24 ft Launch by Schooner - Vanguard Models - 1:64

[schooner]

I managed to totally screw up the bread and butter 25 ft launch that came in my Model Shipways SYREN kit so I had to look around for a replacement.

 

I came across several build logs for Vanguard Models’ ships boats here on MSW, all of them are in the 1775—1800 kit section (links below):

 

18th c Ships boats by Blue Ensign

22 ft Yawl ships boat by Johngr

24 ft Launch by Clark

 

The above logs are excellent references for dealing with these delicate kits and the builders’ craftsmanship produced some stunning work.

 

If you, like me, are a ham-fisted wood butcher whose main ship modeling tool is bad language then maybe my experience might help persuade you to take a chance on one of these kits.

 

A couple of points:

 

- If you would like to see what is available from Vanguard Models go to their website and look under “model kits” then click on “ship’s boats”:

 

- I should mention here that Vanguard also offers several boats as 3D printed resin and wood versions that look much easier to build than the all - wood versions. They can be found under “Fittings and Accessories.” That is going to be my fallback choice if this build does not work out. There is a build log of one: 26 Ft Launch by Blue Ensign - Vanguard Resin/Wood small boat Model - 1:64 scale

 

- My kit did not come with instructions because they are available for download from the website

 

- Vanguard Models accepts PAYPAL and my order arrived remarkably fast, quicker than I’m used to from many vendors here in the US

 

- IMPORTANT: Because of the small scale involved both the pear wood and the MDF jig pieces are VERY fragile. During every step you should move carefully and avoid putting any pressure on anything - if you sand and file so that parts fit together without any pressure then you will be OK. It’s doable - it just takes a little longer than you may be used to.

 

From here on out if I refer to a step number it is the step number from the instructions

Steps 1 and 2: Setting up the framing jig

 

• Carefully remove the MDF pieces, the keel and transom. Note that there is a rectangular piece next to the keel - don’t separate them - it is a temporary support (I did, not realizing what it was,  but was able to tack glue it back in place)
• The directions recommend not glueing the bulkheads to the base. I did not even though most of the build logs did. I’m glad I didn’t because when I tried to fit the keel it would not fit into any of the bulkhead slots.  I was able to remove each bulkhead from the base and individually fit it into the keel off the base with some filing. The bulkhead slots were too tiny to file so I filed the thickness of the keel below the slot until each bulkhead fit down into the keel so its top was flush with the top of the keel (only 1 or 2 need a little adjustment to the vertical slot surfaces). Once done the bulkheads were reinstalled in the base and the keel fit snugly into place and all of the bulkheads were secure in the base without need of glue.

 

Steps 3 - 7:

• Glue the keel and transom into place with diluted PVA
• Cut out the 2 bow planking patterns L15, bevel their forward edges and glue them in place
• At this point I recommend you reinforce the stem and the transom so they do not break off during fairing and planking. I used some scrap wood glued to the base that supported them in both axis:

 

Photo 1

[schooner]

Steps 8-13 Planking the hull

 

• The bulkheads were faired with a sanding stick and a file with the beveling checked with a planking strip
• I had some basswood strips of the same dimensions in my stash so I used them to try out planking methods. The bass wood is a little more forgiving than the pear when it comes to bending and I planned to use it near the keel if I ran out of pear
• The planks are so thin that the laser cutter did not need to spend any time cutting them out so there is no real “char” typically found on laser cut wood but there is a thin, crusty veneer on the edges. I didn’t know if that would interfere with the glue adhesion so I sanded the edges - it was quick and easy to do with a sanding stick
• I tried 2 different bending methods: soaking the wood and letting it dry on the jig and using Amati’s Form A Strip Plank Bender:

 

• 10-15 minutes of soaking in warm water was enough to allow both the pear and basswood to bend enough for the sheer strake. One of the build logs pointed out that since the rabbet at the bow is a slot that has to be used by both the port and starboard planks that marking the plank tips so you don’t put them into the slot over half way will prevent problems (good catch)
  
