America 1851 by mojofilter - FINISHED - Mamoli - Scale 1:66 - First wooden ship build

[mojofilter]

So I attempted the lower bowsprit rigging - don't like it.

I used the plan's sizes for the blocks and line; 4mm blocks and .4mm stay lines and .25mm for the draw (?) lines.  Too big.  Scale size for the blocks would be about 10.4" long.  Plus the line seizing is ratty.

 

 

Now, there was a time, before I started seeing all of the fine work you folks do, that this would have been good enough.

The bar has been set higher.  Dang you guys!

I will tear it all off and redo using Syren's 1/8" blocks, and .3mm stay lines, and .2mm working lines.

[mojofilter]

Also, looking at the blocks on the cap rails (I think they're for running rigging), they look crappy too.  These are from the Mamoli kit - before I discovered Syren's beautiful blocks.  They come off too.

Gonna have to stop this at some point or she'll be stripped to her scuppers

 

- Tim

[hamilton]

Hi Tim:

 

Yes Mamoli's blocks are way too big - I used Syren's 1/8" for the sheet blocks on the caprails (haven't updated my log recently) and have adjusted the size of all the blocks on my rigging plan. Strangely, Mamoli's plans seem to indicate much smaller blocks than the ones they provide....I have a stock of Syren's 1/8" and 3/32" blocks from another build, but I don't think I'll go smaller than 1/8 for this build....I've widened the sheave holes slightly on the blocks to facilitate the passage of the lines - I would recommend doing this for each block prior to adding strops and seizing lines.

 

As for the fuzziness there are a couple of solutions. A tried and true one is to run the line through wax pastels of an appropriate colour (these should be available at Michaels or at an art supply store). Another option is to use Syren's rigging thread, which does not fray and handles very nicely. I'm saving the Syren thread I have for a future build (though I'll have to buy more), and will probably go with option 1 for the America......

 

Anyway, I think the bowsprit rigging looks great - the issues you point out notwithstanding. Looking forward to seeing more progress

hamilton

[mojofilter]

So I cut off the bowsprit rigging but have not gotten around to re-rigging with the Syren 1/8" blocks and line.  I would also like to replace all the Mamoli-supplied blocks with Syren blocks but this will be difficult.  The deck and handrail mounted blocks were wrapped and seized to the brass eyelets and then glued into little holes with CA glue. Re-wrapping the Syren blocks to the glued down pins will be a challenge.  I will get to it but summer seems to be getting in the way.  The other big distraction from this critical ship building job is the new wood shop in the back yard   12' x 24' with 10' ceilings.  Been waiting a long time for this.  One of the very first projects will be a walnut and glass case for America, that will sit on a dedicated display stand.  I saw somewhere on this site where a gentleman had made drawers in his stand where he placed the kit drawings and reference books for his model.

Speaking of reference books . . .

[mojofilter]

As I mentioned before, I found a truly great reference to the Schooner Yacht America.  It is THE LOW BLACK SCHOONER YACHT AMERICA  1851-1945 by John Rousmaniere.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone building America as it has some detailed history, descriptions, paintings and even some photographs from her later years.

While you should buy the book yourself, I will point out some things I've learned here for the potential benefit of some folks who are in the middle of their America build.

• While the Mamoli kit indicates three shroud lines to the mainmast (actually two to the step of the topmast and one to the top end of the topmast), none of the paintings of photographs show this.  Only two shrouds to the topmast step - nothing above that.  Nevertheless, I like the look of the topmast shroud so it stays.
• It is said that as designed, she had a gaff topsail over her mainsail but it was never built.  She only carried three sails; a boomed mainsail, a boomless foresail, and a single boomless jib.  The Mamoli kit has the gaff topsail rigging, and jib boom and its sail used at the beginning of the Isle of Wight race, which was "carried away" during the race.  In a refit in 1875 she was fitted with a top foremast and flew two gaff topsails.
• Her masts were designed to have "extreme rake".  2 3/4" per foot.  That's ~12.9 degrees. I don't know if that is off the keel or the waterline. I have seen drawings & paintings with more and less than that.  Evidently in 1885 she was stepped with masts forward of plumb(?!?) -
• The rope headstay was 10" in diameter!  That would scale to 3.85mm.  Evidently wire rope was not yet used (in 1851).
• Her large cockpit was 30' in circumference which is ~6.18' in diameter.  She was originally fitted with a long tiller but early photographs show her with a wheel.
• Her deck was 3" white oak (not teak like I always thought).
• Bulwarks were 13" high at the afterdeck step, and 20" high for the forward deck.

