Chesapeake Bay Skipjack by shawn32671 - Midwest Products - Small

[capnharv2]

Shawn,

 

That looks wonderful!!

 

I did this model about 20 years ago, and I really had a great time with it. My model did not have the large bottom planks. The original skipjack had a herringbone plank arrangement, and we had to plank the bottom with 1/4" wide strips. It was fun.

 

BTW, why do they have those large blocks at the bow? Because that's what the original skipjacks had (boatwrights had to carve them out, just like you). Since the herringbone planking went up to those bow blocks, I assume Midwest left the bow blocks in and covered the bottom with single sheets of basswood.

 

This particular boat is shown in American Small Sailing Craft. According to Chapelle (maybe you already know this), this boat was called an "Oyster Pirate", because, at the time, dredging for oysters was illegal (Tonging was the only legal method of harvest). So this boat would go out at night and dredge for oysters. He also said that someone later installed a gasoline engine in it, and it blew up and sank about 1930.

 

If you don't have the book The Skipjack by Steve Rogers, you should get it. His Skipjack is a larger model (both in size and scale) and he has a lot of good weathering techniques in it-he also shows how to build an oyster dredge. That is a fun project in itself.

 

Have fun!

 

Harvey

[shawn32671]

Thanks Harvey, it's sure been a lot of fun to build so far. I had considered substituting planking strips for the sheeting used in the kit since I need more practice for my tall ship builds. The sheets do in fact butt up against the bow blocks in this kit rather than cover them up but it could easily have been sheeted i that area too and would have made it easier. All in all though I have been fairly happy with the kit materials and how the boat has come together so far.

[shawn32671]

Just a small update....the boat is really coming along nicely.

 

 

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Edited December 23, 2013 by shawn

[shawn32671]

This will be the last update for now I think. Everything is completed on the hull and sail making and all mast and rigging work is left. I'm saving the remainder for a later date and going back to work on the Lobster Smack build for awhile. Thanks to those who have followed my builds thus far.

 

Be sure to check out my latest build log picture show on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUXORrfEZoY

 

 

 

 

 

[shawn32671]

Thanks again to those who have followed this build...I should be getting back to it later this winter.

 

 

 

 

Edited December 24, 2013 by shawn

[egkb]

Take Care Shawn and have a great Holidays, see you in the New Year.

 

Eamonn

[shawn32671]

Thank you Eamonn and happy holidays to you too

[shawn32671]

Now that my lobster smack has been finished, I'm getting back to work on this build. Right now I'm working on the mast and boom, I'll post more as I get something done.

[shawn32671]

Not a heck of a lot done tonight, just the mast, boom and jib clubs painted and blocks added. I can't sleep so I'm going to tackle making the main and jib sails yet before bed. Hopefully I get the rigging finished tomorrow sometime.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 2, 2014 by shawn

[egkb]

Nice delicate work there Shawn !

 

Eamonn

 

Happy New Year BTW

[shawn32671]

Thanks Eamonn, work on this build is coming along nicely and could possibly be finished by late this evening if all goes well. I have the sails finished besides adding the reef lines yet after that I'll be starting on the rigging work. I'll post an update with pictures a little later.

[shawn32671]

Oh and Happy New Year too Eamonn.

[shawn32671]

Quick update, here is where I'm at with sails and rigging so far. This one is a bit more complicated so I'm taking a break from it for a day or so to study the plan sheet more and pictures of others work on this kit.