J H Crawford by LJP (Lawrence Paplham) - Scale 1:64 - an 1894 to 1898 Wisconsin sternwheeler

[LJP]

JacquesCousteau said Great work on the pilothouse!

Thanks much! I think the unusual octagonal pilothouse helps make JHC interesting. 

 

Keith Black said Very nice detail work on the pilothouse, LJP. 

As noted, not my first attempt on this one and I had done several on the Thistle.  I have learned a lot in the process but also from all of you. 

 

John said Nice work on a difficult shape!

 Thanks much.  I really like the design.  I did talk to myself  during this process and expect many more before I am done.

 

Cathead said That's a really fiddly shape to work with and I can see why you've made a few tries. This one certainly looks like it's on the right path.

Thanks.  Getting the correct angles was one of the many challenges.  It could always be better but I have tried my best.

 

wefalck said Was there a particular reason, why she had an octogonal pilothouse? It looks rather cramped.

The pilothouse was cramped. See below. The captain/pilot was really stuffed along side the wheel. I do have photos where he was actually outside the pilothouse on the port side.  It was a small pilothouse: the wheel was "a bout six feet across" and I based my scale on that.  Eastern riverboats and Great Lakes boats sometimes had this octagonal arrangement.  The builders, Ryan brothers, had built ships and boats in both places. 

 

 

Thanks to all, LJP

 

 

[Cathead]

I wonder if the octagonal arrangement improved visibility by providing a straight-out view at eight different angles? The more "normal" square pilot houses found on typical riverboats would certainly have some more obscured perspectives as you looked through the glass at various angles. This could have been beneficial on lake boats where there could be traffic or obstacles in any direction, unlike riverboats with their more linear paths.