Jond

Post 8

 

Visit the Bowdoin

We are extremely lucky to be in Boothbay Harbor this winter.  The Boothbay Harbor Shipyard is quite the place. They maintain the marine rail that launched a four masted schooner 100 years ago and still works today.  In the recent past they hauled for bottom work many large yachts and working boats, helped the Movie ship Bounty etc.  Once called Samples, they won the contract to rebuild the  Schooner Ernestina-Morrissey , a 100 foot Gloucester Schooner owned by the State of Massachusetts.   This fall they won the contract to take Bowdoin and redo underwater planking and if necessary, frames.

The leadership of the Boothbay Harbor Windjammers days including Mark Gimbel, the business owner that is sponsoring the new store and schooner museum, arranged for us to visit.   Eric Graves the yard President was happy to show us around.   The local paper was on the tour and I was introduced as ‘ the modeler’  OMG!!!     I am getting in deep…. I hope I can live up to it ….   This raised involvement will force me to work even harder as the diorama I am building is intended for the schooner museum store this spring.  Now the Bowdoin is here, and if the repairs stay simple, she may be launched and join in as part of the harbor celebration in late June.   Let’s hope she doesn’t need too much work.

So where to begin…so much to share and to think about. In this post I will share a sample of the many photos I took. Most of my photos were for detailing and will come out in posts as I get to the further upgrading of the build.  What is more important is I will be going back and meet up with the captain to discuss rigging that may have changed and operations of the original engine and electric plant.  That type review is interesting to us old engineers in passing but also to record how the windlass works I think is important.   The first radio came about in 1924 I believe; I’ll have more on that later

 

So, let’s take a look at the real Bowdoin

 

• Here we see the propeller and the hinge bracket to hold the rudder.  Notice the anode [ zinc]
• Here on the port side you can see they have already started removing many of the bottom planks.
• Here we finally see the famous steel planking discussed in the books.   We all believe it is original because the 1980 rebuild was done with few people and very few if any frames were upgraded at that time.  Notice the anode [zic]. The bottom plate goes all the way up well above the waterline.
• Here we see we have the right schooner.   I was told today in a research session at the historical society not to call a schooner a boat or a ship.   I must have slipped tee-hee
• Here on the starboard stern we see the small dock line [ hawser] holes are trimmed with bronze.  looks like a little paint and glued on hammered wire to me
• Up on deck all is open and airing out.  She will be comfortable this winter inside, I think.  I cataloged the cleats and things and it is very much like the plans. I look forward to discussing with the sailors.
• Here we have a new question.  This exhaust pipe coming up on deck and out through the transom makes sense to me.  Other fishing schooners of the period had the same detail. The plans and old photos never seem to show this, and the earliest picture I have with someone seated here is in the 1950’s after a major rebuild. I must think about it more before adding.
• I went below as I was trying to confirm the anchor chain locker and sail storage.  This bulkhead is secure with no access forward, and lines up just aft of the chain [ as seen on deck].
• Here we see what I am sure is the original winch.  The anchor chain goes below with a collar up about one inch.  A copper cap [ could be zinc] almost closes the hole.  Seems reasonable but some water surely would get in in heavy weather. Note the hydraulic piston…..this also makes sense. The bigger schooners had donkey engines, and we know Bowdoin had an electrical plant…..more to learn… I will add the piston.  Also finally settles highlight in B&W photos are misleading…all is black
• Completing this investigation, we looked down into the forward lazarette.   Nothing there!!!!   There must be another bulkhead housing the chain……something to ask the skipper

 

Ernestina Morrissey  100 foot schooner being rebuilt in the same yard

• I must share just a few photos of the 100 schooner they are building from the keel up

 

Here we see beautiful European oak planking around the propeller

• Here the transom…3-inch-thick oak planks on solid frame
• Up on deck….it is all douglas fir from Vancouver island...long straight and clear.     Live Oak and old yellow pine where needed...... just amazing to tour
• How is this for a bow!  amazing workmanship

 

 

All for now

Thank you every one for dropping in. It is always encouraging hear from you.  

as to animals in the diorama.  I am hoping to get some other folks with artisic talents to participate.  example the iceberg

here is a favorite image of Bowdoin sailing before a berg that comes from the BRHS archives.  To carve that is over my pay grade.  I think a big photo possible, but not preferred. I will try plaster.   what ever will go below water too.

 

Other classic views show dog sleds on the ice and I think that is incredible but a whole new area.  I am still looking for ideas and a solution

 

cheers 

 

Post 7

 

Launch boat and set her into an acrylic sea

 

It’s time to get the diorama figured out.  Now that I have the acrylic sheet, it is time to cut out the hole.   An old saying of measure twice and cut once came into play.   The waterline was set up about 6 years ago when I built the hull.   The more I looked at it and the photos, the more I thought there is something wrong.   Well measuring again, I found it to be about 3/8 too low.   Not good by any measure…..

·         Here we are in the rework stage again.   In the end it took first 4 coats of red to get the color matched.  Then sand and glazing putty and more sanding. Finally two more coats of read.    Oh well…

·         Now I marked the plywood template and cut more on the jig saw to fit the higher waterline.  After about three times I switched to Dremel sander to get it right.  In this photo I have a sacrificial cardboard sheet under the template to be marked to transfer the lines to the acrylic…….note the brown side up.

