Norfolk Sloop by Dan Vadas - FINISHED - Modellers Shipyard - Reconstructed Build Log

[Dan Vadas]

Fitting Gaff

 

In preparation for fitting the Gaff Sail I've tied all the seizings to the mast hoops.
 

 

I've also fitted a sheave to the end of the boom for the Sheet. That would have been a little easier before I fitted the boom, but it went in OK.
 

 

I've rigged the Peak and Throat with Earings, now I'll start tying the Robands and Hoop Seizings.

 

 

 

[Dan Vadas]

I've finished all the Robands (as per Lees with a Reef Knot on top of the Gaff), and the Hoop seizings.

 

 

 

 

 

I've added a tackle to the Main Sheet, along with a cleat. I have it well forward so the main can be Brailed up.

 

[Dan Vadas]

Jib Fitting

 

I've rigged the Jib.
 

 

 

 

Now all that remains are the Main Brails and the Ensign. Then I can start tidying up all the loose ropes and make hanks of them.

[Dan Vadas]

I've tied the four Brails, and finished them off to four cleats around the mast.

 

 

 

The Boom Sheet has been fitted.

 

 

So have the Jib Sheets.

 

 

Fitting the sails has been completed .

 

[Dan Vadas]

I'm doing some tidying up at the moment.

I've worked out a couple of good tricks to get Reef points to sit more naturally.

My reef points are merely threaded through the sail and held there with PVA (I tried knotting them either side as they should be, but the knots looked way too big).

I glued the reef points on a few days ago, so the PVA was well and truly set.

I hold the end of the reef point with tweezers and apply a spot of diluted PVA where it exits the sail to slightly soften the original glue. Using a wet cotton tip I run it the length of the rope and hold it fairly tight for a few seconds - gravity then does the rest .

Next I trim the points to length, and finish them off by applying a small dab of PVA to the ends to stop them from fraying.

In the pic below the top row are done, also a few on the left of the bottom row. The rest of the bottom row is how they looked before I started tidying them up.

 

[Dan Vadas]

Some progress pics - just a bit of tidying up left to do :

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dan Vadas]

Finished

 

Well I'm finally finished the "Norfolk" - I only have the stand left to do.

I'm rather pleased with the way she's turned out, especially the sails which were my first attempt at scratchbuilding them. Special thanks to David ("hopeful") for his tips from making his own, also Russ, Jim Lad and Anton for some of the technical details.

Last "part" to be fitted was "Trim", the ship's cat .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dan Vadas]

.... continued.

 

 

 

 

[Dan Vadas]

The Stand

 

I'm not going to use the laser-cut ply stand they supplied - I'm scratchbuilding my own from a piece of Radiata Pine which I've routed a stepped and chamfered edge to.

I'm going to plank the whole piece with Walnut - I had a whole pack of it left over which was meant for the hull planking, for which I substituted Norfolk Pine. I wanted a dark colour for the base to contrast with the boat itself. I'll put a lighter coloured border around the top and bottom. It will be finished with Danish Oil.

I'm doing a 5 Butt Shift on the top, and before anyone asks - YES I'll be treenailing it with 0.5mm brass wire just for effect.

 

 

 

I've finished planking the top of the Base (it's only glued down so far, it'll get a lot better when I sand it). Tomorrow I'll treenail it, then move on to planking the sides.

 

 

Below are a couple of pics of the completed Base. Now to turn up a couple of brass pedestals.

 

 

 

 

The final touches - a couple of pedestals I turned from some scrap brass .... I had to mill the slots out a couple of times - somehow I measured them incorrectly the first time and the mounting screws that go through them into the hull weren't quite long enough.
 

 

 

 

 

[Dan Vadas]

The model completed and on it's stand.

 

I donated this model to the Maritime Museum in Newcastle (Australia). Quite appropriate, as the original's "bones" lie only a few hundred metres from the museum itself . She was Newcastle's first shipwreck.

 

 

 

[Dan Vadas]

History of the Norfolk Sloop

 

The sloop Norfolk name was from Governor Hunter's simple description on her arrival at Sydney Cove on 15 June 1798. She was a sloop, and was from Norfolk Island, having been built there, on a decked Longboat pattern using mostly the native Norfolk Island Pine along with some timbers and other pieces salvaged from the wreck of HMS Sirius, which ran aground on the island several years earlier.

Built on Commandant John Townson's orders - but contrary to Governor Hunter's orders - she was promptly confiscated on her arrival in Sydney Cove. Governor Hunter ordered her fitted out from June to October for Lt Matthew Flinders and George Bass to explore south to prove whether Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) was an island separated from the mainland by a strait.

Flinders (captain), Peter Hibbs (master), and George Bass with their eight crew and twelve weeks provisions departed Sydney on 7 October 1798 and sailed south. They were the first to circumnavigate Van Diemen's Land - the strait they discovered was named after Bass on Flinders' request. They returned to Sydney Cove on 12th January 1799.

Norfolk departed Sydney, again under the command of Flinders, and sailed as far north as Hervey Bay (Queensland) charting the coast as they went. They arrived back in Sydney on 22 August 1799. Flinders then sailed her "home" to Norfolk Island, and then back to Sydney.

She next made a supply voyage to the Hawkesbury in January 1800 in company with the "Francis", both returning to Sydney with cargoes of timber.

On a subsequent voyage to the Hawkesbury in October to pick up a cargo of grain for Sydney she was seized by 15 convicts in Broken Bay at the mouth of the Hawkesbury River, with the intention of sailing her to the Moluccas. Running into a storm, they attempted to shelter in Coal River (Hunter River) only to succeed in wrecking her in November 1800 at what is now Stockton - a point officially named Pirate Point - and gained the dubious distinction of becoming Newcastle's first shipwreck.

