TWILIGHT 2007-2009 by MAGIC's Craig - Scale 1:16 - RADIO - Pacific Northwest cruising powerboat

[J Snyder]

My Craig, I am enjoying looking through your great work. I love the pacific coast trawlers since my fishing days out of Fort Bragg, and you have built a lovely one.

[MAGIC's Craig]

11 hours ago, J Snyder said:

My Craig, I am enjoying looking through your great work. I love the pacific coast trawlers since my fishing days out of Fort Bragg, and you have built a lovely one.

Thank you for the compliment.  There is definitely a recognizable "style" to the boats developed through hard-won experiences which must be capable of handling the often not-Pacific conditions. Since we had planned to use this craft for our liveaboard Pacific NW cruising home, the style seemed to make sense to me as her designer and it's also fun to develop for me, the (model) builder.

[J Snyder]

My dad had a steel 40 footer built by a friend that we used for salmon and albacore fishing up and down the coast. One of those not so pacific days near Point Arena I began to worry that the windows would not hold as we had green water covering them much of the time. Every point and cape was always a tough slog going north.

[MAGIC's Craig]

2 hours ago, J Snyder said:

My dad had a steel 40 footer built by a friend that we used for salmon and albacore fishing up and down the coast. One of those not so pacific days near Point Arena I began to worry that the windows would not hold as we had green water covering them much of the time. Every point and cape was always a tough slog going north.

We also found that heading "uphill" (north) from California or Baja was very rarely an easy passage. We resorted to following the clipper route well offshore to get to Washington or British Columbia when sailing to minimize those tough slogs you mention.  Fortunately, we are now "anchor down" and when the storms come arcing in from the Pacific bringing strong winds and tumultuous seas, we are grateful to tuck into the library, by the fireplace while Ballou, the cat, sleeps atop my sextant case.

Edited March 7 by MAGIC's Craig
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[Keith Black]

7 minutes ago, MAGIC's Craig said:

we are grateful to tuck into the library, by the fireplace while Ballou, the cat, sleeps atop my sextant case.

 Made me smile, Craig. 

[MAGIC's Craig]

April 2, 2025 update:

Prior to permanently closing over the raised portion of the house above the forepeak,  I made provision for the speaker which is used to fool you into thinking this wee craft has a Gardner diesel in it.  A hole was drilled from below for the body of the speaker and a guard bent up to protect the projecting lower portion of the speaker whenever the PH module is removed from the deck.

The cabin top was then planked over with basswood, faired and sealed with 'glass/epoxy.  The next task on my list was to begin the construction of the window framing for the pilot house. Upper and lower plates (head and sill?) were laid out and shaped to lay above the curved vertical face of the pilot house.

The upright window jambs were fashion from some teak and made with tenons top and bottom.  Corresponding mortices were cut into the plates.

This somewhat wobbly construct was then braced up and glued together. 

When set atop it's future location, I realized an oversight on my part: the window framework tilted aft a bit rather than presenting  a vertical face to the elements.  For most of it, the tilt was not a problem but the after jambs had to ultimately be cut free of their tenons and re-aligned to vertical to deal with the doors. A yellow cedar header was laminated up and glued to the head plate, beveled to follow the curve of the overhead plywood from the main cabin.

The door framing was gotten out of some of that lovely Cuban mahogany and they were glued into place, reinforcing the re-positioned after window jambs port and starboard. As mentioned earlier, the whole pilothouse module is removable by lifting it out vertically.

And the next photo gives an idea of basic area of the interior of the pilothouse.  The final picture before I break this post up into two sections to keep it manageable shows the forward curved faces of the PH with a laminated moulding curving around the forward portion.  Then we will visit the interior of the house.

 

More to follow...

 

Edited 2 hours ago by MAGIC's Craig
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[MAGIC's Craig]

To wind up this month's posting, I continued to build out the interior of the pilothouse while Vicky leant her talented and steady hands to some detail varnishing. A brass bezel was made for the engine instruments

Vicky also detailed the varnishing of various topsides bits of mahogany.

And as you can see in this photo to the left, controls and instruments are being placed.

A cove between the house and the level of the deck is curing. Hopefully, unlike the first attempt, this cove will only glue to the house and not the deck.

 So step up and take a look.

That will do for now.  Thank you for following along.  

 

Craig

[Jim Lad]

That's looking so good, Craig!

 

John

[Keith Black]

 Craig, that looks fantastic. And it's a pleasure to see Vicky's willingness to be a part of the project. Go team!  

[KeithAug]

I am lucky to see my helper in the workshop from one year to the next, yours seems totally at home. Great photo looking at the helm - looks almost real.

[MAGIC's Craig]

To John and both Keiths, my thanks for your thoughtful compliments.  I have been very fortunate to have had her support and interest for over a half century.

And for those folks who also checked in, we do really appreciate your endorsements. They serve to inspire the work and for me try to make the photos useful (and entertaining).

Craig (and Vicky!)

Edited 2 hours ago by MAGIC's Craig
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[KeithAug]

42 minutes ago, MAGIC's Craig said:

I have been very fortunate to have had her support and interest for over a half century.

Lucky man. It's our 50th aniversary in later this year (December). Must remember the present or I may not make 51.

[Jim Lad]

Congratulations Craig and Keith! 😀

 

John

[Keith Black]

Our dear wives are absolute treasures for their willingness to put up with us for a minute let alone have a century, it boggles the mind. Maggie and I are working on 47 years, hopefully we both live long enough to see our 50th.