·         Here I tested the fit and found it ok ...I hope

 

Here I started cutting out the acrylic sheet on the jigsaw. I pulled the saw out to get more clearance for the big sheet.   I panicked just before this photo, because in a senior moment I feared I had flipped the lines and the water would be smooth side up….phew...the brown side up lined up and we continued cutting.

·         Here we are launched……wow cool etc.  I set the large Styrofoam up to be the iceberg…….

·         Here we see the crew is still working.  The masts are just set in and the lines are a mess

·         Here we see again the affect of the furled sail hopefully compressed enough to look realistic. see charlie noble as updated.....next few comments

·         Here a workman is dreaming about skippering.  I think it is time to have a little dram...Before we go however, a few details

 

In this photo of the first lashing of the mainsail we note new turf for me.  The blocks are often 1/8 with three lines connecting.  I am using smaller drills and those little sewing wires to get thread through.   Unfortunately, the beckets sometimes break, and we have to start all over.

 

Here we have the bridles.  They are typically two fittings, a block above for the peak halyard and a simplified block with a center bar, not a sheave for the bridle. [ I am sure they have a proper name] I used the small block under the larger.   the 1920 plans said the blocks were 7 inch and 6 inch. In the photographs it is obvious the sheet and halyard blocks are larger So in available sizes I am using 1/8 for 6" and 3/16 for the halyard and sheet blocks which equates to 9"

 

 Charlie noble upgrade......  

 

as per kit, they are simple and straight forward.  They had a large wood stove in the focsle. 

Here is a 1920’s photo from BRHS where we see stove pie reduce and then has the typical spinning ball with a bar around it to keep line away.

Here in the view you can see I upgraded them to be like the photo

 

Finally I had to take her back to a dry dock, to continue work on the boat separate from the diorama stage.

 

All for now

 

Cheers

Post 6

 

A little more progress and some fun. For this posting I will focus on getting the mainsail done;    Well  sort of done anyway…… after roughing out the spars it was time to lay out sails.

 

 

·         Here I have foreshortened them on a trial and error approach to furling in scale.   On Bluenose I did it 1:24 scale without fore shortening and it was almost Ok.  I later undid the furl.  Here I plan to cut about 50% out and use the same muslin that is left over.  All the color photos and even today the color is right….so here we go

·         Here the foresail I roughly folded to make the test..seems ok. I iron them when for real after adding bias tape to the edges.  I will add rope only to exposed edge.

·         The next step is to lash the sail to the two spars……right?    no, I’m wrong.  I’ll get to that oops. I just wanted to do less work and see if it works for the furl, so less rework If I need to recut it.

·        

Now to the loops. In large scale or if raised sails I feel comfortable to lash the rings.  They are very light and weak lazer cut so………let’s look

·         Here is a fun internet photo.  The rings are tight in the furled condition. The lashed are not prominent... I only see one.

·         Looking at this photo, I chose not to lash and see if the look is ok after furling. At least I won’t break the rings

·         Now the first test….just to look.   The white Styrofoam is my first attempt to consider a large iceberg in the diorama. I started reading about carving it….not sure I can do it justice…we’ll see.

Now to the oops…..I should have completed the trim out of the spars.   Examples are both the yoke parrells, bales and hardware and then the gaff bridles.   Oops I had to remove have the lashing on the gaff, install the bridles and relash.

·         Here is a brhs cropped image of the hardware for the bales. The gaff and boom are different

·         He is another detail that shows how to rig the fore boom and gaff as well as how to make the bales for the parrells.

·         So, I made repairs, added bolt rope only to the roach as it is visible, completed the hardware for the bales and installed the boom and gaff.

here we see the rings...I am ok with it.......this is just sitting loose and we'll see how it ends up. I think i will tie the luff up a bit, maybe around the mast and then  one or two lashes to rings.  it can not stay like this......

·         Here is the front view… 

 

 

Now the fore sail and the diorama….next posting

 

Cheers

Post 5

 

I want to update progress on the diorama and a few other items.

 

Diorama

• Here is a view of Bowdoin on the second cut plywood 9 inches wide over a potential stand of a 9 inch maple veneered sheet. This as for the idea of just using acrylic and no diorama, but just making a stand.     To me it's still a viable option.   One can notice the deck at this point is still natural. That color is like the Bowdoin today, but not apparently like the old deck.
• Here I have used a 24 inch by 20-inch sheet of plywood for the first possible size of the diorama.  In this view one of the masts is visible. The other spars are roughed out. I did not take lots of pictures as they will show up enough later.  In this view I have painted out part of the deck.  The light application of medium gray paint lets wood color come through.  This is my first attempt at scuff marks etc.

·         Here we see in a BRHS archive print where there are several items to consider

·         the beat-up deck in winter conditions. Looks like mud on paint, perhaps scuffing.   I will try to get some of this affect through aging…..all new to me. Perhaps light washes  of mud color over higher traffic areas.   

·         The rigging of the mainsail and boom

·         Notice the aft anchor

·         Confirmation no big box.. a steel barrel seems to be in the edge of photo.   they carried lots of fuel.

• Here we have received a sea blue green  sheet of textured acrylic.  Wow it looks good.  Now I must cut out the hole.   A big oops is coming on this one as I start prepping.

Rigging

I am making a few more fittings each day and dressing out the spars.  I have learned to make as much of the spars and rigging off the boat that I can.   It is also fun to look up each item and to find it on the old photos and try to adjust.  I will share some of those in the next few posts

·         Here is the main sheet bail and topping lift bands.

