Lady Eleanor by Blue Ensign - FINISHED - Vanguard Models - Scale 1:64

[Blue Ensign]

Building a Fifie

 

Well Chris has done it again, he does have a knack of producing very appealing kits.

When I saw Chris’s kit of this iconic Fishing vessel of North East Scotland, it seemed to meet a particular need I have at this moment.

 

In the present covid 19 situation I have been feeling a little restless, a little unsettled, with a reluctance to commit to a more involved project such as my Royal Barge kit, as I had intended, following completion of the Alert Cutter build.

 

The Fifie fits the bill.

 

A model of moderate size that won’t require casing.

 

Straightforward construction unlikely to present me with excess brain ache or worry.

 

A relatively short build-time project.

 

A project allowing me to research a vessel type I’ve little knowledge of and an excuse to buy more books – already arrived.

and finally a change from the naval vessels I have been building over the past many years to date.

 

I did wonder about doing a build log on the Fifie, given that James H has mostly detailed the kit both in his kit preview and build log.

 

However, writing about a model as I build it is something I have got used to doing, and it will also fill in time during our current lockdown situation.

 

The kit arrived today, securely packaged.

 

First impressions are very good, a beautifully presented manual, and clear plans together with great materials.

 

Two things that particularly caught my eye.

 

The maple veneer laser cut deck, nice colour and layout; I doubt I will bother individually planking the deck on this one.

 

The sail set;

I’ve never been a fan of cloth provided sails on models invariably too thick and coarse.

The sails provided with the Fifie (albeit at extra cost) are altogether different.

The material is fine and soft, the stitching and bolt ropes beautifully done, and I’m pleased I invested in this ‘extra’

 

 

So to work,  I don’t anticipate going ‘off piste’ too much with this build, but there may be little tweaks here and there as I proceed, and these I will mention as I go along, but it is likely to be a fairly short log.

 

 

B.E.

12/05/2020

Edited May 12, 2020 by Blue Ensign

[pythagoras]

Hello B.E.

 I just ordered The Lady Eleanor 5 minutes ago and the timing of your post could not be better. I will look forward to following your build with interest.

Pythagoras (Tom)

[BobG]

3 hours ago, Blue Ensign said:

 

The maple veneer laser cut deck, nice colour and layout; I doubt I will bother individually planking the deck on this one.

I'm really happy to see you are doing a build log on this wonderful, working vessel. I'll be following along.

 

I curious about the laser etched deck. I'm relatively new to the hobby and have never seen one personally. How would you say it compares to models where you planked the deck? I am concerned that it just might look so perfect that it wouldn't be very realistic.

 

3 hours ago, Blue Ensign said:

So to work,  I don’t anticipate going ‘off piste’ too much with this build, but there may be little tweaks here and there as I proceed, and these I will mention as I go along, but it is likely to be a fairly short log.

I just started to build the Pen Duick by Artesania Latina. I think this legendary, ocean racing sailboat is stunningly beautiful. I've had it on the shelf for a year and, like you, decided to do something a bit less intensive before I commit to a more complex build. However, as I continue to read and research the Pen Duick, I am finding things that I want to change to improve the model and it is becoming more involved than I originally thought it would be. I imagine that the same will happen to you as you read your books about these fishing vessels and see photos of things may decide to tweak. 

 

I'm looking forward to seeing your progress. Chris has made a great looking model.

[Blue Ensign]

Hi Bob,

Not having used an etched deck before either, it's probably a little too early for me to say how I'll feel when I reach the stage of actually fitting it, I'll make a final judgement then.

 

I can say on first sight It looks good to my eye with the right definition of caulking, plank joints, and treenails.

There is not a huge expanse of decking on this model and once all the fittings are in place, the eye will be drawn to it even less.

 

You may be right to a degree about tweaking the kit, I am a serial basher, but with this kit such mods are likely to be minor.

 

Very little scope or need to change things certainly up the fitting out stage and I am more than happy to use the provided pearwood for the hull planking. I also have a large supply of pearwood that I didn’t use on the Alert build.

 

A few things off the top of my head come to mind, blackening the brass fittings, making ring bolts for the hatch boards, and looking at the fitting of  a tabernacle for the main mast to allow it to be lowered.

 

As a fishing boat there is also the option of weathering, these were hard worked vessels with a fairly short lifespan, but weathering can be a tricky business to get right.

