Malaspina Straits by 64Pacific - 1:24 - PLASTIC - RADIO

[64Pacific]

Hello everyone:

 

This log will go back in time a bit, like a lot of my projects this one started roughly twenty years ago. During the early 2000's this tug, the Malaspina Straits, was listed for sale on a used vessel website. With the posting were a few photos of the tug out of the water along with a few drawings. At the time I was quite into 3D modelling and thought that this would be a fun project to make a few renderings of. One thing led to another and the project never did get off of the ground and the files were tucked away. Fast forward to sometime around 2017 and it was suggested that we build a pond at the local museum; the model ship bug bit, at this same time I was realizing that HO scale model trains, while neat, just won't fit my current living arrangements. The ship bug really bit when the missus and I purchased a property with a small pond, and a pond needs a boat so the search was on for a prototype. While organizing some files I stumbled upon the old drawings and photos saved some twenty years prior. A little looking online showed that she was again for sale and a few queries put me onto the naval architect. After making a call to see about getting a set of drawings the architect noted that this was a common request and asked that I mail a cheque to them, but make it out to another independent society that is rebuilding a steam tug, the SS Master. The Master is British Columbia's last surviving wooden hulled steam tug, once I learned that the "fee" for the drawings was going to help with this restoration I couldn't get the cheque book fast enough. Check out the SS Master here: SS Master

 

The Malaspina Straits was launched in 1964 and was one of a group of three ships, the Rasario Straits and the third escapes me at the moment, all built for Straits Towing Ltd. of Vancouver, BC. Considered a hot rod of a tug it was primarily designed for moving chip barges up and down the West Coast of British Columbia. The tug moved around to various owners over the years and was refit a few times, the model that I am building will be per the original drawings. I've never seen the tug myself so can't post any photos of it but here is a link to a page with a bit more detail: Malaspina Straits - Nauticapedia.ca

 

As far as model ships go, I've never built one, at least from scratch however I have turned heaps of styrene into other buildings, trucks and various model railway related things. As I was more familiar with modelling in styrene and as this model will be used in the water styrene felt like a better fit than wood, it may be, it may not be, time will tell. Just after the ugliness of Covid descended upon the world the model got under way, a few 4' by 8' sheets of styrene were purchased from a local supplier and bits started to be cut out...

[64Pacific]

Here the Keel and section lines as taken from the lines plans have been cut out on the paper cutter and glued to 0.06" thick styrene sheets and cut out. The prototype is about 64' long, the keel as shown is roughly 32" overall length. Once the shapes were roughed out notches were cut to allow them to interlock with one another. The paper keel template included a horizontal line (above the pencil tip in the first image), this reference line was used to mark a line. Later this line was used to ensure that the ribs where set at the right location vertically on the keel.

 

 

 

Dry fitting the components, a jig would be required to hold everything in line...

 

 

To hold the keel straight while the ribs were fixed a very simple jig was made up. This consisted of two pieces of MDF with a few scrap chunks of .060" styrene sandwiched between.  The shape of this piece was made by tracing the plastic keel onto the wood and offsetting by sketching a line. The offset only needed to be rough, such that once the jig was cut it wouldn't interfere with the ribs, a few tests and adjustments allowed the parts to slide in without interference.

 

Edited March 20 by 64Pacific

[the learner]

Nice start! Always interested in tug builds, especially yard tugs as I spent 4 years on one in the mid 60s.

[the learner]

[64Pacific]

Thanks Guy. Now that the weather is turning I am getting really excited to get the hull done and into the pond for a test, a few weeks and it should be ice free. Hopefully at that time the hull will be done. Maybe tonight I will find some time to update the thread with some shots of the next steps...

 

That is a great looking tug that you served on, very classic lines. I am sure that you have some interesting stories of life aboard.

[Javelin]

Interesting project. I'm quite curious how you will finish that hull and keep it water tight. 

 

I've checked the ship and saw she has a single propellor, so the shaft will have to pass through the keel. Hope you took that in account from the start. 

 

Good luck and I hope to see some update on that hull soon.

