Ship’s Boat by JSGerson - FINISHED - Model Shipways

[JSGerson]

Model Shipways Typical Ship’s Boat* (SMALL)

*As labelled on the kit. On the website it’s called: Plank-on-Frame Lifeboat Kit

 

I am building the Mamoli 1:64 scale 1781 American Privateer Rattlesnake with the help of Robert Hunt’s Practicum. In the process of building the Rattlesnake, I had to make the ship’s boat. The Mamoli kit provided the model builder with a pre-cut wooden shell for the hull from which the builder could then create a completed model (which the Practicum addresses). If I had built the Model Shipways’ version of the Rattlesnake, I would have had to make the ship’s boat “bread and butter” style. Somehow neither option satisfied me. So I decided to go all out and build a ship’s boat from the keel up or as the case turn out, from the keel down.

 

Model Shipways makes 5 sizes of kits; I purchased the Typical Ship Boat No. MS0108, a Plank-on-Frame construction kit (POF).

 

Model No.:    Size

MS0105          3-3/16'' (81mm)

MS0106          3-3/4'' (95mm)

MS0107          4-1/4'' (108mm)

MS0108          4-3/4'' (122mm)

MS0109          5-3/16'' (135mm)

 

This is my first POF as well as my first small boat build, so this will be all new territory for me. Not only that, I won’t have the Practicum to hold my hand until the hull is built.

 

The kit is fairly simple, one laser cut sheet provided the keel, the bow bulkhead, the transom, and the frames to create the bot’s ribs. A bunch of stock wood pieces which I believe to be Basswood as it is fairly soft was also included. The instructions are straight forward but not overly detailed so a lot of the skills and nuances of model building must be brought with the builder. Unfortunately the resolution of the photo images in the instructions is low and therefore hard to see detail. 

Edited November 7, 2014 by JSGerson

[JSGerson]

Assembling the Keel

 

The single piece laser cut keel is combined with the stem and the stern post. The bow bulkhead and the transom were glued to keel. 

[JSGerson]

1/16” square strip stock was then glued to both sides of the keel between the rib notches, flush with the top of the keel. The notches are where the ribs are to be installed later. Because the strips must also curve up the bow, they had to be pre-curved.

[JSGerson]

The length of the bow strip was measured by using a strip of paper. Placing the paper in the position where the curved wood strip would have to go it was cut to size. Then the paper was flatten out which provided a direct measurement of the length of wood needed. After cutting the wooden strips to length, they were soaked for at least an hour. Using a heated plank bender, the strips were bent into the approximate shape and placed on a simple wooden form made in the final shape for the occasion.

[JSGerson]

After the strips were dry, they were cut to their final size and glued into place.

[Martin W]

Very interesting, Jon!  A well-built boat will make a terrific addition to your build.  I'll be looking forward to your progress.

 

Cheers,

 

Martin

[Keith_W]

I'm curious to see how this turns out. Subscribed!

[KevinR]

I am also building the ships boat as my first POF. I look forward to seeing how it goes.

[JSGerson]

I'm curious to see how this turns out too!

[scott larkins]

Me too.  I'm  assuming it is close to scale and that is one reason you are going it. Plus perhaps the detail will be better.  If this goes well perhaps I'll get one for my Rattlesnake as well.

[JSGerson]

The boat shell (without rudder) that came with the Mamoli kit is about 4 3/8" (see photo), and the Model Shipways' boat that you construct "bread & butter" style is just shy of 5". I purchased the 4 3/4" kit because the next size up was 5 3/16". All of the boat are similar but not quite. So who is to say with certainty which one the actual ship had. If I really screw it up, I can always fall back to the kit's boat (I hope not).

[Martin W]

Hi Jon -- I really think you're going the right way.  I used the kit-supplied boat -- trying to spruce it up a bit with some detailing.  But it still looks like a basswood shell.  Whatever you do here, though, please, please don't make me feel inspired to try out that kit!!! 

 

Cheers,

 

Martin

[JSGerson]

The Main Ribs

 

The kit provides 4 rib jigs to form the main ribs. Nos. 2 – 4 are the same size. Using the “paper” method, 4 pieces of 1/16” square stock were cut to length. The idea is to soak the strips and then bend them around jig form and glue them, just at the ends, to the jig. I soaked the wood for 24 hours. At a later point in the build, the ribs are to be cut from the jig.

[sport29652]

JSG- cant wait to see the finished product. I bought one of these kits last year and went "huh?" I hope your log will show me how its done.  

[JSGerson]

Bending the ribs  was easier said than done, at least for me. My method to bend the wood was to use the heated iron. But because the bend is 180° the wood wants to kink or worse split. I also tried using my clamp type wood bender which put little creases on the inside of the bend; that was a disaster.  I finally got some satisfactory (not great) results working very slow with the heated iron and repeated dippings in water, but I used a lot of time and wasted more wood than I think the kit allows.

