HM Cutter Trial 1790 by chris watton - FINISHED - Vanguard Models - 1:64th

[chris watton]

The Trial Class Cutter (1788) was a vessel with three sliding keels' Agreeable to a plan suggested by Captain Schank, She was just over 65 feet along the main deck and 121 tons. She was initially armed with 8 x 3 pounder cannon, but in 1793, 4 x 12 pounder carronades were added, bringing he armament up to 12 guns.

She was launched in 1790, and hulked in 1810. She became a depot ship at Waterford; by the 1840's to Callao in Peru as a coal depot, being finally sold in 1848, after well over half a century in service. (Sailing Navy List - David Lyon)

 

I wanted to develop a smaller cutter. I even thought about doing a much improved Sherbourne. However, I have little stomach for treading old ground when there are still so many wonderful subjects that have not been tackled. One such subject was the Trial Cutter (quite a bit larger than Sherbourne), and I thought it would be more of a challenge and more unusual, due to the three drop keels. For the designs, I have utilised both the original plans and the contemporary model. I wanted to develop not a simple beginners kit, but a nicely detailed smaller kit, with etched planking and treenail detail on the inner and outer hull, just to see how that kind of detail would work out.

 

So, I started designs way back at the end of February. I had three stabs at the hull design before I settled on the forth. The original designs were to have the drop keels fitted very early in the build, and they dropped down to a pre determined level. That was pretty cool, but it would have meant adding the rope to the tops of the keels and keeping them free of glue and paint and whatever else throughout the hull build. I ditched that idea and came up with a simpler solution, where the keels are added only after most of the hull is complete.

 

So here is where I am up to. I cannot do much more until I have my photo etched samples arrive, but I did manage to cannibalise some parts from scrap sheets, like eyebolts, winch handles, belaying pins etc.

 

Here are some pics!

[chris watton]

[chris watton]

[chris watton]

[chris watton]

And this is where I am with the model now, waiting for my PE...

[chris watton]

Not sure about the inner bulwark ladders, may delete those....

 

I have opted for a mirrored base for this one.

 

And I just realised I left off the hatch for the toilet at the stern..

Edited April 29, 2023 by chris watton

[Craigie65]

Wonderful how you turn out these new vessels.  You are a machine Mr W!

Very interesting design. Looking forward to seeing this one being developed 

[Blue Ensign]

I like what I see Mr W.  👍

 

B.E.

[chris watton]

3 minutes ago, Craigie65 said:

Wonderful how you turn out these new vessels.  You are a machine Mr W!

Very interesting design. Looking forward to seeing this one being developed 

Cheers!

 

I am a little rusty when it came to doing a nicer model, rather than speed built just for pics for jim.

 

The designs are 100% done. I have changed a few things whilst building this. For example, I felt the 1mm pear was just ever so slightly too thick, so have put them on a 0.8mm pear file (inner/outer bulwarks, main wale, upper rails and gunwale)

 

All of the planking is very easy, and all is painted. All above the white painted area are pre cut.

[AJohnson]

Now this looks an interesting little model!  My first wooden kit was the Sherborne and for some time I have been wanting to do another Cutter as I was never happy with my Sherborne effort. I was thinking of the Alert, but now I’ll see what the Trial looks like! 😁👍

[Kevin]

terrific looking new build,lovely work @chris watton

[chris watton]

3 minutes ago, AJohnson said:

Now this looks an interesting little model!  My first wooden kit was the Sherborne and for some time I have been wanting to do another Cutter as I was never happy with my Sherborne effort. I was thinking of the Alert, but now I’ll see what the Trial looks like! 😁👍

I think the best thing to do, if you are undecided, is to buy both! lol

[AJohnson]

Why you doing a Cutter deal! 🤣😉 I might have to sneak that past the Admiral, she is only just accepting of a HMS Surprise in the next year or so! 🤣

[glbarlow]

Excellent design and another nice model design.  This is the one I may pick up to build with my grandson. Well done!

[mgatrost]

Looks like another great kit. Is it to soon to ask when this might be for sale?

[Gregory]

Great new model Chris!

 

Just for reference there are some pictures in the Gallery of a contemporary Trial model.

 

[chris watton]

3 minutes ago, mgatrost said:

Looks like another great kit. Is it to soon to ask when this might be for sale?

Around 8 weeks, I should think

 

I have been taking pics during the build for the manual, and most of the hull is now done.

 

Like Grecian, the channels are slotted and glued into place, as are the inner bulwark fittings like the pin rail and cleats - no need for drilling and pinning in place on this one.

