour - this is, of course entirely subjective - so, paint your model whatever colour pleases you and feel free to ignore me

I do like this muted colour and how it contrasts against the pear, and I'm pleased with how it turned out.
 


At this point, and as I put the model somewhere safe overnight, I thought a picture with the first, and third wooden boat I built would be an interesting contrast... Caldercraft's Sherborne and Pickle are of a similar size... 

I also painted the strips that run along the bottom of the green stripe, black. As always, Chris provides marks that show precisely where all of these things should go, which makes it really quick and easy to get these parts into place. This morning the first job was to glue these black stripes into place.

I don't know what I'd do without masking tape! I figure if masking tape will hold the part in place while it glues, I've probably got it fitted reasonably well... if I'm using clamps and nails and screws and a vice, I probably haven't taken long enough to get it fitting before I glue it... I figure this approach also guards me against getting taken out when a glue joint fails somewhere down the line! 🤣 
 
So... bulwark tops were fitted, and paint touched up... and here we are. 



I'm not planning to paint the bottom of the hull on this model. I've painted all of my hulls before, but I'm rather pleased with how this one has gone, and I think I shall leave it obvious that it's planked all the way down.
 
More updates soon, I hope.  Thanks as always for looking in, and for your encouragement and likes.
 
Rob

The Forward Well Deck 
 
The Well Decks were a key feature of many steamers during the period when the Olympic class were built. These decks were optimized for handling cargo and included large hatchways and service cranes. The decks were situated lower down at the Shelter Deck (C deck) level to minimize the distance that cargo would need to be hoisted.  To further ease the process, the Well Deck bulwarks included gangway doors that opened to create a pass thru so that cargo didn’t need to be hoisted over the bulwarks.
 
There seems to be some confusion with some Titanic modelers about passenger access to these decks… 
 
Certainly, these would be restricted areas and off limits to passengers while dockside and cargo handling was ongoing, but once everything was stowed below and the hatches were battened down and the tugs were easing the ship out into the harbor channel, these became the open promenades for the third-class passengers.
 
We can see passengers lingering on the Well Decks in multiple photos... The famous Father Browne photo of the tugs pushing Titanic away from the unmoored steamer New York clearly shows third class passengers at the railing of the forward well deck.

Take notice of what we DON’T see in the photo… Women or children. I don’t think they were restricted from using the forward well deck as a promenade, but the forward berthing below this area was set aside primarily for unaccompanied gentlemen traveling in third class. (I think married couples traveling in third-class without children could also be berthed in the forward section).  Hence the concentration of men in this area.
 
Third class families and single ladies were berthed in the after part of the ship. Something to keep in mind for modeler’s wanting to add figures to their decks.
 
The first order of business is to address the overscale thickness of the forward well deck bulwarks.

These thick sides would make the Yamato envious. It really detracts from the overall accuracy of the kit.
 
I hate ‘em. 
 
I’ve got to solve for this.
 
I determined that I could remove a section and replace it with thinner styrene versions using .020” sheet.  It may be that thinner sheet (.015” or .010”) could be used to get even closer to true scale, but I felt the risk of warping was too high.

Firstly, I created an outline of the existing bulwark onto the sheet:


This was cut and filed to shape and positioned into a hastily assembled jig to help keep the piece aligned while the wash ports were marked using the KA brass version:

I carefully cut out the marked wash ports using the edge of a sharp micro-chisel that closely matched the required dimension.
 
This piece became the “master” that was used going forward to create the versions that would be used on the kit.

Using the master, I first created a mockup to test the application of detail on the inner and outer surfaces.  I wanted to make sure that the thin piece did not warp or otherwise get distorted when I glued the details onto the inboard side or when I etched the outline of the doors on the outboard side.


All good. You’ll notice that I have opted to include an opening for a gangway door.  I think this’ll make the model more informative and visually interesting.

I did a test fit before I removed the kit bulwark to make certain the wash ports align.
 
