Jolie Brise by DispleasedOwl - Artesania Latina

[DispleasedOwl]

Hi everyone!

 

I had to take a break from the hobby since it was my last year of university but i can finally say, after 4 very hard and very long years, that i am a graduated engineer! Now that i once again have some time to spend as i see fit, i decided to continue on the build i left half-done when the exams and finals started.

 

This is the first build that i do in which i try to apply all of the knowledge i gained from my previous ones to get the best result possible. I know i still have much to learn, and constructive criticism is always welcomed!

 

Now, im sorry if the details of the first steps are not as detailed, its been some time and its proven difficult to find the pictures i took of this steps.

 

First of all, building the main skeleton of the boat. After building it and making a few adjustements (we all know how AL makes its kits), i nailed the fake deck to it. I took my time to make sure it was 100% not moving and in place, and that resulted in a very satisfying nail pattern

 

I also planked the lower deck pieces, since it was going to be easier if i did it prior to any other step

 

 

Planking of lower decks

 

 

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Nailing the fake deck (I took this last photo after planking, im sorry, but its the only one i have :C)

 

After this, it was time to start planking the hull. At this time, i asked the MSW forum about how do professional modellers manage to lay the planking flat to the keel. It was at this time that i learned about the rabbet line and the bearding line! I didnt even know what they were. Anyways, i did do the rabbet line, but since in this kit it has a back-bone type keel (the bulkheads go all the way up to the keel, making it really inconvenient to do the bearding line), it was suggested to me to first plank the hull and then sand the planks down before adding the keel. Since it was my first time doing so, it didnt look so good, but its not anything a little of wood filler cant solve.

 

 

 

 

 

I ended up with a pretty good result, and i feel that i am getting way better at planking!

 

 

 

[DispleasedOwl]

Now it was time to start planking the deck. In the kit, the side planks are not black, so i used a black marker to paint them, since i didnt have any black ink. Also, at the stern of the ship, a little piece is not supposed to lay flush with the deck, it is supposed to be raised!

 

 

 

 

I decided to use a varnish that has a glossy finish for the deck and hull, and i couldnt be happier. Looks so good! (This photo was taken after priming the hull, i am sorry yet again)

 

 

Edited August 3, 2021 by DispleasedOwl

[Cathead]

Welcome back, congratulations on your degree, and I look forward to enjoying your return to the hobby. The black makes a nice contrast with the deck.

[DispleasedOwl]

4 hours ago, Cathead said:

Welcome back, congratulations on your degree, and I look forward to enjoying your return to the hobby. The black makes a nice contrast with the deck.

 

Thank you! I too like the contrast between the pale wood and the dark stripe in the edges. For what i have been able to piece together, thats how the original JB looks like.

 

1 hour ago, SpyGlass said:

Coming along nicely - I had the pleasure of sailing on JB for a week many many years ago - !

A PROPER Vessel !!

 

It mustve felt nice sailing in this ship, the more time i spend on it the more time i want make a trip like that! Funny enough ive never been to a sailboat in my life.

[DispleasedOwl]

Now it was time for the side bulkwark pieces. Now, the originals in the kit do not run all the way of the hull, so i had to cut them and drill some holes in them. Before i installed them i painted the inside of them red, since it was going to be easier to paint that way. I used some wood sealant, primer, vallejo air color and my old airbrush to do the job.

 

 

 

Also, the stern of the ship didnt have to be round, it has to have a nice sharp edge in which the lettering can be painted. So with some wood filler, i sculpted it to shape, and made some scratch outside supports, since the ones that come with the kit are horrible at best.

 

[DispleasedOwl]

Now it was time to paint varnish the hull. I decided to go with the black-red-white palette since the one that appeared on the box was not of my liking. Honestly, i had to paint it over 3 times until i felt it was good enough, so i may just show you the finished result

 

Primed the hull:

 

 

Painting:

 

 

Varnish and waxing (i used the wax i use on my car for this and the results are amazing):

 

[ccoyle]

I forgot to add my congratulations for finishing your degree. That's an important milestone for a young person.

