Muscongus Bay Lobster Smack by pete48 - FINISHED - Midwest Products - SMALL

[pete48]

This is my first Build log, and I am excited to be able to add my Boat to the Lobster Smack Regatta. Here is a Brief History :

The Muscongus Bay Sloop was the forerunner of the renowned Friendship Sloop. This early version was a centerboarder with jib and mainsail and its hull was most commonly lapstrake planked and wall-sided. According to Howard Chapelle, the clipper bow, counter stern and strong sheer of the sloop indicates the boat was developed during the Civil War period, and built most prominently in Bremen, Maine. Most of these sloops had fish wells and were between 16 and 26 feet in length. They were used extensively in the lobster fishery and sometimes for hand lining. The boats traditionally did not have shrouds, and the gaff was hoisted by a single halyard. The centerboard Muscongus remained popular into the early 1890s and was then rapidly replaced by the keel model. The shift to the keel is believed to have been done in the interest of safety as the boats went further offshore. (Chapelle, Howard I. American Small Sailing Craft, 1951)

[pete48]

Here is the Kit as I recieved it with view of the Contents, so far so good

[pete48]

originally I was going to do this one stock out of the box, and do a smashed version next, so I decided to just do a few mod's, starting with the Interior of the cabin and the center board trunk, and cabin hatch

[pete48]

Here is where I am at After day 1

[TBlack]

Pete,

You're out of the starting blocks! I notice that you have the keel set at an angle to the building board. I guess that's to account for the drag? And do the instructions tell you to do that, or is that your initiative?

 

Nice little boat, BTW.

 

Tom

[pete48]

Hi Tom, no it does not say to do that in the instructions, It just easier for me to work on the model if the building board represents L.W.L (level water line)

[TBlack]

I know what you mean; good move!

 

TB

[cdogg]

Looks good Pete!

[pete48]

Hey Thanks Casey, did you have a good birthday ? I cant wait to see the progress on your Build

 

Best Regards,

Pete

[cdogg]

Birthday was great, thanks, with the exception of the ATV I rolled at 2am!  I am really thinking about repainting the deck on mine, the white paint didn't go on well with the sealer.  It looks weathered and all but I may need to do a touch up.  What are your plans for the paint scheme?  The balsa blocks in the front of the boat make it tough to stain with that nasty vertical line on both sides.

Edited October 23, 2013 by cdogg

[pete48]

Hey Casey, Sounds like you partied pretty hard. (right on) I am thinking of a paint scheme similar to the one in  photo # 2 : you were right about the Transom for some reasom it does not go together quite right it should look like the transom in photo # 1

 

Best Regards,

Pete

[pete48]

Here are some of the highlight's from day 2 of the build

[cdogg]

Nice, like the door in front.  Are you going to open the hatch?  I thought about it but the keel got in the way!  looks you like already found a way around that.  Looking forward to more pics.

[pete48]

Hey Casey, yes the hatch will open and the drop boards will be able to be lifted out. I used the Chapelle drawing of the boat to get the centerboard trunk then I capped it with mahogany the door was just a piece of mohogany with some trim (made from scrap) the cabin floor was made from the cabin part of the deck cut out here is a pic of Chapelle drawing it will also give you an idea of how the transom is suppose to look

[The Sailor]

Very nice start, Pete. Good luck with the boat.

[petehay]

This is looking very good. Giving me some good ideas for my second smack.

Pete in Portland.

[pete48]

Thanks Richard and Pete I appreciate it starting day 3 today I did not get to work on it yesterday.

 

Best Regardsm,

Pete

[pete48]

Day 3 of the build Lots of fairing frames and sanding did manage to get the top plank's installed

[pete48]

Day 4 of the Build Log, Hull is complete and just about ready for primer. I was Pleased with the way the transom turned out

[TBlack]

Pete,

Nice pictures that capture the graceful, classic lines of this beauty! You're doing her great justice.

 

Tom

[pete48]

Thanks Tom I greatly apprecitate it . I have always liked the lines on this boat and the Freindship sloop, and it has been alot of fun building her

 

Best Regards,

Pete

Edited October 27, 2013 by pete48

[The Sailor]

Good job, Pete. The hull looks very neat and clean.

[pete48]

Thank you Richard , How is the Endeavour comming along ?

[pete48]

I have not had good weather here to Primer the hull and then finish things top side. And after going back to the Chapelle Drawings I thought The Transon was still not right , Then I thought I would do a scratch build using a combination of the plans from the kit and the offset table from the Chapelle drawing . Using the instruction manual I got the lumber list, and off to Michaels I went, on the way stopped at Kinkos and made a copy of the blueprint, then I traced the frames from the kit and overlayed them on the Chapelle drawing and made the adjustments . Then after cutting out all the parts, I just built it the same as the kit . When I got to the transom it  became apperent that I would have needed to add an extra half inch or so to the deck length. I also had to add an addtional 3 /32 to the transom to get it to fair properly and give the correct shape. Here are the results also you can compare between the kit and the drawing, (boat on the left is the kit) and its day 2 of the scratch build .   

Edited October 30, 2013 by pete48

[petehay]

Very impressive job on the scratch build. Did you cut all of the wood patterns by hand or did you use power tools?

Pete in Portland

[pete48]

Hey Pete in Portland, I had to cut them all by hand. I went through alot of no.11 exacto blades, and have some sore hands. It looks like we may have some good weather here so I can get the kit build Primered,

 

Best Regards,

Pete

[olliechristo]

What a great little boat. That looks just marvellous.. Beautiful work. Look forward to seeing more. Regards Ollie

[cdogg]

Looking good Pete.  Are you going to plank the scratch hull?  I thought that would be cool since that damn balsa block in front keeps one from having a natural hull look, thus having to paint over.  What are your plans for the decks?  Interested to see the difference between the two.  I have the Midwest Chesapeake Flattie kit in my arsenal, I was thinking about making two similar to what you have done with the lobster boat.  Probably a little easier than the lobster boat as well.  You putting the rudder on next?

[trippwj]

Both looks really nice, Pete.  Neat comparison!

[pete48]

Hey Casey, I was actually thinking of planking the scratch build from the water line up with 1/4 " wide planks , with a gloss white hull,  I may just put a varnish on the deck the way it is, and stain the cabin and cockpit coaming the same color as my Dragon, with a white cabin top . If you decide to build 2 Flattie's I would recomend tracing all the vital pieces from the kit ( I wish I would have done this) it will save time on the scatch build.

 

Best Regards,

Pete