Virginia 1819 by Matt D - FINISHED - Artesania Latina - 1:41

[Matt D]

I’m finished with laying the first layer of Hull planking and working carefully on preparing for the next few steps.  I still have more sanding to do and then some filling.  I’m looking at the bulwarks and the transom/upper stern.  The instructions are not very clear on how the upper stern and deck beam mate up.  The deck beam piece flares out and is slightly wider than the back of the deck and the upper stern. I think I need to sand it to the same width.  It also interferes with the bulwarks, so something has to go.  Since unsanding is hard, can any previous Virginia builders tell me what I should do to get a good result?

Edited March 31, 2019 by Matt D
Typo

[SardonicMeow]

I don't recall having this issue, but looking at the pictures in my build log, the bottom of the transom piece and the deck beam piece were of equal width.  So sanding it down looks like the right thing to do.

 

 

[nikbud]

I just had a quick look through my instructions and I think you are talking about part 11? If so then yes it is supposed to be sanded to match the shape of frame 10 to which it is attached. Hope this helps.

[Matt D]

Sardonicmeow, Wallace, nikbud: thank you very much for your answers.  I will confidently sand away this evening.

[Matt D]

I had to travel for work last week and wasn’t able to work on my model for a few days. Before I left, I added the bulwarks.  Today, I installed the upper stern piece and added some wood filler to smooth out the hull before planking the second layer.  After getting that done, I made wooden bitts to use instead of the metal ones that came in the kit.  They came out pretty good after a few tries.

[nikbud]

I agree, you will end up with a much better looking boat replacing the dirty grey metal with wood. You are doing well there.

[Matt D]

I’m working on the second layer planking.  I’m using PVA brushed on with a dampened paint brush.  Then I tape it with blue painters tape until it dries.  It’s a slow process, but it’s very forgiving: I can make adjustments if I don’t like how it goes on.  I was thinking about CA to make it faster, but I don'twant it to dry fast in the wrong position.

[Matt D]

On 4/8/2019 at 6:28 PM, Wallace said:

I did the same thing with mine too, those clunky metal parts looked awful. Nice job sir. 

 

On 4/9/2019 at 12:16 PM, nikbud said:

I agree, you will end up with a much better looking boat replacing the dirty grey metal with wood. You are doing well there.

Thank, Wallace and Nikbud.  I didn’t come up with that idea on my own - I learned it from your logs (and others).  

[Matt D]

Hi Mark.  You have a sharp eye.  I have had that happen on almost every strake starting at about the third one going down from the top.  The compound curve causes it to want to pucker up just slightly.  There's very little stretch in these planks, unlike the first layer.  So on each spot where that happened, I used a paint brush to push extra glue under the popped out section and then taped it down good and tight to dry.  This photo must have been before I glued that one down, because it's tight and secure now.  Thanks for your attention to detail and for pointing it out.

[Matt D]

Happy Easter!  Here are some pics of my recent progress on the second layer of planking.  I’ve done some sanding on the port side to see how it would smooth out.  I’m pretty happy with it and hope I can do as well or a little better on the starboard side.

[Cabbie]

Very nice Matt, Planking looks nice and tight.

I am just about to do my Mermaid with the same planking material.

Looking at yours reminded me to to the transom first. Thanks Chris

[Matt D]

I ruined my rubbing strakes.  Somewhere along the way, I used two of the rubbing strake applewood pieces where I should have used mahogany.  So I didn’t have four matching pieces.  I decided to stain them darker so they would all match, but I overdid it on darkness.  So I had to cut new 2x3mm strakes out of some larger applewood stock that I found at the hobby store.  Here’s a pic of the dark stained original and my four fresh cut replacements. 

[Matt D]

I’ve spent some good quality time in the shipyard the past week and a half and wanted to update my log.I added the rubbing strakes after using the bowl trick to get a nice curve in them.  

 

With the added width of the rubbing strakes, my model no longer fits in the temporary cradle I had built.  Rather than spend time on fixing that, I built the stand I plan to display it on.  I really like the launch that Peter built (SardonicMeow), but I wanted something more like a dry dock.  This is what I came up with out of wood I had laying around.

Of course, the awkward part is going to be when it’s all done and it’s sitting in dry-dock with unfurled sails.

