HM Armed Cutter Sherbourne 1763 by Nightdive - Vanguard Models - 1:64 - First Build

[Nightdive]

Greetings all!

 

I've had a lifelong interest in the sea, ships and maritime history, and building some sort of a ship model has been in the back of my brain for a decade or more. Late last summer I was given an old and battered model of a full-rigged ship, perhaps from the 1960's or so, and repairing her finally gave me the spark to make my first proper foray into modeling. 

 

While looking for a beginner friendly model I originally decided on Amati's Lady Nelson, but on some level I was bothered by it not being based on a real ship. Fortunately I kept browsing and eventually stumbled on Vanguard Models' Sherbourne, which seemed perfect. 

 

The kit arrived a bit over a month ago now, but I needed to order some basic tools, glues and such to get started. I still need to decide on an airbrush and paints, but that can wait until later, as it is going to continue to be too cold to paint outside for a few months.

 

 

I've taken the time to study the manual - which is very detailed, and various build logs on this forum, not only of the Sherbourne, but also other ships of the time period. If this build goes well and modeling feels like a hobby for me, I'd like to advance on to a bigger kit, maybe Vanguard's HMS Sphinx. I'm also toying with the idea of eventually building PoF models of some of the wrecks that I've been diving in the Baltic Sea. Maybe similar to this model of the Swedish ship Svärdet and the wreck models at the Vasa museum. 

 

  

 

I look forward to starting the build process soon and returning with my first updates!

[Nearshore]

Good luck on your journey. Look forward watching your progress.

 

Nearshore

[Auger]

Welcome to MSW! 

[Knocklouder]

Bob  M..

[Nightdive]

 

 

 

  

 

 

Thank you for the messages everyone, glad to be here. I made good progress on building the bulkhead yesterday, a drum sander made a quick job of beveling the parts. The rest was easy to assemble and almost all of the parts fit toghether perfectly without filing, but I did manage to snap one of the outer pearwood stern frames into three pieces. It turned out to be a tight fit and I had already applied the glue, so I tried to force it in. Bad mistake. 

 

No real harm done though, I was able to salvage the part by gluing it back together and putting it back into the pearwood sheet to cure overnight. A lesson learned about dry fitting everything, especially when I'm using the quick drying Ponal glue.

 

I'm moving onto fitting the false deck, seems that it needs some light filing, especially as it is so thin.

[Nightdive]

 

 

 

The false deck snapped in nicely after I had dealt with the problem spots with a file. It just took me a very long time to find all of them, as I didn't want to engage the snapping mechanism until I was completely sure that it was going to be final. 

 

I softened the stern counter a bit over a kettle spout before gluing it on. I also placed some fabric pads underneath the clamps to spread pressure more evenly. Then I filed the counter flush so that I could fit the stern transom. I think I made a little mistake here, it would have been better for the counter to overlap the transom and not the other way around. Now there isn't that much of a curve on the inside where the transom and counter meet. I don't think that it is very noticeable and hopefully will be a very minor flaw in the completed build. 

Edited January 27 by Nightdive

[Nightdive]

 

I was going to continue this project later this week with sanding and a couple of the subsequent steps, but I became annoyed with my transom error and decided to fix it. First I debonded the inner transom with isopropyl alcohol. Then I cut a three millimeter wide strip of pearwood and glued it to the counter to act as a replacement for the bit that I had filed off. Finally I re-glued the transom in place and pulled the counter against it with a padded zip tie. 

 

I'm pleased with the result, it definitely looks better now.

[Nick 843]

On 1/26/2025 at 2:37 PM, Nightdive said:

The false deck snapped in nicely after I had dealt with the problem spots with a file. It just took me a very long time to find all of them, as I didn't want to engage the snapping mechanism until I was completely sure that it was going to be final.

I had a good laugh (at myself) seeing your remark about this.  It was a couple of days after discovery the warp in my hull. That's what I should have done (do it slowly and properly).

Your build looks great btw; will be following it.

Nick

Edited January 30 by Nick 843

[Nightdive]

2 hours ago, Nick 843 said:

 

I had a good laugh (at myself) seeing your remark about this.  It was a couple of days after discovery the warp in my hull. That's what I should have done (do it slowly and properly).

Your build looks great btw; will be following it.

Nick

Likewise, your log had good information about the steps that I'm just getting into.

 

I spent today's hobby time cutting some sanding blocks from scrap wood with a table saw. I will try to do the fairing process slowly and carefully, and not replicating my previous experience of having to create filler pieces after removing too much.

Edited January 30 by Nightdive

[Nick 843]

I've found that flexible sanding sticks/sponges work well, especially to sand to the tighter contours.  I've made a bunch at this point from old sanding sponges and foam of different kinds, cutting to the size I want and then double-sided tape and sticking on the sandpaper.  I've needed smaller ones with Sherbourne, in particular for fairing the stern, and they've worked great.  Same with Indy, they're just upscaled because of the size of her.

 

A few in the pic below.

Nick

[Nightdive]

 

That sponge tip was a good one, thank you! I cut pieces from a kitchen sponge and those helped me work around the bow and the stern. The rest I sanded with blocks using 180 and 240 grit sandpaper in as long strokes as possible, following the curve of the hull. 

 

I also used one of the lime wood planks to see whether there were any bulkheads that didn't make full contact. The last one in the stern doesn't, but I was afraid to sand it any further. 