·         Here I have gone to Joann’s and bought gray thread.  Honestly it looks the most like galvanized and the twists are visible. I will use this for the standing rigging and bridles.

 

 

Deck

Time to figure out attachments for the two head stays.

• Here is an old photo from BRHS confirming the stem cap with a shackle for the head stay. The photo clearly shows the anchor chain to be galvanized.   Also, I found in the photo there are two white painted vertical planks added over the stem. I assume these are sacrificial to hit ice.   In the books so far there were apparently steel plates discussed but no description given.  I am still studying that point.  I may try to add these planks. The issue is the double curve to ride down the stems to below the waterline....see next photos
• Here I have cut into the old kit build stem to add a stem dutchman to extend above the deck.  Also in this photo one can see I needed to fill in three scuppers.  They were not in the old photos although there are changes in this detail, and I have seen them on newer rebuilds.  
• Here I made up and attached a stem cap. It is ready for a shackle..You can also see the difficulty in the double bend here if i added the two planks mentioned above.   I have a few soaking and will try to shape them and then decide.

 

•  Finally, in this view I have placed the rod to receive the forestay in accordance with the original drawing, some 3 feet forward of the Bitts. If modeling the modern boat this would move aft. I also added the braces for the anchor crane.   I need to make the eyes look more like blocks. i could not solder blocks so I used the eyes.  I may use a wood block with a pin and glue it in place...we'll see.  Ialso need to decide how to make the brass anchor chain look like galvanized

Cheers

Post 4

 

I have made some progress working in a few different areas.

 

1 Research…I have  completed rereading the first part of the recent biography on Bowdoin … I am concentrating on the early years.  I am also about a third way through rereading MacMillan’s autobiography.   The most exciting items is I just bought a copy if the 1925 National Geographic on eBay, which featured both Donald MacMillan and Lt Com Richard Byrd telling their stories about the summer adventures.   They flew flying boats from the top of Greenland for a month…quite exciting and wonderful photos.

 

I am thinking about focusing the display be that summer. To pull it off,  I need help making models of Leonign Amphibian planes.   My son is on the hunt for what might be close enough kits to bash.  I will search too.  that would mean not a winter in scene but summer arctic scene.  

 

2 Completing the build out of the deck. Some comedy here as I did a few things twice. 

• ·         Here I saw on the model plans and new photos a rail to build around the binnacle.   so, I started soldering little eyes onto 1/16 tube

·         Looking at the is image found at BRHS archives there are a few details that caught my I.   this is 1928 as I recall.  

o   There is no rail around the binnacle....I will use the parts somewhere i am sure.

o  The deck is gray and white aft of the wheel. I believe this photo is after refit so the paint is new.

o   There is no big box to port of the wheel like on the model kit plan…..other photos confirm this point too.

o   The front of the wheel box is open and the shaft and emergency tiller bracket etc are visible.  

·         These are some of the things I like to pick up and add to the build

·         Next up is the skylight hatch cover over the hold.  I had built it a few years back with pins

·         Here in a photo from the BRHS archive from the 30’s we see crew standing on it. Thus, it was lower and had more bars.

·         I found this thread method a challenge. I thought I would try what I learned reading a recent blog on one of the Charles Morgan builds…..use thread for the rails.  It was very hard the first time.

·         Here are the first results side by side.  I took this problem to our guild meeting and was advised to stop using bass wood for this type of detailing.   So, I am moving toward learning to mill some pear or other harder wood.  Someday I may remake this with better wood and learn a better method to stretch and hold the threads.

·         Also, just to carry on, I decided to rebuild the rudder box to include an open front and visible shaft.

 

Cheers

Time for an update

we just got a new puppy so time is tough......

 

study the standing rigging and spars

 

post 3

 

It has gone slow here as I am focused on learning as much as I can about the original Bowdoin fit out and arctic ventures. I don’t want to build and remove too many things, though I am sure they are coming.   I have spent three sessions at the Boothbay region Historical Society[ BRHS in credits]  and reviewed many visuals, clippings and most importantly a copy of the William Hand drawings.  I will share few cropped details from the research to make some points, but want the archive of the museum to stay where it belongs. 

 

Last Saturday I took the Bluejacket plan with me to do a comparison and see what I could learn.  An example of issues is the following

• ·        
• In this photo I took a few years back in the harbor, one sees on the new Bowdoin rig that the forestay attaches to a pipe just inches forward of the Bitts.   On the Bluejacket plan the attachment of the forestay is about three feet forward.   So……..

 

Looking at the original Sail plan at the BRHS museum, I found the Bluejacket plan to be right on for what must have been the original layout.  It is nice to see that many years ago, the Bluejacket team used the real deal to make the kit.    The fore stay drops to the deck some three feet forward of the bitts on both Bluejacket and original plans.  That makes it easy for me to model but raises a question.  In which one of the re-rigging jobs of the Bowdoin did they move the windlass and bitts forward or fore stay aft??????    

 

At a yacht club function last week with some real blue water sailors, and no less than the current generation of the  of family that built of Bowdoin I could not resist asking for an opinion.    The consensus was the heavy winds took that big jumbo and made it hard to manage.  Some years ago the must have brought the stay a bit aft to reduce the sail.  It is unlikely that the winch or bitts were ever moved.   Hopefully the Bowdoin will be around in June and sail in here as part of Windjammers days , so we can find the crew and ask them to measure this point.   I had fun doing that with Bluenose in Lunenburg, and yes there are a few differences on Bluenose too.