The book is crammed with race history and Civil War history.  Pretty cheap too.

[hamilton]

Sounds like a really great reference Tim - thanks for posting these details - would love to see some pics of your progress too! 

hamilton

[mojofilter]

Checking back into the site, I find that Hamilton has finished his America.  She is beautiful and an inspiration to get mine back to the kitchen table.  The big distraction was the new wood shop, which is now nearing completion.  Benches and shelves etc. are all that's left.  Doubt I will have the shipyard out there, but the sawdust-making power tools will be (much to the Admiral's relief).

I need to re-investigate sail cloth as the material that came with the Mamoli kit is way too course.  Still debating . . . 

[hamilton]

Hi Tim:

 

Thanks for your very kind words!! Sorry to see no photos here! Though I'm excited to read that you're going for the sails - did I not read earlier that you were thinking of leaving them off? The sails really do make the model....this model anyway....

 

I did not use Mamoli's cloth since I found it too stretchy and could not get a straight stitch into it. I went to the local sewing supply shop and with the help of some very nice experts at the store I sourced some raw cotton muslin - thin but tough with a tight weave and not a lot of stretch in it - also more or less the right colour to pass for canvas. It is likely out of scale for the build - certainly the tan upholstery thread I used for stitching is out of scale - but I like the effect, so I won't mind too much....My sail-making process does not net the cleanest results.....Looking forward to seeing what you do

hamilton

[mojofilter]

Well the new wood shop is finished so finally some time back at the shipyard.

Finished the bowsprit rigging.

 

 

Now on the the rest of the rigging.

Need to decide on what running rigging I will put up.

I have decided against sails.  I'm not good enough to pull it off.  Plus I think it would cover too much of the rigging detail.

Although Hamilton did a beautiful job on his sails.  I may try on the Cutty Sark (next build).

 

More soon.

Edited December 17, 2016 by mojofilter

[Elijah]

Very nice job with the rigging! She is looking fantastic! I'm glad to see you're back!

[EJ_L]

Welcome back! She is looking good and the rigging is fantastic.

[hamilton]

Good to see an update here Tim! She's looking spectacular! I like the optical illusion in one of the photos of the tweezers floating in the bowsprit rigging! Had to widen and narrow my eyes a few times to correct for it! Anyway, the rigging looks great - really brings her to life! Looking forward to more

hamilton

[mojofilter]

I'm trying to decide how to handle the running rigging with no sails.  I figure a lot of it came down with the sails, but it seems that some of it remained up in order to haul sails up.  In dock with sails down (or off), the gaff spars would be down, and I don't want to do that so it won't be a very realistic look.  That's OK - I like the look of all the pretty rigging.  As Slartibartfast said, "I'd far rather be happy than right".

More pics tomorrow.

- Tim

[mojofilter]

There is a flag halyard from the mainsail boom to the end of the gaff that is for a flag.  The one that came with the kit is silly - first, at scale it would be 15' X 10'!  It is also a Betsy Ross style 13 star.  When America was launched in May of 1861, there were 34 states in the union (Kansas I think).  So I suppose a 34 star flag?  Anyone know where I can find an appropriate flag for her?

Thanks,

 

- Tim

[hamilton]

Hi Tim:

 

Here are a couple of pictures of my Glad Tidings to illustrate some running rigging with no sails - peak and throat halliards are included on the gaffs, but you can see they're lowered to deck. Forward I also included the jibsail running rigging (halliard & downhaul anyway).

 

I imagined (perhaps incorrectly) that the gaffs and booms would be lashed together (though this was "modeller's convenience" since I didn't want the gaffs floating free on the horizontal and wagging back and forth). With America this would be tricky with the fore gaff since there's no boom....I'm really not sure how you would fix it, except at the jaws. On some of my early models, I set a small rod at the fwd end of the gaffs and then drilled a hole into the mast to receive it - this would fix the gaff and provide extra support and reduce any lateral movement....Anyway, hope you don't mind me posting the pictures here.....

 

 

 

 

hamilton

[mojofilter]

Hi Hamilton -

Thanks for posting your pictures here - Beautiful job on Glad Tidings!

I believe I'll have the gaffs raised on the masts.  The jib boom and flying jib halliards will also be up.  I know there would be no reason for yacht to ever be in this state, but I like the look of all the rigging up there.

Anyway, getting close.  In the middle of building a base for her - solid walnut with Blue Jacket's brass pedestals.  I've ordered glass for the case.  It will be frameless with a groove to receive the glass.  I should get some pictures of the progress on the base on here.