  
• The Amati plank bender worked well on my un-soaked basswood strips, they curved coming out of the bender. Perpendicular “squeezes” yield a nice curve whose radius is determined by how close you space the incisions. Angling the incisions yields an edge - bent curve.
• The plank bender also worked with the soaked pear strips (I didn’t think they would stand up to the bender while dry) so I’ll combine both methods; soaking the pear and letting it dry on the jig and then using the bender again to adjust the bow curve if needed so only minimal clamping is required.
• The directions recommend glueing with wood glue (PVA), not CA, since when the hull is removed from the jig the bulkheads will be removed by twisting them out of the hull with pliers (exciting!)
• Where to apply glue is not as clear. Some of the build logs glued the first plank to all the bulkheads and the following planks just to the edges of the previous planks, some build logs seemed to glue the planks to all of the bulkheads. Both methods seem to work except for one that used CA who had some plank damage (holes) when removing the bulkheads. I’m going to go with using a little CA at the stem and transom and PVA for edge glueing. If any PVA squeezes onto the bulkheads it should be minimal.
• After the sheer strake planks were in place I tapered the remaining planks from the 3rd bulkhead going forward, removing about 50% of the plank width by the time it had reached the stem.
• Clamping the planks is a challenge. The other build logs show some innovative methods but I only have some clamps made from binder clips. After the first couple of strakes I figured out a method that worked best for me:
  
        1. Add PVA along the previous (installed) plank from the forward tip to the 3rd bulwark
        2. Add CA to the tip of the plank
        3. Install the plank and hold it in place with my fingers for about 90 seconds
        4. Secure the aft (unglued) part of the plank with a binder clip and let the glue dry for at least an hour
        5. Add PVA along the remainder of the plank edge and CA at the transom seating point and hold the plank in place for 90 sec, add binder clip and let the glue dry for an hour.
  
  
  

 

- After adding 6 planks from the sheer towards the keel I started tapering the aft ends of the planks - I should have starting doing that with the 2nd plank, given how much smaller a radius the transom has compared to the bulkheads. After adding 8 planks I added a plank along the keel

 

 

Almost done…

 

• I did not break any of the supplied planks but there are only 2 left over, and you will need those for the gunwales, so be careful in handling them.

 

- The port side is done and as can be seen below there is still a sliver of a plank to be added to the starboard side:

 

 

That remaining sliver of space brings up a point. Some of the other build logs have shown that with sufficient skill/experience some “traditional” planking techniques like drop planks, stealers and spilling can be used on these planks; I just could not do much beyond tapering. By starting from the sheer line and working towards the keel after adding 8 planks I had moved “under” the turn of the bilge and all the remaining planks would be out of sight in almost any display of this model. That, and the fact that I plan on painting the exterior, makes the fact that my final planks have some very unrealistic shapes (i.e. pointed ends and thin widths) is not a big deal. I hope to leave the interior of the boat unpainted and even then I hope to be OK since the unrealistic planks will be out of sight under the floor boards and gratings.

 

 

 

Thoughts on planking:

 

• Not surprisingly my technique and results improved with practice. My first couple of strakes had some gaps that were not apparent when just clamping with clips vice fingers, and one or two strakes sit higher than their neighbors but after that my seams tightened up.
• When I do one of these kits again I plan on buying a similar size POB lifeboat kit from Model Expo, shown here, and use it to practice my technique in parallel with the Vanguard kit. The ME kits are not nearly as well engineered or detailed as the Van kits, the directions can be poor photocopies and all the wood is basswood but they are inexpensive, only about 1/5 the cost. There are a couple of build logs for them on MSW here and here.
• Planking this kit ended up easier than I thought it would be. With some practice, such as having a ME kit to practice on, I’m confident that next time I could do a planking job that is good enough that I could leave the hull exterior unpainted.
• Unlike some of the other build logs, I did not attempt to add a scale garboard plank on this one but next time I may give it a shot

[schooner]

Cleaning up the hull and removing it from the jig

 

Steps 13 - 18

 

Prior to removing the bulkheads and hull from the baseboard I applied my preferred filler to the hull exterior and sanded it smooth:

 

 

 

After the exterior of the hull was smoothed up it was time to remove the bulkheads from the baseboard which was easy to do (another reason not to glue the bulkheads in).

I followed the directions and cut away the “bridges” that connect the tops of the bulkheads, here the first few on the left have been clipped:

 

 

I used needle nosed pliers to twist away the vertical sections of each bulkhead from its connecting point with the base, which remains attached to the keel and will serve as the base of the floor boards and gratings. By using PVA and trying to avoid getting all but the slightest amount of glue between the bulkheads and the planks they all came out without any problem:

 

 

The hull at this point is pretty fragile and needs to be handled with care until the ribs and seat supports are installed.

Edited 16 hours ago by schooner