[DispleasedOwl]

Quick update on the deck works. I followed pictures of the original boat as to make all the furniture, since the instructions in the kit leave the deck to be somewhat empty and lacking, in my opinion. First i added a little base with round windows in which to mount the rest of the skylight and entrances to the interior of the boat. This was all scratch made. Looking back on it, i think i made it too long, but its just my impression and now that i have added the rest of the details, doesnt look that bad. 

 

I cut the kit's skylight in two so it is the same as in the real one. Also, in most photos, the skylight and the entrances are covered by a black blanket, but i left it with the wood finish.

 

 

This is the scratch made base with windows i made for the rest of the furniture to stand on. I had to buy the aftermarked round windows, but i think it looks pretty good.

 

 

This is one of the close ups of the furniture laying on top. I used nail heads for the door handles and brass strips for the hinges. In the original they dont have the tiny wooden doors, but i think they looked cute and i wanted to add them.

 

 

Finished deck with the steering and other elements. I must say, i am not very happy with the steering handle (i dont know how its called) and its base. You can see original photos here. I wanted to scratch build it but i didnt have any good wood pieces to carve it out of.

 

 

After this step, i barnished all the furniture and glued it into place, and started working on the rigging.

[DispleasedOwl]

It was around this time that i received Syren's Rope Rocket, and i started experimenting with different types of rope layouts. I never liked the ropes that come with AL's kits, they look and feel very shaggy and overall low quality. I made my firsts laids of rope and im very happy with the results.

 

 

 

Now having good rope i started laying the bowsprit. I had to drill 2 holes in the hull of the ship, one for the bowsprit itself and another one for the rope. The end of the rope ties to a belaying pin. I used CA to glue the brass loop to the wood and used a tiny drill to make holes for the eyebolts. I also made the holes in the rigging blocks bigger so my hand made rope could go through. I am thinking of buying aftermarket rigging blocks, anyone knows a good dealer in europe?

 

 

Next step was the anchor. I scratch built the mechanism that lowers and raises the anchor, and i decided to go a step further and have the anchor tied first to a little chain, then to the rope. I had to start backwards, since i wouldnt be able to wrap the rope against the mechanism the other way around. I think it turned out great.

 

[Chuck]

That rope looks excellent.  Nicely done.  You seem to have the knack for it.

[Cathead]

Since you mentioned it, the word you're seeking for "steering handle" is "tiller". Also, the mechanism for raising and lowering the anchor would be a "windlass". Nice work, the model's very attractive so far.

[BobG]

First of all, congratulations on your engineering degree!

 

I just read over your build and everything looks great so far. I think the Jolie Brise is a beautiful boat and you're doing a great job. I'm building the Pen Duick by Artesania Latina and the instructions are not very good especially when it comes to the rigging. I hope they are better for the Jolie Brise. I'll be following along with interest. Good luck!

[DispleasedOwl]

Updates on the build!

 

I just came back from a roadtrip with friends and tomorrow i will continue working on the boat. Since its late already, im just going to quickly post some pictures of the work i did on the main mast.

 

The original length of the piece that is horizontal to the water level in the mast was too short, so i cut it longer. Also, i did my research and found no use for one of the blocks in the mast, so i skipped that one. If, while rigging, i find out what it is used for, i will post it here.

 

On a quick note, the ropes were served using Syrens Rope Serving machine, and it looks really good. Its a detail its probably never going to be noticed, but i think it is worth mentioning. Also, i found out that, in my opinion, when tying knots and other stuff, its better to use CA glue than white glue mixed with water. It leaves a nice, sturdy look and i love the detail of how tidy the knots look.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BobG]

Very nice work!!

[DispleasedOwl]

Quick updates on the rigging, i ran out of CA glue

 

 

 

[DispleasedOwl]

Been really busy this last month. Got a decent job, bought my own car (no more asking my mom for hers ) and met a wonderfull girl i am now seeing almost everyday. Life seems to be on my good side after a few rough patches. Couldnt be happier

 

Updates on ratlines and main mast rigging. I started using the real whipping knots instead of just using CA glue. I will post later the videos i used for reference, they have proven very usefull. I also started using handmade hooks instead of tying the ropes to the brass pins. I think they look way better and, for what i have been able to see, theyre more accurate to the real thing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[rshousha]

Nicely done! And a nice, upbeat, update on your life story, thank you!

