HM Cutter Alert by DB789 - FINISHED - Vanguard Models - 1:64

[DB789]

Thank you both. That’s great advice, I’ll do that. 

[DB789]

Capping rails are now fitted. Together with the cat heads and the forward swivel gun mounts. Also added the stern board and much of its trim. I’ve put a plank in below the stern board as per JPalmer and Thukydides great advice. 
 

I’m not adding the sides of the rough tree rail until later as they’re fragile and I’m bound to break them at this stage. 
 

Lots of touching up to the paint required. She’s looking a bit scruffy! 
 

Edited April 17, 2023 by DB789

[DB789]

More progress, but still scruffy and needs tidying up. 

Starboard side with photo-etch decorations,  wales, steps, etc added. Wipe-on poly as per Glenn-UK’s recipe on the wood. 

Port side less progressed and no wipe-on poly and some fittings yet. 

Stern decoration and the rudder added. PE decoration on the lower counter still to come. 

Some deck fittings and ironwork added. A couple of the cannon rings on the bulwarks have already fallen out. 

Please could someone explain to me how the mizzen mast works? I haven’t got the Goodwin Anatomy of the Ship book as I want to stay largely true to the kit (it’s challenging enough for me as it is without modifying!) so don’t want the temptation from a book like that - plus it’s expensive. 

 

 

Thanks! Dan

[Thukydides]

Looking good, what do you mean by how the mizzen works? Alert doesn't have a mizzen to my knowledge unless you are referring to where they could temporarily rig one using those rings attached to the quarter deck?

[DB789]

22 minutes ago, Thukydides said:

Looking good, what do you mean by how the mizzen works? Alert doesn't have a mizzen to my knowledge unless you are referring to where they could temporarily rig one using those rings attached to the quarter deck?

That’s what I meant. The instructions refer to “step blocks for the mizzen mast”. Temporary makes sense, but even so it’s hard to see how a mast could be mounted on those? Thanks 

[rcmdrvr]

Nice model.  Your paint work is very good.

[jpalmer1970]

The mizzen mast isn't included in the kit but you can make one from scratch and store it on the deck like Blue Ensign did in his build. The Alert book does give a diagram of the mizzen mast and its yard but I decided not to make them for my model just to keep it less complicated. My reasoning was if I make the mizzen and yard should I then also make spare yards for the main? And then what about the cutter and longboat and mounting them on the deck? (I am making the cutter separately to display but not on the deck).

 

If you do want the dimensions for the mizzen and yard I can look them up for you.

[DB789]

On 4/27/2023 at 12:24 AM, rcmdrvr said:

Nice model.  Your paint work is very good.

Thank you. I felt the painting is a complete mess compared to other boats on here. I realise that iPhone cameras are quite forgiving and don’t show all the botched paint and glue stains! 

[DB789]

On 4/27/2023 at 3:10 AM, jpalmer1970 said:

The mizzen mast isn't included in the kit but you can make one from scratch and store it on the deck like Blue Ensign did in his build. The Alert book does give a diagram of the mizzen mast and its yard but I decided not to make them for my model just to keep it less complicated. My reasoning was if I make the mizzen and yard should I then also make spare yards for the main? And then what about the cutter and longboat and mounting them on the deck? (I am making the cutter separately to display but not on the deck).

 

If you do want the dimensions for the mizzen and yard I can look them up for you.

Thank you very much, I was just curious and hadn’t yet got to that point in BE’s log. I won’t be adding these details, I’m just sticking to the kit. 
 

Your Alert looks superb, I wish you’d done a log too. 

[DB789]

I have been very remiss on keeping up my Alert log. 
 

Her hull is largely complete now, except for stanchions, swivel guns and anchors. None of which I’m adding until I have a good idea of whether they’ll get in the way of the rigging. 

No major issues in building her, but a few idiosyncrasies and lessons learned that I might point out. 
 

Firstly, that the pear wood strips came in a pale and dark colour, I thought the pale colour would look better on the exposed upperworks so I planked the stern in this and then later realised that there weren’t enough pale strips for all the upper works so the stern is now a different colour. Furthermore I didn’t select my strips well and the top starboard plank below the wales is very discoloured dark. Good lessons for the future. 