 

There won’t be a lot to report up to the hull completion, unless things arise that I think may be of interest.

Time to fit things together.

 

 

B.E.

 

13/05/2020

Edited May 13, 2020 by Blue Ensign

[Suzdal]

 

19 hours ago, pythagoras said:

Hello B.E.

 I just ordered The Lady Eleanor 5 minutes ago and the timing of your post could not be better. I will look forward to following your build with interest.

Pythagoras (Tom)

As my second build (my first is Agostini's Victory cross section), I'm having problems deciding between  Lady Eleanor or Lady Isabella.

May I ask why you chose one over the other ?

 

Richard

[chris watton]

Beware of fitting a tabernacle. My early designs had this, and when researching the sail only versions, it seems the masts were stepped as per the kit. I think the tabernacle was used when refitted with engine and prop due to less space below, as the engine and other gubbins had to have a lot of space. This is something I queried James Pottinger about.  

Edited May 13, 2020 by chris watton

[chris watton]

1 minute ago, Suzdal said:

 

As my second build (my first is Agostini's Victory cross section), I'm having problems deciding between  Lady Eleanor or Lady Isabella.

May I ask why you chose one over the other ?

 

Richard

I would say Lady Eleanor is slightly more builder friendly, having a more conventional hull (although still double ended) - but the Zulu is more sleek. I have sail sets for the Fifie, but none for the Zulu until lockdown is finished (I have paid for the sails, but they are stuck in Russia (made by Master-Korabel), and will be sent straight out once I have them, for people who have ordered the kit with sails.

[Jeff5115]

My Fifie is arriving today. As a newbie I find myself studying other builds on this site to gain knowledge and see what other build challenges and success others are having. I looked at the build log by James H and thought that this would be a good beginner model for me. After visiting the Vanguard Model website and reading the manual I ordered the ship. I have to compliment Chris Watton on his website design. He includes the manual on the website for his ship offerings. This allowed me to read thru the manual. The level of detail for this ship is just what I need right now as a beginner in this hobby. My current build plans and instructions lack the detail I would have wanted as a newbie and is making things difficult for me. Also there are no build logs of the ship I am working on. So the info you can provide in your build will be very helpful I believe to someone like me.

[gjdale]

Ah, another B.E. build to follow. My day is complete. 😊

[yvesvidal]

Is this going to be a no-picture build thread? Just discussions?

 

Yves

[James H]

22 minutes ago, Jeff5115 said:

My Fifie is arriving today. As a newbie I find myself studying other builds on this site to gain knowledge and see what other build challenges and success others are having. I looked at the build log by James H and thought that this would be a good beginner model for me. After visiting the Vanguard Model website and reading the manual I ordered the ship. I have to compliment Chris Watton on his website design. He includes the manual on the website for his ship offerings. This allowed me to read thru the manual. The level of detail for this ship is just what I need right now as a beginner in this hobby. My current build plans and instructions lack the detail I would have wanted as a newbie and is making things difficult for me. Also there are no build logs of the ship I am working on. So the info you can provide in your build will be very helpful I believe to someone like me.

Glad you like the build log and manual. Any questions, fire away.

[Blue Ensign]

Thanks for the heads up re the tabernacle Chris, it was fairly clear with the steam versions but I hadn't resolved the issue with the sail only Fifie's.

I have James Pottinger's  article in Model Shipwright 118 and his 1:30 plan of the steam version.

 

The thing that puzzled me was the mast housing arrangement and crutch which indicates a lowering facility, the mast was surely to large and heavy to unstep for lowering without assistance.

One of my sources, Inshore Craft by Basil Greenhill and Julian Mannering,  covers Fifie's, and in relation to the large sail Fifie's  from the 1880's  mention is made of; the division of the below deck space  into the foreroom with mast tabernacle, the fish hold (accessed by a long narrow hatchway) and the cabin.

 

This makes sense, and in relation to the model  the tabernacle would not be seen in normal circumstances, and your excellent plans do cover displaying the model with the mast in the lowered position.

 

I think this resolves the issue for me.

 

@ Richard, 

I simply liked the look of the Fifie, and having recently lapstraked a cutter, I am happy to have a less complex hull form to work on, and they won't come less complicated than the Fifie.

Chris has even marked the bevelling lines for the forward and rear bulkheads to assist.

