Bowdoin by Jond - FINISHED - BlueJacket Shipcrafters - 1:48 - DIORAMA

Jond · January 15, 2019

Post 16

More deck work….

Let’s add some bulkhead fittings and let’s try to make metal casting look like varnished wood.

Here we see the nicely finished wheel that is varnished. We want to get closer to that look. Also we see the inside of the aft hawser pipe that is framed to take load off the planking and a large line cleat on the two stanchions. Please note the deck ring. I assume this takes a snatch block to direct a dock line back to the large wooden cleat.

Here we see a large ring and cleat to take the main peak halyard whip line. It is just aft of the stays and overlaps the safety rail. I adjusted the first rail stanchion allow fitting it all in.

Here we see the midship hawser pipe reinforcing and large wooden cleat. There is also a diagonal cleat directly above the hawser pipe. I need to confirm its purpose.

Here we look way forward and confirm the anchor lashing set up.

Now how did we do????

First, we have the mid ship hawser pipe bracing and large cleat. This is just under the peak halyard cleat.

Second, we see the Peak Halyard whip line set up near the main shrouds. The throat whip cleat is to starboard.

Here on a sunny morning we see the aft hawser pipe set up.

Here is a top view at the port main shrouds of the whip cleat. Our crew member is inspecting.

Here is fore mast cleat and hawser pipe. Our crew has become a ghost. The shrouds have also now been lashed

So, what happened to the wheel?

Here I tried a rich brown paint as an undercoat

Finally, here I used a cue tip with hand poly to see if I could get it to shine. The morning sun is helping.

I could see lots of minute touch painting i need to do in these photos. Some of it will compete with the aging, but still needs to be done.

All for now, I am still working on the sail rebuilds

Edited January 15, 2019 by Jond

ahb26 · January 15, 2019

I finally read through this log while in the early stages of my much less ambitious Bowdoin build. You've really gone to great lengths to find and incorporate these details. There is a wealth of information in here and I hope to use a few of your modifications as I go along. (And I enjoyed the ghostly figures on the deck in this most recent post. Took me a while to figure out that they were unpainted figures and not shades of MacMillan and crew.)

Jond · January 16, 2019

thank you Andrew. I was down at the real boat yard this morning and went all through her. There could definitely be some hidden ghostly crew members. i am thrilled to have been able to jump onto this build as the real Bowdoin is i mile from my shop getting a new bottom. We all have lots to learn.

cheers

jon

Jond · January 16, 2019

Post 17

Visit on Bowdoin with Captain Will Mclean

I was thrilled to have the chance to revisit Bowdoin with her captain this morning to discuss how some things are rigged today, and to share his sense of what might have been different in 1924. I thought as I ran home to write up these notes that they may be of value to logging this build. I share them here and focus this review to completing the deck.

To start off Will knows these are the original pumps and hey are galvanized. The fire line is new and the stand is for the radar.

Here on the starboard side of the cabin we need to make and store a handle.

Here for the port side pump, the handle goes on the front of the cabin.

At the port side main deadeyes, we confirm this is the main peak whip line large ring and cleat. Looking forward on the rail we learned that the main throat halyard is belayed. The forward hole if for a pin used for dory lines or other temp rigging.

Looking at the recently replaced deck we see a renewal of the lashing technique. Small rings we used to lash deck boxes today and both deck boxes and barrels in the past.

Moving to the foremast rail, we find two more pin holes. If I can remember correctly, the jib halyard to port and jumbo halyard to starboard, just before the shroud and the peak and throat halyards for the foresail between mid and aft deadeye. Will told me they do not currently use this large ring as there are no whip lines on the foresail. They do however use it to connect the main boom tackle it they are going way down wind,

Moving forward, we see the fittings to receive eye-bolts to lash down boats There are also a few deck prism to send light below.

As we turn around and look forward, we find a thumb cleat. Will said this is rarely used. The main sail and foresail are actually raised directly by about 4 crew. If one was alone and wanted to pull the line forward to the winch this cleat might be used. My guess that it could have been used to bring the sheet for the jib aft, making it off the the angle cleat when weather was bad. There are several comments to the sailing with just the Jumbo and foresail when in the ice. We’ll talk more next summer when she is rigged again.

Here we see rings for the forward sheet blocks. There are two pin holes above that are for cleating but also two cleats. I have sent back to will two old photos show variation of sheeting for further discussion.

Here we are at the anchor rigging. A few things to discuss. The tackle to raise the anchor out of the sea is lashed around the mast above the spreaders. It serves both sides. That solved a mystery to me as the three blocks are visible in old photos , but I was not sure which was which. It is lashed and in the center and goes to the port side pin rail. Another point was the purpose of the wooden cleat for the lashing. When preparing to drop anchor the heavy line is made around the anchor and cleated. The smoothness of the wood cleat makes is safer to let go.

From my previous visit, here is the anchor and better view if the sodden cleat. The anchors were rescued from the navy yard in 1946 and there is no record of a loss. Thus, we believe these are the original ones. The chock for the fluke is quite large compared with old photos.