I decided not to fit the lower counter PE decoration. My lower counter is quite curved so I found it difficult to get the PE to lay flat and decided it looked better without. The PE would have worked fine if I’d followed the kit instructions and kept the lower counter flat. 

The stove flue, part 108 in the instructions, did not seem to be anywhere in the parts and is not listed in the parts list, so I built my own from excess on the 3mm wood sheet. 

Looking down the deck. The guns are not glued yet. I wish with hindsight I’d added breach ropes to them, but too fiddly to do now the eyebolts are glued to the gunwales. 

Also the wood gratings supplied with the kit in (v.3) don’t match up with what’s in the instructions. The numbering of parts is wrong and whilst the gratings are the correct sizes for the front and main hatches, the third grating supplied fits the bread hatch, not the rear hatch / skylight. 
 

The bread hatch is supposed to have a solid hatch in the instructions but I’ve chosen to use the grating as it looks better. Whilst for the third hatch I’ve had to use a PE grating and paint it which doesn’t look as good. I see lots of modellers have amended this to be a skylight. 

These are very much small things and Alert is an excellent kit, as usual from Vanguard. She’s the ideal bridge for me stepping up from the fishing boats to a larger warship from the age of sail. 

[jpalmer1970]

8 hours ago, DB789 said:

Your Alert looks superb, I wish you’d done a log too. 

Thanks for the kind words. I wasn't sure I would have the time or ability to put together an interesting log so I'm afraid I never made the decision to start one. However, given how much inspiration and information I have received from reading other logs on MSW I have just started a log today for my latest build.

[jpalmer1970]

Your build is looking great. It is a good idea to keep all the fiddly little parts like the swivels and anchors etc off until you have finished the rigging. Watch out for those pump handles too Dan!

[DB789]

Thanks, I won’t add the fiddly parts yet. I think the pumps are still removable as the dowel is in tight but with no glue. 
 

I’ll follow your Pen Duick build with interest. Many thanks Dan

[Craigie65]

Lovely clean work.

Hope you are enjoying the change up from fishing smacks!

 

Nearly time for the mast and those lovely ratlines 😜

[DB789]

Thanks Craigie,
 

I’ve temporarily stripped off anything loose that I might get in the way of the rigging such as cannons, swivel guns, pumps, etc. 

Mast is added and all the spars and booms made, although still some blocks to add to these. Bowsprit ready too although I forgot to include it in these photos. I didn’t like the idea of shaping and tapering all of these using a drill as my experience of tapering with a drill is that I quite often break something. So I’ve added a Proxxon mini lathe to the toolkit. Made the spars and mast so much easier. 

I added the forward four shrouds on each side as these are those that need ratlines. Below I have added the starboard ratlines and afterwards the fifth shroud. 

Port just the front four shrouds. No ratlines yet. 

In the meantime, Vanguard’s Grecian has turned up and is waiting to be built. She looks to be a fine model as I’ve come to expect from Chris. I had planned to build Ranger next to complete the set of six Vanguard fishing boats, but I suspect I’ll dive straight into Grecian. 

[Craigie65]

That lathe is a godsend!

 

not sure I would have taken the fixtures off, may prove tricky to get back in.

 

looking forward to seeing the Grecian taking shape.  This and the new cutter are soooooo tempting, but I will never get them past the Admiral!

[jpalmer1970]

I bought the Proxxon lathe for my Alert build as well - it certainly makes mast and spar shaping much easier. 

Looking forward to seeing your future Vanguard builds!

[DB789]

Ratlines and backstays now complete. The two forestays that run to the stem post also in place. Rigging fairly straightforward so far, although there’s plenty I need to improve in terms of technique. 

 

One thing I learnt on this build, which gave me better ratlines than on my fishing boats was to tie all the ratlines in place with no glue, just lots of clove hitches and then adjust them all and tighten them when complete and before any glue. I’m sure that’s obvious to any experienced builder on MSW, but it wasn’t for me. 
 

I also made the mistake of adding the shroud cleats before the ratlines - thought it would be easier - then struggled to get the lower two ratlines on each side straight. 
 

Time to rig the bowsprit next. Hope to finish her by the end of next week. 

[jpalmer1970]

It all comes together nicely at this stage and starts looking like a 'proper' ship. You have a great model there - well done!

