Canoa de Rancho by JacquesCousteau - Scale 1:32 - Lake Chapala Fishing and Cabotage Vessel

[JacquesCousteau]

Thanks, all, for the comments and suggestions! I haven't found any photos with the weights, but double checking in Ortiz Segura, the weights were "tied stones." I may try Wefalck's suggestion of chopping up a cork. In any case, I still need to get paints and some other materials, so I will probably work on some other part before finishing the net.

[JacquesCousteau]

Next, I thought I'd work on some baskets. As far as I can tell, these were used to store caught fish. A woven basket appears in this image:

Source: https://www.mexicoenfotos.com/MX14140215743756 

 

I've tried two methods for making this. First, I made a simple rope coil basket out of yarn held together with glue. I began by making a tight coil for the bottom, making it flat on a strip of tape sticky-side-up and soaking it in diluted white glue.

 

I then continued the coil upwards to make the sides, again using white glue. Nothing too challenging, although it required a bit of attention to keep the bucket sides from falling inward (and I should have done more to make them flare out a bit).

 

I repeatedly paused to dab on diluted white glue, besides using undiluted glue to hold each layer on. Once the bucket seemed an appropriate height, I trimmed off the loose thread. The finished bucket can be seen below, temporarily placed in the bow of the Canoa.

 

 

As far as bucket methods go, this was pretty easy, but it doesn't really look all that woven. I thought about trying to really weave something, but couldn't figure out what materials to use. The broom fibers I had used for the thatching maybe would have been a good option, but I had thrown out the remains of the broom during the move. While cleaning up after having corn on the cob for lunch, I was struck by the possibility of using corn husks. They have long fibers and are frequently used in Mexican craft goods, so it would be a nice gesture linking my work to this tradition. So, I saved a few husks and split them into thin fibers, and started work on a woven basket.

 

I started with the stakes, forming them into a rough basket shape around a pen and securing them where the overlap with a drop of superglue.

 

To weave, I removed the shaped stakes and taped them around a pen cap, leaving space to thread around them. My first attempt went poorly. First, I had let the husk fiber sit out too long and it was too stiff. Second,

I found that nine stakes was too many to really deal with at this scale.

 

So, I placed the fibers in a dish of water to soak, and removed two stakes so I had seven. With this, I started again. It was extremely difficult to get started, but after a good bit of frustration, I soon had a semi-credible weave going.

 

I kept going, using dots of superglue to secure ends when I moved on to the next fiber. I found that it was much easier to weave after this, as the superglue stiffened the structure significantly.

 

The bottom, where I had started, was a total mess, but I kept going, as I could either use this one just for practice or could place it in the model so as to hide the bottom.

 

Finally I decided it was large enough and cut off the stakes. I'll properly trim them to size once it fully dries (which should also turn it from green to brown).

 

Overall, it's quite a lumpy, misshapen basket, and the weave itself isn't really to scale. That said, I think this method shows some promise and I might try again, both for more baskets and, especially, for the fishtraps. The main takeaways learned are as follows:

1) The bottom is quite difficult to properly weave, and it may make more sense to fake it using the same coil method as in the rope basket, before properly weaving the sides.

2) The corn husk needs to be moist to be effectively threaded, but it does shrink a bit as it dries, so it loosens slightly.

3) One problem I had was with the stakes. They're too flexible, which made it hard to keep the basket in shape. This was compounded by my failing to space them properly evenly, which contributed to the basket's lumpiness. In the future, I may try applying a bit of superglue to stiffen the stakes, although this will require drying them first so they don't warp as they dry.

 

 

Edited September 15 by JacquesCousteau
Added image

[wefalck]

I gather in some cultures they make 'sewn' baskets from coiled-up braided strands of whatever fibres are available. Each layer of the coil is sewn to the one below.

 

Otherwise, I can offer a high-tech solution that might be adapted to the availability of tools: For the Botter-model I needed a couple of fish-baskets and I decided to weave real baskets, well almost. For this I needed a tool that would give the basket its shape and allow me to handle it while weaving. So I turned the little implement below from a piece of 5 mm diameter aluminium and drilled a 2 mm hole all the way through it. It will allow me make two baskets simultaneously.