Edited January 31 by Nightdive

[Nightdive]

 

I tried installing the bulwarks straight from the sheet, but there were some cracking sounds and I felt that there just isn't enough give. So I soaked the parts in hot water for a couple of minutes and clipped them around a drinking glass for 24 hours. 

 

 

I'm currently dry fitting them in place, but the bulwark tabs do not exactly fit the engraved lines. The manual said that some variation due to sanding is fine, but is this too much? There's about 1.5 millimeter difference in the bow, while the stern is perfect. It's the same in the other bulwark. 

Edited February 5 by Nightdive

[JC1945]

Your model looks GREAT! You are definitely being very meticulous. I’m also building Vanguard’s HM Sherbourne as a first time builder. I’m about where you are, with many misadventures. Some of which I’ve corrected. Some will have to remain. I broke the bottom of the port side inner transom, so that and the inner counter will probably get filled and painted. Starting the second try at the first planking. BTW, on my second attempt to install the bulwarks I was able to line up the laser  marks with the bulkhead extensions much better. I test fixed multiple times and scoured YouTube for videos. There are several if you’re interested. I’m beginning to understand that I need to slow down and make sure I understand the step completely.

[Nick 843]

For what it's worth, I think you're probably ok, but I'm a beginner.  But having dry-fitted the bulwark ply sections in my messed-up build of the hull, I could at least see the issue.  I'd suggest:

Wait for someone knowledgeable to comment.

Check out the YouTube series by a guy with a moniker ModelKitStuff; he may comment on this.

If you're able, dry-fit the outer bulwark sections to see if they line up.

If they do, check the match from one side to the other.  I'm thinking that any particular reference point, e.g. gunport edges, should line up with the same reference point on the other side at 90 degrees to the centreline.  One way to do this might be the reference point's distance from a bulkhead ear; is it the same port/starboard?

 

Hope these thoughts help.

 

Nick

[JC1945]

Nick, I’m a big fan of Jason Port at Modelkit Stuff. His videos are very helpful. I’m building my HM Sherbourne as part of the channnel’s “floaty things” group build.

 

John C

[Nick 843]

Nightdive: here's the link to the video:  

 

[Nick 843]

He starts on the bulwarks at 22 minutes.  Doesn't talk about the lineup with the bulkhead ears much, just basically says what the manual says, but it may be helpful.

 

John 😄 Yep, the videos are great.

 

Nick

Edited February 7 by Nick 843

[Nightdive]

On 2/7/2025 at 12:14 AM, JC1945 said:

Your model looks GREAT! You are definitely being very meticulous. I’m also building Vanguard’s HM Sherbourne as a first time builder. I’m about where you are, with many misadventures. Some of which I’ve corrected. Some will have to remain. I broke the bottom of the port side inner transom, so that and the inner counter will probably get filled and painted. Starting the second try at the first planking. BTW, on my second attempt to install the bulwarks I was able to line up the laser  marks with the bulkhead extensions much better. I test fixed multiple times and scoured YouTube for videos. There are several if you’re interested. I’m beginning to understand that I need to slow down and make sure I understand the step completely.

 

Thanks JC, I'm trying to be meticulous, especially at this point of the build, since as a new modeler I don't yet know what sort little errors will cause major issues later on. Still need to learn patience and how to handle the model more carefully, I too managed to break part of the stern. The starboard counter cracked in half when fitting the bulwarks. Luckily it was along the laser etched line, so it can't really be seen from the side that matters. I'm glad that it is now sandwiched in between the bulwarks for some protection.

 

On 2/7/2025 at 12:46 AM, Nick 843 said:

If you're able, dry-fit the outer bulwark sections to see if they line up.

If they do, check the match from one side to the other.  I'm thinking that any particular reference point, e.g. gunport edges, should line up with the same reference point on the other side at 90 degrees to the centreline.  One way to do this might be the reference point's distance from a bulkhead ear; is it the same port/starboard?

 

Hope these thoughts help.

 

Nick

 

I did pretty much this, and concluded that it's probably fine as long as the gun ports and other features are identically located on both sides. There was also only about 1 mm of extra bulwark on both sides of the stern, so I can't be too far off. Doing any extra sanding wouldn't have fixed anything, only moved the point where the bulwarks didn't match the etched lines, and made the hull shorter. 

 

Those tutorials by ModelKitStuff have been useful, I've also binged Tagliamare's videos on the Sherbourne. 

 

 

After many dry fits I glued the bulwarks on, let them cure for 24 hours, and then brushed some watered down PVA from below. 

 

Looks pretty good to me. Now, onto planking.

[JC1945]

The planking videos on Modelkit Stuff are very good. Jason shows how to lay every plank on one side. Tagliamare Videos are also helpful, and quite a bit shorter.

[Jase]

On 2/6/2025 at 10:46 PM, Nick 843 said:

For what it's worth, I think you're probably ok, but I'm a beginner.  But having dry-fitted the bulwark ply sections in my messed-up build of the hull, I could at least see the issue.  I'd suggest:

Wait for someone knowledgeable to comment.

Check out the YouTube series by a guy with a moniker ModelKitStuff; he may comment on this.

If you're able, dry-fit the outer bulwark sections to see if they line up.

If they do, check the match from one side to the other.  I'm thinking that any particular reference point, e.g. gunport edges, should line up with the same reference point on the other side at 90 degrees to the centreline.  One way to do this might be the reference point's distance from a bulkhead ear; is it the same port/starboard?

 

Hope these thoughts help.

 

Nick

Thanks for the shoutout for my channel (Modelkit Stuff). I have a good number of first time builders following the build.