The area is marked for removal and the drill fitted with a small diameter drill bit – not too small, but small enough to allow for accurate and precise holes.

Those of you who are squeamish will need to avert your eyes:




Next up was the heavy file:

Then the finer file:

Lastly a small detail file for the corners:

Remnants of the partially sliced doubling straps were chiseled away:



Nice clean outline – ready for the new bulwark.
 
This is fun - stay tuned.
 
Cheers,
Evan

Deck planking complete on the St Roch .

Well, half-term is finished, and with that change comes more time and space for sleep and model boat building... 
 
I finished the hull planking a couple of days ago. Whether it's my best effort, I'm not sure, but overall I'm pleased with it. I've taken off the bulkhead tabs above the false deck, fitted the deck, and begun the task of adding the uprights on the inside of the bulwarks. While some glue was drying, I assembled the wooden parts of the rudder. As always the fit of the parts is wonderful.  Here are some photos of progress... (wow - close-ups are brutal!)
 





 



Thanks for looking in
 
Rob
 

Planked the foredeck on the St Roch this morning.

Well, half-term is finished, and with that change comes more time and space for sleep and model boat building... 
 
I finished the hull planking a couple of days ago. Whether it's my best effort, I'm not sure, but overall I'm pleased with it. I've taken off the bulkhead tabs above the false deck, fitted the deck, and begun the task of adding the uprights on the inside of the bulwarks. While some glue was drying, I assembled the wooden parts of the rudder. As always the fit of the parts is wonderful.  Here are some photos of progress... (wow - close-ups are brutal!)
 





 



Thanks for looking in
 
Rob
 

Okay - so having had my immune system attack my brain (explained here... An enforced and hopefully not permanent hiatus), I'm currently unable to think at the kind of level required to make any progress on the projects I had going before (Barque Stefano, HMS Bristol (1775), and Nordkap). To be honest, I can't quite believe I ever even attempted them at all! I'm now having to learn a whole bunch of stuff all over again (new neural pathways, apparently!), and this build is part of my exploring what I'm able to do now  Progress is encouraging! Over the past month, I've gone from managing one step of a lego model per day, to being able to use a scalpel again without terrifying everyone within arm's length, to building and painting the brand new 1:48 Airfix tiger moth kit (picture below). I can recommend that kit, btw... it's a fun build! (And no, I didn't attempt the wires between the wings... )

Now, I'm excited to be taking on this beautiful kit as the next step. Having built a model of Lady Isabella before (below), I knew the instructions, kit design and support from this forum, and the simplicity of the build as a whole would be the best shot I have at getting back into this wonderful hobby! So thank you, Chris of Vanguard Models for such an excellent kit!

It will be interesting to see how close I can get to this in this new build... I'm hoping to invest in the more detailed sails for Erycina (a rough set are included with the kit, but I can confirm that they aren't a patch on the sails that I purchased alongside Lady Isabella, which I presume are of the same quality as Erycina's separately sold sail set). That Vanguard sells them separately also means I can get them as a separate purchase and spread the cost . Hooray!
 
There are already lots of excellent build logs of this kit, so I'm not expecting to exhaustively cover every step, but I will share my thoughts on it, and if I digress from the kit (not the plan!), I'll note what I've done and why, and you are very welcome to follow along and comment if you'd like to.  
 
Anyway - Erycina arrived today, and I shall get stuck in tomorrow. Thanks for reading this far. I'm sure progress will be slow! But slow and steady is just fine More sleep, first! Updates to follow.
 
Rob

Well, half-term is finished, and with that change comes more time and space for sleep and model boat building... 
 
I finished the hull planking a couple of days ago. Whether it's my best effort, I'm not sure, but overall I'm pleased with it. I've taken off the bulkhead tabs above the false deck, fitted the deck, and begun the task of adding the uprights on the inside of the bulwarks. While some glue was drying, I assembled the wooden parts of the rudder. As always the fit of the parts is wonderful.  Here are some photos of progress... (wow - close-ups are brutal!)
 





 



Thanks for looking in
 
Rob