Looking below into the peak….forward lazarette..., we see through the turnbuckle into the chain locker. Will confirmed there are three shots of chain for each anchor and the locker is full. Thus, the book talking about 240 fathoms was a little off. Perhaps they meant 240 feet. Also please note these are new hull planks. last time I was here this was a hole.

Above the deck we see the end of the turnbuckle. Two flat plates with spacers capture that fitting and provide for a shackle at the top for the jumbo stay. There is a gudgeon like fitting to receive a pin from the jumbo boom gooseneck. Looking at this lazarette hatch and the various angles, I am no longer sure this stay has been moved aft. We shall check sail dimensions later.

The bitts hold a secret. See the fitting forward for the see saw arms. Oh yes, indeed, in the after lazarette, they keep the pump handles in case the hydraulics fail and they need to manually use the winch.

Here is a detail of the prisms. Will believes they would have been there in the original deck to light up the hold and aft part of the foc'sle.

Finally we solved my boot mystery. Will confirmed that the canvas boots are painted white and they sit inside this wooden ring.

We also solved the rigging of the pin rails. The large rings that I thought were for snatch blocks, they do not use now. the two aft pins are for lazy jacks, and the two forward pins are for topping lift and boat tackle. The front two pins are for sheets...I had incorrectly assume use of the Bitt as on the Bluenose II. He said no they used either port or starboard pin. It looks like something to see next summer.

So lots of data. I hope I got most of the right. Visiting the real ship is always a blast. As to the work, I saw about 5 guys working away at the planks and all looks good so far to be done by next summer. I have pictures from below that may come into a later posting. We checked out the hydraulic system among other things

All for now…back to the sails

Edited January 20, 2019 by Jond

Jond · January 20, 2019

Post 18

Back to sails. a new jumbo

I have been plugging away with the new technique to replaces sails. Wow a real step back as a few things don’t mind and many others do.

Here we see the new truncated jumbo. The angle of the luff is more square to allow better folding and less stress on the stay. The bolt rope is going on as well

Here we lay out the new sail to be sure that after folding we shall be the right length.

Here after fold and iron we check again. Better to redo at this stage than any more. now we sew on all thos little chain links to make the hanks. we then need a new stay to run through them.

Now to the downside. Each time I remake this sail, I need to build and replace the stay. It is served line spliced in place. Here you see the completed splice.

Here is the set up for higher elevation splicing. Each model, I get a little better at figuring this out. Bluenose is keeping an eye on us. There three new and two replacement sails still waiting for her and she wants to know when it is her turn again. Not this year I fear.

OK now we need to replace the foresail

I have gone through the familiar steps and before trying to replace the sail are sure what we have will fit and be an improvement.

For this sail I chose to accept whatever consequence and remove the boom and gaff……yes an oops is coming

Here we are all in place and many painful repairs and tweaks made. The oops was simple. The bridles are rigged to the peak halyards and remain rigged to the mast. The lashing of the gaff should not have been done off the schooner….oops lessons are only learned by trying.

all for now

tasmanian · January 20, 2019

Beautiful I like it .

Jond · January 21, 2019

Thanks for continued encouragement. Just to make this more difficult, I went out in the woods for my daily romp with our new 4 month old lab puppy. It has been cold with little snow and ice has formed up under the leaves. oops...I went down and tore up my left knee. I am hobbling around now and need to stay with the crutches until we get sewn back up or what ever they plan to do.

at least this one is only a few feet long. The good news is that it will make me think more about the placement of tools. I am forever getting up to get something. I suppose the alternate is to get two of everything. I have 6 tweezers now but one is continuously just out of reach

cheers

jon

Jond · January 21, 2019

Post 19

Trips to the guild

I wanted to share some input that I have gotten from trips to the Downeast Shipmodelers guild in Bath Maine. We meet monthly and yes lunch out is an option. I took Bowdoin with me early last fall and again this month.

In the fall view one sees I was way early. the dialogue at that time was to gain ideas about how to make a diorama using acrylic. The model was still in its basic kit form and I had just started the detailing. This was the session where I learned not to depend on bass wood if I was going to begin getting into finer wood details. Also, seeing both the schooner Bowdoin and the seatug Seguin at a Maine modeler’s session should not be a surprise.

When I returned a few weeks back I had the acrylic resolved and wanted to learn about making ice and snow as well as small figures.
· The gentleman speaking on the left is an expert in 3d cad and 3d printing. He is developing a working marine ship crane…just amazing.
· It was the gentleman on the right how sent me links to YouTube on exactly what I would need to make ice if I were to do the whole thing myself…..wow a whole new hobby. I need to be careful. Here is the link he sent to me. link https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yWKuKOd7Npw

Here I have small pieces of Styrofoam to float around on the acrylic…..no one was impressed. Much to do here in this photo the new jib is in place and the other sails are not yet changed. Also the ventilators are still on the main cabin.....

so notwithstanding my lack of mobility for the next month, i need to figure out how or what to build to complete the scene.

Cheers

jon

bob porter · January 21, 2019

Hi Jon from another mainer building the Bowdion. Hope the knee mends in a hurry. This winter has been very bad for ice.

I have been following your progress and am impressed with your build. Good luck.