[64Pacific]

Keeping the water out is probably one of my biggest concerns, visions of the tug sinking have definitely crossed my mind! With a combination of fibreglass resin and body filler I should have a good chance of keeping it out of Davey Jones' Locker!

 

Initially there was no plan to install the prop. shaft, or any of the RC gear for that matter. Once the shaft arrived a jig was designed and 3D printed. This jig, complete with an appropriately sized hole was slipped over the keel, the hole was sized to accept a drill bit. Nervously but without hesitation a 3/8" diameter hole was bored into the keel and through the ribs. Following a bit of minor filling the stuffing box was inserted and fixed with JB Weld, this epoxy was used as it is what was handy in the shop. I believe that in my nervous state no photos were snapped of the jig on the model or in use, I will however post a few screen shots of it in the slicer.

Edited March 20 by 64Pacific
I can't type on my phone...

[64Pacific]

The next step after inserting, but not fixing the ribs to the keel was to start the process of reinforcing the keel. This may have been unnecessary but my thought was rigidity would be an asset, especially when the model was removed from the fixture to begin the process of planking the hull. To do this strips of plastic were added along the length of the keel. Also at this point a stand was built using scraps.

 

 

Following this and starting at the bow each rib was squared to the keel and to the bench prior to being fixed. Temporary light bracing was then added after carefully measuring to ensure that the ribs remained perpendicular to the keel and parallel to each other. This step took forever, it was measure six times then glue.

 

 

 

 

More bracing on the inside of the ribs and the face of the keel. Some of the planking was being added here. Initially the plan was to roughly skin the model and then apply a second layer. This strategy was soon abandoned in favour of one layer of thicker planking.

 

 

Once some planking was added at the keel I jumped up to the top of the hull. While I was happy with the shape of this upper planking my process of installing the planking and then trimming to be flush with the deck proved to be too difficult. This was later stripped off.

 

 

 

 

[64Pacific]

It has been a while since I last updated this thread. There hasn't been a lot of progress lately due to work and trying to get my old logging truck running and painted.

 

To continue with catching up to my current state on the project here are a few photos of the planking.

 

My "helper" adjusting a few parts shortly after removing my first attempt at planking:

 

 

Starting at the keel strips of styrene are being added. My thinking was to start here to reinforce the keel and the joint between the ribs and the keel:

 

 

Back into the MDF jig the next strips were added to the top edges of the ribs. A lot of wire and clamps were added to hold everything inline and tight to the ribs a lot of care was taken to ensure that the ribs stayed true and were not twisting as the planks were tied on and fixed with plastic cement:

 

 

 

 

 

The curves at the stern were a real battle, not quite right but nothing that body filler and fibreglass can't fix. There must be a better way to do this:

 

 

 

 

Edited June 13 by 64Pacific
Added more photos.

[64Pacific]

The next step was to build the rudder and shaft, a few shapes were laid out from the drawings, cut and glued. The goal here was to build the rudder as close to the design shown, the correct number of stiffeners using plastic that is as close to scale as possible:

 

 

The keel below the rudder was built up per the drawings as well. A strip of brass as glued to the underside to help hold the shape below the rudder:

 

 

 

 

Next using the boss glued to the keel a drill bit was used to align another piece of tubing inserted into a hole crudely cut through the hull. Once the glue set this fixture was used to drill straight through the ribs which would intersect the rudder shaft:

 

 

The rudder assembly, a piece of brass rod was chucked into the drill press and small file used to cut a couple o-ring grooves. A piece of 3/16 brake like was cut to length. The brake line would be fixed in the hull and act as a bearing surface for the o-rings. It can't be seen in the photo but the brass shaft is continuous, it will need to be cut in half, keyed and the lower half glued to the inside of the rudder:

 

 

The rudder installed in the hull for a test, it will need to be removed to tidy up the hull. Without the splice in the rudder shaft it has proven quite difficult to remove the rudder without bending the keel. A bit of lube down the hull mounted rudder tube to release the o-rings from the steel brake line should allow me to get the brass rudder shaft out to cut in half.

 

[KeithAug]

Very complex framing and bracing, quite a task.👍