The material for weaving is another issue. I would have like to use wire, but it would have been difficult to actually weave with wire. So I used some thin cotton thread for the stakes and fly-tying yarn for the weave. First the ‚stakes’ were put into place by winding the thread around the form tool in a continuous series of loops, passing the return part through the middle of the center bore of the tool. This then was woven out with the fly-tying yarn using a sewing needle. The rim is a bit of a fake: normally the stakes would be bent back one over each other to produce a stable and decorative finishing. Here I made a double row of half-hitches with the weave, i.e. the fly-tying thread. Once this was finished, the ‚basket’ was soaked in wood stain and then a few dabs of matt varnish were applied to secure the weaving.

The stakes with the exception of two on each side then were cut off flush with the rim. The remaining stakes were twisted into looped handles. Finally the stakes were cut around the hole in the bottom of tool. A bottom of the basket was faked by closing the hole with a good drop of white glue. The baskets then were weathered using acrylics paint (umbra).

I am sure that this technique can be easily adapted to a larger scale. You were already half-way there ...

Edited September 15 by wefalck

[Glen McGuire]

Love those baskets!  Really nice work, especially the weaving on the second one.

[JacquesCousteau]

Thanks, Glen! Wefalck, I was sure I had seen someone's woven baskets on some build log but couldn't find it, I should have guessed it was your botter. The baskets look great, and I may try again with some different materials.

 

I decided to build on my first corn husk basket experience. With the material, it was difficult to get a very tight weave. But I noticed that, while the baskets I've seen in photos seem fairly tightly woven, there was another fishing tool that wasn't so tightly woven: the nasa or fish trap. These were essentially large woven baskets in the form of an egg, with an opening at one end and various pointed stakes positioned inside to bar exit to any fish that enter. Here we see an image from the Ortiz Segura article of the last nasa-maker in Chapala:

Source: https://www.ugr.es/~pwlac/G17_26Carlos_Ortiz_Segura.html

 

And here we see a variety of sizes of nasas (and other nets) in the Chapala fishing display at the Guadalajara Regional Museum:

Source: https://lugares.inah.gob.mx/es/museos-inah/exposiciones/sala-piezas/10855-10855-instrumentos-utilizados-para-la-pesca.html?lugar_id=480&expo_id=9850

 

The nasa was one of the most common fishing implements in use on the lake, so I knew I wanted to make one. And the rather large weave (which undoubtedly allows water to easily drain) would be easier to make out of cornhusk than a more finely-woven basket.

 

I decided to use nine stakes instead of the seven on my practice basket, and I spaced them evenly around the end of a sharpie permanent marker.

 

I then began weaving. Learning from my first try, I cut the cornhusk fibers thinner this time. I was able to get a much tighter weave than on the practice basket.

 

Once I reached about the midpoint, I had to remove the nasa from the marker "jig" and glue the ends of the stakes together so that I could properly tighten the perimeter toward the opening.

 

Without the marker to shape the nasa, this part was a little trickier to weave, but the base was pretty solid.

 

Finally, I trimmed the loose ends of weaving material, and turned over the stakes--those that "emerged" out of the opening were properly woven around the edge and back into the interior to secure the mouth of the nasa, while the others were just folded inside.

 

 

 

Overall I'm pretty pleased with how the nasa turned out. It would be nice of the opening was a little smaller, but it needed to be large enough for my tweezers to fit in. I'm hoping that the color will become more gray-tan as the cornhusk fibers continue to fully dry. I may give it a dip in wood stain if not. All that's left for it is to attach its line and marking buoy.

[JacquesCousteau]

I forgot to add a shot of the nasa on deck alongside the rope bucket (now given a dark brown wash) and the gangplank (also colored with washes).

[wefalck]

Yep, that fish-trap looks good 👍🏻  For what kind of fish is used here? Over here in Europe, I think it is used mainly for eels and crab/crayfish/lobster.

[ccoyle]

1 hour ago, wefalck said:

For what kind of fish is used here?

 

Just some educated guesses here.

 

The concept looks very similar to a typical minnow trap. Basically, any sort of smelly attractant is used to get curious fish to enter the trap. Once inside, they're not smart enough to deduce how to get back out again.

 

Alternatively, the basket could be incorporated into a crude fyke net, in which a shoal of fish is herded between the net panels and seeks to escape through the basket.

 

 

[JacquesCousteau]

1 hour ago, wefalck said:

Yep, that fish-trap looks good 👍🏻  For what kind of fish is used here? Over here in Europe, I think it is used mainly for eels and crab/crayfish/lobster.