Bob Porter

Jond · January 22, 2019

Thanks Bob

With the 100 year birthday coming up, I hope we can uncover a fleet of Bowdoin models.

cheers

Jond · January 22, 2019

Post 20

Time to make the final mainsail

Once down a slippery slope we need to go all the way. I was not happy with the old method of bias tape edges at this scale.

As a reminder here is the detail of the main luff. Kind of bulky but could be ok for my current level. Also notice here after a bit of research the consensus is the ventilators were clearly not on board in 1924. Here I have removed them. the small heat vent will likely go ...I am still thinking about that one.

Looking at the overall sail however I am no longer happy with this and she must come off. A few lessons learned say do not remove the spars

Here we have taken the finer grade muslin, added the fray stop and pencil lined it before adding the bolt rope. I then made several folds and ironed them.

Now we need to sew on the bolt rope and a temporary gaff so the remaining flakes will be realistic

Here we compare the new sail with the old. I am much happier. Now can I sew it on without much damage.

Sewing to the boom is no big deal……no worries oops is coming. if you look hard you can see here what did not see at this point.

I don’t have intermediate photos of sewing the gaff but it was a bit tricky as I needed to place the bridles, and try to maintain the folds as I went.

next time we will put it together and trey to complete the sail stage.

cheers

Jond · January 23, 2019

Post 21

Let’s put together more images for the record of our inspections to date of the real Bowdoin

Below decks

Here we descend to the focsle. This was the emergency hatch. I am trying to figure out is this was included under the igloo for even more ventilation option in the 1922-23 photos.

Below looking aft we see where they all lived through the winters. Note the water tight bulkhead

Below looking forward we see this watertight bulkhead just aft of the chain locker

Inside the engine room we see the electrical plant on the starboard side. The water tanks are below. Those fire lines are all new. Forward is another watertight bulkhead. the electrical plant had to operate through the winter over.

Here we see the 1984 replacement Cummings engine. It was selected partly because it fit seats with the previous 1946 Cummings 100 horse power Cummings. The Hydraulic unit is on the front. These hoses run the winch.

Here we see an old heater in the captain cabin. Will thought it had been added perhaps after WWII. His reading suggests no one stayed in the captain cabin over the winter in the 1920's. They did build an igloo to keep access to the electrical plant that ran all winter.

Will said the chart desk is original

Here the apparent watertight bulkhead separating the engine room with the captain cabin.I say apparent as they had to close the hatch!!!

In this view we see the final water tight bulkhead separating a large aft lazarette from the captain cabin. Lots of ships stores are in here.

A few final hull details

We showed this before in another view. This bracket is an interesting piece. It makes sense to significantly strengthen this joint considering the schooner would ride up on ice. There is no way to date it, so for now i will not add it.

Here we see obvious water-cooling openings that the really detailed modeler might want to show. You can see above the planking replacement that is going on. maybe just a little hole?

This steel shoe opens an interesting subject. It was presumable completed as part of the 1984 rebuild. But what was there first?

In this photo from 1969 I believe Jim Sharp is removing the sheathing. Note it is metal sheeting over wood. Will believe that was not original. In the John Allen Book documenting MacMillan's life, they talk about the heart wood sheathing that was original. See the white paint is covering an obvious layer of plank over plank. Will said that went from as shown in photo about one foot above the waterline to a few feet below. If that is the case, I may need to go all the way back and add a layer of sheathing…… My first reaction is no way at this point, but I need to address it, somehow. Anyway, Will said in 1984 they realized that the over layer of heartwood may have helped with ice protection, but it promoted plank rot that led to rebuild in 1946, 1969 and 1984. Today the outer sheathing is no longer there as there is no intent on wintering in the arctic.

Next up the mainsail

Cheers

Edited January 26, 2019 by Jond

Jond · January 26, 2019

Post 22

One more point before we look at the sails

Captain Will believes, and I would concur, that the several details we see aboard today most likely were not on the first launched Bowdoin. She was an economical build and in Will's words would have been bare bones. No heat in the captain cabin etc. So, for a few details as we move to wrap up the hull work.

1955074820_bdn-179fBBB_2487.jpg.833a906c81fb600db8fdca386b404a8f.jpg Here the nice bronze lips on the hawse pipe would likely just been a harder wood painted out white.

1817425323_bdn-179gBBB_2488.jpg.11ca35bb7f85e66c1a67f7d43e4b62f2.jpg This photo simply confirms that the last re-planking in1984 did not include the sheathing

Almost completed the sails

992039296_bdn-180DSC_0065.jpg.e8967590dadf2a4c2afa2c38faa3421e.jpg Here we are all set with the main sail. A few oops though; there are always a few.

The aft bridle broke, and with my new fully casted leg I decided to just tuck it in. It looks fine but a few of us will know. More important is the gap ahead of the flaked luff and the hoops. These hoops are so delicate. I am glad I had a few extra in place. It will take some tweaking to get that right.

bdn-181.jpg.191a0d1564624c2b7ae46dec1905f16b.jpg Here we move forward and see the foresail. It is ok but the gaff jaws are too low. They need to ride on the shoe above the hoops.

bdn-182.jpg.b62b9c75bc7982e00c66e6d64c750a7c.jpg I am really happy with the improved jumbo and jib. In several photos the jib rides as shown draped to the port bulkhead. It was the starboard anchor that was active.

