Maine Lobster Boat by popeye the sailor - FINISHED - Midwest Products

[popeye the sailor]

10 -22 - 2012

here is the saga of the Midwest Maine Lobster Boat.  I call it that because of what this build became at mid-build.   the plans for this kit are very good......so good in fact,  that I planned to do a scratch build of this vessel, with a new subject.   remember what they say.......be careful what you wish for?  well,  that's exactly what happened.......all the daydreaming I was doing about the scratch build,  while I was building this one,  manafested themselves into the build.....and began to stretch it like a giant rubber band.  the point where the band snapped......was when someone said those immortal words......"it don't look like a lobster boat to me".   we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.  please excuse the grammar and spelling.... you know us "Popeyes' "......we don't spell to good.

 

   I will try and put as much in here as I can.  we'll start with the hull frame construction.....that's always a good place to start......I used the Billing's build slip to assemble it.

the keel is made from multiple parts.  at this time,  I thought to cement the sheer together....I'll have need of it soon.

the floor platforms for the cockpit deck is a bit too much for me.  the instructions say to draw the plank lines on the platforms......I plan to plank it,  so I was able to do away with one of the pairs and go with a single layer platform.

the ribs were set up with their various location tabs and set aside to dry.  the keel was ready to go.

#1  rib in place........I'm  well on my way.

 

10 - 23 - 2012

 

the inner deck platform is goinmg to play a role in the frame construction.  #3 rib was cemented in place.

the breasthooks were also cemented in place as well.

these are the chine border strips......there are to be two per side.   I don't know why they just didn't supply thicker strips.

the inner deck platform comes out a bit too far,  so i had to notch the inner chine strips.  in making sure I made enough of a notch,  there was a gap.   this will not be seen,  because I intend to close up the sides of the inner cockpit.

the aft deck wall will be closed in as well

 

[popeye the sailor]

10 - 24 - 2012

 

ahhhhhh insight........what would we do if we had it.   the apt of making mistakes would be a thing of the past.  here I started this session with what I would later find to be a mistake......I glued the balsa bow fillers in place.

added in as well,  were the keel locator strips for the hull panels.   the hull is to be covered with balsa panels,  rather than the traditional planking.  insight would have been a good thing to have had here as well.

I used the extra deck panels to create the side cockpit panels.

the sheer was fitted and later cemented in place.   it was a bit too long at the bow,  so it was notched and fitted in.  The sheer needed to be installed before the sides could be cemented in place.

to strengthen the cement points of the sheer to the frame,  wood strip was cemented in the corners.

the chine strips were then fared and contoured to the shape of the hull.

the bow fillers were supposed to be cemented in after the bottom panels were cemented in place.  now they have to be contoured to the bow line......too late to do anything about it now.   but even this proved to be quite a hinderance.

to paint the transom like this would show those ugly chine corners.   I thought to make a cap for it to cover it over.

sanded,  the transom looks much better

[ricky146]

Good to see this log coming back Popeye.

[popeye the sailor]

10 - 25 - 2012

 

with the frame and sheer assembly complete......and some of the sanding done.....the inner cockpit walls were cemented in place.  pieces of strip were cemented in to strengthen them as well.

someone wanted to see the lobsters,  so I thought I would show them.  it is a bit funny,  but the traps on the plans don't look anything like the ones on the box.  we'll see what they look like when I get to do them.

the stern wall was made at this time and cementd in place.

 

11 - 1 - 2012

 

the hull sheeting started today.   this is done with balsa sheeting.   one bad thing I see right away,  is no matter how hard I tried,  I could not stop the sheeting from becoming scraped and scratched.

making sure that various seams would not show is hard.   the only thing to do at this point,  is to sand them as flush as possible.  strip molding is going to be the rule here.

[popeye the sailor]

Thanks Rick......I'm going to try and do this as complete as possible,  especially with how it get more interesting later on.   thanks for the good word! 

 

 

 

11 - 6 - 2012

 

the sides of the hull went on......not too bad,  for a guy whose never done a hull this way before.  it was the bottom panels that reall caused the most grief.

sanding down the bow fillers was a pain........quite a bit of material needed to be removed to get the contour of the bow.

bad things began to happen........either taking too much material off,  or the panels breaking.......it turned into a butcher job.  the only thing to do was reapir and sand to the best I could.

the gap at the stern bottom was closed up with a thin strip of balsa,  and then sanded flush.

the shoe was then cut to length and shaped.   the prop tube hole was drilled and the rudder was assembled,  sanded and shaped,  and cemented to the shaft that goes through the shoe,  to the underside of the hull.

 

[augie]

Glad to see the twins coming back to life!

[popeye the sailor]

11 - 7 - 2012

 

it was decided to plank the hull.

the sides were planked down to the chines,  leaving a lip there to mate the bottom planking

the planking is over lapped at the bow to form the point.   after the hull is completely planked and sanded to shape,  the tip will be blunted a bit to remove the sharpness of the point.