Thanks! According to Ortiz Segura, the nasa was used to catch mojarra (a type of chichlid), catfish, pescado blanco (a larger variety of the chirostoma genus, which also included the tiny charales which were caught in fine nets), and other larger fish.

[JacquesCousteau]

7 minutes ago, ccoyle said:

The concept looks very similar to a typical minnow trap. Basically, any sort of smelly attractant is used to get curious fish to enter the trap. Once inside, they're not smart enough to deduce how to get back out again.

Thanks Chris! That's exactly how it works, just with an opening at only one end and a row of spikes instead of a net funnel.

[JacquesCousteau]

More progress on the fishing gear. The main other type of net I wanted to include, besides the chinchorro, was an atarraya (cast net). According to Ortiz Segura, these were usually 2-4 meters in diameter, and were used largely for catching mojarra (using a net with large holes) and charales (using a net with small holes). As with other nets, these were made by fishermen (and, I suspect, their families) by hand. 

 

I was able to find diagrams of cast nets online. The first step was to cut an appropriate-sized circle of tulle mesh and weave a sort of "bolt rope" (usually called a lead line, although I assumed that the weights would be stones tied off around this like on the chinchorro rather than lead) around the edge. I used .35mm rope from Ropes of Scale for this. As can be seen, I marked out the circle and important lines on a sheet of paper, and used tape to temporarily hold the tulle steady.

 

I then added the other parts, first placing a ring (apparently called a horn) in the center of the net, and then attaching brail lines. The brail lines run from the lead line at the edge of the net through the horn, and when pulled by the hand line they're tied to, they draw the net shut. I used nylon thread for all of these lines. I simplified the number of brail lines that would probably be used, as the net will be folded up in the Canoa. I then ran the brail lines through the horn, tying and gluing them together.

 

Next, for both the atarraya and the chinchorro nets, I needed to make the weights, which Ortiz Segura describes as tied stone. Following Wefalck's advice, I cut up a bit of cork into small pieces to make stones. Given their tiny size, they were a bit tricky to hold to paint--after a first attempt at using washes to color them, which largely failed in part because I forgot that cork floats, I just dabbed paint on them. I used a grey that I incompletely mixed from black and white so that there were some color variations. I think they turned out as pretty convincing stones!

 

Tying lines to them was a challenge, given their small size and my general clumsiness with knots (I'm quickly finding that I much prefer the woodworking aspects of building to any sort of rigging). I decided to use a dab of superglue to hold the rope--in this case, fly-tying thread) in place. The first attempt was a disaster, as the tiny cork stone first stuck to the glue brush, then to my tweezers, then to my finger, and then to my table. I then realized that the smarter way to do this was to put the stones on a strip of tape, and then dab on glue and attach the thread, only removing it from the tape afterwards to tie it.

 

Originally I planned on doing a proper lashing fully holding the stone in place, but I found it very difficult to tie them at different angles and ended up just doing a few simple knots around each. Close enough. These were then sealed with glue and the excess trimmed.

 

I used clove hitches to attach several weights around the perimeter of the atarraya and along the bottom of the chinchorro. I found this step tricky. No matter how closely I held the stone to the bolt rope/lead line, the stone always seemed to hang lower than I wanted. I decided not to worry about it, as the nets will be folded up. I also didn't add as many weights as there probably should have been, again because many will be obscured by the folding of the net. The results can be seen here--a lot of work for such a small detail!

 

To complete the nets, I painted them with a brown acrylic wash, to tone down the white of the tulle. It's hard to see against a black background, but easier to see in comparison with unpainted tulle (or in this case, partly painted--the irregular piece was my test).

 

All that's left for the nets is to fold them up and make a loop of the atarraya's hand line.

 

Finally, I also painted the anchor, given that it didn't change color at all from blackening. I just used acrylic paint, touched up any chipping once it dried, and the covered it in matte varnish to protect it.

 

The finish line is in sight. I'm enjoying this build a lot, and have learned a lot as I go. But it's taken much longer than I originally planned--I originally thought I could do it in a few months!--and I'm looking forward to some other projects that I've decided not to get into until this one is finished. (Not to mention that I still need to finish the Maine Peapod's oars and lobster trap, and mount the Half-Hull on a frame).

[wefalck]

Looking good! I like this attention to details.

