Gunboat Philadelphia by John Gummersall - FINISHED - Model Shipways - Scale 1:24

[yvesvidal]

Beautiful woodwork.

 

Yves

[John Gummersall]

I wanted to point out a little confusion (on my part anyway) as to where to tie down the main halyard downhaul.   The instructions say ,,,, "Attach the main yard halyard and the downhaul as shown".    What is shown (or kind of implied) is the main yard downhaul going to a cleat on the mast.

 

Problem is, the position of the four mast cleats.   The two foreword mast cleats will be used to cleat the main yard lifts.   One of the back mast cleat was used for the main halyard, leaving the last cleat on the back of the mast for supposedly the main halyard downhaul.    Problem is this is not in a very good spot for the main halyard downhaul.    Main halyard downhaul cleat really need to be on the front of the mast.    Since it seems extra cleats have been provided (or at this point I think there are extra cleats), I added a cleat for the main halyard downhaul on the front of the mast.   It shows in the picture below.    I may regret this decision later on, but for now it seem like the logical position for it.

 

Also rigging of the deadeyes have started,,,,  

 

[John Gummersall]

a few more shots showing the deadeyes beginning rigging and hull .

Beginning the ladder rungs and belaying pins.   This is my first model with ladder rungs (or rat lines for that matter).   With my fat fingers and lack of skill, it was a trying task.   I ended up first gluing the ladder rungs to the shroud and then added the lashing lines.

 

Below is a look at the final ladder shroud.  One point to note is the ladder rungs start out like the pattern diagram cut-out, but as they goes up the mast the rungs gets more narrow than what is shown as a pattern on the cut-out.   If the shrouds hang straight from the Main Top no way can you avoid the ladder getting more narrow than the pattern on the cut-out.   One idea that I think I like is to cut the ladder rungs the exact size as on the pattern diagram cut-out.   Not only is that easier than trying to measure each rung, but this will insure the ladder rungs are the proper size.   If this is done, the shrouds will widen some up to  the futtock rung before they start getting wider as they go down toward the deck.    Next model I have that has wooden rungs on the shrouds,,,, I may give this a try and see how that looks...

 

 

 

 

 

Here is where the realists will roll their eyes...   You might note I put rigged the ladder rungs on the port shrouds.    The directions call to put them on the starboard shrouds.   I did not realize this until I has 5 or 6 runs strung.    Could not really see a reason to remove them as (other then not being true to the design) and rig them on the starboard shrouds.     In the school of "do as I say and not as I do".....   you probably should rig them on the starboard shrouds.   🙂

 

 

 

 

A few shots of the lower forestay spreader around the canon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 A few shots of the spaghetti of lines at the mast top.    Not sure I agree with my decision, but for whatever reason I choose to use the white line for the 

main yard lift and top yard lift.   I chose the thicker tan lines for the shrouds and forestay,  and the thin tan line for the main and top braces.   As you can see at the mast top, it is getting a little crowded with lines...    Before you start your rigging, give some real thought as to what line is used where.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And a couple shots showing progress to date...     Note on the port side I only have two belaying pins...   Not sure what happened, but after painting them, as I was taking them off the board, one fell off the paint platform.    I even saw it hit me on the way to the floor....   But after that, it was not to be found...  It is not that small, but it just vanished,,,,

 

Anyway,,, I sent a note to Model Shipway telling of my fate, and they plan to send me one.    Their replacement policy really is nice.

 

 

 

 

Edited February 10, 2022 by John Gummersall

[John Gummersall]

Decided to redo some of the rigging..  Just too many thick lines.  I removed some of the thicker lines to where now only the Lower Shrouds, lower forestay, and lower backstays are rigged with the thicker line.   All other higher rigging was replaced with the thin rigging line.    Both halyards remained the thicker line as I figured the thicker line would be easier on sailors hands raising/lowering the sails.

 

 

 

Starting working on the oar rack and oars.   Pretty straight forward,,, that is if you follow the directions... Directions call for the first 1/2 of the oar to be square and then rounded off going into the blade.   Foolish me, I just assumed I knew what an oar looked like - that being round all the way from the handle.   Did not notice the first part was supposed to be square until I had finished them...  But,, to me an oar should be round...  You decide how you like your oars.

 

 

 

And how they will eventually look on the boat

 

 

Started working on the storage rack...  Not much to it.   Model does not include anything to put into the storage rack.   Rather then just leave it empty hanging from the awning structure, I figured maybe put some simple poles...  Just to have something.   A more experienced modeler would probably build some kind of weapon to tool to go into the storage rack,,,  but our crew just put poles in the rack.

 

 

and how it will eventually look hanging from the awning structure.

 

 

 

Next was the awning beams and stanchions.   Instructions call to cut a notch in each beam and stanchion to better interlock them together.  On the actual boat that was done to insure a strong joint, but in my model world that just was not going to look right.   I practiced on some spare wood cutting notches and joining two perpendicular pieces of wood.   I just could not make it look good.   Main issue is trying to get the two notches to match up completely.   If it is not exact, it just did not look right.   Thus I took the easy way out and just glued the awning beams directly on top of each stanchion.   I suppose not realistic, but a whole lot easier and looks much better that if I had attempted to notch each  beam and stanchion.   The additional 1/8 inch height on the awning did not really matter anyway.

 

 

 

 

On to the battens...  Instruction say the battens are installed last as it would be very difficult to do the rigging with the battens in place.   That may be, but with the rigging in place, the battens are no easy task either.   Especially the two enter battens down the middle of the boat.   Since the oar rack (1/2" wide) is mounted on these two center battens, you have to get these battens exactly 1/2" apart.   The also have to run very straight from fore to aft or they will really look off when sighting down the boat.    This is not easy task with the rigging in place positioning them one at a time and gluing in place.

 

I found the easiest way to insure a perfect fit is to assemble the two battens along with the oar rack off the boat.   This will insure the oar rack will fit exactly between the two battens.  The oar rack will hold the two battens together.    That way, when the glue dries, just pick up the structure and glue it on the awning.   Below shows the process.    There are two temporary spacer pieces of wood at each end to insure the correct spacing

 

 

 

Remaining shots show close up of some of the rigging....  Not that I am any kind of an expert on rigging...  I HATE RIGGING.....just do not have the skill or patience for it.. and it shows in my build  🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[John Gummersall]

Awning structure is complete.   As I mentioned previously,  what should have been an easy task is made difficult by the existing rigging.   More than once some choice words where spoken when I banged the rigging trying to get the awning battens positioned.

 

 

At this point here is where I am going to "call it"...  complete.  Attaching the sails would normally complete the build, but I am not sure add much to the model.   And beside, I like the bare wood look.  Adding cloth sails folded up under the oars, to me (with my skill anyway) would not be a good look.

 

Below are some final parting shots (pictures) ....  It has been a lot of fun,,,  especially for someone with a whole lot to learn about building model ships.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GrandpaPhil]

Nicely done!

[GaryKap]

Hi John -

Very nice looking model of the gunboat "Philadelphia".  I am just starting mine.  Thank you for your excellent build log with illustrations and discussions of problems your encountered along the way.  This will make my work easier, but I am sure I will find new problems of my own to address.  <<Gary>>