 

One great benefit on Saturday was I was able to copy the original 1920 notes on the rigging design giving specifications of all standing and running rigging.   I was curious if the spreaders were wood or painted steel.   Well originally at least they were dark and made of Oak.    More importantly I learned all the shrouds and fore stays were galvanized. The forestay is also a little larger than the others

 

• 
• Here is a cropping from a photo take after a re rigging I found at BHHS.   Note the shiny galvanized shrouds……..so it's time to get the rigging and spars moving, and I need to consider options for galvanized.   Unlike the larger Pond yachts, we don’t have enough strength to stretch real cable, so we need thread.  Again, to get the right sizes we are beyond the Joann stock pile.  Minor adjustments using the original circumference allowed using the Bluejacket sizing in cotton. There is no spinning like the larger lines, but the cotton might take paint.   I used their 020 for the shrouds and 025 for the head stays.

·        

Here I took both the original drawing and developed all the bands.  There is another anomaly.  On the original plan they suggest a becket style bridle in galvanized wire hangs from above the spreader to hold the throat blocks.    There is too much photographic evidence showing the two bands needed for a forged crane to hold the throat halyard block and this is what I am modeling.    Another oops is coming however….

·        

Here I have used aluminum paint to replicate old galvanized as I did on the Charles Notman. 

I have been experimenting…..and looking at others builds.    I don’t see much galvanized and again one must think of the look after a few winters in the arctic…….I am thinking more gray than shiny

·        

First of all let’s make the shrouds.  I am using a serving machine and completing each loop and started hanging them.   Here is my oops.   If I install the crane, it goes over the loops.   Therefore, it must somehow let the shrouds come off.  For now, I will simply remake them after…. So, we have another question for the crew.

·        

Here is low light view one of galvanized against aluminum, medium and light gray painted thread.   Painting the cotton is hard to get cover and even.  If I get the color right I am still looking for colored threads. here I hate the black shoping through.  after more coats it reduces an I like just a little.  It shows dirt soot what ever it just was like that.

·        

Here is the same view in more light

·        

Here we turn things and have lower light

·        

Here we turn up the light

I am going slow as I have ordered two different metallec silver embroidery threads to try.   But I say in this comparison, the aluminum on the left is out.   I am somewhere between the other two.   I am also not sure it should be too monochromatic [ if that is a word].

I put some in place and now have some silver metallic line to play with.

·        

Here we see two fore stays, one in silver and one in grey painted cotton in low light

·        

Here we see both in higher light.   Looks like tinsel to me

·        

Here we see a bridle made up using the metallic embroidery line, When I cut it, it unspins.  It does not receive the serving well and I will have to touch that up with black paint.   like this view though

·        

Here we have lots of day light.  It really shines...i think too much shine....maybe I think too much

·        

Here we see both masts.  One head stay and the two-port side main shrouds are silver and the rest are motley painted cotton. 

 

Fortunately, I have a little while to decide. I have another metallic line coming. Maybe it will be more robust and workable.  If not, I am getting there in color.   I am also looking for gray large thread, but  I alternated the light and medium gray paint to get a more aged motley color on the lines. The paint also stiffens them up a bit. 

 

working on other things right now and will get back to this one soon.

 

cheers 

 

Nic

 

It's great to hear from you.  I recall that while attending your wonderful rigging class about 5 years ago held up in Searsport,   you were kind enough to replace my missing instruction book for the Bowdoin Model I had acquired years earlier.  It was shortly after that class that I completed the Bowdoin hull before moving onto other similar scale schooners and the large Charles Notman.  I'll be ordering a few more pieces to help add on to the detail to reflect an ongoing 1925 ish winter over experience. 

 

I believe your suggestion of Spackle  is a good one, especially  if I want to show the hull totally in ice.   I have two cut out thin plywood sheets and the one with a hole too big might be the trick for my first experiment.  I'll post the results.

 

cheers 

 

jon 

 

 

Rich

 

thanks for the encouragement.  I will continue to follow you and it won't be 30 years before I come back.   I am completing an old model of Bowdoin right now and experimenting on diorama. I started a log for it.     When I come back I hope to make a diorama here too.  I actually bought line drawings to create whales and I plan to try that with Sculpy…..

 

cheers 

start to rebuild the kit

 

post 2

 

I need to first get started with the rework on the model. It has sat on a shelf for years and though an occasional once over with a light vacuum, it is shall we say dusty.

·        

First up is cleaning of the deck.  I believe I used a satin poly on this.  In my preliminary research I am finding a beat-up deck followed by painted decks.   I need to think more about the final decision as to what era I shall try to replicate.  I think this might be water base poly, very hard to remove for staining.

  My guess is the first voyage was just oiled deck as was practice of the day.  In some reading they advised that good old Charlie Hodgdon... [ his history well known around here as the family still operates one of Maine's great Boat building facility]...  took over the line drawings from William Hand and completed the planning of the build that was specific to the needs of the arctic.  I doubt in 1921 a painted deck was on the original launched boat, though by the end of the 1920’s it was clearly gray and white paint.   More on this later in the build.

·        

Next up are the spars.  They were not finished; just roughly shaped and varnished.   First step is to remove all finish to allow staining for the lower masts and shaping for rings etc.

·        

Now to the bottom and the shape needed to install the rudder and propeller.  Lines check out to be ok, but more shaping is needed to get the rudder installed. also i think the bottom paint is a little loud.....will do again I am sure.