 

Whichever one you decide upon, I don't think you will be disappointed.

 

Regards,

 

B.E.

 

 

 

 

 

[Blue Ensign]

16 minutes ago, yvesvidal said:

Is this going to be a no-picture build thread? Just discussions?

 

Yves

Hi Yves,

 

There will be photo's, but for the early construction you can't do much better than look at the log by James H.

I will post up stuff that I think may  be of use to others (with photos) but I've yet to get started.🙂

 

B.E.

[mnewsholme]

1 hour ago, Blue Ensign said:

Thanks for the heads up re the tabernacle Chris, it was fairly clear with the steam versions but I hadn't resolved the issue with the sail only Fifie's.

I have James Pottinger's  article in Model Shipwright 118 and his 1:30 plan of the steam version.

 

The thing that puzzled me was the mast housing arrangement and crutch which indicates a lowering facility, the mast was surely to large and heavy to unstep for lowering without assistance.

One of my sources, Inshore Craft by Basil Greenhill and Julian Mannering,  covers Fifie's, and in relation to the large sail Fifie's  from the 1880's  mention is made of; the division of the below deck space  into the foreroom with mast tabernacle, the fish hold (accessed by a long narrow hatchway) and the cabin.

 

This makes sense, and in relation to the model  the tabernacle would not be seen in normal circumstances, and your excellent plans do cover displaying the model with the mast in the lowered position.

 

I think this resolves the issue for me.

 

 

 

Regards,

 

B.E.

Hi B'E.

 

Not strictly related as this is a bigger Zulu class so more applicable to the 'Lady Isabella', but this rebuild log for a full size boat may give you some details as to  construction and details like mast footing etc.

 

http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthread.php?166562-Kate-LK-126-A-Zulu-Herring-Drifter

[chris watton]

One has to be careful when looking at old photos of these vessels (Fifie and Zulu had same method of mast steps), as many that have been photographed had already been converted to steam power, the Fifie more so as the aft shape made them more conversion friendly than Zulu's. Most photographs show these vessels that already have had an engine and propeller conversion, very few show the pure sailing type.

[Suzdal]

2 hours ago, Blue Ensign said:

@ Richard, 

I simply liked the look of the Fifie, and having recently lapstraked a cutter, I am happy to have a less complex hull form to work on, and they won't come less complicated than the Fifie.

Chris has even marked the bevelling lines for the forward and rear bulkheads to assist.

 

Whichever one you decide upon, I don't think you will be disappointed.

 

Regards,

 

B.E.

 

 

 

 

 

You and Chris have just settled it. I just placed an order for Fifie, along with its sails. Now all I have to do is wait until it crosses the channel, or the "sleeve" as the french would say.

 

Thanks to the both of you.

 

Richard

[chris watton]

4 minutes ago, Suzdal said:

You and Chris have just settled it. I just placed an order for Fifie, along with its sails. Now all I have to do is wait until it crosses the channel, or the "sleeve" as the french would say.

 

Thanks to the both of you.

 

Richard

You should receive Friday! Thank you!

[Suzdal]

18 minutes ago, chris watton said:

You should receive Friday! Thank you!

 Not a chance, except if you hand delivered it yourself. Where upon I would give some good french coffee (not as good as the italien) and pastry.

 

My guess will be Tuesday, not your fault. Just my knowing the french and UK postal services.

 

Richard

 

 

[Beef Wellington]

Great to see you start this, nice choice in subject matter.

[Blue Ensign]

On 5/13/2020 at 4:35 PM, SpyGlass said:

I am having a small bet with myself over how long B.E. can hold out  until he starts adding modifications - always a treat to see them!!

 

Ha. Ha,  very funny Spy, but I don't think I would bet against it😉

 

I have actually started  initial assembly today - no mods yet 😃

 

B.E.

[James H]

Lovely photos!! 😆

[Blue Ensign]

Post 1

I have started the build, but much of the early stages are hardly exciting and my shipyard assistant is not particularly enthused to be brought back off furlough.

0024(2)

I have assured him that this is not likely to be a prolonged contract and he can soon get back to more spaniel related interests.

Bulkheads and false keel

The bulkheads fit to the false keel beautifully, just the right tension necessary.

I couldn’t trust myself with a Dremel to do the pre- bevelling on the fore and aft bulkheads but a sanding stick worked just fine.

