Katy of Norfolk by Jeff5115 - Model Shipways - first build

[Jeff5115]

1. This is my first build. I tried a POF over 30 years ago and it was a disaster.  I am giving it another try but decided to try a solid-hull instead of tackling planking. I selected the Katy of Norfolk by Model Expo. It appears this had been a planked model but has been reintroduced as a solid-hull model.

[Jeff5115]

The hull has been shaped and rough sanded. Next I will sand to its finished stage. A few spots will need some wood filler as the hull came missing wood in a few spots when it was machined by the vendor. I am thinking of putting on a couple of thin coats of shellac on the hull before painting.

 

I was pretty nervous to start carving out the bulwarks to 1/8 of an inch but I took my time and I think they came out OK by my standards.  Removing the wood for the cockpit was difficult since I did not have a set of small gouges. Although it looks rough I think the cockpit will hide this area.  

 

While this is all new to me my goal is to complete this project.  I expect to make mistakes but already I am having so much fun and I hope other members can help and guide me along the way.

[Jaager]

8 hours ago, Jeff5115 said:

I tried a POF over 30 years ago

Being unforgivably pedantic,

if that model was a kit, there is slight probability that it was POF.  Plank On Frame is a specific style of construction that attempts to mimic the way an actual hull was constructed.  It varies from stylized to being as exact as possible, depending on who the builder is.  This method is pretty much limited to scratch building.  It was more likely POB - Plank On Bulkhead.  There are some unscrupulous kit makers, who advertise POB as being POF.  If they cheat on this, it is likely that anything they offer would be suspect.  Doing POF correctly is both labor intensive and uses a lot of wood.  I suspect that an actual POF kit would be sorta expensive, even for a brig.

 

My understanding is that the first POB kits were from Italy and the component that they termed "bulkhead" is actually a mold and not a part of an actual western built wooden vessel hull.  It has continued on as the description used to define the method.  Actual bulkheads were a feature of Chinese built wooden hulls, and not western.  In Chinese ships, real bulkheads would not have been close enough together to adequately determine the shape of a hull without some additions between them.  As it is, most POB molds are not spaced at close enough intervals to support a satisfactory shape for a hull.  The common fix is a double layer of planking.

 

Now, about your Katy build,

 

congratulations on an excellent choice for a first build - both as an attractive subject - and as something not likely to overwhelm

 

Shellac is an excellent choice as a primer for most finish material.  Diluted 1:1 (50%) for the first coat. 100% for the second.

 

Before you do that, there are a couple of riffs you might consider.

After you add the keel, stem and sternpost, you could plank the hull with thin veneer.

You do not list your geographical location,  but for the US  the effective choices would be Hard Maple,  Black Cherry,  Birch,  Beech.  (Straight grain, not figured, tight, closed grain, no evident pores)

A thin veneer requires no special tools other than a steel straight edge and a sharp #11 knife blade.  Disposable blades work,  but if you continue with this,  violin makers knives and a strop kit

 

Bay pilot schooners did not have much of a bulwark - the Pine/Basswood of the hull above the waterway could be shaved off and a 1/8" piece of hardwood (or glued up layers of the hull planking veneer, used to add an actual scale bulwark.

 

You removed wood that substitutes for the deck beams, so you will need a clamp strake and actual deck beams. (Doing the camber and placement of beams for hatches and masts gets you well into the sort of work that scratch building involves - just FYI)   Even if you had not hollowed the hull -  Rather than using a sheet of scored decking (Basswood) that I am guessing comes with the kit, an actual deck can be laid.  The same veneer as above (except Black Cherry) will make for an attractive deck.   I suspect that the actual decking was hard Pine  it is not near white, so Maple, Birch is close in color. 

Rather than bopping a viewer between the eyes with stark contrast wide black caulking seams, mixing a dose of walnut dye to the Titebond that is between the deck planks would be closer to scale.

    

Edited March 30, 2020 by Jaager

[ccoyle]

3 minutes ago, Jaager said:

there is slight probability that it was POF

It wasn't. The kit was originally designed as a solid-hull model, later re-issued as a POB kit, and now is back to solid hull again. Full circle, I guess one could say.

[Jeff5115]

Hull has been shaped and sanded.  All imperfections filled in with wood filler and then the hull was coated with sanding undercoat and sanded.

 

Work on the cockpit was challenging for me.  The cockpit needed to be gouged out to the proper depth.  My first big mistake.  I took away too much wood and had to use wood filler to get it back to looking reasonable.  The deck of the cockpit was then planked and the transom area was painted. 

 

The deck planking on the transom and cockpit looks "unfinished" at the bulkheads.  Does this area get covered with covering boards?

 

As a newbie I realize I will make mistakes and have questions so any comments and help is greatly appreciated.   

[ccoyle]

I can't answer the question about covering boards, but that area will be difficult to see once the cockpit benches are installed.

[Jeff5115]

I have finished planking the deck and have some questions. Should the deck be sanded or can it be left alone?  Also does the wood need to be sealed? I sealed the hull (which will be painted) with a coat of shellac.

[Sea Hoss]

Yes, I would sand the deck down till it feels smooth to your fingers. You can also throw on some light stain if desired, some do, some don't. I usually put on a couple coats of satin polycrylic by Minwax. Leaves a little sheen but not too glistening. Then I would generally hit it a little with 00 steel wool. This also seals the wood to moisture. This is a great model to begin a long learning but highly satisfying hobby. I'll enjoy your progress on her.

[Jeff5115]

Been a while since my last build update.  Scuppers have been cut, stanchions, covering boards, cap rails, side sheer molding, wales, and tiller all added and painted.

[Moab]

Looking very good...Moab

[RGR III]

That is really nice.  Thanks for posting.

[Jeff5115]

 

All of the metal fittings and the deck furniture have been placed on the deck. I had to rely mostly on the plans because the instructions did not have much detail. Made me very nervous but in the end I think I got everything placed correctly. Both the companionway and the skylight were scratch built using the plans. They look just OK to me. Since this is a learning experience I am glad I am learning how to use plans and hopefully my build skills are improving.

[ccoyle]

22 minutes ago, Jeff5115 said:

I had to rely mostly on the plans because the instructions did not have much detail.

And that is very typical of Model Shipways designs. You have acquired a useful skill!

[Duanelaker]

Great looking ship you are creating!