Donald McKay 1855 by rwiederrich - medium clipper

[Sailor1234567890]

I can't fathom how awesome it must have been to sail in a ship like that in nasty weather.

[rwiederrich]

Maybe in the middle of the night(In total darkness) and in 30 degree freezing weather with no dry warm gloves..trying to furl a frozen sail while on slick foot ropes 100ft from the deck on an extremely pitching yard......doesn't sound all that *awesome* to me. Sailing in warm tropical seas sounds better.....

 

Rob(The painting is awesome though)

[Sailor1234567890]

I'd be more than happy to be doing that. Once or twice. Having to do it year after year to put bread on the table….. not so awesome. I'd give a limb at this point to sail around the world in a clipper ship in all weathers in every ocean….

[rwiederrich]

Well to be honest so would I...what a thrill...I love sailing...but sailing a clipper would be the ultimate thrill....Ultimate!

[rwiederrich]

I finished up the mizzen mast and temp mounted it. I also weathered it too.

[rwiederrich]

I've drilled and set all the brass belay pins...but have come across an issue. I'm trying to locate brass step ladders..but I can't for the life of me figure out how they measure them...when they say 7mm or 14mm by.....is that the step rise distance or the width of the stair...or something entirely different?

I can't figure out how ladder sellers determine the size and scale...let alone how to interpret their nomenclature.

 

Can anyone help?

 

Rob

[gjdale]

Rob,

 

My guess (and it is only a guess), would be that sellers provide overall dimensions - in this case, length and width.

[rwiederrich]

Thanks...I'll keep that in mind when I go looking again.....I need several ladders right now...so.....I'm searching.

 

Thanks.....again.

[rwiederrich]

Does anybody know of a good source of brass scale ladders in 1/96 or so scale?

 

Rob

[dgbot]

It looks like you are going to have it running with the wind.  This should be interesting when you decide how to set the sails.  I remember reading an article about the Sea Witch.  The crew was terrified because the Cap't ordered all the canvas spread in a gale and the crew was afraid it would be swamped.  The Cap't was a pusher.  Is this how you are going to display it when finished?

David B

[rwiederrich]

She will be short sailed with mains(Top sails), spanker and jib.  One particular run for the McKay she was running hard around the horn and she lost her main top sky sail and yard...I didn't want to depict a battered vessel...so...she'll just be light in the sails as would be typical.   Thanks for asking.

 

Rob

[Omega1234]

Hi Rob

 

This was my first visit to your wonderful build log, however, for some reason, most of the photos do not appear on my screen (apart from one or two early ones of the hull set into the unfinished sea and a later one of the bare masts). Nonetheless, I've seen enough to admire your workmanship and the effort that you've gone to build your Donald MacKay. Hopefully, whatever glitch I'm experiencing with your photos will resolve itself, enabling me to view them.

 

All the best!

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

[mcpwilk]

Superb sea scape.

 

Mike

[IgorSky]

Hi Rob,

Unfortunately I can see only some of photos too ((.

 

Best Regards!

Igor.

[rwiederrich]

Sorry...folks..I think the glitch is caused by the hosting site for the images has changed.......I'm trying to remedy this myself......I hope I can.

Thanks for your fine comments. I'll try to repost some.

[hexnut]

Does anybody know of a good source of brass scale ladders in 1/96 or so scale?

 

Rob

Even though these are for later ships, they seem like they could be cut to fit and omit the hand rails...(the Tom's photo etch parts that I've worked with trims fairly easily, and seems fairly adaptable)

http://www.tomsmodelworks.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=23_37&products_id=440

[rwiederrich]

I attempted to re-add some lost images within the current text.  I'll try to abridge my lost images with reposts.

 

Here is one of the hull climbing out of the trough of a large wave......the smaller surface waves reflect hull cavitation and interuption.

 

If you've ever been out in deep water.....the waves can seem immense.   The waves on either side re different and represent lots of action.

Edited February 7, 2015 by rwiederrich

[rwiederrich]

This painting of the Cutty Sark...kinda represents the feeling I am attempting to achieve.  A ship in very big water.

 

Cs is descending into a trough as my Donald McKay is climbing out.

[Omega1234]

Now that's one hell of a sea!!!!

 

Thanks again.

 

Patrick

[rwiederrich]

Yes indeed Patrick........and I wanted to attempt to recreate the feeling of such a sea being traveled by a clipper.  Many model their models on calm seas.....with light breezes and stunning sails set....the majestic image of a grand clipper.  I on the other hand, wanted to depict the (other) side of the coin...the one novels are written about......the adventures of the (High) seas under clipper sail....and such a journey around the bottom of the world up past the horn of South America.  A real test of a captain, crew and the magnificently built slipper ship.

 

My view any way.

 

Check out these big see going clippers.......just beautiful

[rwiederrich]

Again...I will rig my McKay in similar fashion as the two latter images...short sail for high winds and sea.

 

Thanks for commenting.

[Marcus.K.]

Hey Rob,

 

I am fully with you. THIS is the real adventure of those ships. Their capability to stand and sail in really heavy weather / sea !

That´s what catched my attention to those ships. Its another kind of "fight" .. without cannons .. but with the same daring and the same steel men .. A bit lake the whalers - which also caught my attention.

 

Very much like your wafe!

[rwiederrich]

Thanks Marcus......I agree fully..what an adventure sailing around the horn in a Clipper...fast and furious..bitter cold and danger around every corner.

 

Rob

[Marcus.K.]

Is this painting in post #110 referring to a giant monster wave CS experienced in real life? I was reading somewhere about the "fact", that she was one of the first reporting about freak waves. Does anybody know more about this story?

Edited January 4, 2016 by Marcus.K.

[michael mott]

Rob any more progress on this.

 

Michael

[rwiederrich]

No..this painting is not representative of what happened to the Ferreira aka Cutty Sark.  As the Ferreira she was hit by a rogue wave, however her cargo was so poorly stowed that it shifted and it was this mishap that nearly capsized her.  Causing her to lose her main and mizzen masts.

 

Rob 

[rwiederrich]

Michael.......I had to lay-up the McKay in dry dock...while I pay a bit more attention to several other vessels whose keels had been laid prior to hers.

 

I hope to soon return to her...because her theme as a diorama needs completion.  Plus I found some deck damage that occurred after a move...so that needs to be repaired as well.

 

Thanks for looking in I appreciate that.

 

Rob

[rwiederrich]

Thanks Dave...Capturing the *Mood* of the water in all its intricacies...with foam and sleets and to capture depth is a real trick.  I started with a clean white pallet of dental plaster and created the deep blue/green troughs first then added lighter green to the caps....it took a while,  I then added gloss white for the white caps and trickled some foaming details and there you go.

 

Thanks for the fine comments.

 

Rob

[SigEp Ziggy]

Awesome waves Rob, I missed this thread before, have you worked on it lately?

[BANYAN]

Just found this log Rob; very nice work - I really like the way you are taking this diorama.  Hope you will be adding some storm lines/rails for the crew

 

cheers

 

Pat