 

 

·        

Now my first attempt to build three small dories.   I plan to follow the kit instructions and see how I do.   I know from Bluenose these little guys are very hard to do. base wood just does not like to bend and I have never been able to get fast glue to dry fast.   I have yet to make a dory I like, but must solve that issue.   I first experimented with scan and print and found I got copies the same size, and  for production printed out three sets to make shaping parts easy, especially with eh spindle sander, my new favorite tool.  There are clearly 3 dories on the early trips. They were stacked to port side.  more on e that later.

 

 

Ok off to the diorama stuff.  

·        

I had some scrap 1/8 plywood with teak veneer for my pond yachts that I will never use.   I have no line drawings, so to trace a drawing of the waterline in plan is not available for a starting point.  I used trial and error and the first hole was too big by up to 3/8 in the middle to ok at the ends.   So, I measured the offsets as best as possible and cut out the second one.   If I were going to set the hull in and make wake water or something for a model under sail, or ice for hull in ice, this is OK.   I shall experiment with this version being a sheet of ice. At the same time, I continue to search out the translucent acrylic product.

 

Next up is to collate several visuals I found at the Boothbay Region Historical society.  They are extremely helpful to see how the Bowdoin was rigged in the early days.....stay tuned.  many changes coming......tweaks that is .

 

All for now

Jeff

 

thanks for the tip on the supplier. I will definitely check it out.  I have some templates too that I made in 1/8 plywood so I can play with other options like clear resin over paint and more likely ice.  that would be resin over white paint, maybe some salt...???  

 

I will look into your log too...see you there

 

regards

Gary and Jim

 

thanks for feedback

 

I read a recent article about the resin pour.  That is a great solution for waterline display, and I need to keep that as a possibility.   I was blown away a few years back with the technique of taking translucent acrylic and displaying it either flat or heat bent for a rolling sea, then setting the model so you see both below and above the water. For a whaler one could have fun trying to place a whale next to the boat.   Here I will try an arctic scene, and at this stage am open to experimenting.  

 

It seems that the vendors want to sell either textured clear or colored sheets.  I have four little sample pieces coming of clear textured and a few colors to experiment with making layers. I will then try some amateur coatings.  There may be a peel and stick film that could go on the bottom of the textured sheets too.   These two experiments might be like the clear resin over painted back ground.  I also found a site that offers a 16 inch by 24 inch piece of sea blue textured that might work.  I am just ready to plunge. I want more practice.   I have already cut two attempts of holes through scrap 1/8" plywood. A little trial and error as I stated there are no line drawings included in the kit.   I will share in future post when I get more progress on making the right size hole.  

 

cheers 

Bowdoin in ice display build

 

post 1

 

This build will be my first attempt at a diorama

 

I wanted to start this log to record both the research and the effort to replicate an expedition scene.  It is going to more about studying the ship from 1924-to say 1930,  its expeditions and the making of the overall display rather than only the model itself.  I know I am going to need help.

 

More than 15 years ago, I either bought or was given the Bluejacket model of the Bowdoin. When I stared modeling schooners in about 2012, my first thought was to use the 1:48 kit information as a study and then to build a 1:24 sailing model. [ that is the scale of my Bluenose and it is fun!]   I still may do that,  I just have too many possible projects.

 

I want to use this opportunity to explore more of a diorama display of a type of ship to better learn how it was used.  The Kate Cory build that is now on hold will come back, and I will try to have a whale on the side being treated.    For the Bowdoin I am not sure, but think I want to show her in the ice or afloat next to the ice set up for winter in the arctic. I hope to have this display ready for next summer as a local family store owner wants to make Boothbay Built schooners a feature of their new venue.   I have offered this model up as a backup, as other Bowdoin models may come available. My thought is an icy diorama with the model in it.

 

As I have tried on my other models, I am more about trying to find out how things worked and what they were like in old photos and then try to adjust the model in that direction.  I hope I can carry that off. This log is also for the purpose of documenting those items. The local historical society has tons of visuals to review, and the Donald Macmillan material is all available at Bowdoin College that is only 45 minutes away.  [ in the winter light traffic anyway].  My love of this boat started in 1962.  I was a junior sailing instructor in a summer program in Massachusetts and Donald Macmillan came to talk to us and sell his book. I fortuitously bought an autographed copy that is still in my library. I have read it both years ago and then again more recently as part of my extensive reading about the arctic.

 

So many items will fill in as we go, but to start off …where are we with the actual build? There are just a few old photos that show that in 2012 ish, as I was starting to play with 1:48 scale builds, so I could down size my scale experience to be able build the four masted Schooner Charles Notman.  All I did at that time was to rough out the hull and set up the deck.  I noted that the kit did not require nor include any line drawings.   A few years later as I was researching the Boothbay Harbor One Design at the Boothbay Region Historical society, I found they have a copy of the William Hand design of Bowdoin….I got a copy of the section lines so in the future I could rough out a scaled hull in RC friendly larger scale .    I am told the original drawings of all of Hand’s work is in the Hart Museum at MIT.  In a casual search of their site, I was unable to find them in their data base. If anyone seriously wants them that is a place to go.

 

So to the build…these photos are about about 5  years ago... .

·        

Here I was using the famous bondo glazing putty to smooth out the hull.  Looking at the results 6 years later, I would likely send it back for another few coats. Three days more maybe then would have been great…..oh well.

·        

Here we got some base coats painted and deck stained.

