Bounty Launch by CaptainSteve - FINISHED - Model Shipways - 1:16 Scale - SMALL

[CaptainSteve]

Following on from his Battles against the Frames, our hero didst take pause awhile to consider the issues of colouration.
“Enough dallying about,” the Horde cried. “Get on with it !!”

 

“Arrr … “, CaptainSteve was heard to reply. “One canst procrastinate but for so long.”

(Actually, by definition, one canst procrastinate for as long as one bloody well wants - indeed, the longer the better).

 

But, as he doth intend to get this thing done and move on with his USS Constitution build, then it didst finally becometh necessary to drawest the line somewhere. And so, with the weekend upon him ‘twas time to move onwards. For, as has been foretold, There Shall Be Planking …

 

Thusly, the planks making up Belt C, as well as the first of Belt B, were subjected to “water-boarding” last eventide in order to convince them to bend to CaptainSteve’s will. The same fate was meted out also unto the Sheer planks.
As the bottom section of the Launch (to the waterline) willst be made white, then there be no need for worryin’ with any graining on the lower planks which doeth makest Belt C. It shouldst be realised that the waterline will no doubt extend upwards to the second plank in Belt B, but this problem shalt be dealt with at a later stage.

 

Whereupon their punishment was served, the two Sheer planks were dry-fitted upon the rack then hued in purple. Indeed, ‘tis a tint which hath been labelled – sorry, Keith – Docker Purple. For the future Master of this craft, CaptainAndrew, wouldst be a fan of the Fremantle Football Club.

 

“A nice trim they shalt make !!” proclaimethed CaptainSteve.

 

 

A different fate was dealt unto the planks making up the remainder of Belt B, as well as those which shalt maketh Belt A. For their crimes, water-boarding wilt also be in their future. But firstly, they didst meet with the knife … and the pencil … and the steel-wool grinding-wheel thingy of our hero’s Dremel tool.

 

Most verily, this was a laborious endeavour which tooketh many, many hours. Once done, and after applying a concoction of his own making (Old Baltic 5 parts to Golden Teak 3 parts), they looketh like this:

 

As of this very moment in time, the planks Garboard hath been dry-fitted. On the morrow, the Sheer shalt be affixed …

 

FOOTNOTE:  CaptainSteve wishes it to be known throughout the land that he hast ceased worrying as to whether he doth possesseth enough of the woods from the cherry tree to maketh the cant and ‘tween frames.

 

“For in this matter, I wilt be considering following in the footsteps of the One known as Meredith. Indeedeth, and verily, this day I didst purchase a hue of Blue-Grey and doth intendeth to useth it for the interior planking and framing.

 

‘Twill be the better to allow the various fittings, fixings, fruits and equipment to stand-eth out,” he didst declar-eth.

Edited August 21, 2015 by CaptainSteve

[CaptainSteve]

Planking has commenced and is underway ... slowly.

 

There was a momentary lapse of sanity earlier on when I thought that MS had short-changed me by two planks. After turning my build-table upside down in a frantic search, I realized that I had put the shutter planks back in the box ... and at the very bottom.

I don't know why I do things like this to myself !!

 

A quick progress pic before re-joining the Rat Race tomorrow ... 

 

 

Plank 9 (just above the Sheer) on both sides has only been dryfitted for the moment to allow it to take shape. It's kinda hard to tell from this pic, but there is a thin line of staining on the Sheer just below the purple stripe.

The colour of this is too golden - even though I used the same stain mix. It should match the "weathered" wood of the other planks.

Will need to do something about this before fixing Plank 9 into place.

 

If I can do two planks each day after work, then this stage should be mostly done by next weekend ...

Edited March 23, 2014 by CaptainSteve

[patrickmil]

The planking looks great CaptainSteve! The stain really gives the wood some nice depth.

[alde]

Making some good headway there. I know what you mean about getting back to the Rat Race. There's never enough time for the fun stuff.

[Bindy]

Good luck with your planking!

 

I love your final choice of colour!  Particularly in the "Planks 2.jpg" photograph which really brings out the detail 

[CaptainSteve]

Thanks Bindy,

Originally, I wasn't too concerned with weathering of the planks for my Launch. However, a bit of background reading has shown that an earlier post where I said that I thought Bligh would have insisted on regular maintenance may not have been entirely true.

 

This is from Mutiny and Romance in the South Seas: A Companion to the Bounty Adventure by Sven Wahlroos:

 

"During the events of the mutiny on the Bounty, three boats were launched: first the jolly boat which was found to be rotten through with worms and would certainly have sunk, then the cutter which also leaked and simply would not hold the large number of loyalists who preferred to go with Bligh, and finally the launch. . . .