1860591502_bdn-182aarctic-schooner-bowdoin-maine-maritime-academy-AR1YC6.jpg.6ed9a69c0d6f4260f5001c815a7ec102.jpg In this internet photo they show the modern application of stowing the jib. I choose not to use this method although it is clearly better than on deck. During the winter the jib was removed and stored below in the photos , but we found in more older photos a sail cover was made for it. I will be showing the schooner after winter and preliminary ice break up Repulse bay 1924. Thus the covers are off and we are getting ready to leave. This is just before the famous session on the rocks. It’s a story I will share in a posting that I hope we can display at the museum.

bdn-183.jpg.a61d18bdf4d4f7744870c14a3c95776d.jpg Here we have some nice back lighting on the foredeck. I am always amazed at how lighting can significantly change the whole experience of viewing a model.

bdn-184.jpg.3792b439e9139bfe5ad579d997f0ae3e.jpg One final shot is a teaser. I moved the model into the sun to play with light. I need to study lighting for the display. I see no reason not to use our nice Maine morning sun to try a few angles out. I will work on this and probably have a few postings on the results and my quest to create scene.

Here is a back lit photo …….sunrise maybe??

Now that we have these sails figured out, although a few more hours of tucks and repairs, we need to address one factor. The bowsprit……yes the bowsprit.

Donald McMillan, a true seaman rigged a bowsprit on his early voyages .Perhaps to improve the weather helm, perhaps because the deck was so covered with storage that he needed the stretched out his profile. In Allen’s book he talks about this [ not the technical side] and how every time the ice destroyed it.

I do not plan to model this bow sprit but feet it is important to share

All for now

cheers

Edited January 28, 2019 by Jond

Jond · January 28, 2019

post 23

correction on bow sprit

I had to fix this error quickly. I write it off to hobbling on my full leg cast with oxi pills and a 4 month old puppy I am to watch as I try to study. just another oops. The photo in the previous post I have taken out. It was mislabeled. After looking over it more closely, it is not the Bowdoin.

Here we see one of two photos of Bowdoin from BRHS archives in Refuge bay winter 1924, I am pretty sure. See the mountains behind. I will be studying this issue more as I plan to tell the amazing story of the recue on the rocks at ice out. Here you see the small rigged bow sprit that took the jib forward perhaps 6 of more feet. In the Book it said this spar was ruined by the ice but apparently helped in sailing north.

In this photo, clearly part of the Refuge Bay saga, there is another image of the bowsprit. So yes it did exist and if it turns out to have been in place at ice out in 1924, I may need to add it.

The mislabeled photo I posted too quickly clearly is a different schooner headed north. I will study more to try to determine if it were Gertrude Thebaud that MacMillam had to use one year when Bowdoin could not sail.

Sorry for oops but I am also glad I figured it out

Cheers

Jond · January 29, 2019

Post 24

Use of lighting for diorama …first experiment

Following up on visual variation I found placing Bowdoin in the morning sunlight, I played around a little bit. Here are few images that temp us to try many more variations.

Here we have normal daylight in a shop or museum. Little extra fill in overhead light. Fun to see Bluenose in the back ground, but otherwise not inspiring. Please assume the plywood is either white ice or the acrylic sea.......
Here still in normal light we rotate down taking advantage of the water 1/8 plywood sheet. One viewer suggestion is to cover it in spackle like ice. What’s fun is we see the bottom under the water/ ice
Now here we start some fun. Sunlight pouring into the port side low like morning. The starboard side is in full shadow. I love the rigging side lighted and the light pouring through the scuppers.
Under the same lighting, the guest would move up and have this interesting view of the side lighted deck. I need to try this with white on wood for ice and the blue acrylic sheet.
I am not sure what is different here other than angle of the camera. the look is startling. I think I am on to something. I need LED Day light from the back of the display. So the challenge is to re create this view back in my work shop area using light fixtures. on the other hand the reflection in the window is a nice touch. maybe a window box one way glass behind with the display against a wall.

I’m definitely going above my pay grade here. one thing I can do is make sure all the scuppers are open...

I am caught up now as this series of photos was before the operation on my knee. I hobbled to the computer this morning to post this. I will be hen pecking at clean up and completing things like lazy jacks and everything inside before finishing with the ratlines. I hope afrer this next month I will be up and around and back into the diorama. dead lines are a bummer but we need to get this done.

cheers

ESF · January 29, 2019

Your build shows very elegantly how the kit can be improved upon. Congratulations on such fine work. Sorry to hear about your knee, but there is light at the end of the cast. I was run over by a toboggan years ago (its a long story) and I know all about hobbling in a cast and brace while a knee heals. But in the end the aggravation was well worth it - 34 years later the knee still works.

Steve

MrBlueJacket · January 31, 2019

Jon,

Fantastic!

You prove once again that a model kit is just a rough canvas for the imagination of the modeler. When you're done, I will definitely be asking you for photos and comments to make it a "model of the month" in my newsletter.