Edited May 7, 2019 by Matt D
Fixing text

[Matt D]

Thank you very much for your kind words, Mark.  It helps a lot to see how others, including you, have handled the challenges of this build.  Logging the build has made it much more fun.  

[nikbud]

Very nice work Matt, I like the fact that you have made the boat sit stern down in the stand - very nicely done.

If you are worried about the sails v drydock you could maybe go the whole hog and do a drydock diorama with the sails unfurled and ropes unwound drying in the sun...……….😎

[Matt D]

13 hours ago, nikbud said:

Very nice work Matt, I like the fact that you have made the boat sit stern down in the stand - very nicely done.

If you are worried about the sails v drydock you could maybe go the whole hog and do a drydock diorama with the sails unfurled and ropes unwound drying in the sun...……….😎

Thanks, Paul.  Once I had an idea of how I wanted to build the stand, it was a lot of fun to put together.

 

That’s a really neat idea.  But I’m looking forward to rigging it the way it’s shown on the box, all ready to set out on a voyage.

Edited May 8, 2019 by Matt D
Lost my train of thought.

[Matt D]

Future builders of this model: this post is for you.  I have the same rudder problem that everyone else has had.  I also think I just figured out how I could have averted it if I’d noticed before I sanded the keel even with the stern piece.  As I see it, the problem is that the stern piece is too small.  I would say I built it wrong and the stern piece is too far forward of the transom, but you can see if you go through the other builds that nearly every one of them has the same problem.  So I’m going to blame Artesania Latina instead of the fine model builders of Model Ship World.  If you look at the drawing blow-up below, you can see the stern piece even with the bottom corner of the transom.  Mine is almost 3mm shy of that corner.  If I could back up time about a week, I’d have cut a filler piece out of the scrap from the keel and glued it onto the back of the stern piece.  That would have evened it up and the rudder would fit just like the pictures on the box.  Instead, I’m going to join the Virginia 1819 Modified Rudder Club, where I know I’ll find some good friends.

[SardonicMeow]

2 hours ago, Matt D said:

I’m going to join the Virginia 1819 Modified Rudder Club, where I know I’ll find some good friends.

I've been a proud member since January 2018. 😁

 

You're doing great, Matt.  Once you work around the rudder issue, all the most frustrating parts are behind you.

[Matt D]

9 hours ago, SardonicMeow said:

I've been a proud member since January 2018. 😁

 

I knew I'd find good company there!

Thanks for the compliment, Peter.  Your Sultana is looking great.  I was showing my 11 YO son what you'd done, too.  It was good for him to see what can be done if you use your imagination and find the right tools.  We got a good laugh out of the picture of the solid hull in the trashcan.

[Matt D]

I tried to modify the rudder and ended up with it too short to reach the helm.  So I built a new one using the leftover lime from the keel.  It is cut to curve around the bottom corner of the transom

I’ve also started installing the deck furnishings and preparing the masts.  My next step will be to install the anchors and bitts.

[Matt D]

19 hours ago, Wallace said:

You are doing a nice job Matt, she is looking fine. Nice solution on the rudder mate. 

Thanks, Mark.  I appreciate you taking the time to check it out.  I am starting to work on the standing rigging and will post some pictures over the weekend.

[Matt D]

It has been hard to find time for model building with summer activities.  But I’ve got all but one line of standing rigging done and I’m starting to get the blocks ready for the running rigging.  I have poured over the drawings and found the best instructions are in other build logs.  Here are a few pictures.

[Matt D]

Thanks, Wallace.  Peter’s is definitely my main reference for figuring out the rigging.    I’ve found that I can zoom in on his pictures with my iPad to 1:1 to get the block locations correct.

[SardonicMeow]

23 hours ago, Matt D said:

I’ve found that I can zoom in on his pictures with my iPad to 1:1 to get the block locations correct.

Uh oh.  That means you'll inherit my mistakes too. 😀

 

I'm sure there are other minor problems, but the one that stands out is that I placed that block on the mainmast  for the throat halyard too low.  It limits how high the gaff can be raised.  In the picture below, you can see that the two blocks (one on the gaff, one on the mast) are touching.