When Bligh had been forced into the launch together with eighteen loyalists, the freeboard remaining was less than the length of a man’s hand."

 

Thus, it seems likely to me that the Launch was probably not in the best condition when Bligh and the loyalists were cast adrift. Further, riding low in the water almost up to the Sheer - it is known from Bligh's log that they had to constantly bail water - the planks would have taken even more damage throughout the course of their journey to Timor.

 

I don't want to do this model so that it appears that the Launch was a complete wreck ... just merely to show that the journey was harsh, in the least !! 

Edited March 24, 2014 by CaptainSteve

[dgbot]

So that is your reasoning for distressing the wood. Good idea.

David B

[alde]

CaptainSteve, That's a book I will have to look for. Bligh doesn't mention the condition of his boat at all in his log of the voyage, at least not as far as I have read. I am only half way through the book but it's quite a good read. You would have thought maintaining the only way of getting off the ship in the event of a sinking would be well maintained. I guess a warship is different in that respect. They had many more men to keep occupied on long voyages. Bligh only had something like 45 men in his crew compaired to 300 or so on a frigate size ship.

[CaptainSteve]

So that is your reasoning for distressing the wood. Good idea.

David B

 

That's my story, DG, and I'm stickin' by it !!

 

In truth, I was trying to do something a little different, tried it out on the test plank and liked it.

[CaptainSteve]

Planking continues, but I found that I've made a bit of a whoopsie ...

 

It seems that, in my haste to "distress" the planks, I failed to check that one half of them needed to be flipped over. In short, I will need to lightly sand back the scoring marks on 4 planks and distress the reverse sides of these before I can complete the planking stage.

What a goof !!!

 

No great loss ... just some extra work to do to correct a mistake which a little forethought would have prevented.

 

Thus, as a result of my mistake, I will most definitely be going ahead with the idea of painting the interior side of the planking (and frames) in blue-grey (as Meredith did) to hide my stuff-up !!

 

Not a real issue, as I quite liked this look anyway. 

Edited March 25, 2014 by CaptainSteve

[dgbot]

A coat of paint hides a host of sins.

David B

[CaptainSteve]

... as well as rope coils, barrels etc etc.

Thank heavens for details !!!

[alde]

Don't stress over your distress. At least you had planned on painting the interior. The floor boards and thwart risers will also cover any little goofs. Once the internal details start to go in it sure looks a lot like a boat. I am really impressed with this kit.

[CaptainSteve]

Arrr ... 'twas a most distressing time had by CaptainSteve this past week. The planks which hadst previously been distressed incorrectly were flipped, scratched, penciled, re-stained and re-sanded.

"Take that, ye scurvy wooden mongrels !!" didst our hero vindictively declare, as he subjected them, yet again, to another round of water-boarding.  

 

Thusly, planking didst continue, 'though verily there was much back-tracking, ungluing and regluing as early edge-spiling was found to be most undesirous. But he didst geteth there in the end.

"Spiled they be, each and every plank. Then sanded within an inch of their very lives. Smooth as a baby's bum, this boat be. Why !! If Bligh hadst but sailed in her instead, he twouldst have attained Timor in nought but a day and a half !!", CaptainSteve didst boast.

 

 

As if these woes were not enough, further distress came our hero's way with the distressing of the planks which hadst already been affixed, being those of the garboard and adjoining planks.

 

 

"These are muchly of lighter colouration than before," CaptainSteve didst declareth. "But I liketh them. They are most satisfactory and they shall suffice."

 

But a thought did plagueth him. "The waterline in white which many others who have gone afore have added," he didst thinketh aloud, "Verily, 'twouldst hideth much of the planking distress. Mayhaps, I shalt do away with it altogether. Further introspection on this matter shall be required. " 

 

At this point our hero didst turn his attention once more to the Sheer planks.

"They dost lacketh something !!", he decided. "I know !! I shall addeth a stripe of Docker White to the Docker Purple that existeth already."

 

Most happy with this, our hero did turneth his attention to completing the planking. But, further distress was awaiting him.

"Looketh here," he didst cry to the assembled horde. "'Tis a sight most ungainly !!"

 

 

 

"Alas and alack !! Thievery hath occurred !! Verily, I will be requiring a STEALER on the starboard side !!

 

FOOTNOTES: Whilst, verily, the keel doth appear above to be unsquare, most assuredly tis true indeed !! 

                    Sheer tabs have been checked. They are positioned most correctly.

                    As can be seen, the Sheer planks doth indeed sit upon the tabs. 