[chris watton]

3 minutes ago, Gregory said:

Great new model Chris!

 

Just for reference there are some pictures in the Gallery of a contemporary Trial model.

 

I did actually download all those pics and used them as a reference for some areas! The actual plans and contemporary model are so different in places!

[chris watton]

I meant to add this pic in my initial post, the three that didn't make the cut, although the first, the one furthest away was always just a test to see how the initial designs looked - the one in the middle was used for all bulwark template patterns, and the nearest almost was the one, but decided to change the sliding keel parts so the modeller could add them once the hull is complete, rather than fit them before the deck is added.

[BobG]

3 hours ago, chris watton said:

Not sure about the inner bulwark ladders, may delete those....

I rather like those bulwark ladders. I think they add some interesting additional detail to the deck.

[mgatrost]

5 hours ago, chris watton said:

Around 8 weeks, I should think

 

I have been taking pics during the build for the manual, and most of the hull is now done.

 

Like Grecian, the channels are slotted and glued into place, as are the inner bulwark fittings like the pin rail and cleats - no need for drilling and pinning in place on this one.

Great I should have Speedy done just in time to start this one.

[Beef Wellington]

Interesting subject and approach (to finish the hull before glueing the upper bulwark pieces on).  Nice to see some new ship types!

[aliluke]

Wow! Yet another temptation. The speed with which you design and trial your stunning kits is just incredible. 

 

[chris watton]

11 hours ago, aliluke said:

Wow! Yet another temptation. The speed with which you design and trial your stunning kits is just incredible. 

 

Cheers! A big part of this is James Hatch, who has been building the Grecian, photographing the stages and writing the text, leaving me free to start Trial Cutter.

11 hours ago, Beef Wellington said:

Interesting subject and approach (to finish the hull before glueing the upper bulwark pieces on).  Nice to see some new ship types!

I thought I'd try that out and see how it went, and it seems to have gone very well, adding the outer bulwarks after the planking was complete and painted meant that it was free from any potential sanding/glue marks or paint overspray. No soaking in water at all for inner and outer bulwark patterns, but I did for main wale, but for the final kit, this will be in 0.8mm pear, not 1mm, so that should negate the need for soaking in water.

Edited April 30, 2023 by chris watton

[VTHokiEE]

5 hours ago, BobG said:

I rather like those bulwark ladders. I think they add some interesting additional detail to the deck.

I agree, I like having all these little details as well (the more the merrier 🙂). If a builder doesn’t want to add them they can always leave them off.

 

Very neat project!

 

[Chuck Seiler]

What will the final size be for that?  By my calculation, it appears to be a little over a foot at the deck.  Is that right?

[chris watton]

9 hours ago, Chuck Seiler said:

What will the final size be for that?  By my calculation, it appears to be a little over a foot at the deck.  Is that right?

Hull alone is around 335mm long.

 

With masts and spars around 560mm long and 520 high overall (including drop keels)

 

Kit will come with mirrored base.

 

For the drop keel winch drums, I originally did these in laser cut wood, but was not happy with this solution, so I designed the drum in 3-d with a hole big enough for the 1mm brass rod to slide through plus another smaller offset hole to take the 'rope' that was attached to the drop keel, to lift it up and down. These are 3-d printed, so the holes will always be there on every one. I think this was the better solution. Each keel has an engraved line, so you know exactly how far to drop the keels.

[Oboship]

As I have messed up my Alert 😬🥲 I need another Navy cutter! And this seems to be the one!
I particularly like the lasered bulwarks with the tree nails and the idea (if I'm not mistaken) of the readily prepared inner bulwarks.

 

Do you have a price idea yet or am I too curious?

 

Best regards
Uwe

[chris watton]

5 minutes ago, Oboship said:

As I have messed up my Alert 😬🥲 I need another Navy cutter! And this seems to be the one!
I particularly like the lasered bulwarks with the tree nails and the idea (if I'm not mistaken) of the readily prepared inner bulwarks.

 

Do you have a price idea yet or am I too curious?

 

Best regards
Uwe

Yes, decks, inner and outer bulwarks, spirketting and main wale all have etched detail, including trenails. (Even gunwales have scarphing detail).

 

Haven't worked out a price yet, as I haven't long started this one.

 

I did want it to go in one of the smaller fully printed boxes, that the last four fishing boats use, as I love those. However, I realised that if I were to use those, I would have to either remove the longer parts like the bulwarks and gunwales from their host sheets, or split them. Neither option was palatable to me, so it will have to go in a Fifie/Zulu sized box.

[Tom V]

I Really like this one Chris