Six of the escaped convicts fled into the bush and were never heard from again. The others took a small boat and went to sea, but were soon recaptured. Two were hanged, and the rest sent to Norfolk Island.

The sloop Norfolk had a short 2 1/2 year life, but an eventful one for the Colony at a critical time, providing superior service.

[riverboat]

This build was awesome the first time around....... and it's still awesome!!!!

Frank

[mobbsie]

What a fantastic little sloop, Dan you are to be congratulated on an absolutely first class build.

 

I am in awe of your achievements and skills.

 

If only.

 

mobbsie

[Dan Vadas]

Thanks very much Brian, Frank and Mobbsie - I'm glad you like the rebuild of my Log. It took a lot of work over the past two weeks to get it all completed.

 

Now, back to "Vulture" .

 

  Danny

[Pygothian]

Beautiful work!

 

There are a lot of great tips I'm going to find handy for when I start my build.

 

I was actually tossing up on getting the Norfolk or Mermaid from model shipyard. After seeing your log, now I wish I did!

 

 

Ohh well, I know what my second build will be

 

 

Cheers

Rowan

[Dan Vadas]

Thanks Rowan, and welcome to MSW.

 

I believe the later version of the Norfolk Sloop kit has quite a few improvements on the one that I built .

 

  Danny

[pete48]

Wow Dan, I have to say you did an Amazing job. the information and how you explained the entire process is completly educational and gave me inspiration for my next build. Hats off

 

Best Regards,

Pete

[Julio]

Hi, Dan, exceptional work! I'd like to ask you if the Build Log of the "HMS Supply" has also been saved. If so, are you planning on uploading it again? I'd be very pleased because I started following your work before the Great Crash of February 2013. Thank you very much! Regards, Julio.

[Dan Vadas]

Thanks Pete, Geoff and Julio.

 

Julio, I've saved a copy of the "Supply" Build Log but I don't know if and when I'll repost it - that will be a LOT of work   .

 

  Danny

[moreplovac]

Hi Dan

Thanks for great building tutorial. Printing it out for future references. 

 

Regards 

[hornet]

Excellent Build Log Dan!

My current build - The Norfork - is my fifth Modellers Shipyard kit. I'm not sure that the current kit quality has improved significantly since you built yours though. I too find myself building/replacing many components from solid timber rather than using the ply supplied. I have also just discovered that the filler blocks have been left out of my Norfolk kit as well - not a major problem but still annoying (and not the first time I've had a kit arrive from Modeller's Shipyard minus bits!) .It's not as though the kits are particularly cheap either! I also hate the fact that the plans are not to scale. I recall in an earlier model - the Perseverance I think - not having my brain switched on and cutting a mast to the length shown on the plan rather than the correct length! Not a major mistake, but also annoying. While I'm having a whinge - Why do they supply flags for their kits which are printed on paper? - cheap, cheap, cheap! I had to send to England for some proper ones because the replacement ones from MSY were only printed on one side!! I have built these kits mainly because they relate to Australian Maritime History ( The Norfolk wreck is actually somewhere in Newcastle Harbour) and I think it's great to have a local Australian company producing models appropriate to this country, but I think the Norfolk will be my last....... might try something from Jotika/Caldercraft, they look to be of better quality and are similarly priced. THERE!!! Got it all off my chest!!!!

Edited July 9, 2014 by hornet

[Senior ole salt]

Ahoy Danny.

 

I like your take on barrels. I'm gonna use the info to make line tubs for my New Bedford whale boat. The stuff supplied with the kit makes for to big a line tub to fit where it should.

 

BTW did you make that cat?  I plan to put a stalking cat hunting a rat aboard my whale boat model. I figure having a little fun with the model can add some interest.

 

S.os

[Dan Vadas]

BTW did you make that cat?

 

 

No. "Trim" came with the kit. He was Matthew Flinders' famous cat.

 

  Danny

[Bindy]

Hi Dan,

 

I just wanted to say "thank you" for going to all the trouble of rebuilding and re-posting this log, but also for building this ship so close to the plans to intentionally make such a great tutorial.  Not only is your skill and knowledge so invaluable, but you have a wonderful ability of explaining things to complete novices without even slightly talking down to us.  And all for strangers too 

 

Thank you again, and I can't wait to begin my Norfolk Sloop and follow your footsteps as closely as I can !

 

(I just hope the new version still comes with "Trim" haha)

[Dan Vadas]

Thanks for the compliments Bindi.

 

And all for strangers too 

 

 

There are no strangers on MSW - just a whole bunch of "like-minded" people . I guess you could say we are the biggest Ship Modelling Club in the world .

 

also for building this ship so close to the plans to intentionally make such a great tutorial.

 

 

Be aware that I deviated from the kit instructions in several areas, mostly as far as "build sequence" goes (I have my own views on how a model should go together, if you think the kit's way is better for you then use their method). I also Scratchbuilt quite a few parts that I wasn't happy with in the kit, like some of the Ply pieces for the Deck Fittings etc. I think I remembered to note any deviations in the Log.

 

I just hope the new version still comes with "Trim"

 

 

My kit actually didn't - they'd forgotten to pack him . But a phone call to Modeller's Shipyard soon had him at my door at "no charge" .

 

  Danny

[edmay]

Dan. It's always a treat to see your excellent workmanship and have every right to be very proud,and you always give a learning technic that somebody will use,thanks ,Edwin.

[@macbride]

Dan,

I can't tell you how helpful it is for a beginner like me to see the details of your build log.

Absolutely priceless!!!  Beautiful work.  You make it look way too easy.

 

All the Best,

 

Andy

[the learner]

Dan, great build! Thank you for re-posting your build. I enjoyed it very much!