                    Verily, the Sheer planks doth align true with the top of the transom on both sides.

Edited March 29, 2014 by CaptainSteve

[patrickmil]

Very nice looking launch CaptainSteve!!! The planking with the stain looks fantastic.

[alde]

Bligh would be right proud of your replication of his launch. The lighter color stain is very nice. I do think painting the bottom white would spoil the effect. I would leave it just stained and distressed.

[CaptainSteve]

Thanks, Guys !! 

Alde, yes, I do believe I will do precisely that.

For now, I am still distressing about where the gap came from with plank 8 on the starboard side. Nonetheless, this plank has not been fixed into place as yet. It is merely drying in position to gain the curve after "water-boarding". 

I'm certain I can make a stealer !!

It will mean my planking will be different on the two sides.

But, Hey, this is a work-boat ... not the Sovereign of the Seas !!

Edited March 29, 2014 by CaptainSteve

[mtaylor]

Is that plank spiled and now upside down?

[CaptainSteve]

Mark, it hasn't been spiled as yet. Merely bent to shape and drying in position. Prior to placement, I paired up my planks to make certain I had the right planks for the corresponding positions, as they were no longer in the template. I had checked them all against Plan Sheet 4 AND it was a perfect (reversed) match to Plank 8 on the opposite side (Port).

I don't believe it is merely upside-down, as each plank in this kit has an angle on one end to fit into the rabbett.

I'm really at a loss to understand how this gap has occurred.

 

EDIT: I've just checked. If I remove it and try flipping it, then, due to the pre-cut shaping of the planks in this kit, the situation becomes even worse !!

Edited March 29, 2014 by CaptainSteve

[mtaylor]

I asked about spiled since it seems to curve up at the stern...  Yep... that's weird.

[alde]

I was scratching my head over a plank that just didn't seem to fit just right until I realized it was the wrong plank for that position. Some of them do look very muck alike and come close to fitting. You could always make a new plank to avoid the stealer too.

[CaptainSteve]

Alde (and Mark), I should mention that I discovered this plank being wrong about four days back. Whilst doing a test-fit, this was what led me to discover that I had distressed the incorrect side of some of my planks. If reversed, this particular plank would fit in place on the PORT side - except for the curve now in it - but not on the STARBOARD side.

 

As it is nearly 6am, and I have been pondering this problem for the past 3 hours, the only plausible explanation that I can reach is that, somehow, the Bermuda Triangle has re-positioned itself directly over my work-table !!

 

PS: Woo-hoo ... CaptainSteve has just been promoted to Captain !!

"Looketh !! I have me bars !!", he announced, joyfully.

Edited March 29, 2014 by CaptainSteve

[alde]

Hey, congratulations on your promotion Captain.

[CaptainSteve]

Arrrgeth !!

It would appear that the party responsible for the uncooperative plank was NOT the Bermuda Triangle, after all.

New evidence has come to light in the matter and it now seems likely that it was [shock][horror] someone in this very room !!

 

However, we may never know the identity of the true culprit. Indeed, he (or she) has most likely made good his (or her) escape by now anyway.

 

So there really is no point in trying to attribute blame ... is there ??

Precisely !!

I think it best to just leave the matter at that and get on with the planking.

 

Edited March 30, 2014 by CaptainSteve

[Bindy]

So there really is no point in trying to attribute blame ... is there ??

Precisely !!

I think it best to just leave the matter at that and get on with the planking.

 

That would be a "Captain's Perogative" I think! 

 

Wow, lucky you got  your bars just in time to save any embarrassment!  Congrats!

[alde]

Bindy is right, rank has it's privileges. Especially when you are operating on an independent cruise. You are master of your ship or in this case boat.

[dgbot]

Captain Steve, during WWII there was an outbreak of gremlins.  Maybe they have returned?

David B

[CaptainSteve]

Arr ...

Yes, DG, 'twould be nice to blame the gremlins.

But, in reality it was just another outbreak of a terminal disease I seem to suffer from ... Stoopidity !!

 

No matter. The problem has now been fixed - though it did mean pulling up three planks and re-arranging them.

I think I should buy shares in Isopropyl !!

 

All that remains now are the two shutter planks ...

Edited March 31, 2014 by CaptainSteve

[dgbot]

That is a disease I am familiar with and it can be a problem.

David B

[NenadM]

.... terminal disease I seem to suffer from ... Stoopidity !!...

 

 

Wellcome to my club Captain !!!!!

 

 

 BTW, I enjoy reading your log. Can I join horde ?

Edited April 2, 2014 by Nenad M