 

11 - 8 - 2012

 

the planking continued........and then carried onto the bottom planking.

the chines are now defined.   the edges can now be sanded to better define the sides from the bottom.   the chine line will disappear about 1/3 towards the bow,  so the shape of the bow can be achieved.

 

 

 

[popeye the sailor]

thanks augie.........this is going to be a long ride......so much ground to cover.   thanks for the good word!

 

 

11 - 9 - 2012

 

the bottom planking presented new .......I don't want to call it a problem.......let's call it a redesign.  adding the planking to the mix,  makes the hull thicker.......higher than the keel line.   to keep the keel line visible to the bow,  it had to be made longer........and raised to acept the planking.  a piece was cut and fitted at the bow before the planking got there.  then the planking was mated to it,  in an effort to blend it in.

now the blending in process begins

the center keel plank was set in place.......almost a perfect fit,  the hole was drilled for the rudder shaft.

 

 

[popeye the sailor]

for some reason,  I couldn't put the rest of the pictures on that post.  here they are.

the center keel plank is in place.....here are the rest fron this session.

the hull at this point was sanded and smoothed out.....soon filler will be added to fill in the gaps.

 

[patrickmil]

Well it's about time we get to see the twins again!!! Now you only have twenty more current builds to post logs for?     

[Elia]

Popeye,

 

It's good to see the lobstah boats again.

 

Cheers,

 

Elia

[TBlack]

Popeye,

 

I think somebody pointed this out in the previous log, but the picture of the trap with the lobsters in it shows the lobsters already cooked....Maine's version of fast food?

 

TB

[cog]

Popeye,

 

Thought you'd never come back You got me wurryin'

[popeye the sailor]

thank you Patrick and elia....this build is well under way!     yes TB.......someone did mention that.....just as funny now,  as it was then!

 

 

 

I still have miles to go.   with the new planking,  another though occurred to me.   I'll have to make a new transom cap,  in order to cover the planking.

then I thought that soon,  I will need the stand.......so I made it.

The next step that was to be done,  was the cabin walls.  they were prepped,  trimmed and cemented in place.

I wasn't too keen on how these are assembled.......too many joints.  I would have thought that they would have been created as a whole part.

Later in the build, it was said the there shouldn't be a ledge on the starboard side where the winch should be.   I agreed,  so I removed it.

[popeye the sailor]

hi Carl,   my friend........wild horses couldn't keep me away!

 

11 - 15 - 2012

 

The sides are up,  now the rest of the cabin parts need to be cemented in place. the fore cabin front wall,  the windshield,  the dash top,  all needs to be added.

With the way the windows are assembled,  I'm going to reinforce the walls with a frame.   it will also help when it's time to do the windows.

the fore cabin roof beams were cemented in place.

test fitting the windows gave me what I needed for the dash top.   alond the sides of the windshield frame will be reinforced as well.   the inner most fore cabin beam was doubled up to support the windshield frame and the dash top.

The dash top is supposed to be part of the fore cabin roof,  but not wanting to install the roof before painting the cabin,  I thought it best to do it this way.

The outer helm roof beam was cemented in place to keep the roof parts together.  it also serves to protect the roof line from getting broken.

The shoe and rudder was cemented in place

[popeye the sailor]

More framing was cemented in place.

The roof frame was strengthened and checked for square......it was still a bit out,  so corner wedges were installed to help squaring it up.   the other beams were added,  boxing them in.

The hull got a thin coat of filler to repair the small cracks and gaps.

After the hull was sanded and smoothed out,  it was given a coat of white primer.

the hull was lightkly sanded again,  rubbed down,  and another coat was applied.

[rdsaplala]

Hello Popeye,

 

Nice to see the beautiful sisters back on line, they look great my friend, excellent work as always

[riverboat]

Nice build Popeye, I haven't seen this one before  ( I think!! )........ you did a super nice job on the planking.

Frank

[cog]

Had to think about this when I read you response:

 

Wild horses couldn't drag me away

Wild, wild horses, we'll ride them someday

 

I read in some naval novel that the sea had 'white horses' ... Are those the white 'caps' on the swells?

[captainbob]

Hooray!  The lobster boats are back.  Hooray! Hooray!

 

Bob

[popeye the sailor]

thanks Bob for the welcome back!  I'm well on my way to put as much of this one back here as I can......I had to stop this afternoon....the site must have been too busy,  lost the connection and couldn't get it back.  the Denny-zen will come in after I plank the sheer and the deck......that seems to be when I got the deciding comment.  thanks for the good word!

 

not too sure of that Carl......some research into nautical folklore might shed some light.

 

thanks to you as well Aldo and Frank......the plot will thicken soon.

