Flying Fish 1851 by Hugh R K - Model Shipways - 1:96 scale - clipper ship

[Hugh R K]

Background

 

I am a retired Professional Civil Engineer. I live with my beautiful wife in Ypsilanti Michigan. I am so glad to have access to this site.  I wanted to create a log of this particular build because it should be the culmination of the last 10 years of ship building. I am 71 and this might be my last ship and I would like to pass on the few things I've learned in the process.

 

I built all of my other ships as "legacy presents" for any of my children that wanted one. So far I've built the 1805 Swift  (I kept that one, I'll give it away after I finish the clipper), the Albatross (I gave that one to my 3rd oldest daughter and husband), the Mayflower  for my oldest son. I converted the Mayflower  into the Golden Hind  and then re-engineered it into Captain Hook's pirate ship the Jolly Roger for my 4th oldest son. I included hand painted sails and flags, hand painted exterior, and cabin and stern lighting with a battery pack in the display mount.

 

The one I am finishing up now is re-"back storied" version of the first Americas Cup Racer. That Billings Boat kit was given to me by a friend who found it in the trash.  I'm including a complete set of working navigational lights.  I am giving this to my fifth oldest son. I am going to keep the Clipper and my heirs can work out who gets it after I am dead.

 

Captains Log Flying Fish build-Preliminary Notes 

 

I am super stoked about this set of plans. I have to say though that this is the first set of instructions, unlike the 5 that I've previously done, that actually scared me when I first looked at them.

 

I really love the fact that everything is in nautical terms. I had to acquire a nautical dictionary to interpret them.They are completely dimensioned for the full size ship as researched and contain a lot of details I've never seen before except on board real square riggers.

 

I plan on rigging it with sails which is a level up in terms of the challenge, because I have to create the patterns to scale for each of those I plan to install. I am probably going to have some partially furled and some fully furled.  I have to do a little more research to learn what would have been a realistic sail arrangement so as to retain some semblance of what would have been done in a particular weather condition. I also think I am going to construct the fished fore and main lower masts.  That detail should look really cool.

 

The other thing is that the full cross section provides lower deck position and structural details which I am going to include with open companion ways and hatches to provide visual access to these lower areas of the ship.  I've already laid out the cutouts of the various bulkheads  where I plan to create those lower deck portions. I also think i am going to add ballast so it has a more realistic heft.

 

I haven't decided if I am going to build the ships boats from scratch yet.  I've done it before (hand carved oars, etc.) and completely outfitted them on the other models where appropriate. Done correctly they should be awesome. I'll wait and see. They are a long way off.

 

I've already started accumulating jewelry making tools to make the 1:96 scale iron work pieces. Because I am so slow, I figure that will add at least 3 months to the build time.

 

I plan on doing all of the spars, masts, cross trees and mastheads, iron work, etc. installing all of the foot ropes and jack stays etc. first and set it all aside until they are ready for installation. This will give me a good way to check the dimensions of the sails I will be making. I plan to do the same with all of the other deck houses, and "on deck" equipment.  I should learn a lot through that process.The figurehead that comes with the kit is pretty wonky.  I have already redesigned one that I like better.

 

3 Feb 2017

After 3 days I have the bones of the fore and main masts completed.  Details and dimensions are sparse in the plans that are provided.  I’ve decided to go metric for ease and precision of measuring.  Since many dimensions given are in actual feet, they have to be brought down to scale and then converted into millimeters. I sketched and dimensioned these details prior to making and setting each part. I think I will include my design detail sheets here since they may help someone else later.

This sounds tiresome but it provides a period of pondering and planning that is helpful in making sure I understand all that I am about to do.

When I built my first ship, the Swift, I looked at a video that someone had done the best advice I got from that sure applied to today.  That advice was to enjoy the process. The mistakes and breakage etc. are all part of this. I love the challenge of working through the design when the plans and instructions fall short or are in error.  I also enjoy engineering fixes when I mess up.

In the last 2 days I broke three provided parts out of the 40 some parts, and had to replace or repair them. I had to redo 3 masts, and it took at least 8 iterations to make the Trestle trees for the fore lower and top cross trees. That was because I lapped all the joints and at that size they break easily.  I can’t wait to see how the mizzen mast is going to go. 

I am going to try using wood filler for the wedges on the masts and then carve it out to the shape shown on the plans.

[popeye the sailor]

what kit did you buy?   it sounds like your already hatching out the plans for a scratch build.   looking forward in seeing the first cloud of sawdust.  it will be nice to see another clipper being built  

[Lucius Molchany]

He probably means tge Model Shipways Flying Fish kit,a Donald Mckay built clipper.

[rsposito]

Hi Hugh,

I'm also a retired Civil Engineer,and amazingly, I started a Flying Fish about three years ago. It was my second kit. After about a year I had to abandon the project because I had made too many mistakes on it; it was over my head as a builder. Since then,I have completed a Civil War Pilot boat and am currently working on the Mayflower and Corel's Shenandoah. These are going much better.Good luck with the "Fish" and don't worry about your age, I'm 76 and still going strong; shipbuilding is one of the fun things that keeps me going !

