Muscongus Bay Lobster Smack by John Ruy - FINISHED - Laughing Whale - 1/2” = 1’

[John Ruy]

Another Laughing Whale vintage kit. Found this one, of all places, on Etsy. 
 

 

I seem to have become addicted to rescuing these forgotten kits. This one has found it’s way back to Maine from Florida… 😩 Sold in the 80’s it’s now going to be built. 

 

 

Blue prints a bit yellowed but have survived well. 
 

 

 

Two pages of typewriter written, hand drawings. These kit were produced here in Maine. Just up the road here in Wiscasset, Maine.  
 

 

 

Nice materials in the original packaging. Framing parts have been hand cut. Scribed Decking and Sail Cloth also provided. 
 

 

Paper templates provided for the sheet planking and deck materials. 
 

 

All in all a nice little package. 
 

Time to get this one started. Cheers 🍻 

 

 

 

[druxey]

Now what would be really interesting is for you to build this kit, then build a modern kit version and see how the two compare!

[John Ruy]

1 hour ago, druxey said:

Now what would be really interesting is for you to build this kit, then build a modern kit version and see how the two compare!

This kit was 47.00 w/shipping. Model Expo has the same model for 69.99 + shipping. I can make this kit look the same, why would I want two of them. 
 

The modern kits make the hobby a bit easier, but more expensive. Besides, I would never get the requisition past the Admiral. 😆 That’s the REAL reason I’m addicted to these Vintage Kits. 

 

 

[John Ruy]

Some assembly required. 😆
 

 

 

Pre cut pieces assembled nicely, only a bit of sanding required. 😎

 

Later… 👍

[John Ruy]

Finishing up the battens for the sheet planking.

 

 

Paper Templates…

 

 

 

 

Laid out Deck template on the back side of the scribed decking material. 
 

 

Need to fair all framing components prior to gluing down the deck. 
 

 

 

Once the deck is glued down, need to fair out the decking edges with the framing prior to planking. 
 

 

Sheet planking templates will be laid out on Bass Wood sheets to cut out planking. This is where a more modern kit would have some nice laser cut planking pieces. 😎

 

All for now, later…

Edited June 17, 2021 by John Ruy

[John Ruy]

 

 

There, we have those laser cut pieces. Side planking has been wetted with Ammonia/Water solution and clamp to dry with proper shape. I will glue those down before adding these bottom pieces. 
 

Cheers 🍻 

[John Ruy]

 

 

Side planking now dry and formed to fit. Double check the fit and glue into place. 
 

 

Carefully beveled all mounting edges for the bottom sheet planks. 
 

 

Soaked planking and clamped in place to dry. 
 

 

Oops 😬 Be careful clamping. That will have to be repaired before I glue the bottom planks in place. 
 

Tomorrow is another day. 😒

 

I will be back… 🍻

[John Ruy]

Repaired…

 

 

 

Added some deck material on the underside to strengthen the rear deck. 
 

 

One side completed and filled. 😎

[John Ruy]

 

 

Bow piece…

 

 

Forming wet…

 

 

Hull now glued in place and primed. 
 

Ready for more sanding and filler.

 

 

Sanded… Another coat of primer coming up… 🍻

Edited June 27, 2021 by John Ruy

[John Ruy]

Primed…

 

 

Just a few more imperfections to fill in and she is ready for paint. Got my new airbrush with pump today. 👍

 

Later… 😎

[John Ruy]

Into the paint booth…

 

 

Masked off at the water line.   
 

 

New airbrush and pump working good. 
 

 

Matte Varathane sprayed with airbrush. Now for the deck… 😎

[John Ruy]

Sewing Sails…

 

 

Allow 1/4” fold, stitch at 1/16” then trim for an 1/8” hem. 
 

 

Fabric glue to secure the seams. 
 

 

Ready for bolt rope… Now for the deck. 
 

Onwards 😎🍻

[John Ruy]

Instructions are very pictorial. 😆

 

 

So begins deck furniture and cabin. 

 

Trimming out the mahogany with some 1/32nd material. Those miter joints are tricky at this scale. 
 

 

I’m liking the look this far. 😎

 

Later…

 

[John Ruy]

Cabin Coaming and roof…

 

 

Photo copied sections of plan drawing to creat templates to cut out cabin coaming and roof from 1/32” material as stated on the drawing. 
 

 

Used rubber cement to to attach templates to 1/32” Bass Wood. 
 

 

Carefully cut out the Coaming and Cabin Roof. 
 

 

Peeling off the templates…

 

 

Soaking the Coaming in Ammonia/Water, as it will need to wrap the cabin.  
 

 

 

Shaped both sides of the Coaming and it’s in place with various clamps until it dries. 
 

I will be back… 🍻

Edited July 22, 2021 by John Ruy

[John Ruy]

Cabin continued…

 

 

Once I glued the Cabin Coaming and roof into place, I placed 1/32” trim at the base of the Cabin on the deck. 
 

 

Added the Cabin Hatch, Live Well Covers and Seating. 
 

 

She is starting to come together. 
 