[DB789]

9 hours ago, jpalmer1970 said:

It all comes together nicely at this stage and starts looking like a 'proper' ship. You have a great model there - well done!

Thank you! Yes it’s a very satisfying stage on Alert as the rigging isn’t too complex. 
 

One of my next builds will hopefully be Vanguard’s Flirt or Speedy - but I look at the forest of rigging on for example Dfell’s superb recently completed Flirt build and it’s pretty intimidating on a ship that isn’t that much bigger than Alert. I wonder - is the larger Sphinx actually easier to rig than Speedy / Flirt? Sphinx is the ship I’d like to build but not sure I’ve got sufficient skills yet to do it justice. 

[Craigie65]

The rigging does look daunting when it is complete.  But building it up line by line, mast by mast it becomes relatively straight forward.  Vanguard instructions will keep you right.  

 

If you don’t have it Lennarth Petersson’s Rigging Period Ship Models is a good investment.  Whilst there is no text the drawings are very clear and are a good supplement to kit drawings. 

[Gregory]

1 hour ago, Craigie65 said:

If you don’t have it Lennarth Petersson’s Rigging Period Ship Models is a good investment.

I agree this is a great book to have, but for the cutter Rigging Period-Fore-and-Aft Craft might be a little more helpful.

[Mirabell61]

very nice model DB789

well done !

 

Nils

[Craigie65]

6 hours ago, Gregory said:

helpful

Gregory,

You are absolutely right for a cutter, but I think Speedy and Flirt are square rigged?

[DB789]

Craigie - thanks for the great recommendation, I’ve ordered the Rigging Period Model Ships book. I’m a few builds yet away from Speedy / Flirt.

 

Gregory - thanks I’ll likely order the Fore-and-Aft book too. I see that it has a section on an American schooner which could be useful for Grecian. From my time sailing modern fire and aft rigged yachts I broadly understand the fore and aft part of the rig on Alert, but much less the squaresails on her mast. 
 

Nils - thank you for the encouragement! 
 

 

 

 

[Gregory]

1 hour ago, DB789 said:

I see that it has a section on an American schooner

It also has a section on " The British Naval Cutter "

I believe Chuck mentioned it was one of his references when designing Cheerful.

 

It's about as fore-and -aft as you can get.

Edited June 7, 2023 by Gregory

[DB789]

Bowsprit rigging complete except for the bowlines to the yards. 

Main and driver booms rigged plus the spreadsail yard. 
That just leaves the following: three more yards, the anchors and refitting the swivel guns. Plus some touching up of paint. 
 

Inspired by the American flag added to Grecian by James H, I’ve bought a period white ensign from BECC for Alert and will attempt to get it to hang as elegantly. It’s not as crisply printed or as good quality as the Grecian’s American flag,  but at 12 x 7 cm I think the Vanguard ensigns would be too big for a little ship like Alert. 

 

Edited June 7, 2023 by DB789

[AJohnson]

Your making excellent progress Dan, not much further to go! 👏

[DB789]

10 hours ago, AJohnson said:

Your making excellent progress Dan, not much further to go! 👏

Thank you

Edited June 8, 2023 by DB789

[DB789]

Alert is now almost complete. Just some rope coils to add to where lines are belayed (cover up some of the CA holding the lines in place!). Here are some photos, as it may be a few weeks before I complete the rope coils - one of my least favourite tasks. 

The ensign is from BECC, dipped into a fabric stiffening solution and then hung with crocodile clips to try to get it to droop. Only partially successful as it’s not very high quality and the fabric is quite thick, especially where it folds over. Didn’t quite achieve the look James H did on Grecian’s flag. The American Vanguard ensign that came with Grecian looks much better quality, but the Vanguard British ensigns are too big for a little cutter like Alert. 

 

The rigging became more complicated and challenging on the doing yards for the first time. I think that I have interpreted the rigging instructions correctly, but I may have too many lines going forward on the bowsprit. 

 

I have bought both the Petersson books on rigging which are very useful, but the section on the English cutter has simpler rigging on its two yards vs. Alert’s four. 
 

Overall, Alert has been a lovely ship to build - quite challenging at times after the fishing boats - but very rewarding. I’m very happy with the end result. Chris - thanks again for another excellent kit.