Nic

Griphos · January 31, 2019

Inspirational. You've done some fantastic work re-envisioning this model. It's great to have such full access to the prototype when doing the kind of detailing you are doing.

The Bowdoin was always my favorite ship to look at when she was at Mystic for a while. Her lines are just so appealing to me, and her unique history.

Bravo!

Jond · February 1, 2019

Thank you everyone who is following along and encouraging this effort. My new one leg condition has slowed me down but this month I want to visit Castine and see the John Allen model of the ice and igloo scene. You will see in my next post i think i am settling in on what the " diorama" is about.

Nic I will definitely visit you when the leg is better and i am getting to and from Castine. I still love using your parts and things.

cheers

Jond · February 1, 2019

Post 25

Working on things

We never get done fussing. I share here a few things going on.

Time fix up the cabin roof minus ventilators for the age

Time to try to patch the deck where I removed the kit box that was not evident in the photos. The little eyes in the deck are for the oil drums that go there instead. The started eyes in the cap rail were a mistake as I found the barrels were just lashed.

I find the exhaust pipe interesting. I have a photo in a book that shows no exhaust pipe even at the bit in 1928. I can not in=mage not having the loop on deck to keep following seas from flooding the engine. The 1089 phot shows the exhaust further forward than to day. Thus, this pipe have moved several times I suspect. I am glad that the piece in the kit is as short as it is because just like other fishing schooners of the era this is quite realistic in size.

You may recall the foresail gaff jaws are too low and into the rings.

Here we have fixed the alignment bringing the shoe [ flapper not sure the proper name] into contact with the mast.

Here we have my next area. The shroud lashing lines are clearly hemp and tar in this internet photo. Will McLean told me that even to date the ratlines are all tarred too. I will get out my favorite ebony stain and do some damage here.

Now the quandary. Those that followed me on Charles Notman may remember my failures to sew 1:48 scale baggywrinkles. So here one the images that comes up …. perhaps some sponge and then paint it???? Any ideas would be appreciated.

All for now

Jon

Jond · February 6, 2019

Post 26

Baggywrinkles

These little guys have not yet been solved on my watch. I am determined to figure something out.

First of all, where do they go.

After some time researching I have pulled together 4 views and put them on a sheet at approximately the same size. Sorry for the pencil, its not very dark , but here are the results. Comments are for each photo top to bottom.

Photo 1 from BRHS archive 1923 on Foxe Basin I believe. The projections are two inches and the marks are either 3/8’ spaces or 1/8”baggywrinkles.
Photo 2 my photo of Bowdoin sialing in windjammer parade a few years back. Here we see the same pattern and get a good feel for the color
Photo 4 from BRHS sometime in 1930 [ I need to go back and try to see if better dated] set up for rigging refit. Looks like only one is left
Photo 4 from BRHS named Bowdoin sailing out of Boothbay mid 1930’s the pattern respects what is more clear in forst two photos

So, in conclusion, the topping lift is about 15” long. Therefor the 1/8” is about 7/8”. That sets up the spacing for three single and one double about 7/8’ long

Now How to make

Some one told me that pipe cleaners would work, but I have no idea where to buy and then how to remove material and keep intact.

So here I have a bubble wrap disk. I set it on the acrylic for a better view. Our crew is curious too…and he walks on water?
Here I cut and split and put in place to see concept. they are 3/4 long which i feel is close enough as they are likely baggier than scale. tough to match perfectly.
Here we look form behind. Perhaps just a little post trimming maybe and we can get there, but first to get the color.
I took a dark yellow undercoat and while still wet painted on a brown
Not bad?....well perhaps good enough
Here I have set one in place using “ super fabric glue” before making them all.
Here we have the bottom two on, dry trimmed, and touched up. the lazy jacks are in place now and add a lot to the rigging look. i have some trimming and making off of lines to complete the image.
Here the top double may need another effort to trim and touch to round the edges.
All in all I think we have baggy wrinkles. I am still interested in learning more methods. An advantage of this bubble wrap type material is it added so little weight to the topping lift there is no sag.

All for now cheers

Jond · February 9, 2019

Post 27

Lighting for diorama display

I came down the other day in the morning to use our friendly winter sun to try to figure out what to do for the museum display. The following process is hardly scientific, but it helped me figure out where I may be going.

I started off with the plywood base, as one option remains [ but unlikely] to do Bowdoin in solid ice. To me there are a few lighting options. I think I want to depict morning light. The question then comes to angle.

First up is straight into the sun. There are indeed shadows on deck, but it is very regular. Rigging looks fine.

Bending down for the onside look to pick up the hull below water, we have an oops. The sun is hitting the hull. I would have to diffuse that somehow.

Turning roughly 45 degrees, meaning the light to be at the back corner of the display box, we have interesting shadows. More shadow over the water and I believe more striking on deck focused on one side.

Bending down there is no sun on the hull on this side

Now let’s try the acrylic.