 

Hope you can get some time on Syren.  Set up the bandsaw in the kitchen and then just vacuum real well 

 

- Tim

[hamilton]

Alright Tim! I've also rigged ships without sails in the way you describe (most recently the Fair Rosamund). I think either way is acceptable.

 

As for Syren - I have had the bandsaw out!! I had to cut a new bulkhead because one of the kit-supplied ones had really bad wood - big old holes in the face of an already-fragile bulkhead extension....the new one works great and is very solid - if I had enough 3/16" ply I'd have remade them all, but I need my supply for the Bluenose when I finally get back to her in the Spring....Syren is slow moving, but I've started on the gunport framing (last night, which was my first night modelling in almost a month!)....anyway, looking forward to more updates here

hamilton

[mojofilter]

Almost done with the faked running rigging.  Just the main sail and top sail "sheets".

The last will be the shroud lanyards.

 

 

Should be ready to put on the stand very soon.

 

- Tim

[hamilton]

Hi Tim:

 

She's looking really great! Nice work on the rigging - the "fake" running rigging shows some interesting set-ups. Well done

hamilton

[flyer]

Hi Tim

 

She is really looking great. Ahem... now that you have nearly finished her, do you already know, where you will apply next those considerable skills you demonstrated?

 

Cheers

peter

[Mirabell61]

nice progress Tim,

 

deck fitting out and rigging look very good  

 

Nils

Edited December 18, 2016 by Mirabell61

[mojofilter]

Thanks Nils!

 

Thanks Hamilton - Interesting is right.  Everything was kinda making some kind of sense until the very end - a few leftover blocks, a few belay pins . . .  Not having a sea-fareing bone in my body, I just winged it.

 

And thanks Peter.  Cutty Sark is under the bench.  1:78 Mantua/Segal - At the risk of crowding the harbor, Maybe next?

 

I'm doing the shroud lanyards tonight.  That should finish her up.  Maybe tidy up some of the rope coils.

Actually the base for America is in work.  The glass for the case will be ready tomorrow.  Going to try a frameless thing using glass glue. No Idea how this will work yet...

 

- Tim

Edited December 18, 2016 by mojofilter

[mojofilter]

FINISHED -  Well, mostly.

Still need a flag.  Decided I could go with anything between 1851 and 1863 (civil war - should be a common model flag).  No idea where to get one.

I'm going to have a brass plaque made for the base.  The glass for the case arrived missing one panel.  Supposed to be here tomorrow.

 

I have learned so much on this build.  As I said at the beginning, this is my first wooden model.

I know that my America leaves a lot to be desired in terms of accuracy, but the experience has been priceless to me.  Hopefully my next build will benefit from all the mistakes I've made here.

The forum is GREAT!!  You folks have been a great source of knowledge.

A personal shout out to Hamilton - awesome craftsman!  Thanks for your guidance and inspiration!  Looking forward to seeing progress on Syren and Bluenose.

 

I'll post pictures once the case is finished.  Until then, here is how she turned out:

 

 

Cutty Sark will begin when I catch my breath.  In the meantime, the Admiral gets her dining room table back.

 

- Tim

Edited December 21, 2016 by mojofilter

[flyer]

Congratulations Tim. A very nice corner stone for a great fleet, I'm sure (even if that allegory is a bit listing). To the Cutty Sark and beyond! I'm looking forward to that build log.

 

Keep up the good work

peter

[EJ_L]

Well done indeed! A beautiful ship and something to be very proud of. Now you get to enjoy that feeling of completing a ship. Sit back, have a drink and let the tension from building her fall away. Now you can just relax and admire her and let your mind start thinking on the next project.

 

As nice as America came out I am looking forward to seeing what you can do with Cutty Sark!

[hamilton]

Excellent work Tim! Love the coppering and the special sans-sails rigging! I'm looking forward to following your Cutty Sark when the time comes - hope you have a great holiday and bye for now!

hamilton

[donrobinson]

Beautiful model Tim, congrats on a job very well done

[mojofilter]

Thank everyone for your kind words.  This will be my final post to this log.

Now I gotta figure out how to move this to "Finished Logs" and maybe post some parting shots to the Gallery.

Hope to see you on my Cutty Sark log.

 

- Tim

 

So - parting shots.

 

[EJ_L]

She looks fantastic in her new home. You have a model to be proud of for sure! See you on the Cutty Sark. 

[hamilton]

Looks great Tim! Looking forward to the Cutty Sark

hamilton