Le Martegaou by Bryan Woods - Billing Boats - 1:80

[Bryan Woods]

Well I’m snowed in for several days it looks like. So I spent a little more time today on these tail wings. They just set on the rail. I thought about putting some pins in to help hold them, but they are made of plywood and I know they will come apart if I try to drill them. So I just used brown CA.

 

 

The rudder has to be painted and hinges installed. The rest of these little parts balance somehow on those wings. There has to be room for the tiller to fit through so they’ll have to wait for the rudder. 
 

 

Tomorrow I start the mast and yard.

Oh, here’s my jig I used to bend those tail wings:-)

 

[Bryan Woods]

It’s finally warming up to the 30’s:-)  So I got the rudder on and the rest of the parts that go on the stern. The kit was designed to just glue wooden tabs together at the rudder. I made hinges and glued them on the rudder. Then I drilled them and put nails in them.

 

 

 

i carved another crew member. I wish I knew all the jobs one might have on a boat like this so I could put them at a task.

Like steering the rudder:-)

or maybe look out:-)

 

 

Or they could be just like the average, and just stand around:-)

 

Back to the build. Next will be the mast and one long yard made from two dowels tied together with rope. 
 

I find that when the build changes from one thing to the other, I’m slow to make that change. Plus I’m working with a contractor to get me moved out of my wife’s she shed and into my own shipyard:-) 

[Bryan Woods]

The mast didn’t take too long. It only has one hole for the main sail rigging and two plastic cleats. The yard was two dowels glued together and then tied together with two blocks for pulling in the sail.

 

 

I started the sail this morning. I traced the main sail on the teabag paper.

 

 

Then I squeezed a good amount of acrylic paint on it. I was trying to see if I could leave some cloth like texture behind:-)

 

 

After covering the sheet, it was hung to dry.

 

 

I’ve made sails for two other ships with this material. Although I think I’ve done each one a little different. They were also smaller sails. I noticed while it was drying I could still see the folds in the paper:-(

 

 

I’m hoping they won’t be that bad after it’s all done. After it dried a bit I cut the sail out, and some 2 & 4 mm strips for reinforcements and trim. I sandwiched a .1mm thread between the sail and a .2mm strip.

 

After glueing all the strips on the unpainted side, it will dry until tomorrow and I’ll do the same to the painted side. 
 

[Bryan Woods]

Update on the sails. For starters the  fold at the bottom of the main sail still bothers me a bit. I didn’t remember, but when made the sails for the shallop I rolled the paint on with a small foam roller:-/ The thick amount of paint I used along with the brush strokes, I thinks makes it look like. Acrylic? Vinyl? Or maybe microfiber:-) 

 

 

Before I remembered about the roller I tried to think of a way to give it less shine and a different texture. I used a darker paint on this test. I blotted the wet paint with a piece of fabric. 

 

 

I think it looks better. Not fore sure about the darker color. I’ve got about 50 of those ties that hang from the sails. I’m planning on continuing with this set until I mess them up. Then if that happens maybe the next ones, I do better. 

[Bryan Woods]

I’ve been studying this rigging since the start of the build. Not seeing any clarity until I actually started working on it.  The start was slow due to the fact I was having trouble seizing the lines on the blocks. I spent a day thinking of how to build a jig. Easy and time efficient are definitely not adverbs that describes the use of it. Maybe possible would work. 
 

 

 

Each stay has 3 ends. One end is tied to an eye bolt on the deck. I tied a clove hitch in this before installing it, which I still haven’t glued the eye bolt. This line passes through the block hanging on the mast and has a double block with another line continuing from it. I used the second hole in the block to tie this line on. That may not be proper but was easier for me. That end looped through the block on the rail and back to its own block. From there it tied to an adjacent pin on the rail.

 

 

 

Setting back looking at it now, it’s not that confusing. But looking at those black lines on the plan made me wonder:-)

I got 3 more to do plus lots more on the sails before the change to the running rigging. It wasn’t any clearer all hid behind all the standing rigging on the plan.

[Ian_Grant]

Hi Bryan,

 

When seizing blocks it is helpful to use a mini smooth-jawed alligator clip to clamp the thread right up against the block, then wrap the seizing thread around (it will slip down into the tight gap between block and alli clip) and make a first knot to hold it. I actually tie a hitch, then wrap the thread around and tie another on the opposite side (cheating but hey!). Than remove the clip and make some seizing turns.

 

Something like this:

 

https://www.amazon.ca/Micro-Toothless-Alligator-Smooth-Microscopic/dp/B07T53QWND

Edited February 6 by Ian_Grant

[Glen McGuire]

51 minutes ago, Ian_Grant said:

When seizing blocks it is helpful to use a mini smooth-jawed alligator clip to clamp the thread right up against the block,

I agree with Ian.  I use one of those helping hand contraptions.  Mine does not have smooth jaw alligator clips (I need to find some), so I use a bit of duct tape to keep from damaging the block.

[Bryan Woods]

Thank you both, Ian and Glen for your tips:) after starting them I did order a set of hemostat. I should get them the first of next week. I’m not for sure but I doubt they are smooth:-( 

[Bryan Woods]

Standing rigging completed, now more work to be done on the sails and the yard.

 

 

[Bryan Woods]

Setting back studying the model and thinking of my next move, I noticed how the stays had the mast pulled back even though there is very little tension on the stays. I mainly just got them straight. It looks to me like I need to rig the head sail first so I can straighten the mast up a bit before the main sail goes on. Opinions are welcome:-)

 

[JacquesCousteau]

Sounds like a good plan to me. This build is coming along well!

[Bryan Woods]

Finished the head sail yesterday. I must say I was anxiously waiting to see if it was going to fit. 
 

 

All went well. It pulled the mast forward a bit. I measured the top of the mast to the bowsprit and it was true to the plan. 
 

 

 

 

Now to finish the main sail.

Edited Tuesday at 03:38 PM by Bryan Woods

[Knocklouder]

Looking very good, the paint job is fantastic, very nicely done..

 I have glued pieces of  planking to the jaws of the alligator clips, works good, I have to replace one every once in awhile

, but I got lots of broken planks lol.. I even filed the jaws on one  four hemostats that I have. Your boat is looking fantastic my friend. Very nice.

Bob M.

Edited Tuesday at 04:27 PM by Knocklouder

[Bryan Woods]

Just setting back after I set Capt. Kurt by the mast. It looks like he is wondering if those cleats are supposed to be so massive. That block for the main sail seems large too. But if they were much smaller I would be wondering how I was going to tie them on:-)

 

 

Kurt is about 5’9” in 1:80

[Glen McGuire]

Nice work on that sail, Bryan!

[Bryan Woods]

Work on the main sail has progressed. I punched holes for the reef points and for the lacing to the yard. When making the sails I glued a thread between the layers of tea paper, so the sail wouldn’t move up and down on the yard while I was trying to lace it. 
 

 

Then I placed the sail between the two pieces of cardboard to keep me from wrinkling it up, while I was lacing it up.

 

 

I never can remember how to start and end the rope when doing this.

 

 

Now I have all the reef points to put on, which half of them are right up against the yard. I thought I would mess these up if put them on before lacing the yard on. There are two ropes that draw the sail in, that run through the two blocks on the yard. Also, the rope that raises the main sail. Then I need to tie on two blocks on the lower end of the yard that will hold the yard down at the bow.