 

Another part of the problem was how the strip of wood was held in place on the jig. It can’t take much stress due to the 1/16” thinness of the jig and the softness of its wood. If you don’t bend the rib wood strip enough prior to putting on the rib jig, forcing the strip into its final shape on the jig will break the jig. You can see that result in jig No. 4. All the ribs ends are glued to the jig at the bottom. Hopefully the flaws will be buried under planking and internal boat structures.

 

BTY, the gap at the top of the arch is supposed to be there to make it easier to remove the hull from the jig.

[robnbill]

This is great timing. I am building the Mamoli Constitution and have what looks like the same for for ships boats. I too am planning on replacing them with plank on form boats. I had not sen the MS lists other than the bead and butter style which I did not want  use. I was given plans for a Planked ships boat years ago that I was planning on adapting to the size and styles required for the Connie. Some of them are flat ended and some of them are pointed on both ends. 

 

I look forward to following your progress so I can make the decision to either buy these and adapt or make from scratch.

 

Bill

[CaptainSteve]

JS,

Also brilliant timing for me !!

A new BLUE BOX arrived just today, and therefore, I will have a number of questions to be answered regarding small boats using this POF method.

 

So, as I pull up a deck-chair ("'scuse me", "pardon me", "oops, sorry Ma'am") over here ....

 

Bending the ribs  was easier said than done, at least for me. My method to bend the wood was to use the heated iron. But because the bend is 180° the wood wants to kink or worse split. I also tried using my clamp type wood bender which put little creases on the inside of the bend; that was a disaster.  I finally got some satisfactory (not great) results working very slow with the heated iron and repeated dippings in water, but I used a lot of time and wasted more wood than I think the kit allows.

 

Another part of the problem was how the strip of wood was held in place on the jig. It can’t take much stress due to the 1/16” thinness of the jig and the softness of its wood. If you don’t bend the rib wood strip enough prior to putting on the rib jig, forcing the strip into its final shape on the jig will break the jig. You can see that result in jig No. 4. All the ribs ends are glued to the jig at the bottom. Hopefully the flaws will be buried under planking and internal boat structures.

 

BTY, the gap at the top of the arch is supposed to be there to make it easier to remove the hull from the jig.

 

... I was wondering if glueing the jig pieces to stiff card before starting your bends would have helped ??

[JSGerson]

The cardboard "trick" might work but if I were to do it again, I might try using thinner strips and laminating them. First it would make bending easier and second the resulting rib would be stronger. Live and learn.

[JSGerson]

During a dry fit I noticed that jig No. 1 seemed to be short in height by about 1/16”. This was remedied by adding a strip at the bottom.

[JSGerson]

Eight 1/8” were cut about 2” long and glued to both sides of jig bottoms.

[JSGerson]

The image below shows the dry fit of the assembled jig. Once it’s glued into place, the real building of the ship’s boat will begin.

[alde]

Looking good so far. I can't wait to see this take shape.

[JSGerson]

There seems to be a lot of anticipation as to how this build will turn out. I hope I don't disappoint. 

[alde]

No pressure. Just enjoy the build. I have a couple of these in my drawer to learn the process. I want to translate the skill into building whaleboats for my Kate Cory and future C.W. Morgan projects.

[Martin W]

It's looking good so far, Jon.  Since you've just come off from the hull of the Ratt herself, you'll have a pretty good body memory for planking and plank bending.  And you probably won't encounter any difficulties like those sharp curves on the Ratt's bow and stern. 

 

Good luck -- your skills will carry you through, I'm sure!

 

Cheers,

 

Martin

[KevinR]

During a dry fit I noticed that jig No. 1 seemed to be short in height by about 1/16”. This was remedied by adding a strip at the bottom.

I notice the height difference as well, only after I had mounted them to board.

[JSGerson]

Alright, another ship's boat builder! I took a look at your log and your are doing great especially for a "first timer." So far it seems that you and I have had our problems with bending the ribs. Since you are ahead of me, Keven, I now have someone to follow. Out of curiosity, what size kit are you building?

[KevinR]

I am building the 5 3/16" kit.  I like your idea of laminating the ribs. I am going to try that next time.

[JSGerson]

Transom

 

Following the instruction I had glued the laser cut transom into place and noticed it left a 1/16” gap where it met to top of the notch in the stern post. Assuming there was a reason for this  that would make it presence know, I left it. It didn’t Looking at the plans, no gap is shown. Using a piece of 1/16” x 1/16” basswood, I filled it in

[JSGerson]

Because the planking will cover the edges of the transom, the transom had to be planked first. I chose to do this prior to installing the sheer line rail which the instruction would have me make next. The wood provided in the kit is basswood, a soft light colored material. I had a piece of teakwood at my disposal which I had obtained and described earlier in my Rattlesnake build log and decided to use it for the planking. The basswood planks were 1/32” x 3/32”. If the Rattlesnake is 1:64 scale then so must be the boat. A plank 1/32” thick would translate to 2” on the real boat, a bit excessive I thought. I first cut a teak plank to 1/64” x 3/32” which by the way is a piece of cake with the Byrnes saw but found that although the wood held up fine, it was a been too flexible. The resulting model would have felt like it was made out of paper. The next piece I made a tad thicker and that seemed to work. I planked the transom. The second photo is before any trimming.