·        

Here we added the bulkhead strips

·        

Here we have the cap rails on and I notice more putty fixing the sides. It seems that for some of us, we can only see those defects after the first base coats of paint.  That is why I stared the filler prime process. …. just spilled milk as they say

·        

Finally, here is furniture partially built or as supplied in the kit in place and we are resting waiting for any action. This roughly represents the amount of deck detail I would include for an RC model.  I have taken what I can find of the unused kit material. Obviously after this much time, it is scattered, so I am sure I will make or reorder what I need. The bell by example is nowhere to be found.

 

What big new thing do I want to learn?

 

……The most urgent modeling method study for this build is to find out where to buy and how to work with textured and tinted Acrylic sheets.  I want to cut out a hole for the boat and maybe a dory.  Then one looks from the side and sees the underwater hull, maybe a fish or two, or even the anchor.    There are several of these in Lunenburg museum and they are stunning.   So far, I only found one source and they need about $50 for one sheet about the right size.  That’s fine if it is right, but I need to practice.   I looked all over MSW and was unsuccessful finding any articles or logs  that jumped out at me.   Anyway that study and experiments will be part of this build…..also how to make ice?  then if i get brave or find some help make people and dogs.  all in time.

 

Cheers  

 

jon   

This post is to record an unplanned but wonderful delay in this build.  A local vendor in town has decided to celebrate Boothbay schooners in his new maritime focused store. The focus shall aim at those Schooners built in Boothbay.  As stated multiple times in my previous builds, both studying and modeling these locally built boats has been my desire for years.   Charles Notman was built as a prototype for building some of the 12 big 4 masted schooners built here [ 20 in the county] near the end of the schooner development in 1921.  The Maine Ice industry use of schooners and wintertime labor was also a big part of our local history including a 500-foot-long dock feeding up to 4 schooners at a time in the harbor.    The great sardine fleets, locally built packet brigs and barks  etc. So what does that mean…….

 

These whalers will be on the shelf for some time. Similar sized packet brigs were built here at the same time as the whalers, so who knows what will happen.     I will return to spruce up Charles Notman as I am scheduled to talk about the big schooners next summer, and there are several items to be completed and fixed.    I shall rebuild and complete Bowdoin hopefully in my first diorama, build a Pinky in 1:24 scale etc. etc. 

Anyway my other logs will get updates and I will switch to a new one on Bowdoin as that was a first item to get done,

 

so as we  pick up this project…

 

• Here we see I partially completed my first attempt at copper tape on a bottom.   My approach when I got to this stage was to order another roll.    I must say the challenge of using this tape is real.  It just does not like to easily stick.    I will likely remove it all, sand and smooth up the finish with several more coats of buffed varnish.   A lesson to learned it needs to be very smooth to hold.
• Here we see a supply of mock up barrels I bought.  I plan to figure out how to make them, as a dock side or even at sea rendering scene would need many, and in that case they should be home made. Also I want to learn to make some hollow ones on the lathe.   So much to do!
• Finally, here we are resting on the shelf. All loose materials, plans and notes back in the box.   Not to be forgotten

so Bowdoin is next up

 

All for now...we shall return

Rich

 

good to see you making progress.  The dories look great.   I have been hit by a great opportunity to get back into schooners, so my kate cory will be on hold for a few months...… I'll post about it later this week.   It's a   funny thing however, I immediately have to build three dories for the Bowdoin …...oh well .    

 

I believe a guide to measuring an amount of added detail is the comfort of getting ones thumbs stuck trying to get that next little part attached.    If they , the thumbs that is,  can get in and out, it's fun to keep going.   example...I love your cleats.  

 

cheers 

i wanted to get to a stopping point as diversions have  come up including a trip west.   

 

I am reasonably happy with the rough paint job.  It is not the last however.  I assume working the bottom and getting the bow sprit done will get me to a point to focus on redoing and finishing that process.   I got advice on using foam sanding sponges after the first painting on small surfaces like the whale boats.    This small scale is giving me hair like fibers of the wood, dust and roughness and I need to learn to deal with it.   Using a scalpel for cutting has helped a lot.   Good by x-acto knives.   I have also read in a recent blog that working with bass wood at this scale it is necessary to get one coat on and then final sanding.  I look forward to trying it.  The small whalers all need that on there outer planking. 

 

I went outside and took four pictures with normal lens and four with wide angle to suck in more color and add perspective.  These photos show me so many defects that I know I have a way to go, but also the wonderful early fall season.  

 

As photography is part of learning how to do these logs, I find it interesting as I go back and forth with a 60 MM macro that on FD nikon that  is really 90 MM and a 24 MM I keep on the FX body, so it stays at 24 MM...    I really see differences.  My photos have a long way to go though, and it's fun to try things out.

 

here are 4 with normal lens..  at 90 MM the images seem flat. I set the aperture on max to improve the field but outside i would be better to reduce it and loose the background.

 

 

and here  4 views with the 24 MM shot on auto.   the exaggerated perspective and deep field in focus is interesting. 

 

anyway I am off to cowboy-land for a bit.   I just tried the copper bottom tape and wow I have a lot to learn when I get back

 

cheers 

 

 

Mike

 

I am slow right now as our actual sailing season ends, boat just out of the water, and we will take a trip west for a few weeks.  When back I plan to move along and the boats will become different.