Another day. Cheers 🍻 

[John Ruy]

Back to my Smack. 😎

 

 

1/32” trim molding around the deck. 
 

 

No tapered spars in this kit. 
 

 

Hand tapered Main Mast ready to go. 
 

 

Mast stained and mounted…

 

 

Just a bit of a Fore Bit… 😆

 

 

Tapering the Bow Sprit…

 

 

Getting close to rigging time. 
 

Later. 😎

[John Ruy]

The devil is in the details… Isn’t that what they say. 😆

 

 

Oar Lock blocks

 

 

Oar Locks made of wire…

 

 

Oar Locks in place…

 

 

Tiller formed from 1/32x1/33 stock…

 

 

Made from scratch Cleats. Need four more. 😝

 

Onwards… 🍻

[John Ruy]

More odds and ends…

 

 

 

Bits a d pieces…

 

Moving along… 

[John Ruy]

Went looking for better instructions, these vintage kits leave a lot to be desired on the instruction side. 

 

Just two pages and the blueprint. No detail, I have to pull that off the blueprint. 
 

 

Nice… I found this on the Model Expo site. Downloadable Instructions (34 pages) much better guide with more detail for Rigging. 
 

 

Rub Rails installed…

 

 

Scratched out Fairleads for the bow. 
 

 

Stained and finished out… 

 

 

Mounted and ready to get serious 🧐 with rigging. 

 

Later… 😎

 

 

Edited August 14, 2021 by John Ruy

[John Ruy]

Trail Boards…

 

 

Cut paper appliqué out of MS instructions. 😎

 

 

Applied them to 1/32” sheet, cut out and painted. 
 

 

Glued in place…

 

 

Painted rub molding to match hull…

 

 

Time for blocks…

 

 

Easier said than done. 😝

 

 

Found some thinner wire and better blocks in my stash. Got her done…

 

 

[John Ruy]

Fittings…

 

 

Eyelets added to the Bowsprit. Cotter Pins are from the Laughing Whale Kit. 

 

Fare Leads on deck…

 

 

Using CA glue to cement eyelets in place. 

 

 

Boom and Gaff ready for placement. 
 

She is coming along, Bowdoin is consuming my time with Hull and Bulwarks prep. I’ll be back here when it’s time to watch paint dry on the Bowdoin Hull. 😆

 

Cheers 🍻 

[John Ruy]

Standing rigging…

 

 

The original kit did not include back stays or turnbuckles as does the Model Shipways instructions show. So, I will have to create my own turnbuckles for the bob, fore and back stays. 
 

 

I am using 1/16” dowel cut to 1 cm. Two other attempts using wire failed. 
 

 

Drilled out the ends and used gel super glue to attach the eyelets. 
 

 

Fore and Bob Stay, turnbuckles. 😎

 

 

Painted turnbuckles with Flat Brass Enamel. Standing rigging Complete. 

[John Ruy]

Strapping Blocks…

 

 

Eyelets and blocks on the Boom and Gaff. 
 

 

Like making jewelry. 😆

 

 

Halyard Blocks  completed on the Mast. 
 

 

Down haul block on the Bowsprit. 
 

 

Main Sail going on. 🍻

[John Ruy]

Redo of the Blocks and Standing Rigging. As I observed the Standing Rigging and Block installation, I was. It completely satisfied with the appearance and scale of the blocks and lashing ropes. 
 

 

I decided to upscale the blocks and redo the lashing ropes. 
 

 

 

 

 

If you scroll back to some previous photos, I think you will agree this is much better. 
 

I never know when my OCD will kick in LOL 😆 But I think it was worth the redo. 

 

 

Edited August 29, 2021 by John Ruy

[John Ruy]

Running Rigging…

 

 

Main Sheet…

 

 

Throat Halyard belayed…

 

 

Peak Halyard run incorrectly with the Throat Halyard. Oops 😬 I will have to correct this. Sometimes I discover my mistakes in the photos I post. 😳

 

 

Mast hoops completed…

 

 

Downhaul for the Jib…

 

 

Sheet lines for the Jib. Jib Halyard at the top of the mast. 
 

 

Topping Lift installed…

 

Just fixing the Peak Halyard and she will be complete. Also, still need a lobster trap and buoy. She is a working boat. 😎

[John Ruy]

Peak and Throat Halyards corrected. 
 

 

 

 

 

Lobster Trap and Buoy completed. 
 

 

 

 

 

Done… FINISHED. 😎
 

This has been a fun and interesting kit to build. Another vintage Maine model rescued and completed from the resale world. I brought her back to Maine we’re she should be. Cheers 🍻 

Edited September 6, 2021 by John Ruy

[bdgiantman2]

On 6/13/2021 at 2:45 PM, druxey said:

Now what would be really interesting is for you to build this kit, then build a modern kit version and see how the two compare!

My first model ship was the Muscongus Bay Lobster Smack. Looking over the pictures and instructions and pieces, its almost exactly identical in a large amount to the kit by Midwest, which is what I built. Midwest has made better instructions with good illustrations, and most of the pieces all came on laser-etched basswood and Balsa boards. Keep up the good work on this kit.

 

Brian D.