 

Casting these nets requires quite a dexterity, a bit like working with a lasso I could imagine. Below is a shot of a guy using such a net on the Niger river that I took nearly 20 years ago:

[JacquesCousteau]

1 hour ago, wefalck said:

Looking good! I like this attention to details.

Thanks! I think the 1:32 scale allows for a lot of details to be shown. That's a great photo! Throwing a cast net definitely seems to be a complex skill. I found one photo of a fisherman in Ocotlán casting one from a small canoa, although unfortunately the net is pretty blurry:

Source: https://www.mexicoenfotos.com/MX15570248148348 

[JacquesCousteau]

Minor update. Although I still have more fishing gear to make, I needed a break from all the thread work, so I did two minor projects.

 

First, while looking at a photo of the docks in Ocotlán, I realized that they provided a good view of a rudder propped in the stern of a small canoa. 

Source: https://www.mexicoenfotos.com/antiguas/jalisco/ocotlan/vista-desde-el-puente-MX14413328898428/2

 

The rudder shape, which includes a semicircular cutout, is highly unusual, and I won't be remaking the rudder to conform to this design. (I have to wonder if they were just using scrap wood to make this rudder, or if the shape serves some kind of purpose). But I did note that the rudder includes a sort of support beam running lengthwise. This seemed like an interesting detail that I could include, especially as I've felt that my rudder looks a bit flimsy.

 

The part was very simple, just a 1"x3/32" strip cut from a 1/32‐inch thick cherry sheet. I made one for each side, and added nails or bolts with a pencil after gluing it to the lower part of the rudder. I think it does add something, and makes it look a bit sturdier.

 

 

Next, I turned my attention to the thole pins. I had made some way back in late spring or early summer, but I thought they turned out a bit oversized and I didn't like the natural color scheme. As a test, I repainted them as I did on the Juana y José--dark brown thole pin support and natural thole pin itself--and found that I liked the coloration. I then saw in one photo a sort of stepped design of the thole pin support that I thought looked sharp, so I decided to copy that. As on my first try, the thole pin supports are made from 1/8‐1/16 inch basswood, and the thole pins themselves were sanded down from a toothpick. Here we can see the new ones (foreground) with the earlier try (background).

 

Finally, here's the build as it currently stands. I still need to glue on the thole pins, once I figure out whether they would be on the inboard side, outboard side, or in the middle of the rail.

 

 

Edited September 25 by JacquesCousteau
Added image

[JacquesCousteau]

Next I made the oars. As can be seen in the following photos--one from Lake Chapala (although mislabeled as from Lake Pátzcuaro), and one of more recent vintage of the quite similar vessels from Lake Yuriría that I mentioned in an earlier post--they were made by attaching a flat, square-ish blade to the end of a long pole.

Source: https://mediateca.inah.gob.mx/islandora_74/islandora/object/fotografia%3A139940

Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lake_yuriria.jpg

 

The first step was deciding on a length. This thread elsewhere on the site (https://modelshipworld.com/topic/26997-ships-boat-oar-length/#comment-776284 ) suggested that oar lengths 2.5-3.5 times the boat's breadth was usual for British naval ship's boats, but this seemed excessively long on the canoa, so I went with something a bit shorter. I cut the poles from a sheet of 1/8"‐thick basswood, and then used a miniplane and sandpaper to round them. 

 

This photo suggests that the oars might be widest around the pivot point/close to the handle, although the actual handle-area was more tapered.

Source: https://mediateca.inah.gob.mx/islandora_74/islandora/object/fotografia%3A194349

 

As can be seen, I tried to represent this. The oars still look a bit long compared to the figure, but look better in the canoa as will be seen later.

Next, I used card to make a template for the blades, which I traced onto 1/32‐inch basswood and cut out. I then carved out the joint at the end of the oar shaft.

 

I decided to color the pieces with a dark brown wash, which left them quite grayed, before gluing the parts together. This way the wash wouldn't be impacted by any glue stains. In the photos above, it looks like the blades are joined with screws or bolts, so I represented this with a pencil.

I then added the rope loop to attach the oars to the thole pins. The only example I could clearly make out (from the Lake Yuriría photo above) just shows a simple rope loop, but others, like the photo of tge guy rowing above, definitely seem to show a more substantial, if indistinct, set of knots. I decided that the simplest solution was just a couple of clove hitches to secure a rope (.35mm diameter from Ropes of Scale) around the oar and to create a second loop that can fit around the thole pin. (Although in hindsight, maybe a bowline would have been better--I chose a clove hitch because I've been using it a lot lately and can remember how to do it). While I've secured the knots with glue, I made sure that the rope isn't stuck to the oar, so I can slide the loop around. This way, I can possibly display it with the oars looped onto the thole pin, but with most of the oar shaft pushed back further into the Canoa. I also left the ends a little long, as I figure they would probably want to be able to easily untie and retie the loops.