Looking with the bow headed into the sunrise, i think it looks ok from this angle

Bending down I find the soft light interesting.
Turning 45 degrees again I prefer the shadow on deck.
Bending down we see how much fun this acrylic sheet can be to see both above the water and the hull below. Maybe we add a seal!!! The side light is not quite as interesting as above.
Now going forward as if approaching the exhibit, we are looking a bit down sun. The water is alive but flat. i can sort of see through it. That is OK because as one walks by the exhibit the water changes.
Going past the stern we are looking into the sun and wow the sparkle is just exciting. I also like the back lighting in the rigging. In the earlier post the added rigging of lazy jacks and baggywrinkles, and they all picked up more light.

So yes, I am over my head but onward we go. I think somewhere between dead on sun and 45 degrees off line sun will work. I need to sort out the box and the fixture to achieve this. I must say in simple research I was taken back to learn the cost of a display box for all this. wow. I am not sure I am ready to build my own but $400 including shipping is a bit much for just one model. I found a local glazier who is building me a box in clear glass for about $100 and I just orders a small sun... LED exhibit spot light that is.

now I need dories.

All for now

jon

Jond · February 11, 2019

Post 28

Working deck rigging and starting the diorama parts

Here are a few more things getting done as we move along trying to get to a completion list. I see three more areas, the deck including dories, completing all rigging and the non-schooner diorama.

Deck…

Remember the barrels….

Here we see a cropped BRHS photo showing the lashing goes over the barrel, then over the cap rail and logic says back through the scuppers to the ring on the deck. There is another photo from the side where with a magnifying glass, one sees little vertical lines going from the rail to the scupper. Therefor this way I believe is the right way. It makes sense because it was easy to do and the barrels came off and on regularly. They were all stored ashore over the winter. The barrels were counted as ten on the first voyage and here they line up right to the shroud.
In this cropped BRHS photo we see two barrels turned up. More important we create the mystery. I have 1947 photo of white dories. This non sunlit photo makes it unclear they were white. The gunnel is clearly dark
In this cropped BRHS photo the mystery is solved. The sun lit dories are clearly white
In this cropped BRHS photo we see small manila line on the barrels. We also see the yawl / whitehall type launch. This is taken in 1930’s. Confuring with Capt Will, we both agree the early fit out was bare bones , so I will only do three dories
So here on starboard I have three barrels lashed.
Here on port we see I have four barrels installed and lashed. A question might be ..did they take all barrels round trip?. I only made seven. I am, thinking after all else is done I may make three more, along with some boxes. Lube oil and other materials were on deck, but the hold storage would have been much reduced so either way I am OK I believe. i also do not want to block hawse pipes.

As to the dories, let’s say I am working on them. I will tell that story another day

Rigging,,,

remember the need to tar the dead eye lashing and ratlines.

Here I put up a dummy lashed dead eye with the same cotton line and dabbled the ebony stain that I like for its oily look. It seemed OK so I went ahead and did the ones in place
Here we see them on one side with the started ratlines. They are always tedious and tough on the back while sitting so still on a stool. If I do two all around each day that is roughly two weeks…we’ll see . I have 100 more to do on Charles Notman as soon as i finish Bowdoin..

Now the diorama

Just a teaser…for me to as I am making this up as I go.

Here we see in a cropped internet photo of July 1924 in refuge bay. I bought this image on line. I will be showing a view from the side. In other photos we shall explaining the winter set up, the shore was perhaps 50 yard off the bow. It would be too complicated for me at this stage to try to replicate the camp…….maybe in the future. We shall have several photos around explain the camps in Baffin island 1922 and here in Greenland 1924. The point is ice is melting and the crew are thinking about going home
First up we need to remove the schooner and start cutting and carving Styrofoam to look like ice. See the brand new just out of the amazon box portable LED light giving us morning sun. too much back ground light to see now. You can see a friend 1:48 scale Flying Cloud behind.it is great to get more people into this wonderful hobby. His grand father built a normal 1:96 and started this model years ago.
Here is general lay out. I pulled the acrylic to the fore ground and have about 5 inches of flat ice beyond. You can see my first dory sitting on the ice. To prime it i had fun and chose yellow. I will do gray like the inside and then lightly paint the white over so it looks a little more used. I assume one dory aboard one on ice and the third???
In this view, I have built up the bottom. It is a fraction under 24" by 21" deep and the ice is 5 inches up. that means about 20 feet of water. so the bottom will be painted as water. My practice collage of practice cropped photos tries to show the remaining frozen harbor running to the shore line. This is my place holder

I ordered and received a LED portable spot light and ordered a glass box that is ready to pick up tomorrow. Not sure how to manage with my cast…. Next, I need to paint out the wood stand to look like water.

Much to do

Cheers

Jond · February 17, 2019

Post 29

Dories part 1

I do this in two parts because it is a story. The first part is everything up to date on building dories for Bowdoin. The next chapter shall include whatever I do to either rebuild or rehab and complete the dories.

I have struggled with mini dories and yawl boats since I started some 6 years ago to build them. When I solve it, I shall have several rebuilds to do. The two key issues for me are first with a 3 to 5-inch build, unlike a 12-inch-long and up build, the wood at 1/32” is the same strength. Therefore, bending twisting and more importantly clamping becomes a real problem, at least for me. Secondly its exacerbated with my continued difficulties with the magic touch of CA instant glues. They just don’t work for me in wood.

So, forgetting previous builds I approached this one with an open mind. I even read the instructions and tried to follow them.