 

I want one boat to be working at sea. I found a site that sells plans for keel and bulkhead lines of whales.  I think if I make the mold and fill it with sculpy I might make a whale.  I have a sheet of lexan and may cut it out at waterline for Kc and a whale by her side and a small boat in the water. If bad I can just trash it.  I have many visuals in books showing the process.  I believe in the brig they may have rigged a storm staysail in place of the furled Main. I say that because the fishing schooners did that.  There maybe a main staysail and a jib set.. Not sure but lots of fun studying

 

Boat two......pavilion has fore sail like a schooner. I will likely have it sailing with bulkhead closed, or do a dockside showing unloading of barrels.   lots to think about . This will be first attempt of diorama l keep looking for build logs on making thin waterline so you above and below water. There are some incredible examples in lunenberg museum …..I consider the opportunity here low risk practice and learning before I try charles morgan next year.

 

Cheers

 

I  have some more work to get done before starting the copper bottom …I think.  I am not sure what is right. The top gallant rail is not too strong and they include all of this in the books as the first phase.  They are not too clear about when and how to do the bottom.  

 

 

·         My favorite adventure so far is getting these cheek knees installed.   We are slowly getting there…maybe. each time I look I want to make them smaller.

·         The top gallant rail and “rooster tails”.    I already  knocked them off once, so maybe this is out of sequence.  I decided so far not to so the knight heads and buffalo rail until after the bottom is on, as I like removing the bowsprit.   I made a little cut out piece that goes in after the knight heads that I will cut through the cap rail for strength.

·         The cutaway bulkhead is the first fun piece. 

·         Second boat cheeks

·         Top gallant on stern

·         Hawser pipe surrounds

·         Sanding of wales and cheeks ready for trial painting

·         Bulkhead installed for sailing

·         Bulkhead from inside boat two.  One of these brigs will have it open and stored….not sure where but that’s a plan at least. it would clearly block access to the pin rails if just to one side.  

 

 

I am going to do a first paint out to see what we have. I expect damage during copper so I will save touch of then.  

 

All for know

Off to the Downeast Shipmodelers Guild

 

 

Both models cleaned up ok but are still very rough and have a whaler on board in first the planned color schemes.

·         Here we are after lunch sitting around the table

·         I shared three of the 12 books I have for this build and a few tales of the amazing travels of little 75-80 foot brigs.

·         …Whales Ships and Whaling   by Church        is listed in several build logs as a great collection of visuals for anyone taking this venture.   Men and Whales by Ellis is simply amazing.  I plan on it being s great winter read. it is encyclopedic in its approach and scope. I also took the Pavilion book I mentioned in an earlier post. I will list all the books in my research as we go along. 

 

 After we got over the banter about how I was going to sail such small models [ my recent previous builds all were sailable] we got into painting skills for these static models and how to display in water.    I learned to keep working in artist acrylic paint but when ready, and before rigging, spray on clear coat to fill in and get a much smoother finish.  We talked about water display, but I’ll hold that for future discussion. 

 

Back in the shop

 

 

I needed to finish the basic work to get above becks done to be beyond any rough handling. Then  I can begin my first attempt at a copper bottom.   

·         First up is to get hawser pipes done. I went around a bit trying to select a chain size for this new scale to me of 1:64.   A settled on 15 per inch but want to know more.  This is not a three masted bark, but a under 80-foot brig. That choice gave me the pipe size.   I have also started my third attempt to build the cheek knees. They may be ugly, but we’ll get there I hope.

·         I decided to put on the wales.  I had hesitated because I am not sure how it works with ending the copper about 1/16th inch below.  I feel comfortable pinning to the solid hull, as I can fill the pin holes before painting.

·         I am guessing that the pads around the masts were the same oiled material as the normal deck and not the light pine sheathing.  

·          I temporarily strung some chain to check it out.   Also, I notice others have modeled with chains on both sides.   Considering the primitive windless I can not image sending out hundreds of feet of chain.   The choice of rope however would have lightened the load involved with hand cranking.  Anyway, I will continue with what is shown on plans and study to see if lines were used for deeper waters. perhaps they simply did not plan to anchor in anything very deep.

 

All for now

Cheers

It is time to get ready for the first sharing of this project with our local Modeling group.  The Downeast Shipmodeler’s Guild meets monthly at or near the Maine Maritime Museum. We have some good builders in a very diverse spectrum, and I always learn something new.

 

·         I have added ceilings and seats in some of the whalers and needed to get paint in them before it was too late.  I was experimenting with yellow and tan and light gray at this point

·         So a few days before the meeting I put my things together getting ready for the meeting

I decided that I needed to get more done so I could better discuss the color issues on the main hulls and I think I should get more paint on the whalers so let’s go

·         Here is second attempt on the cheek knees.  Following the book, I am working on building them 1/16 thick through lamination.    I had to put this on hold since not enough time.

·         I wanted to put on the cap rails and get a white coat on them.  For the transom I laminated two sheets to get the arch.

·         Here the second sheet fills in

·         For the bow I made split pieces and just love this new tool. 

Switching to a spindle I made four of these pieces in about ten minutes

·         Here we are one evening with cap rail on….note another oops.  Here on KN I ran the starboard cap rail all the way forward, so it would take the small bend after wetting in ammonia water solution.  On Pav I wanted to use a scrap piece, so I cut it at the side opening.  It was then impossible for the forward piece

·         Overnight I had to bend a soaked piece to complete the rail

Now we are ready to go see how we are doing.

