Gloucester Fishing Schooner by Alfons - BlueJacket Shipcrafters - scale 1:48 - first build

[Perls]

Hi Alfons,

 

When I went to install my makeshift sheaves in the jib boom, the slots I made were awful. Not only too wide (thus creating very thin side walls), but off center and the sheaves (both BlueJackets and the one I made) had to be forced into the slots. All in all a pretty lame job. I tossed it and decided to start over. Both my wife and daughter thought I should move on and do better on my my next ship, but I've reached a point where I can not accept anything I do, unless it's the best I can do. At this rate I could be a VERY old man before I complete my first build.

 

I've ordered a number of brass sheaves in various sizes and should have them any day. The slots you made on your jib boom are excellent, will you share how you did them?

 

Thanks,

Steve

[Alfons]

Hi Steve.

 

I can fully relate to your concerns about the build taking lots of time. I try to tell myself two things. Firstly, everything I learn during the Smuggler build will be valuable in the future, so it makes sence to develope my techiques as far as possible. Secondly, my finished model will not be judged (mostly by myself..) according to how fast it was completed, but rather how detailed and crisp the ship actually turned out.

 

Futhermore, in my case, rushing things always brings trouble.

 

As for the jib boom, have a look at the following pictures. I made a fixture to which the boom was taped down. I then made a mark at the center of the piece and drilled down the holes with my Dremel. Following that, the piece between the two holes was cut away, and the slot was trimmed using a very small and round file.

 

Hope this helps you out.

 

/Alfons

 

[jpeghiny]

Hello Alfons,

I'm back after a year and a half vacation from model shipbuilding!

We packed up and moved in June of 2014 and my Smuggler is still packed away in a box.

I would like to take her out and get going once the weather gets a little colder and the days a little shorter...

Your Smuggler looks terrific!  Keep up and good work.

Jamie

[Perls]

Hi Jamie,

 

I am so glad you are back!!!!! I am also building a Smuggler and I've probably read your previous build log about ten times.....no exaggeration. I think your build is great! I hope you have the chance to visit my build log and would really appreciate any feedback or advice you might have. Alfons, Russ, and Elia have been a great help to me and I truly hope you will be a similar resource.

 

Schooners RULE!!!!!!!

 

Best,

Steve

[Alfons]

Jamie, I am glad to have you back, welcome! For a while I thought we lost you. Sorry to say that I have not made much progress since you started your "vacation". Like you, I have the hull packed away since my last move, the little progress I make are small pieces, not requiring to much logistics and space.

 

Steve, thanks, I am glad to be able to help.

 

Lawrence, thanks. In my experience, the simplest things are often the most useful!

 

I am sorry that I cant contribute with to many updates and pictures, as for now, I cant seem to get the puzzle of life to fit all my interests and comittments

 

/Alfons

[Mirabell61]

beautiful work Alfons,

 

that is a handsome good looking fishing schooner, also the Little dories, well done

 

Nils

[Alfons]

Thank you Nils, I am glad that you like my work.

 

/Alfons

[Overlander]

Hello Alfons,

 

I am starting to plank the quarter deck and I wasn't sure if I should start at the waterways and work inboard or from the centerline and work outboard? Logic dictates I should start at the waterways as the planking needs to follow the sweep of the waterways but so many times this hobby defies logic, or at least my logic, and I get bit in the butt.

 

Looking forward to your next update.

 

Frank

[Alfons]

Hi Frank.

 

I started planking at the waterways and worked my way inboard. The outer plank fits perfect to the waterway, and any flaws at the deck center will mostly be covered by the deck structures.

 

/Alfons

[Alfons]

Hi Lawrence.

 

Thanks for the kind words.

 

Before the actual planking of the bow area started, I carefully measured and marked the centreline. Secondly, I made the two water planks, without any cut outs for the stepped planks. The water planks were then dry fitted to the deck. Then I laid the deck, plank by plank, starting from the centreline. When I came to the first stepped plank, it was cut to the correct shape, and a similar cut out was made to the water plank. Having completed the planking, the water planks were removed and painted white. The deck were sanded and painted to its final color, and the water planks were glued in place. 

 

As always, continuos and careful measuring helped me to achieve a nice results. I also made sure that all the planks were similar in terms of width. 