[BobG]

6 hours ago, DispleasedOwl said:

Been really busy this last month. Got a decent job, bought my own car (no more asking my mom for hers ) and met a wonderfull girl i am now seeing almost everyday. Life seems to be on my good side after a few rough patches. Couldnt be happier

 

A new job, your own car and a wonderful girlfriend...it doesn't get much better than that! 

[DispleasedOwl]

So, quick update with no photos, i have been doing my research about Jolie Brise's rigging and rope layout and i found out theres a lot of rope missing on the plans for this kit. I have been looking at photos and i have added a lot of extra ropes, mainly for the support of the mast. If youre curious, i found my references here: 

https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/photos/of/ships/shipid:183542

 

Also i have been learning how to sew and how to make my own sails. I tried to dye some cotton fabric for the sails, but it did not end well. I opted for the easy way out and went out and bought it.

 

Also i found some very high quality videos on how to make high quality sails for any kit. I will be using these as a guide when i make my sails. I will link them below:

 

 

 

 

Hopefully some of you may find this a good watch and learn something, as i have.

 

Kind regards

 

[BobG]

I'm glad to see that you are still working on this wonderful model. I love the colors of the hull that you chose. She's going to be a beautiful model when you're finished!

[DispleasedOwl]

Main mast structural rigging done! Just some photos to show you guys. I will start sewing later today.

 

 

 

 

 

[BobG]

That's a great looking model!

[hof00]

Ditto!!

 

A very nice build.

 

Cheers....HOF.

[DispleasedOwl]

So, after a lot of trial and error (more than im proud to admit), i found the result that i was looking for. I did only one sail to test if i liked it, now that i know what i am looking for i will do the rest all at once. I did some things differently from the video. I did not do the fold in the lines running through the sail, and i did not sew the bolt rope to the sail by going through it. I also did not do any reef points, since i dont know how to make them (any comments on this matter are greatly appreciated). Still, i think it turned out great.

 

Here are some photos of the process:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[DispleasedOwl]

Long time no update! I have been a little bit busy. Recently i had some free time again so i continued working on the ship again. Here are some photos:

 

 

 

 

I also changed the way the anchor rests on the side of the ship. Now it goes through a hole, which makes more space for more lines to be rigged through. I also bought this book, which i have heard very good things about and has very detailed pictures and concise explanations.

 

 

 

Edited January 29, 2022 by DispleasedOwl

[BobG]

Beautiful model. Nicely done!

[ccoyle]

Looking good! The Mastini book has been around quite a while now -- it was a big source of encouragement for me when I got started.

[DispleasedOwl]

Updates on this build, i have bought Domanoff's Rope Making Machine. I have upgraded it thanks to my girlfriend who very kindly designed some improved parts so its less noisy and delivers higher quality rope. Also, after 3 sails done i realized i didnt like the look of them, so i am redoing them again. Trial and error, i suppose

 

Will update with pictures as soon as i have the sails redone. I have been refining my method and now its faster, so it should take that long.

 

Sorry for the delay, im not giving up just yet!

[bruce d]

51 minutes ago, DispleasedOwl said:

Domanoff's Rope Making Machine. I have upgraded it thanks to my girlfriend who very kindly designed some improved parts so its less noisy and delivers higher quality rope.

Hello DispleasedOwl, good to see you back. JB is a great subject but I am interested in the improvements your team have made to the Domanoff machine. It would make a nice thread in the Modeling tools and Workshop Equipment sub-forum.

Cheers,

Bruce

[DispleasedOwl]

20 hours ago, bruce d said:

I am interested in the improvements your team have made to the Domanoff machine.

I will post images and the .stl files this afternoon in the subforum, once i get off work. I am open to feedback and any discussion

 

Also, yesterday i finished making the topsail, and i am comparing it to the old staysail. You can see the difference: slimmer trims, and the look less heavy, which make sense for a racing boat. Also, the reinforcing lines running alongside the sail are not sewn, since my sewing machine is not that precise, but are drawn; and are of a darker color instead of a light-ish brown color. All rope used in this sail was made using Domanoff's machine:

Here is a close-up of one of the vertices. If anyone is interested in knowing my technique, let me know and ill gladly explain:

 

 

Also they look way more alike to the ones the real Jolie Brise:

 

Cheers