Spray by Mark-NS - FINISHED - Laughing Whale/BlueJacket Shipcrafters - Scale 3/8" to 1' - 5th wooden ship build

[Mark-NS]

Hello, just started my fifth ship model build.  This time it is a model of the Spray.  I have had this model on the shelf for about 15-18 years. I am a bit concerned that the build is beyond my ability and the instructions assume more knowledge then I have but time will tell. One of the reasons I am building this boat is that Joshua Slocum was from Nova Scotia and I was born and live here, home of the Bluenose and many many other ships worth modeling. I just finished a small model of The Bounty's launch, this was the first model I have build in about 12-15 years. Now back in it.  This Spray model is still available:  http://www.bluejacketinc.com/kits/spray.htm

[ahb26]

Very interested to follow along with this.  I purchased Sailing Alone Around the World from BlueJacket and enjoyed it.  My first building experience was Laughing Whale's small Friendship sloop, purchased from their shop in Bath way back when.

[thibaultron]

I'll be following along too. I've read his book a couple times, and have the kit also. If you have questions, just ask the forum, they love to help.

[MrBlueJacket]

Hi,

 

If you PM or email me, I will give you 10% off your next BlueJacket kit once you finish this build. That is a standing offer I have to promote build logs.

 

Nic

[Tomculb]

I too will be very interested to follow your progress, as Spray is in my on deck circle. I first read Sailing Alone Around the World in high school or thereabouts, then read it again earlier this summer.  The recent read and my purchase of the kit were inspired by a hiking and cruise adventure we did in Patagonia back in March.  The cruise put us ashore at Cape Horn, which for a life long sailor was an incredible thrill.  This will also be my first BlueJacket build and am looking forward to it. I'm about 95% finished with Model Shipways Yacht America, and I even started a "post-mortem" log I might finish and post (another first for me) before starting Spray.  Again, looking forward to your build . . . 

 

Tom

[Mark-NS]

Well I said I wasn't going to be able to work on this ship model a lot and I was correct. However, I have made a bit of progress and here are some pics to prove it.  As you can see the  bulkheads are all in and a central stringer as well.  I now have the first two plans on, one on either side.  I had a bit of an issue with that stringer and how it ends on the keel so I wrote to Bluejacket and they wrote back within a day with pics and a diagram.  Great help and very prompt.  I have added a few pics of some clamps I am trying out and a peg board for bending the planks.  The larger clamp with the screw through it was made by a friend with a 3D printer.  The smaller clamp is also 3D printed.

 

 

[MrBlueJacket]

Glad to help!

[VTHokiEE]

6 hours ago, Mark-NS said:

The larger clamp with the screw through it was made by a friend with a 3D printer.  The smaller clamp is also 3D printed.

Nice job; looks like it is coming along nicely. Are the stl files for the clamps available online at all? These look potentially really useful.

[Mark-NS]

 

There is the page for the large clamp and here is the link for the smaller:  https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3316145?fbclid=IwAR3ShNGzt5Xhn4D-eePtq1BElSUzK5fVG3E-uPxy4vISxUQM2f5RbQU0sxw

[Mark-NS]

My slow and hardly steady work on this model continues.  I have now finished planking the hull.  It went better then expected but far from perfect.  I have painted it and as these pictures show moved onto the next step. The deck will be on soon.

 

[Jim Lad]

You're going well, Mark.  The 'Spray' is of interest to Australians as Slocum called at Sydney on his round the world voyage.

 

There's a good clear photo of 'Spray' in Sydney Harbour that can be enlarged on the National Maritime Museum's web site here if you're interested.

 

John

[HIPEXEC]

Looking forward to follow you build. I intend to build a semi-scratch version after I finis my current build (if ever!)

Rich  hipexec

[Tomculb]

Contrary to what you posted on my blog, your build looks every bit as good, probably better, than mine.  You're certainly farther along.  I look forward to following and learning from your progress.

[Mark-NS]

Another stage pretty much done on my model of The Spray.