Here I was on the way. The crew is setting up the assembly of bottom, stem and transom.
Here after several unsuccessful attempt to use the full side 1/32” by about ¾”sheets……I even soaked them and pre-bent them to no avail.
So, for attempt two, I figured why not make them with three ¼” wide planks, the way they really were built, and see if the bending and clamping is easier with narrower pieces.
Here I recovered the bottoms etc. and set them up again.
Here we go with the first plank…so far so good
Here goes plank two. As this is a trial run there is no attempt to spile the planks. Also, patience is needed as I used wood glue and waited an hour or more for each step.
Here we bend it around. The force is almost reduced to where masking tape can hold it. There is struggle here to clamp, but we eventually get it.
Here we got the 3^rd plank on. T’was a bit messy, so let’s see if we can use it.
Oops…not enough masking tape on the mold so we must cut it out. Not good for shop efficiency if we want to reuse the jig and make more dories.
I was encouraged enough to make up the material and make the other two.
Well let’s get the gunnels on. Here the inner gunnel is glued as hull planking for dory 2 and 3 trial runs are coming along.
Here we see with masking tape the molds came right out for dory 2 and 3. The first dory has seats and grey priming. I will paint it out white with dark gunnel and make up some oars. The dories will be afloat, so they will all get finished.
Finally, we see for the diorama, one dory will be transferring the last supplies on board before leaving Refuge Bay northern Greenland in late July 1924.

Thoughts about a part 2

This is part one because I need to decide. I have a dead line so I will finish these to have them ready. I need to do two things in part 2. Learn to create spline lines for these or other dories so the planks are more proportional. Second reconsider the lapstrake method I chose because it was so prevalent in the 1920’s and easy to build. Dories obviously came and went. In the 1930's photo I have shown for other details in a recent post, including the white color, they were not lapstrake but butt jointed. So, what to do. As of now I plan to use lapstrake because they we so prevalent in the early days of Maine and other New England fishing schooners. These dories though were only 16 feet long so maybe. I suspect they bought them from one of the many shops around Boothbay. All the more to study

We’ll see what comes with an attempt to do both types, butt or lapped. To do the butt [ i already tried and failed] I believe I will need two more molds

All for now

Cheers

Edited February 17, 2019 by Jond
wrong photo

Jond · February 19, 2019

Post 30

Ratlines and anchor tackle

This is a very brief update to record a good weeks work on tying ratlines. First of all , I went back to sit with Capt Will McLean and clarify a few things. The anchor tackle is inded two lines. The heavy line is made to the rail pin and hold the double block. The second line is made off to itself and include a three part lighter line to rig the anchor.

Here I made up the becket to lash the formats above the shroud loops and hold the double block.

Here we see her in place. This explains the three blocks I saw in an old photo. Topping lift, halyard and this anchor tackle. I need to get these painted out as they were all dark wood.

Here we see the production line for the ratlines. I worked on all four at the same time.

Here at the top I found that the splice on the shrouds came a bit too far down to allow enough spread. I put a cut tooth pick through to spread the lines and get a top slat in place.

I have ordered another batch of blocks, and lanterns to make up running light assemblies, so I can make up the last of the rigging.

All for now…..I am working the diorama.

Cheers

Jond · February 20, 2019

Post 31

Diorama : the first look…..time to decide

I put everything together to see what I have and if I think I can make it work. I bought a glass box with ID to be 24 wide, 21 deep and 24 high. I set it on its side so I could slide things in and out to experiment. I set some trim planks under as I shall attach them to the ply wood base to receive the glass. I will likely put weather striping all around to soften the glass seat. On the exterior I have an extended plank with a dowel to hold the display lamp [ our morning sun]. We laugh at that a bit as the sun is in its 24 hour mode this time of year , so morning sun is a concept. I have the schooner facing east, the beach, so I guess it all makes sense.

As a reminder this is the view from which our diorama is based. I bought this image on line. The story will be posted with sequential pictures. For the diorama we state:

BOWDOIN in morning light in July 1924. Using ash from the wood stove and sand from the beach on the ice, the sun melted around the Schooner as well as a way out of Refuge bay where they had just spent over 300 days frozen in ice, the crew readies her to go home.
All fuel and most supplies were taken about fifty yard off the bow to the beach for safety. As part of the expedition, a structure was built primarily to set up equipment to measure the changes over time in the magnetic pole. A Marconi aerial was set on the mast tops and a radio was set on board to have transmitted the first arctic radio to talk to the world. The crew enjoyed listening almost every day.
Before melting the ice, the crew had to fill the hold with stone ballast from the beach to replace the weight of the supplies brought north for the long winter. Some fifty dogs and several Inuit helpers will be taken home as Bowdoin sails south.

let's see it......

So here we have the first of three views if one is walking by the display. You are looking down sun, so the water is flat and the hull and rigging picking up direct light. The box is all painted out a dabbled green at the moment. I bought some blue but want some artist advise as sometime leaving it simple is the best advice. Whwere you see the light green strip of about 3 inches is now spackled out and becoming under water shore line holding the anchor.
Walking on center we shall see the crew using the dories to ferry the last of the supplies on board before sailing. They should be properly on the port side [ dory tackle location if needed] . I believe I will move them around to the starboard viewed side s in last dory post. Future postings coming as I need to paint up a dory to check it out.
What I love is this changing light as we move aft and see the effect of sun sparkling on the water, dark shadows on deck and back lighting of the rigging.

