The Skipjack by Dennis Powell - using Wye River Models plans and materials

[Dennis Powell]

I have been interested in models for a long time, even bagan working on some from time to time.  Too complicated, too much life interfering with the build process, too much frustration.  I actually belonged to the NRG and the Ship Model Society of NJ for a number of years, but little model  production.  Now retired and relocated to coastal North Carolina and began tinkering with various wood related projects and occasionally looking at the box of wood brought from NJ, including a couple of incomplete  models.  I had begun a Spritsail skiff a long time ago, using Steve Rogers & Patricia Staby-Rogers plans and reopened the project a year or so ago.  Everything is almost complete, waiting for me to create a base and tie, no pun intended, everything together.  That leads to this project,, the Skipjack.     

 

Some years ago, I visited St Michael's on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, and took a short sail on one of the remaining skipjacks on the Chesapeake Bay.  Beautiful work boats!  Thus, I began thinking about a model, again using the Roger's plans.  Also, I came across Wye River Models, a small model supplier located on the Eastern Shore, near Annapolis.  I bought the "box of sticks" which included the Roger's plans.  By the way, a Model Ship World member, "Shore thing", created a build log and used the same supplier and plans.  A much more advanced builder than me, he built a beautiful model and completed an amazing log.  I won't attempt to be as prolific as Shore thing, but will use his advise on my build.

 

A couple of observations before I begin the log process.  BTW, if anypone has more accurate information than me on the history, etc., of Skipjacks.. please feel free to comments.  Skipjacks were used primarily ro dredge oysters on the Chesapeake, using sail as the method moving from place to place.  One mast, shallow draft, wide beam to handle the loads.  As the oysters became fewer, so the boats, until only a few still exist.  With the advent of the gasoline engine, retaining the requirement the actual dredging must be done only under sail, small pusher boats with engines were introduced.  These small yawls only pushsd the boats to a point where sails were raised for the oyster collection process.  No two boats were the same, mostly about 40 feet in length.  thus, my model will not be a replica of an existing boat, but merely a representation of what one may have looked like.  To that point, the Wye River plans are to scale to themsevels, but not to the Rogers plans. 

 

I will provide comments on the build progresses.  Pictures will be added shortly.   The process begins!  Thanks for your attention and hopefully your help as I begin thsi endeavor.

 

Dennis 

[Harvey Golden]

Looking forward to this!  It's not much a history, but there are lines and details of a number of Skipjacks (25' to 46'; sail and power) in Harry V. Sucher's "Simplified Boatbuilding: The V-Bottom Boat" (1974).  

[Dennis Powell]

Here is my first attempt to attach pictures with comments.  It looks like it worked, so onward with comments.

 

This is a picture of the cover of the booklet with building instructions.  Authors are Steve Rogers and Patricia Staby-Rogers.  The instructions and pictures are quite clear, but as always, I have read and re-read the booklet as I progress through the steps.  Occasionally, I have found something slightly out of order, but not enough to cause too much angst.   I am attempting to follow the build instructions without much deviation. 

 

 Unfortunately, I didn't take pictures of the very first steps in construting the keelson.   The keelson is made by diagonally cutting a 1/2" X 1/2" strip, and glueing the reversed cut pieces to form the beginning of an upward curve from mid-ship toward the stern.  Using ship curves, the angular pieces are faired to a smooth curve.  A strongback is added to allow spreading the bulwarks.  The transom and stem linerr were attached based upon the suggested angels off the keelson.  It is suggested to add knees to the transom and stern post for strength and stability.  The plans called for using 1/2" X 1/2" bass strip for the keelson, but I found on my first attempt when attrmpting to attach the bulwarks, the keelson twisted - thus, I used a 3/4" x 3/4" pine strip. 

 

This model does not use narrow planks for the boat sides.  Instead, the sides of the boat, from the chine up, is constucted with 1 1/2" x 3/32" boards - think plywood instead of planks.  More on this later.       