I'm planning on displaying it something like this. I just need to glue the thole pins into place first. I haven't done that yet because, based on some photos, in at least some cases the thole pin should actually go all the way through the rail, so I think I need to track down the rubbing alcohol, remove the thole pins from their supports, make longer ones, and get to drilling. The fun never stops...

Edited September 30 by JacquesCousteau
Added images

[JacquesCousteau]

Further work on the fishing gear. I wanted to give another shot at a woven basket, this time using finer material. I thought that a good goal would be something like this rather small, wide basket--nearly a tray--which in this photo is full of charales.

Source: https://www.mexicoenfotos.com/antiguas/jalisco/chapala/pescador-MX13895529520113

 

In order to make a finer weave, I used fly-tying thread. I used dark brown thread, both because some baskets (though not the one above) look rather dark in the photos, and because it's the thickest fly-tying thread I have. Once again I made a simple jig around a permanent marker, using 11 stakes.

 

As I'm finding, getting the weave started is the hardest part. On this one, there was a bit of a gap at the start caused by the super glue I used to secure the initial knot preventing the thread from neatly curving.

 

Once you get going, it's just tedious, but not particularly difficult. I did not do anything fancy around the edge of the basket, although in hindsight that would have added some interest. I finished the basket with some matte varnish and folded over the ends of the stakes.

 

The result is a bit misshapen, and unfortunately all the details of the weave really blend together because it's quite dark and tiny. In hindsight, a lighter color thread would have been better. For his Botter build, Wefalck used what appears to have been a thicker thread for the stakes. Doing so would have perhaps given more definition to this basket's weave.

 

 

Although not wholly satisfactory, this is going to be placed somewhere in the hull, partly obscured by either the rancho or the crossbeams, so I can live with these issues.

[Glen McGuire]

That is amazing work at such a small scale!  Well done!

[FriedClams]

Very nice work, all around.  Great little basket!

 

Gary

[JacquesCousteau]

Thanks, all, for the friendly comments!

 

I actually wasn't thrilled with how the last basket turned out, so I decided to make one more. This time I used 0.2mm jewelry nylon, the same as I used for the net lines, as it was a bit thicker than fly tying thread and so the weave would hopefully show up better. Overall it worked fairly well.

 

One challenge with the nylon thread was that, at times, the weave thread caught in the fibers of the stake threads. This caused the small gap below. For this reason, I recommend doing each layer of the weave farther down the stakes away from the basket, and then pushing the weave tight after each layer, so you can see better whether it caught anything. Also, because the thread is made of separate strands spun together, it was possible to make a splice instead of a knot when I needed to join threads.

 

Following Wefalck's Botter build (an excellent example of a woven net, at a much smaller scale than this), I added a couple rows of loops at the top. This turned out a bit messy for me, but it worked ok. Many photos show fishermen with a basket slung on their back, so I spliced together two of the stakes to make the sling--it will have to be reshaped with watered down glue to mimic the effect of gravity once it's placed in the final position. Overall I'm much happier with this basket than with my previous attempts. 

 

 

I also did some work on the hull. During my move, I had thrown out the half-full bottle of brown paint I used for the rails, only to find that it was no longer sold where I originally bought it. I was finally able to find it again, so I was able to drill some holes in the rail and touch up the paint. First, as I mentioned I was planning to do earlier, I drilled holes in the rails for the thole pins, removed the original short thole pins from their supports with alcohol, and then added new, longer thole pins that go through the rail. It's a minor difference, but I think it helps bring the hull to life.

 

Several photos also show holes through the rail toward the bow, sometimes with a rope looped through them to serve as a tie-down point for the fore sheet, so I added these extra holes as well.

 

The model is really coming together now. My next steps will be for the anchor assembly and the yard. I need to make a final decision about whether to include the sail fully set or not--I'm leaning towards not, as I haven't been all that pleased with the sails I've made so far.