 

Off to the guild

 

cheers 

I just made a successful trip to Michaels I hope to get some new paints…

 

·         The tube on the right shows a color I liked.  It came from the local store and produced the very dark green. I guess you cannot tell paint form the cover. the oily mess is rthe bottle that came in one of theold kits....ugly.  the next sea green is too gray and the xmas green just awful.

·         I painted all the greens I bought at Michaels and settled on this one….some kind of mossy meadow. Also we're getting near the top on the bow planking.  several repairs in the near future I see in the photo

·         Here I am on the outside of Pavilion adding the anchor hawser holes.  I need to find them and the wales line up so I can design the cheek knees.  

·         This is my first unsuccessful attempt to build cheek knees for the bow stem.  I must say the plans to do not show them and the instructions show nice diagram but no dimensions.    

It’s time to figure out the decks on Pavilion.

·        

Here I am showing the colored deck from KC.  The KC build as of now  is to be 'newish'...the brig only lasted a few years.  I want Pavilion to be old because she was converted to whaling after 8 years and whaled for nearly 25 years.  Let’s experiment and come back to this one.

·         I believe I am showing 'newish' deck here in the bow area and very new sheathing

·         Now it’s time to add the exterior wales

·         Here we have the first deck in place

 

 

all for now 

it is a nice way to end the summer.....or should I say it's a nice way to begin the fall.  She looks great and I look forward to your copper bottom job.  I have never done that and look forward to the lesson.

 

cheers 

I want to share some more progress on the eight whalers and two main hull topsides.

 

I am starting on the slippery slope of finding the level of detail for the whalers.  As this is my first attempt, I am holding back my expectation.  I also need to make decision on the coloring for Pavilion.  The older photos I see in books, and the more paintings I see also in the whaling books, I find the boats to often be white on the outside.  So, this is something easy to change but as I start, they will be white. 

·         The beauty of doing many of these little boats is that by the third one in, I begin to get the hang of it.  Here on the early boat I cut the wet keel to the right size and fitted it into the stem and pinched it with the clamp to dry before gluing.   By boat three I learned to keep the wet keel about .5-inch-long at each end and bend it down past the stem and tape it to dry.  Faster and better fit after drying out.

·         Here we have the assembly line.  ceilings on the left, keels in the center and the last stems and gunnels are on the right

·         Now we need the bow chocks. Here they are being shaped. Also, the sole and ribs are  in and we are awaiting the ceiling planks

• here we see the first painting experiment on the the whalers

 

Back to our hulls.  I have been to the local arts store and found a paint that on the cover looked good……but

 

·         The KC will carry on with the green theme and Pavilion will be older and in the black and white theme.  Now for the decks.....I have taken the two deck materials and tried to get the color right.  I learned the hard way that if decking is veneer or even 1/32 inch, it is better to stain and/or to add one coat of hand rubbed poly before introducing any glue.  Even with water rinse I have failed in the past to keep all glue away from the surface and there is not enough wood to deep sand for stain.  It is I and not the process on this one…So here is color scheme for KC decking.

·         It’s time to get the anchor holes roughed in, so we can work around them.  Also, one hole was off and easier to patch up and re-drill now than later.

·         I have cut through for the bow sprit started the inside planking of the bow. 

·         Here on KC we see some bow planking in place and the first local shop artist paint……too dark for me so off to Michael's…a 50-mile trip

·         Working our way up the inside of the bow gets very tricky for the ceiling planking. Fortunately, with a painted finish, I can use pins and then patch and paint. here i tried gray but have voted it down since I saw white in old photos.

·         The transom is much easier to do. You can see all the experimental painting on the bulkheads.  This will be solved soon.

All for now

cheers 

 

I am enjoying this build as I start my first whalers. I have eight little whalers and having this same kit on my shelf gives an incredible amount of information through the plans. I hope to build this next year.  I look forward to seeing you work through the issues

Cheers

Jon

 

 

Now the first big oops….

·         back in the shop looking at the results it does not take long to see the affects of the swinging line.  The water line crept up.   I have sanded and re-masked for painting

·         Proving it was the string we find the same problem at the other end

·         And yes, both ships needed the rework…. back to the garage

Now it is time to start finding the color scheme of the decks of the two brigs.  I have now read the book on pavilion.  Great story and amazing travel log. She made it to the pacific and ultimate found her demise in the North Arctic sea.   This was pre GPS and only a 79 foot ship….wow

• Just before this primer, I started to add the interior planking to the transom.

·         Before planking the bow area, I tried an experiment.  I had some scrap poly styrene and it bent with some convincing to make a replication of the water way.    

·         The documentation all lead Kate to have a green theme so to speak.  The only green in my shop was meant for Christmas decorations so I used it for a primer. As to Pavilion I am comfortable that the bulkhead of the packet ships often had white. I am collecting photo samples to rationalize that from the whaling books.  The water ways and other hatch beams were likely dark and for now gray is an easy option.     More on this to come in my search.

·     

Back to the whalers

·         The final 4 whale boats were able to get through the shaping stage efficiently.  

·         Here I put in place the seat lift as provided in one of the kits to take a look.   I choose not to use these seats and cut them all out.

·         Here I took the smaller lift and marked the bottom to help guiding the rough sanding

·         Now we need to get stems in place.   I cut grooves bow and stern and cut out the pieces to glue in.  Once the fit is right [ it took several ties] , I just made 14 more so I could get them on easily.

·         Here boat #1 is glued up and boat t#2 has the groove.

 

working away

 

cheers