[Tigersteve]

Look forward to learning from you!

Steve

[Hugh R K]

Thanks for the feed back.  This should be fun!!!  I'll post some pics of the boats I've built.

[Hugh R K]

it is the Model Shipways pile of wood  I am thinking more toward as much scratch build as I can.  Fortunately up to now i have wangled my way through my mistakes.  I took the Mayflower to Paris where we lived for 6 months.  I didn't pack it well enough and smashed the entire bow section.  It sat on a shelf as a wreck until I got it home and was able reconstruct all of the damaged areas.  I'll show you when i get some photos.  

[EJ_L]

Would love to see pictures of your other ships!

Sounds like you are already familiar and comfortable with scratch building and kit bashing so I am looking forward to seeing what you do with this kit. Got my seat early and ready to watch!

[rwiederrich]

 

Background

 

I am a retired Professional Civil Engineer. I live with my beautiful wife in Ypsilanti Michigan. I am so glad to have access to this site.  I wanted to create a log of this particular build because it should be the culmination of the last 10 years of ship building. I am 71 and this might be my last ship and I would like to pass on the few things I've learned in the process.

 

I built all of my other ships as "legacy presents" for any of my children that wanted one. So far I've built the 1805 Swift  (I kept that one, I'll give it away after I finish the clipper), the Albatross (I gave that one to my 3rd oldest daughter and husband), the Mayflower  for my oldest son. I converted the Mayflower  into the Golden Hind  and then re-engineered it into Captain Hook's pirate ship the Jolly Roger for my 4th oldest son. I included hand painted sails and flags, hand painted exterior, and cabin and stern lighting with a battery pack in the display mount.

 

The one I am finishing up now is re-"back storied" version of the first Americas Cup Racer. That Billings Boat kit was given to me by a friend who found it in the trash.  I'm including a complete set of working navigational lights.  I am giving this to my fifth oldest son. I am going to keep the Clipper and my heirs can work out who gets it after I am dead.

 

Captains Log Flying Fish build-Preliminary Notes 

 

I am super stoked about this set of plans. I have to say though that this is the first set of instructions, unlike the 5 that I've previously done, that actually scared me when I first looked at them.

 

I really love the fact that everything is in nautical terms. I had to acquire a nautical dictionary to interpret them.They are completely dimensioned for the full size ship as researched and contain a lot of details I've never seen before except on board real square riggers.

 

I plan on rigging it with sails which is a level up in terms of the challenge, because I have to create the patterns to scale for each of those I plan to install. I am probably going to have some partially furled and some fully furled.  I have to do a little more research to learn what would have been a realistic sail arrangement so as to retain some semblance of what would have been done in a particular weather condition. I also think I am going to construct the fished fore and main lower masts.  That detail should look really cool.

 

The other thing is that the full cross section provides lower deck position and structural details which I am going to include with open companion ways and hatches to provide visual access to these lower areas of the ship.  I've already laid out the cutouts of the various bulkheads  where I plan to create those lower deck portions. I also think i am going to add ballast so it has a more realistic heft.

 

I haven't decided if I am going to build the ships boats from scratch yet.  I've done it before (hand carved oars, etc.) and completely outfitted them on the other models where appropriate. Done correctly they should be awesome. I'll wait and see. They are a long way off.

 

I've already started accumulating jewelry making tools to make the 1:96 scale iron work pieces. Because I am so slow, I figure that will add at least 3 months to the build time.

 

I plan on doing all of the spars, masts, crosstrees and mastheads, iron work, etc. installing all of the footropes and jackstays etc. first and set it all aside until they are ready for installation. This will give me a good way to check the dimensions of the sails I will be making. I plan to do the same with all of the other deck houses, and "on deck" equipment.  I should learn a lot through that process.The figurehead that comes with the kit is pretty wonky.  I have already redesigned one that I like better

 

 

 

Fantastic Hugh...I love Donald McKay clippers..He's my favorite builder of these magnificent ships .  I will be watching your log with anticipation.  Good luck and fair winds.

 

Rob

[Lucius Molchany]

Yes this should be an interesting one!

[luteguy]

I built the Model Shipways Flying Fish over a period of five years many years ago. I went all out on the details with the deck house all fitted out with all of the furniture such as bunks and tables. The galley stove has pots cooking. I stopped building when I got to the main mast standing rigging. I am just this year working on the Fish again. I am planning to to do the after cabin what I did on the deck house. I could do a build log on this ship if anyone is interested. Oh yeah--- I also left off some of the larboard hull planking to show the tween deck.

Sterling

[popeye the sailor]

sounds like a good idea luteguy.........don't think there are too many logs on this particular ship.

[Tigersteve]

Is this project still in the works?

Steve

[LHS]

I like to read on this forum about all of the fantastic ship prosjects out there. I have the same passions to create such a wonderfull ships. I started with this hobby at 12 year im now 46 year. Good luck ships mates with your prosjects.

I need help with my rigging, the fore toppgallant braces on the Flying Fish did the lines frome the block at top goes direktly to starboar pinrail ore is the lines treath into the lubbers holes along the masts and then to pinrails? Apollogase my bad English grammar☺. LHS