[popeye the sailor]

The hull got a little more filler to fill in the few voids that were left,  after which,  it got another coat of primer.   the bottom paint was then sprayed.

when the bottom paint ewas dry enough,  the upper portion of the hull got painted Brunswick green.

The white strip along the sides of the hull will be the color they are,  a gloss white.

[popeye the sailor]

12 - 13 - 2012

 

With color on the hull........you know......it's funny how a bit of color,  make one feel that a milestone has been reached.   time to work a bit on the topside.   I looked at the block they supply for the engine cover.

nawwww.......I think something better can be done.  I plan to put a pair of doors on the stern wall.  a door is to go on the left side of the fore cabin wall.  I began to work on these aspects.

these are the top rail moldings that will line the edges of the sheer.  there will also be molding around the inner deck cockpit.

The sheer is to be planked with thin strips of annegre......a light mahogany.  the stern was divided into sections.  each section will take a direction that will be determined by the sheer.  each section will have a trim separation to accent each section.

The stern is planked.......the mid sheer follows next.

 

Next will be the fore cabin sheers and the bow.

[popeye the sailor]

12 - 14 - 2012

 

here is the rest of the sheer planking......both fore cabin sheers and the bow.

After the sheer was planked,   the inner deck was next to be tackled.

[popeye the sailor]

12 - 18 - 2012

 

The engine cover parts were cut and shaped,  using the supplied block as part of the cover.

The doors were also being assembled at this time.

The engine cover was painted and placed where it was to be located.   when the door frame was assembled,  the position of the cover was refined and marked out.  it was later cemented in place.  the deck was planked at this time.

 

 

[popeye the sailor]

12 - 19 - 2012

 

Other aspects were being looked at.   as I did in the Mary Ann build,  I experimented a bit with making wainscoting panels,  which were cut to shape and cemented along the inner helm walls.

The stern wall door assmebly was finishedat this time.

This phase of the interior assembly.......then the x-actor fell silent

[popeye the sailor]

I had gotten a subtle hint earlier in the sheer planking,  but one comment at this point,  made me stop in my tracks.   After reading the comment,  I sat back and looked at the boat.   "He's right,  you know......,  I thought to myself........what have I done?  all the thinking I was doing about building another boat....all the idea I got while I was building this boat........was transferring to this build before my eyes.  I have always said,  that a modeler is part magician.......a person of the arts.  a sculpter sculpts.........a painter paints......

and a wood worker plys his craft.  each one follows the same goal......to create a work of art that will stand the test of time.   we are ALL doing this very thing.........we ALL strive to attain this goal.   Some of you are already there,  surpassing yourselves with the age-old art of scratch building.   this art has been around since before the intervention of scale classification......created to settle the disputes of many a modeler

 

     There are a lot of us that are still striving to attain such knowledge.......knowing that one day,  that masterpiece will materialize before our eyes.  then,  and only then,  will we know that we have surpassed ourselves.  we have done what we set out to do.

      The point that I was trying to make before I got sidetracked,  is that,  like a magician,  the modeler must envision in his or her mind,  and creat that vision with their hands.  I have referred modeling as  'the craft'  before........I'm sure that when I've said it,  you might have thought me daft.  but,  that's the way I've come to look at it.  I can say more......but here I go........being a wind bag.  I yam wot I yam.

 

     When I realized what I had done......it didn't take much thought to see waht I had to do.  I set to work on a keel........for the real Lobster Boat.   rather than cut it from plywood,  I decided to make it out of 1/4 strip stock.   it worked out just as well.   I took all the panels with the hull parts punched out and traced the ribs and other hull parts.

As you can see,  I doubled the ribs to make them thick enough to hold planking.   There will be no sheeting......I'm going to plank over the ribs.   I didn't bother with the breasthooks either.....

[popeye the sailor]

The Lobster Boat is under way........the other boat will become what was suggested......a pleasure boat.

 

12 - 25 - 2012

 

After the Christmas hub-bub was done,  I had a little time to work on it before we went out to my son's house.   basically,  it was to finish the ribs and secure them to create the frame.

Planking the sheer will give it a bit more strength.  I did this after we got home......with nowhere else to go.

Following the plans,  which I find,  are very good.  I will make a few changes to speed up the build.

 

12 - 26 - 2012

 

carrying on with planking........I wanted to install the side planking today.

[popeye the sailor]

here is the first progress comparison I did on these two boats.

so far,  everything looks good.........the build continues.........

[popeye the sailor]

The picture of the two side by side is very misleading......it gives the impression that the lobster boat is longer that the pleasure boat.   actually,  the pleasure boat is longer than the lobster boat by 1/8 of an inch.......due to the double planking.   the build continues.......

 

12 - 27 - 2012

 

more was done on the sheer.   the rest of the deck was framed out to support the planking.

 

12 - 28 - 2012