 

 

 

Edited October 3 by JacquesCousteau

[Paul Le Wol]

Looking great Jacques. I keep thinking how good she looks sitting on that rough-sawn wood 

[JacquesCousteau]

49 minutes ago, Paul Le Wol said:

Looking great Jacques. I keep thinking how good she looks sitting on that rough-sawn wood 

Thanks! Although they don't seem to have used something like that on the actual vessels (maybe a couple sawhorses would be more accurate), I like to think the stand at least kept the same aesthetic sensibilities as the rest of the build. 

[JacquesCousteau]

Now that I finished the Half-Hull Planking Kit, I've had a bit more time to focus on the Canoa, so I've added the anchor assembly and gotten started on the yard.

 

I had already blackened the chain back in Chicago, but it had been sitting in a small box since then, as I didn't have any way to add a sealer coat then (brushing on matte varnish seemed like it would be too thick on the tiny chain). But, I had to pick up a matte varnish spray to finish the Half-Hull's frame, so I was able to use that to give the chain a protective coat, after first nearly blowing it off my balcony--when I do this again, I'll need to find a way to better secure whatever I'm spraying. I then used black wire to add a ring connecting the anchor to the chain, and a further half-ring to bolt the anchor to the aft end of the deck and crossbeam.

 

This raises an unfortunate error in my build. Way back when I first made the anchor for the small Canoa, I went with a grapnel. This was because a grapnel style anchor seemed appropriate for the relatively small vessels I am making, and seemed accurate based on the (mostly rather blurry) photos I had. As a result, I went ahead and ordered a scale grapnel anchor for the Canoa de Rancho. However, as I noted in early summer or so, I've since found a lot more high-quality images of canoas. What I've only noticed recently is that grapnel anchors are nowhere to be seen. Instead, even the smallest canoas used something like an Admiralty anchor (at times seemingly quite oversized). Such as in the image below:

Source: https://memoricamexico.gob.mx/swb/memorica/Cedula?oId=mvts2osBVs6S4R6nmckQ

 

I'm not sure how this came to be historically--perhaps it's due to the influence of oceanic shipbuilding in San Blas on boatbuilding in Chapala? But in any case, my anchor is wrong. I don't really want to try to hack apart and modify my grapnel, as it may be useful for some other builds, and although my metal working skills are improving, I also don't really want to try to make my own. So instead, I'll be leaving the grapnel for now, and will order a more accurate anchor on my next visit to the US. It'll be easy then to just open the anchor ring and replace the anchor.

 

In any case, I began work on the anchor mounting, which (as seen in the image above) was a sort of half-ring attached to a timber running across the bow. I first tried with a bit of brass rod, but found it too thick to pass through the anchor chain, so I remade it with 24-gauge black wire, the same as I had used for the anchor ring. The two half-rings are shown below.

 

And the timber across the bow (1/8x1/16 basswood):

 

To join the half-ring with the timber, I cut a slit into the end of a small basswood cylinder, then filed it into more of a rounded shape. I accidentally cut it too short to properly sit in the hole in the timber seen above, so I added a tiny wire loop below it, so that the loop would grab the glue more effectively (I forgot to take pictures of this). I then painted the whole thing black. Here's the result:

 

I think it looks much more accurate than my earlier try on the smaller cargo Canoa. But there are a few issues. First, it may be a little oversized and especially too tall, although there does seem to have been a bit of variation in the actual size of these. See, for example, below:

Source: https://www.mexicoenfotos.com/antiguas/jalisco/ocotlan/aspecto-del-puente-MX16575968846104/1 

 

Second, the anchor chain doesn't actually fit on the horn. I used the same wire that fit through the end of the chain for the anchor ring, but didn't realize that the intermediate chain loops have less space (because each intermediate loop is hooked on to two other loops, whereas the end loop just connects to one, if that makes sense). So, instead of hooking the anchor on to the half-loop, I've just wrapped it around for now, which looks a bit messier.

 

I'm considering remaking the anchor mounting to be a little shorter. If I remake it, I may test out some thinner 28-gauge wire, which should fit through the chain loops, but I suspect it is too thin to look in-scale.

 

Changing gears, I also made the yard. As with the oars, I cut a strip of 1/8‐inch basswood and rounded and tapered it with a mini-plane and sandpaper. I'm getting better at making it round! After taking proportions from several photos, I determined that it should be 8.5-9.5 inches long. I've gone with the longer size for now, and can trim it down later if necessary. At the moment, as seen in the final photo in this post, I think it looks a little long.

