Bowdoin by Mjohn - FINISHED - BlueJacket Shipcrafters - 1:48

[Mjohn]

Thanks for the link to a really nice piece.     I've been looking over your Bowdoin for rigging guidance.    Some very helpful pictures there.

Edited June 27, 2023 by Mjohn

[Mjohn]

The deck is largely done.   I have to cement on the chain brakes, and I want to touch up the paint in a couple of places, but then I'm going to start rigging.  I am leaving the anchors off until I get well into the rigging because I want to see where all of the rigging comes to the deck.   I don't want to accidentally glue the anchors where I need to run lines or line terminators.   I haven't gone as far as some in adding additional detail.   I can always circle back and add more detail later, and the rigging looks like fun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is one that is top down: 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 1, 2023 by Mjohn

[Rick310]

Coming along well!!

Rick 

[Mjohn]

I am going to dump several pictures that show building progress since last time I posted - which was... holy cow .... July.   First, here is the deck mostly done and ready for rigging to start:

 

 

Next, a picture of the standing rigging.  The kit supplies braided wire for the standing rigging, and it took some practice to get the rigging tensioned properly.   Clamping the rigging wire in place while crimping the ends and not losing tension was tricky - maybe there is a nifty special clamp.   I ended up using document frogs that I borrowed from my wife's office supplies.

 

To set the deadeyes even to one another, I created a little jig, based on some I have seen in this forum and comments from more experienced builders.  I have misplaced the picture of the jig, but basically it was a piece of scrap bass 3/32 basswood cut and marked to the height I wanted the deadeyes to sit and then hollowed out to hold the deadeye.  I then sandwiched the deadeye between this piece and another - and I could slip the shroud up between the sandwich halves.

 

 

 

 

[Mjohn]

I was a little intimidated by the running rigging at first, but the instructions were generally very clear.   I never could get the wire from the kit to attach to the small blocks without either munging up the block or ripping off all the paint, so I bought a roll of 0.3mm fine black wire from a flyfishing supply shop.  I don't know what the coating on the wire was, but the wire didn't like to stay tightly twisted.   Again it took me a good deal of practice, some new beading pliers, and an order of replacement blocks from Bluejacket before I got satisfactory, if not excellent results.    I got better as I went along.

 

I decided to install sails and see if I like the result.   I bought some lightweight material at a local fabric store, dyed it in tea, and coated it with lacquer and a coat of clear poly.  I wanted to make sure the stich lines were identical on both sides of the sails, so I traced from the plans and made templates for each side using the traced originals.

 

[Mjohn]

Running rigging largely followed the instruction guide.    The foredeck photo shows the jib sheet run incorrectly.   I will be fixing that.

 

 

 

 

The main and foresail are laced to the masts.

 

 And I have no idea why the following is posting upside down.    If I can't figure this out and edit the post, I will delete.   Note that I have rotated the original every possible way before posting - and somehow this picture always ends up inverted.

 

Edited January 3 by Mjohn

[Mjohn]

A few very near final pictures.    I have to buy some thread to tie in the ratlines.  Oh and the rudder needs to be mounted.    About that...

 

The other day I was reaching across my worktable while wearing my magnifiers and I smacked the mast.   The model tumbled and the rudder as well as some of the standing rigging were damaged.  A bit of a bummer, but in the end, after I remake and rehang the rudder, the only remaining issues are that the standing rigging isn't as tight as I originally installed it, and the deadeyes aren't as even.  Stuff happens.

 

In the pictures the sheets are not finally cleated and belayed.   I may decide to push the sails to one side of the boat, and I want the option before I decide what tack to show her on.

 

Deck level pictures

Foredeck

 

 

Mid Deck

 

Afterdeck

 

 

Foretop

 

 

 

Maintop

 

 

[Mjohn]

Near final

 

 

 

Edited January 5 by Mjohn

[Mjohn]

Want a laugh?

I looked through these pictures this morning and nearly fainted.   On one of the pictures the masts look like they are wildly out of parallel.    I went to the hobby table, grabbed my small ruler, and did a quick check.     Parallel to within 1/16 from top to bottom.    I'm not much of a photographer, but I'm thinking the angle of the picture(s) results in parallax.    Or something.    Whew.

[ahb26]

This brings back some great memories. You've done some beautiful work, and now I wish I had added sails!

[Mjohn]

Thanks.   And thanks for the detail you included in your build log(s).    Your notes were very helpful.   Thanks to others as well.

 

I learned a lot building this boat.    I still feel like a beginner, but I also feel like I could take on another complicated build.   

 

The modelshipworld site is a real asset.

 

 I still have to figure out how to tie on the climbing batens.     I counted something like 240 knots...   I am half tempted to just leave them off....

[Mjohn]

Finished - at least for now.   I have a few changes I may make including a different stand, but for now I'm done.

The battens for climbing the rigging were, as expected, a bunch of knots.  I experimented with square knots and cow hitches, and neither worked out all that well.  I eventually just put an overhand knot on each end of the batten and dabbed in a bit of thick cyano.    Satisfactory if not perfect.   Next time through I think I might try some fine waxed fly-tying thread and a small drop of think cyano to hold it.  I think the waxed thread would hold the knot smaller and tighter.    Here are a couple of final pictures. 

 

  

 

 

 

 

The Bluejacket kit was as advertised.   The instructions were comprehensive.   Precut parts were accurate and clean with a only reasonable amount of burning on thicker parts.    Overall, I give the kit high marks.   

Thanks to everyone who answered my questions, commented, or just shared your build log and pictures.   I learned a lot while building this kit and enjoyed it.

Edited January 17 by Mjohn

[ahb26]

Congratulations! She looks great.

[BobG]

Fantastic model! Well done!

[ccoyle]

Very nice! Congratulations!

[wmherbert]

Well done!

[DanielD]

Very well done. Congratulations! 

[MrBlueJacket]

Nice work!  Your customer file now show you will get a 10% discount on the next kit you buy from us.

 

Nic

[Jeff preisler]

Excellent job!!!  Looks great!!!