 

The other issue that I remember isn't directly related to blocks but may affect your placement of them.  If you follow the length in the plans, the foresail gaff is too long and will hit the mainmast no matter how you adjust the lines.  I recommend that you cut it a little shorter than the plans show (testing it before you cut, of course).

 

I'll post again if I remember any more issues.

 

[Matt D]

Peter, you're the best!  I will move that block up when I get a few minutes to work on it tonight.  It should be easy to cut and pull the wire off. 

 

I noticed that the foresail gaff is too long, too.  Along with using your photos, I've been using the large photos that came with the kit.  They're as close as can be to 1:1.  Last night, I was trying to gauge the length of the beckets that hang from the gaffs with floating blocks (I don't know the correct term for that line).  To do that, I laid the model on the sheet and could see right away why the gaff is too long:  The foremast is raked further back on my model then in the photo.  It's installed in the factory hole with the rake set by the false keel cut-out, and I know it's perfectly straight.  So this is an error in the kit.  But it looks like there's room to shorten the gaff without any problems.  I'll post a picture later to show what I mean.

 

I'm not sure I want to talk about this, but I'm thinking about making my own sails for this model.  The main rub for me is the giant ugly hems on the factory sails.  I was looking at the photos in the kit and they have nice narrow hems like yours.  I have the right fabric and I bought a light tan thread to use that will give just a bit of contrast.  One thing that has held me back is the line that runs around the outside of each of the factory sails.  I wasn't sure I could attach them to the ship correctly without the built-in lines.  I see that you've made it work without that line and I can now see how your sails are attached.  So I'm inching closer to breaking out the old Singer.  It's probably one evening of sewing and I'm afraid I'll regret it if I don't.

 

One more question, Peter:  How did you make the loops on the gaff with space to thread the line later?  Every time I try, I either get a loop that's too loose to get nicely in place or so tight that I won't be able to attach the line later.  Yours look very nice, but It think you used a magic trick to make them.

[SardonicMeow]

Sorry, but I'm not sure what "loops" you mean.  Are you asking how the sails are attached to the gaffs?

[nikbud]

8 hours ago, Matt D said:

I'm not sure I want to talk about this, but I'm thinking about making my own sails for this model.  The main rub for me is the giant ugly hems on the factory sails.  I was looking at the photos in the kit and they have nice narrow hems like yours.  I have the right fabric and I bought a light tan thread to use that will give just a bit of contrast.  One thing that has held me back is the line that runs around the outside of each of the factory sails.  I wasn't sure I could attach them to the ship correctly without the built-in lines.  I see that you've made it work without that line and I can now see how your sails are attached.  So I'm inching closer to breaking out the old Singer.  It's probably one evening of sewing and I'm afraid I'll regret it if I don't.

 

Hi Matt, she is looking good!

 

I too made my own sails, out of handkerchiefs! A word of caution, don't make them too big, I did and had to skimp on some of the rigging.

With the "bolt rope" - the line around the edge of the sails - I simply glued it on. I can't remember if I soaked the line in pva and then stuck it to the sail or if I used a thin bead of pva on the sail and stuck the line to that. Either way should work. Sewing the bolt rope to the sail looked too out of scale, although I did sew a little in the corners to reinforce the loops (clews/cringles???) for the rigging.

 

Good luck!

[Matt D]

8 hours ago, SardonicMeow said:

Sorry, but I'm not sure what "loops" you mean.  Are you asking how the sails are attached to the gaffs?

 

[Matt D]

I made my sails this evening.  I had the material - a fine linen remnant - from a few months ago when I first started thinking about making my own sails.  I used masking tape to mark the seam lines the same way that Sardonicmeow did it.  I picked thread that I thought would show up, but it blends in pretty well with the fabric.

Here are my sails with the factory sails.  

The seams show up pretty well with any amount of backlighting.

 

Here is the rake issue I described earlier.  I think this is an error in the kit, but it's pretty minor.  I will shorten the gaff to avoid interference with the main mast.

As Peter recommended, I have moved the double-block to above the shroud lines

Peter, Paul, and Mark: Thank you very much for your feedback today.

Edited June 27, 2019 by Matt D
Added One more picture

[SardonicMeow]

Regarding the loop, I used cloth covered wire there.  The hidden wire is why it holds its shape.  (I should point out that a loop like that isn't how the line would be attached on an actual ship.)