You can see my amateur collage in the back ground. The two photos are cropped arctic views to try to depict the far shore as see in the first over view, taken from a comparable hill top on the south side of Refuge Bay.

Coming up

Getting names and things on the hull

Completing about ten more lines in the rigging

The bell and running lights, the anchor through the water

Completing the box and its base.

Building up the underwater shore near the beach, making the ice look better and adding supports to flatten the water.

Resizing the collage on foam core to site inside the glass.

And the dories

cheers

Jond · February 21, 2019

Post 32

Getting names on the hull

Naming is always a fun area. Thank goodness for computers and peel and stick. On previous builds I did all the work in Turbo Cad and then using layers could print white on black for black hulls. This time the hull is white so all I need is font and size.

For the filigree [ or what ever it is called] around the the anchor hawser pipe, I used the Bluenose method. I took a photo and pasted it into Turbo Cad. I then scaled it to full size. I then locked it and added a layer. I traced all the lines. Before I got to the formatting, I went through the names and figured it would be easier just to switch to MS Word. I transposed the fine line filigree to word and just covered it over with thicker lines. That smoothed out the curves. The whole thing is small at this scale, so I did not get carried away. The lettering was a little harder. I wanted to stretch the spacing just a bit but word does not seem to do that[ or better said I do not know how to do that]…I found a font that was close and printed out a few sizes

Here is the first attempt. The filigree was the right size, so I went ahead and printed it on peel and stick
Here the filigree is on and the anchor chain re fitted. The name was to small, so I decided to put it on aft of the right location and then do some samples.
Here I am choosing the right size for the forward name board
Here we are checking it out for the transom.
Here is the forward name board. I would love to be able to stretch it with out thickening the letters. even it cad it did that to me. You can see i have drilled the acrylic for the anchor
Here is the transom. In the early days she hailed from Boston.you can see the pencil lines of over winter drain stains under the scuppers.

all for now

Cheers

Jond · February 23, 2019

Post 33

Weekend update…getting near the end

As suggest in recent postings, there is a light at the end of this tunnel. A few more things are done, and we are now getting diverted into other items needed for the museum opening. Two large schooner models are coming next week for a quick clean up and discussion on casings. So, for the three or four outstanding areas of Bowdoin we have a little progress.

Hull and overall

During the travels many dogs lived on deck. The photos show obvious impacts out side of swabbing season.

Here I have used soft pencil to show staining under the scuppers. Also I have complete the light brown under coat on all the blocks, dead eyes and pins. I will come back now with the dark brown cover up. The missed spots again showing some ware.
I studied the running lights and found they are not like the standard fishing schooner. In this BRHS archive photo [ and a few other views] , there was a single board about 8 inches wired up high between the 15-inch ratlines to allow feet to find there way. The lamps were then suspended. Talking with Bluejacket, they sent me some lanterns to try out.
Here we see the results. The sewing lines still setting up and ready to trim

Deck and rigging.

I met again with Capt Will and we went over more details and suppositions. He supported that they would have had the turnbuckle and chain on the boom until they first sailed. I like that because making turnbuckles can be easier that getting lines through those tiny 1/8 block beckets.

Here we see chains in place hold the boom rigid against the crutch. Also, a little brass paint to brighten up the binnacle in honor of the ready departure home.
Here we in final inspection I really needed to get one more slat in the ratlines. The dory oars were handy to make the spread in the shroud. Lesson learned on the length of the splice. Oh well those who read this will know.
Here I have installed the pump handles. I made them once and lost them, so a quick remake was needed. Also, the bell is in place. I chose to remove the crutch because it would be very hard to see and the bell crowds the crutch. ....my excuse is weak......they are about to sail.

Diorama

I need a few supports to keep the acrylic flat. I chose to paint out some small dowels the same color as the water. I then buried them in a small ice formation. I am not sure if that highlights them, so some artist advice may suggest I move them to be less noticeable.

The Bowdoin was in close to the beach. There was a ten-foot average tide. In this view with the added beach they are in 18 feet of water. I felt that was reasonable enough to replicate their position in Refuge bay. Here you see the result. I dabbled with two brushes, medium gray and dark brown to create the background color. I then sprayed adhesive and dropped in separate sand and small pebbles. I did two layers and it looks OK to me. My critics say I need to sink the anchor in…..I think if it sits on top, it is easier to see.

Dories update next time

Cheer

gsdpic · February 24, 2019

It is a pleasure to see all the thought and research and experimentation you are putting into this fascinating build. Seems like not too much more to do now...anxious to see the final pictures.

Jond · February 24, 2019

Gary thanks for the encouragement. experimentation is actually fun. It is amazing to try something and have it actually work. I am struggling but will succeed in making the dories correctly.

stay tuned

cheers

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Bowdoin by Jond - FINISHED - BlueJacket Shipcrafters - 1:48 - DIORAMA

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