I didn’t want to risk breaking off the fine points on bulkheads 1 and 11.

5119(2)

The infill pieces also require bevelling and these are perhaps the most tricky ones to do.

I found that a No 11 scalpel worked best for me, cuts thro’ the mdf like a knife thro’ butter. They were then finished off with a sanding stick.

 

05116

With the lower deck dry fitted the whole structure is rigid, and not a drop of glue applied. Turn it upside down and everything holds tight.

Well that starts the ball rolling, time to apply a little glue.

 

B.E.

16/05/2020

 

 

[Suzdal]

I'm still waiting for my Eleanor to arrive.

 

Chis you were right, it got to the door of my apartment building on Friday (yesterday) .

 

If I owned a hat, I'd eat it.

 

Unfortunately UPS didn't know enough on how to get into the building. I called them and explained how to enter, just a standard french door bell (go wonder). They offed to deliver on Tuesday, I told them to wait until Wednesday since I won't home on Tuesday (grrr!).

 

Next time I won't question you again 🤐.

 

Richard

[BobG]

4 hours ago, Blue Ensign said:

I have started the build, but much of the early stages are hardly exciting and my shipyard assistant is not particularly enthused to be brought back off furlough.

Good looking assistant you have there BE! 

 

Watching you start this build has gotten me thinking more about the Zulu Lady Isabella model Chris now has also. So watching you have so much fun with this model has convinced me to go and place my order and the Flirt will be another I'll order up when she's available. One can't have too many projects to look forward to...at least that's the way my thinking seems to be!

[Blue Ensign]

Thanks Bob, William is his name, quite experienced in shipyard matters, has been with me through six builds. 😃

 

I think Chris has done a great job with these small fishing boat kits, ideal for novice builders, and giving a first build high level of satisfaction,  which is a main driver for folks to continue in the hobby.

 

Regards,

 

B.E.

[James H]

Both Fifie and Zulu were a delight to build. So much enjoyment 😊

[yvesvidal]

 

Quote

 

Finally, a first picture of the Build. Thank you !

 

Yves

Edited May 17, 2020 by yvesvidal

[Blue Ensign]

It's a pleasure Yves, and probably the best photo the build will show. 😉😃

 

B.E.

 

[BobG]

5 hours ago, yvesvidal said:

Finally, a first picture of the Build.

I think William would look quite regal wearing a tricorne!

[Blue Ensign]

Post 2

Basic assembly continued.

 

Simple assembly continues with everything fitting together as perfect as a jigsaw puzzle without anything puzzling.

 

Follow the manual and you can’t go wrong, Chris’s many years of experience as a designer and builder show through. Everything is numbered, everything is clear. For the novice builder there are no headaches here.

 

At this stage I bring a support board into use.

 

5122

I used the slightly modified board I used for the Alert build, the two hull lengths are not that different.

 

The Fish hatch framing slots into place on the lower deck with a precision fit.

 

Well it didn’t last long into the build, but at this point I make a minor modification.

 

None of what follows is necessary, or has any real impact on the build, but I can’t help myself, and one of my foibles is that I like to have a glimpse of below decks, which I feel adds interest, and gives an impression of depth to a model.

 

5124

Firstly, I boarded out the lower deck within the Fish hatch framing, with 0.6mm boxwood strip on the basis that I don’t know at this stage how much of the hatch cover I will eventually leave open.

 I also may wish to open the sliding companionway roof or doors.

 

5128

To this end that section of the false keel between bulkheads 9 and 10 needs to be removed and an extension to the lower deck fashioned, easily done using spare mdf from the parts framing.

 

5129

This completes the extent of my lower deck planking.

 

5132

I coated the bulkhead surfaces with slightly diluted pva and slotted the sub deck into place. I found it best to slot one side partly into place, flex the deck up, and tease it into the other side.

 

5134

This is a little tricky and one of the bulkhead tabs did break off during the fitting, and once in place in the designated slots I still needed to weight and use elastic bands the hold the deck down at the edges.

 

 I think getting the deck out again would be a fraught business risking splitting the deck and breaking tabs.

 

5147

Next morning I also painted diluted pva on the underside of the deck along the bulkhead join.

 

5143(2)

There is a fair bit sheer on a Fifie.

 

 

This completes the basic carcass assembly; things will get a little more testy in the next phase of the build.

 

 

B.E.

19/05/2020