Vigilance of Brixham (BM 76) by FlyingFish - 1:32

[JacquesCousteau]

Nice trout! (And of course, the build continues to amaze.)

[FriedClams]

Quite intense work fitting those frames, Andy.  I can see how leaving a little more meat on the bone could be advantageous.  Handsome fish - looks like a good time!

 

Gary

[KeithAug]

On 5/28/2024 at 8:29 PM, FlyingFish said:

I’ve been away on an extended fishing trip to the famous limestone Lough Sheelin in Ireland to fish the mayfly hatch.

And it wasn't raining for a change Andy. Interesting you didn't take pictures of there bigger fish - it's always the way with fishermen! Beautiful work on the frames.

[FlyingFish]

On 5/31/2024 at 5:24 PM, KeithAug said:

didn't take pictures of there bigger fish

Well, just for you @KeithAug, yer tis. (Caught by my boat partner, not me!!). He caught one bigger but thanks to my clumsiness with the net it got off. We are still friends, but only just.

 

On 5/30/2024 at 4:52 PM, FriedClams said:

Quite intense work fitting those frames, Andy

Sure is @FriedClams... as you know I enjoy the fidelity of following the original plans, but goodness these compound curves are a challenge at this scale. I'm getting there, and hopefully the next update is not far away.

 

Thanks @JacquesCousteau glad you are enjoying it. And thanks to all for the likes and for taking the time to follow this.

[FlyingFish]

Frames 31 -34 continued...

 

A little more progress - and a milestone; last four double frames in now.

Horns dry fitted...

 

 

And a glimps of the task ahead... I'll post a discussion of the counter framing in a while, which will explain the plan shown in more detail. 

Its taking shape now, with the perpendicular (or nearly) timbers 35 - 39 (shown above) next in line, followed by the cant timbers and stanchions that define the elliptical counter.

 

[Keith Black]

 Very nice, Andy.  

[wefalck]

Under the right light conditions and with the right background, this could look almost like the real thing  👍🏻

[KeithAug]

38 minutes ago, wefalck said:

this could look almost like the real thing  

My thought exactly. Wonderful job Andy.

[FriedClams]

Nice progress, Andy.  I also agree with the above statements, it does look like the real thing.  But of course it is the real thing, only smaller.  The color tone of your home-harvested wood is wonderful.  

 

Gary

[FlyingFish]

Thanks @Keith Black @KeithAug @wefalck and @FriedClams for the kind comments and all for the thumbs up. So far all the parts are exactly as irl (as the young say), other than the bolts holding the frames together which are a step too far. The wood (holly) is so far working out well - I do like the grey staining which does take on the appearance of oak; it even blackens a bit as it gets worked over which is nice. Once it gets weathered later in the build I think it will look fine.

It is certainly hard, and produces a super fine smooth surface when scraped or planed. Hand sanding takes very thin layers off, and I can use a proxxon rotary sanding drum without the worry of gauging lumps out of it.

[FlyingFish]

Hawse or Knighthead timbers.

The hawse or knighthead timbers sit atop the forward two frames and with them present a solid support to the stem and help prevent lateral movement of the bowsprit. 'Hawse' because the hawse hole for the cable was originally fitted through these in old wooden warships. The ones on Vigilance are called kinghtheads by the shipwrights at the yard. 

Knightheads: “The knightheads are the forwardmost primary main cant timbers and are fitted one either side of the apron or stomach piece.   They extend upward through the covering board and on past the top of the caprail in way and were often carved decoratively to form the head of a man wearing armour.   Sometimes called Apostle Timbers”.   Pease – Modern Shipbuilding Terms.

Anyway they are certainly big lumps of oak and in the case of Vigilance their main purpose is to support the bowsprit. The anchor chain will not pass through them, but will eventually pass over the cap to a roller.

In Vigilance the hawse timbers are hooded to the stem, contiguous with it, and carry the planking to the rabbet on the stem. There is no apron as such, as shown in the following images of the reconstruction.

The planking in my build images below is temporary; an aid to fairing. The shipyard had the old planking to act as a guide for fairing the frames and knightheads, so I am replicating this using an engineer’s square to measure up off the frame plan on the building jig.

Next up will be the setting out of the counter frames, which is currently 'doin' my head in' as they say!

 

 

[KeithAug]

Sorry but it now looks better than the original. Needs a bit more bodging!🙂

[FriedClams]

Very nice work, Andy.  Thanks for the explanation of hawse and knighthead timbers, and the photos of the 1:1.  Yes, they are indeed -  big lumps of oak!

 

Gary