Albatros by CharlieRK - Mantua - 1:40 - First wooden ship build

[CharlieRK]

...and it certainly looks like it!

 

I started this quite some time ago, over the inbetween years I picked up some tools and equipment at car boot sales thinking I would get back to it sometime and after finding this forum a couple of weeks ago, decided that it was time.

 

This is the first wooden ship I've tried. I followed the instructions but it is obvious there's more to the planning than I put in at the time. The benefit of a good few years and having the advice on sites like this would have helped, but you have to start somewhere. I've been looking at the other build logs and can see that it's not just me though, particular thanks to Rach10199 for her posts, which are doing a lot to boost my confidence and overcome my initial reluctance to have a go again. So here we go.

 

Good news that I found everything and moved it inside from the garage.

 

 

After doing a review, there are some things to fix, some I think can be worked around and some I need advice on.

 

it would have been easier to sand the bulkheads prior to assembly in preparation for planking, but this is easily overcome. I also remembering struggling to glue the deck down in one session (probably the reason for putting it aside). Patience would have had its reward as it doesn't quite conform to the top profile of the bulkheads, particularly 9 as labelled in instructions. I doubt this will be noticed when finished, but you can see it now. Careful camera angles used throughout this entry!

 

I'm also going to add some support on the edges of the deck hatch at 9, the curve of the deck in two directions has pushed the edges perpendicular to the bulkhead into a curve. I think a bit of extra support now will save issues later.

 

 

And now for my request for help. Bulkhead 9 is obviously short (of the bearding line?). I know I have significant profiling of the edge of the bulkheads to do before planking, but should I do anything else?

 

 

It is correctly positioned, and is really well attached. If I had known at the time...

 

Thanks for the warm welcome, so far so good (in that it's on the table again!) and thanks for looking.

Charlie

 

 

 

Edited December 20, 2022 by CharlieRK
Autocorrect

[CharlieRK]

Deck planking completed last week. Nothing special but followed the instructions. Could have done more, but figure it's best to get the basics first. Wasn't looking forward to adding the bulwarks, but took my time and quite happy. Masking tape a blessing at the moment!

 

 

Thanks for looking.

[Goody]

Hi Charlie,

I recently purchased a Mantua Albatros kit and am in process of building it. I think my kit is an older one as several details are missing and instruction details are very slim. The construction manual was written in several languages as was the parts list. Instructions for complete construction are on a single page and very limited at that. However, this is my 14-15th model so I'm 'winging-it' for the missing part.

I'm in a late phase of the build - rigging. I've completed the standing rigging and am trying to finish the running rigging but am having a detail problem. The 2 pages of drawings are missing data for some of the line terminations. Most of my other ships of sail included 'braces' for the spars. I don't see any here. Also, the plan/page 2 puts 2 lines side-by-side, actually crossing at their termination. I don't like that and I'm sure a real designer would not do this sort of thing.

My current quandry settles around the running rigging for the forward mast (I'm not including sails). Location of some line terminations are missing. I mentioned that my kit is rather old - lack of a sufficient title block on the drawings does not help in identifying their revision level. So, this may be one of their earliest kit releases. Why are there no braces for the fore spars?

Would you have a more recent version of drawing page 2 that shows ALL line terminations (or at least more than mine)?

If so, could you shoot a pic & send to me, please? I'd appreciate the help.

Roland Goodwin