 

The only thing I regret is that I didn't do any planking buts. The would have been an excellent addition to the level of detail.

 

You will find a few pictures in the beginning of my log, I am sorry that I don't have any more of the detailed progress.

 

Thanks for dropping by.

/Alfons

 

Ps. Your HMS Victory looks even more fantastic with the addition of a crew, a true masterpiece.

Edited November 16, 2014 by Alfons

[Alfons]

Hi Lawrence.

 

No worries, I am always happy to help you out.

 

The width of the deck planks are about 2,5 mm, the waterways are varying over the length of the ship, but the size is roughly 4 mm.

 

As for the deck planks, they came from a sheet of shrived veneer, which I then cut plank by plank. This method produced planks that are almost identical in terms of width. Furthermore, each plank is somewhat chamfered along the edges, which gives a nice look ones painted and sanded (with fine steel wool). As said before, the only thing I regret is that I didn't introduce planking butts.

 

/Alfons

[Alfons]

Hi Lawrence.

 

I really enjoy following your progress, and to try to help you out every now and then. My detailed knowledge of fishing schooners from the early 1900 is quite limited, but I will try to answer your question based on how I completed my deck.

 

My waterways are made from 1 mm thick plywood. This way, I was able to achieve the quite complex shape of the plank. The plywood sheets are really hard to work with though. Based on the fact that water on the deck actually needs to be evacuated via the waterways and then through the scuppers, I wouldn't use a thicker waterway compared to the deck planks.

 

I am not sure that this is historically correct, but I am quite happy with my deck anyways. Perhaps some of the more knowledgeable members can comment this as well.

 

Keep up the good work.

/Alfons

Edited February 8, 2015 by Alfons

[gerty]

Terrific work Alfons   -  that is one beautiful deck !

[Alfons]

Thanks Gerty. I hope to be back working on the Smuggler during the spring. We are moving to our new house shortly, so I am planning to set up a more permanent ship yard as soon as we have settled down.

 

/Alfons

[gerty]

Good luck with the move Alfons !

[Alfons]

Thanks Lawrence. I am really looking forward to setting up my new ship yard, too many months has passed since my last update!

 

/Alfons

[cog]

Alfons,

 

We are patient ... at least we try to be   Can imaginre you getting frustrated

[Blue Pilot]

Coming to your log late but I wanted to say reading through it has been a pleasure. I have been considering building this model for a long time. I am becoming more and more enthralled with these fishing schooners and their history by the many great schooner models here on MSW. your work has really inspired me and was the final push I needed to buy this kit. You have set the bar very high for those of us following in your wake sir! Thanks for sharing your build.

Edited April 26, 2016 by Blue Pilot

[Alfons]

Blue Pilot, I am very glad to learn that you like my work, thanks for the nice words. Building the Blue Jacket Smuggler kit is a pleasure, you made an excellent choise. There are very few pre cut parts in the kit, when I think of it, the only part that comes shaped (rough) is the hull itself. So the possibilites to apply your own touch to the model are wast. The supplied wood is of excellent qulity, as are the drawings.

 

You might want to consider not using the supplied deck veneers, as you perhaps have seen in my log, I tared the sheets to pieces and rebuilt the deck with the correct curvature. The result turned out quite OK, the only thing I regret is not having created the planing butts.

 

Sadly, my Schooner i tucked away in a box since some time, we moved to our new house a year ago and I still havent set up my working bench. Family life is also taking its time. But I will be back, trust you me!

 

I am looking forward to following your bulid log!

 

/Alfons

[Blue Pilot]

Thank you for your kind words. I understand about the time issue. My current build has not seen much love as I have been busy with life, work, and other hobbies. It is one reason I have tried to avoid starting another kit. I just ordered some books mentioned in your llog for research and will be looking for new ideas. Its interesting I had planned to change the colors, not sure I love the green and your log lets me see how what what I thought of looks on the model. Love your color choices. I do hate to be a copy cat! Though, I confess, I am already thinking of stealing...I mean copying much of your ideas. I do plan to plank the deck with nice wood. I want to add some fishing gear, barrels, and sails. Its a nice scale to add detail. I will keep an eye in here too.

 

Cheers!

Edited April 26, 2016 by Blue Pilot