 

I've also started on a test for the sail, which I've decided I want to depict furled around the yard in lowered position, something like this:

Source: https://memoricamexico.gob.mx/swb/memorica/Cedula?oId=vvts2osBVs6S4R6nk8il 

 

After reading a lot about materials and methods, it sounds like silkspan would be the best, but it doesn't seem very easy to get here. In the spirit of experimentation, I thought I would test out a material that I already have in abundance: coffee filter paper. After flattening a coffee filter, I folded it in half to make it two layers thick and applied a mix of water, white glue, and cream-colored paint.

 

After it dried overnight, I peeled it off the tile and cut it into a trapezoidal shape. If I were to actually use this, I may build up the sail with strips of filter paper so as to get a better shape not limited by the size of the individual filter. As can be seen, I had some problems with wrinkles. Also, while I liked the texture on the upper side of the material, the side that was in contact with the tile became too smooth and flat as the glue settled there. As people who have used silkspan have suggested, suspending it in a frame instead of on a tile would probably be better, but this will work as a testbed for now.

 

Next I need to test whether this can be convincingly rolled, and how to best add boltropes etc, which I'll report back on in future posts.

 

In any case, here's the current state of the build with the yard (as yet unstained) balanced on top of the rancho. As it turns out, those poles running along the rancho are useful not just to hold the thatching in place, but also to hold the yard when it's lowered. I may try adding a slight bend to the yard in order to depict it sagging at bit off the rancho. Inaccurate anchor or not, I think it looks good hanging at the bow.

Edited October 7 by JacquesCousteau
Added images

[wefalck]

👍🏻👍🏻

[JacquesCousteau]

I've done a bit more work testing out coffee filters as sail material, and I think it will work for the actual build.

 

Having already doubled up the filter paper, painted/glued it, and cut it to rough shape, it was time to try folding/rolling it into the shape of a furled sail. So, following suggestions on other build logs, I wet the sail. It does indeed take on a flexible, rubbery consistency, without becoming too weak and ripping. I then tried folding/rolling it up. This was a complete failure and produced something that looked exactly like paper folded up.

 

Unhappy with the result, I went looking for more examples of how to do this in build logs. I also watched Tom Lauria's extremely helpful youtube videos on scale sail-making, the third part of which shows him painstakingly making a furled catboat sail (which looks great). This made very clear one of my main problems. As you may notice, I did not have my test sail attached to the yard. This was because I didn't want to stain it somehow with the sail, and I had thought, how hard can it be to roll up a bit of paper freehand? As it turns out, the job actually is much easier if you have the sail attached to the yard. So I wet the test sail again, which allowed it to flex back basically to its original shape albeit withsome extra creases, and tried again. I used a coffee stir stick as a substitute yard, punched some holes with a needle, and used my roughest throw-away thread to simply lace the sail to the stir stick. I left excess string at both ends to assist with the furling. (Apologies for the sickly color/texture in the photo, I had to use the flash and the sail was still damp).

 

I then wrapped one loose string end around the sail and yard. On the actual sail, as far as I can tell they would use the sheets to wrap everything up, but for testing purposes this line worked. As can be seen, it didn't look great at first.

 

But, after poking, prodding, and reshaping everything while the sail was still all tied up, I produced something that looks much more acceptable to my eyes.

 

There are still a few issues and unrealistic creases in there, but it's definitely a step up. I think it can only look better if I do a better job at avoiding creases when I apply the glue-paint-water mix to the sail (and if I don't botch my first attempt at rolling it again, and if I lash it to a round yard instead of a coffee stir stick). I may also experiment with a slightly whiter color, too. For anyone curious about using coffee filters as substitute silkspan, my sense is that two layers of paper is reasonably thin while adding enough strength for handling. Possibly it would fine with a single layer, though, after adding watered-down glue.

 

While I'll be working on the real sail next, I won't be able to add it until I advance on other aspects of the build. The sail will be not just furled around the yard, but, on the aft half, also resting on the rancho. This will pose a definite challenge, and the sail will have to be shaped against the rancho (probably with a layer of plastic wrap in between to keep things clean). So first I'll need to properly place all the fishing equipment and any other supplies, so that I can fix the mast, fix the rancho, and then add the furled sail.

 

Finally, I should note that I've begun another scratch build of a Latin American workboat, so I'm looking forward to starting that log in the next couple of weeks. Apparently I'm addicted to this hobby.