 

 

 

Edited February 25, 2020 by Mark-NS

[CPDDET]

Coming along nicely!

[Papa]

Just yesterday I searched the build log database for the Spray. I have the Laughing Whale kit and have been thinking of starting it soon. So your build log is quite timely.  I will study your progress with much interest. 

[Mark-NS]

I hope to get a bit more work done on this soon including getting the deck down and maybe a bit more. If you are following along, my apologies for taking so long.  So many other things to do, including work.  Now if I can only get paid to make ship models....

[dsmith65]

Following, Awesome job so far, I'm at the planking stage myself. 

 

[Mark-NS]

With a bit more time on my hands I have made some progress on my Spray.  As the photo shows the deck is down.  This isn't the deck the was supplied.  That was a two-part deck.  I stained and varnished the supplied one and glued it down. However, I really didn't like the look of it, and I found it warped a bit once it was down and the glue dried.  I had a fair bit of decking veneer left over from another ship model and installed that instead, with a thin coat of varnish. Now onto the knightsheads and bowsprit. The pencil is pointing to a piece I broke off during sanding and will have to be fixed.

 

 

[CPDDET]

Making nice progress! I understand your tearing out the original deck. After planking the hull on my Bluenose I tore out about 25% of it and re- installed.

 

Dave

[Mark-NS]

Making some more progress on The Spray.   The bulwarks are in, the bowsprit is carved, shaped and installed along with the knightshead.  A bit of filler and sanding is needed where the bulwark meets the rest of the hull and then some new paint. Next up is the cap and railing over the top of the bulwarks.

 

 

[Jim Lad]

She's really coming along well, Mark!

 

John

[Sailor1234567890]

Where in NS are you?  This looks like it will be an interesting build. 

[Mark-NS]

Some more work done on The Spray.  The rails are on as well as the bow block and the taffrail deck.  The lowed gudgeon is on as well as the rudder and rudder post. The rub frail is on each side and the scuppers are cut out. Most recently I built and installed the steering mechanism.  The wheel was cast metal which I aged and then painted.  Overall I am happy with the model so far.  I am not the most talented model builder but it is coming along. Thanks go out to Nic at Bluejacket. A few times I have been unclear about some point or other and he has been kind enough to send a photo from a model they have on site. That has helped a lot.

[Spellapeaka]

A great looking build so far! You have peeked my interest in the spray. I have read Joshua Slocum's Sailing Alone Around the World a few years back. It's a great novel and this looks like it might be my next build. Keep up the good work!

[Tomculb]

Great work! Also, for me, it's nice to have someone doing the same build I'm doing but several steps ahead.  I haven't added to my blog in quite a while, and probably won't until I get the hull fully planked and at least one coat of paint on.  I'd always rather build than write.  The hull planking has been a bit of a struggle, but I got the final pieces in place yesterday, and the considerable amount of needed wood filler and sanding has begun, and so far has gone a bit better than expected, so overall I'm still pleased with the build.  

 

Keep the posts coming. 🙂

[Mark-NS]

Work continues slowly on my model of The Spray.  The cabins are built and in place.  This took longer then expected.  I found the way BlueJacket wanted them made was difficult.  It was a two piece roof and wall, soaked and bent around the end pieces. I couldn't get the glue to bond or the cabins to be true.  Instead I opted to cut the cabins out of a solid block of wood which I then planked over. For me I think they turned out fairly well. The next step is for the yoke and wishbone (made from Britannia metal).  I have written to BlueJacket to see how these are affixed to the hull as the instructions are very vague at this point.

[Jim Lad]

Nice to see that your 'Spray' continues to grow, Mark.

 

John

[Mark-NS]

I finished my latest model yesterday. The Spray is the boat sailed by Joshua Slocum to circumnavigate the globe single handed from April 24, 1895 to June 27, 1898. Slocum was born in Annapolis County, Nova Scotia, I am in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

[lmagna]

Congratulations Mark 

Nice work