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Thanks Hank for reinforcing my thinking. Lots of modeling pleasure to go. Thanks also Jeff. I use a jeweler's saw. The blade is a Pike Swiss Brand Jeweler's Sawblade 2/0. I found them on Amazon. I know I've edited this a couple of times. Thanks for your patience. And thanks Ryland for the 'like'.

I finished cutting out the bulkheads. The top parts are left too high; better too big than too small. I also put lines for the wales that should help later. Not much to say, but next I’ll work on the uppers.

Work on the model continues and a rather slow pace. I’ve cut out the bulkheads and keel former. I should point out that I didn’t cut out the notch for the mast at this time. Also, the bulkheads are over large. The upper portion does not have the space removed down the middle to the deck. I’ll do that once the bulkheads are fitted to the keel former. I want to see how everything looks before cutting off too much wood. Better to be too big than too small. The pieces look O.K. to me so far. I also fitted the fore-most bulkhead to the keel former and it checks out so far. I made sure the L.W.L. and deck levels line up. Many more bulkheads to go.

Hey Bob Good to see you modeling again. I'm building a scratch build and will be looking forward to your blog for guidance. Cheers.

Thanks Gary. Your model of the NE Stonington Dragger will be an inspiration. Great work.

Just discovered this blog. It's really impressive, and I'll need to read it over to try to learn some of your techniques. Simply well done! Cheers.

Thanks Bruce. Plenty of room. Thanks for the 'likes' as well. Cheers.

I’ve been busy with chores around the house, but work on the Providence continues. I wanted to explain, in more detail, the process of creating the paper bulkheads. The plan comes with a view of the hull that is unusual (at least to me). The left side of the view shows the hull from the stern, and the right side shows the hull from the bow. There are lines on the plan that shows the outline of each bulkhead. So I made several copies of this plan. Then I cut out each bulkhead half twice, turn one half over and tape them carefully together. I know that the quality of this photo isn’t very good, but the plan is clearer in real life. Next I glue the paper bulkheads and the paper keel former to a sheet of, in this case, basswood.

I started the process by making extra copies of the reduced plans. The dimension of each bulkhead is located on one plan. So I have to make several copies of that plan and parse out each bulkhead. I wanted to have as many bulkheads as possible which should make planking easier. Then I matched the size of each bulkhead with the plan showing the boat along its center; this will become the keel former. Once I was satisfied that the sizes matched, I cut out the keel former and each bulkhead. The first photo shows the paper bulkheads and their plan. The second is the plan of the center and the paper keel former. Now the next step is to glue each paper part to a sheet of basswood and cut the pieces out. I’m sure there will be some alterations once the pieces are fitted together.

In order to build a model of the Providence I needed to acquire a set of plans. The book, “Valour Fore and Aft”, contains plans of a replica that was built for the American bi-centennial celebrations back in 1976. The replica was built and used for charter sails from Newport, RI. In 2015, while in dry dock, a winter storm blew the boat off its jackstays. It took 2 years to repair and restore the damage. In 2017, it was sold to the Tall Ship Providence Foundation and moved to Alexandra, VA. I contacted the foundation and they sent me a set of plans of the restored vessel. So I’m currently copying them and reducing their scale to 1:48, or ¼ inch equals a foot. My intention is to make a Plank-on-Bulkhead model because that is what my experience is limited to.

Thanks Chuck. My first model was of the AVS, so I have the plans, etc. I'm sure I'll have some issues as I go along, but that's part of the fun. Thanks also to Frankie. Your entry about your experience rigging the replica was an inspiration for me to build this ship. Cheers.

My next model will be the Continental Sloop Providence. I became interested in this boat after reading, “Valour Fore & Aft”, by Hope Rider. Despite being a history of the boat, the book was a great, swashbuckling story. I recommend it. The boat was built by a Rhode Island merchant named John Brown several years before the American Revolution and was named the Katy. The sloop was converted to a privateer and commanded by three excellent captains, and during its voyages, achieved several ‘firsts’ for the Continental navy. The first captain was Abraham Wipple. The Katy, under the command of Captain Wipple, was the first ship to be chosen by the Continental Congress to perform naval service. It was the first colonial flagship and fired the first broadside during the Revolutionary War at sea. It also captured the first Brittish naval ship. In late 1775 the sloop’s name was changed to the Providence. In 1776, command of the sloop Providence was given to the newly promoted John Paul Jones. (Later Captain Wipple was given command of a new continental frigate also called the Providence.) Of the three captains, John Paul Jones succeeded in taking the most Brittish prizes. In 1777, command was given to John Peck Rathburn who was one of the sloop’s Lieutenants. Under the command of John Rathburn, Providence was the first Colonial ship to land marines on a foreign soil. Also, she was the first to fly the Continental colors over foreign territory. She captured Fort Nassau and held the town until valuable military supplies were removed and several Brittish ships taken as prizes. The Providence met its end as part of the disasterous Penobscot Expedition in 1779. She was forced up the Penobscot River in Maine and burnt to prevent its capture by the Brittish.

Thanks to MtZigg, Mark, Dave and Sea Hoss for your kind words. Thanks to all the likes as well.

The anchors were installed, including the buoys. Plus I chose the Ensign of the New England Navy. It was in use from 1775 through 1777. I’m flying it from the gaff. To make it I followed Chuck Passaro’s method from his log of his kit of the Queen Anne Barge which can be found at ‘https://modelshipworld.com/index.php?/topic/12476-syren-ship-model-company-news-and-forthcoming-new-projects-products/&page=34’. His method worked and I’m really pleased with the flag. As a result, the model is finished. I attach some final photos.