[wefalck]

I think the sail already looks rather good! My first thought was that two layers of filter paper would make it too thick for furling and give it too much volume. Perhaps you could indeed use only one layer.

 

I don't know what kind of filters you have down Mexico-way, but ours here tend to be quite thick. The wet ripping resistance that has been built into filter papers is definitely an advantage.

 

In case you feel like experimenting further, you could watch out for some screen-printing silk, which is essentially the same as silk-span. There may be a print-shop in your area that may be willing to give/sell you some rests.

 

Anyway, at your scale you seem to be on the right track with the filter-paper.

[JacquesCousteau]

5 hours ago, wefalck said:

I think the sail already looks rather good! My first thought was that two layers of filter paper would make it too thick for furling and give it too much volume. Perhaps you could indeed use only one layer.

 

I don't know what kind of filters you have down Mexico-way, but ours here tend to be quite thick. The wet ripping resistance that has been built into filter papers is definitely an advantage.

 

In case you feel like experimenting further, you could watch out for some screen-printing silk, which is essentially the same as silk-span. There may be a print-shop in your area that may be willing to give/sell you some rests.

 

Anyway, at your scale you seem to be on the right track with the filter-paper.

Thanks! I'll keep an eye out for screen-printing silk. Given that I have a ton of coffee filters already, I think I'll also experiment with trying a single sheet instead of doubling it.

[JacquesCousteau]

A brief update. Unfortunately, the build has slowed due to some difficulties in getting materials and a very busy periodat work. For the sail, I haven't had the chance yet to look for screen-print silk. On the other hand, if I go the coffee filter route, I'll need a large size, #6 coffee filter instead of what I already have, but they only seem to come in packs of hundreds. I may see if a local café would be willing to sell me a filter or two for a few pesos instead.

 

I also have had some difficulties in getting the right stain, which I need for the yard. The mast (and foredeck, and some other parts) had all been stained with a Minwax Golden Oak stain pen, which unfortunately ran out. I forgot to pick up a new pen before the move, and am finding that either the stain pen or a can of it are hard to find here and very expensive. I picked up a small can of a different stain that claimed to be "Light Oak," which sounded like it would at least be close enough. But when I tested it, it turned out to be weirdly red (as seen below, compared against the Golden Oak-stained stand).

 

So, I need to visit some hardware stores and try to find a stain that's a closer match, but I haven't had much time to do so lately.

 

It's not all bad news, though. I wasn't totally happy with how the anchor support ring turned out, as it was too tall, so I cut it off, reshaped it, and glued it back on. A small thing, I know, but I think it looks much better now. Below is the original followed by the redo.

 

Original:

 

Redo:

[wefalck]

Yep, hunting down materials can be a challenge, regardless where you are. And it seems to become more difficult with time, as many speciality shops disappear and other shops only stock what sells with a certain minimum quantity over the year 🤨

[JacquesCousteau]

On 10/16/2024 at 1:59 PM, wefalck said:

Yep, hunting down materials can be a challenge, regardless where you are. And it seems to become more difficult with time, as many speciality shops disappear and other shops only stock what sells with a certain minimum quantity over the year 🤨

Definitely! I continue to be a bit blocked by my inability to find a stain that looks remotely similar to what I used earlier. I found one that looked promising, but, perhaps due to the different grain pattern on the yard vs. on my test scrap, it turned out much redder than expected, as seen below. I'll see if I can sand it out, or may have to make a new yard. At this point, frustrating though it may be, I may just have to wait until I visit the US in a month and pick up the proper stain there.

 

In other news, I also wrapped up the fishing nets to store them, using a dab of matte varnish to secure them. In hindsight it was definitely overkill to do as much work on them as I did, given that they're quite hard to see under the rancho. Nothing is glued down yet, as I'm just testing out locations, so I may move them a bit so they're more visible. It's a fine balance between showing them off and blocking the view of the internal structure of the hull.

 

[Glen McGuire]

10 hours ago, JacquesCousteau said:

In hindsight it was definitely overkill to do as much work on them as I did, given that they're quite hard to see under the rancho.

Whether they are visible or not, you know what they look like and the high quality of work you put in.  To me that's what really matters.  It seems like half the details I put on my SIB ships are almost impossible to see once it gets in the bottle.  But I know they are there.  You are doing beautiful work here.  Keep it up, JC!

Edited October 22 by Glen McGuire