 

[Jaager]

Here is a link for some supplementary  information about skipjack construction:

 

https://modelexpo-online.com/assets/images/documents/MS2032-Willie_L_Bennett-Instructions-web.pdf

[Dennis Powell]

As I began constructing the model, I realized the need to bend some wood to the necessary curves.  Thus, I created a bending jig.  The base is a piece of 1/2' plywood with holes drilled to accomodate the shape of the hull.  I didn't steam the wood, just held it under a hot faucet for a couple of minutes before either clamping or intertwining the wood among the stakes.  For another hull. I can just redrill holes and move the stakes.  I wet and dried the wood 3 times which was enough for the curve to hold.  This jig was also used for the chine log and the shelf to hold the deck beams.   

 

[Dennis Powell]

The side boards have been removed from the bending gig.  The boards are glued at the transom, strongback and stem liner.  Important to note the  angle at the strongback has to be very accurate, as it helps determine the outward splay of the top edge of the side boards.  If off by a very little, the effect will be obvious when the deck planks are laid.  The chine log is installed, to which the frames are "bottomed".  Important the frames are perpendicular to the chine log.  The frames are long, as there is another side board running from the transom to the stem liner, edged to the top of the existing side boards.  This will be obvious on the next picture.  Knight heads are installed. 

[Dennis Powell]

Starboard second board attached to first, from stem liner to transom.  Port side to folllow.

 

[Dennis Powell]

I must have deleted an intermediate picture - where I used a batten on the outside of the port and starboard sides of the model, before they were cut.  The batten would have started from the stemliner reducing the height of the sides as it reached the transom.   Thus, the extra length of the frames and the upper portion of the second piece of the sides was cut away.  Shown now is the starboard shelf to hold the deck beams.  Note - always clean away any extra glue before it dries!  This is as far as I have gotten with the build.  Time to make some more sawdust!  Thanks for watching,  PS - I figured out how to reduce the size of the pictures. 

 

[Mike Collier]

Is the Skipjack book the instruction manual? I’ll be following this build. I really like building Wye River Models!

[thibaultron]

"The Skipjack" book is a manual for scratch building a generic Skipjack, and quite good. The Willie Bennett book is the instruction manual for the Model Expo kit.

[Mike Collier]

I meant is that the instruction manual for that Wye River Model ?

[thibaultron]

No.

[bgilbertsound]

Thanks very much for posting. I've thought about building this same model, but keep vacillating between this and Chapelle's sharpie. Hoping to incorporate my new laser engraver.

[Dennis Powell]

Thanks to all who have an interest in this build.  I apologize for the slowness of my activity, but as with many project, life gets in the way!

 

In my last post, I was installing the side planks and frames.  Once these were installed, I began installing the bottom planks, 33 on each side f the keelson.  No major issues, just tedious.  This is where I am at this point.  The left picture is looking from the bottom of the boat, showing the untrimmed starboard and trimmed, but not completely sanded port side.  Also, the chunks at the bow are not yet shaped.  The right picture is looking down at the bottom of the boat from the inside.  After rough trimming, I will move onto the stem, forward worm shoe, stern post, center-board battens, keel and rudder assemblies.   I probably missed something in my list.   Hopefully I will catch everything in their proper order.  

 

Maybe this project will pick up speed, but I want to be careful.  So, no promises.    

 

[Jay in Temecula]

Great photos for far.

I am building this Wye River Skipjack also.   I want to modify it for Radio Control sailing.  Do you have any helpful links?

 

[Mike Collier]

Jay , google Calvert Marine Museum in Solomons Md. They haves plans and materials to build  arc skipjack. Also look at Chesapeake Martime Museum in St. Michaels Md. The model club there builds and races skipjacks. They is a schedule on the museum website.

[Jay in Temecula]

Thanks for the response.  In 1981 I joined the Solomon Is Model Boat Clib and purchased their Skipjack (48”) plans.  A new job kept to busy for the next 20 years.  Now I am finally getting started.  However, being cautious, I decided to start building something smaller as a learning exercise.  This lead me to Wye River Models and their kit (22”).  I am learning a lot about techniques, tools, glues, etc.  

 

The plans are not for an RC sailing version, so I am learning on my own regarding a lead keel modification, where it should be located and how much weight and resistance is needed for the Skipjack to sail properly.

 

All suggestions would be appreciated.

[Mike Collier]

Jay, how do you like Wye River models skipjack? I’ve built a few of their models and like them.