28 foot American cutter by druxey - FINISHED - 1:48 scale

[druxey]

As far as I know, the boat was not armed.  A strong connection is, however, required to hold the two sides of the bow together.

[shipman]

What a delight this project is and as it's coming to a close I'm already getting withdrawal symptoms as builds of this quality are rare here. I've grown numb with the endless 'Medway Longboat' offerings, whatever their merits.

Question.....the angled brackets (do they have a name?) at each end of and above thwarts: in real boats, are these made to 'wedge' the thwart in position, but can be knocked' out enabling the thwart to be removed when required?

Observation......I don't recall many oared craft models which have the oarsman's foot rests included. Were these fittings a lot more common, but rarely depicted as they make a lot of practical sense?

Thank you for the pleasure this continuing build has given to me and many others.

[druxey]

Not a close yet, Shipman!  There's a lot more to do yet. Thank you for your kind remarks. The brackets are standards, the name for inverted knees. It appears that the thwarts in this boat are fixed. The standards create a strong connection between the sides of the boat, preventing 'spread', both in the model and the real thing. Your comment on footrests or stretchers is interesting. They are not often shown in draughts of boats, but I'm sure they were normally there. If you think about the action of rowing; if you can brace your feet you can effect a much more powerful stroke and conserve energy.

[AnobiumPunctatum]

As always, it's a pleasure to follow your progres.

Edited May 30, 2021 by AnobiumPunctatum

[shipman]

Thank you, Druxey.

So if the standards are fixed to both the thwart and the  side of the boat....

I always understood the thwarts were removable, enabling nesting and making room for a cargo/storage load?

Also weren't the thwarts 'set into' the risers, preventing the thwart moving fore and aft?

[wefalck]

Not all boats were built with removable thwarts or with all thwarts removable. Particurly those light ones with bent frames have the tendency to spread and need the thwarts (or other members) as ties. The nesting ones used on warships probably had sawn frames.

 

Not that many people go to the detail as e.g. in this example (and David probably): https://www.arbeitskreis-historischer-schiffbau.de/mitglieder/modelle/kutter-kl-1/

 

I think not all boats had footrests. It depended on their purpose. The naval cutters were meant to be rowed from the ship to the land and back, for 'amphibian operations', and the likes, where long distances had to be covered efficiently. To the contrary some fishing boats needed a relatively uncluttered space a working platform between the thwarts ... 

 

Incidently, Eric McKee has nice chapter on rowing ergonomics in his book on Working Boats of Britain.

Edited May 30, 2021 by wefalck

[druxey]

Yes, Shipman, often thwarts were set into scores in the risers. This particular boat did not. I think Eberhard addressed your other points very well. Horst's model is a beauty. Thank you, Eberhard!

[bruce d]

2 hours ago, wefalck said:

 

Not that many people go to the detail as e.g. in this example (and David probably): https://www.arbeitskreis-historischer-schiffbau.de/mitglieder/modelle/kutter-kl-1/

 

Thank you, Eberhard, it is a real pleasure to see that kind of skill. What a model!

[druxey]

The many stub toptimbers have been cut and dry fitted. Their shapes vary along the length of the boat. I cut them using my favorite tool; a ¼" chisel. Using a larger blade makes seeing the cutting angles easier. Next will be refining the fit and gluing the toptimbers in. 

 

[Roger Pellett]

Wonderful work on a difficult subject!

 

Removable Thwarts:  The US Navy typically nested their cutters and launches so thwarts were removable.  At the time that this lovely boat was built the ends of thwarts in a US Navy Boats were reinforced with iron plates drilled to accept a removable iron pin to secure the thwart to the hull structure.  Although this boat includes many similarities to US Navy Boats it was built for a foreign navy and probably intended to be hung from davits.

 

Stretchers:  As a teenager, I was sent by my parents to the Culver Summer Naval School in an attempt to introduce some discipline into my disordered life.   For many years Culver had used 28’ Standard 1900 US Navy Cutters to teach rowing.  When I was there in the late 1950’s they still had one exhibited on dry land.  These boats were much, much larger than they might appear from a model.

 

When I was there, rowing was taught in 26’ wooden whaleboats built in their boat shop.  Boats were rowed single banked, one rower, one ore.  Unlike high performance shells with sliding seats, these boats had fixed thwarts.  The rowing technique involved bracing one’s feet on the stretchers and putting full upper body weight into the stroke by lifting one’s behind off the seat.  

 

I don’t see how these large Navy Boats could be rowed without stretchers.

 

Roger

[AON]

For me the 27ft Whalers were single banked while the 32ft Cutters were double banked.

[shipman]

Thank you druxey and wefalk for your perspectives.

It's why I'm here, to learn from the 'team'. I do so enjoy these dialogues.

[MEDDO]

Druxey, I like that you show what can be done with a 1/4" chisel.  Excellent work as always

[druxey]

Thank you for looking in and for your kind words. More progress soon!

[lraymo]

Absolutely gorgeous!

[michael mott]

Druxey, I'm guessing that you have the back of the chisel set to a mirror finish so that you can facilitate vertical cuts with ease, by looking at the lined up reflected image.

 

Michael

[druxey]

Exactly, Michael! My party trick is to cut an exact 45 degree angle without a protractor using the reflected image on the back of the chisel.

[MEDDO]

4 hours ago, druxey said:

Exactly, Michael! My party trick is to cut an exact 45 degree angle without a protractor using the reflected image on the back of the chisel.

Haha the first time I saw that it blew my mind 😵‍💫…. magic

[druxey]

More finishing details at the stern; a step and a hoop for an ensign staff. The photo I have of this area shows more metalwork, but it looks as if this was added later by the museum for the anti-hogging arrangement.

 

[giampieroricci]

The perfection in a boat! simply wonderful!

[druxey]

Thank you, Giampiero! I forgot to mention that the transom is now trimmed to its final shape and a reinforcing piece attached to the fore side. Next is the wash strake.

[shipman]

Ah ha! Spotted your sleight of hand/cunning plan to hide the split in the wood, which the transom is made.

Or was the reinforcing piece always 'Plan A'? 😇

LOL

[druxey]

No, the reinforcing piece is on the prototype original, Shipman. It is Plan A, o, ye of little faith!

[TBlack]

Druxey,

I'm guessing the finish on the metal work is the result of your chemical treatment. Which color is that?

Tom

[druxey]

Brass antiquing agent, Tom.

[druxey]

Continuing, I made and fitted the bow sections of the wash strake. These were spiled as I had the hull planking, cut and glued in..

 

The next apart of construction was a nail-biter. The upper bow breast hook and extensions had to be carefully shaped to fit properly, glued in, and then drilled for the hawse holes. I only had one shot at getting the holes in the correct places on either side of the bow. There was virtually no margin for error. Too high, and the drill would break out, too low and the hole would pierce the rub rail that has yet to be installed. Fortunately, all went well. The holes were drilled under size, then slight corrections made with a round escapement file.

 

At this point, the stem was bevelled on each side and the inside bow neatened up.

 

[Don Case]

This is truly an education Druxey, thank you🙂

[tlevine]

Was there any doubt that your hole locations would be perfect?  Certainly, none on my part!

[druxey]

Some of you have too little faith in me, others too much!!! Thanks anyway, Toni.

[dvm27]

I think I have just about the right amount of faith in you...after seeing you walk on water!