Muscongus Bay Lobster Smack by Piet - FINISHED - Midwest Products - length 15"

[Piet]

Hello all you marvelous ship builders.  I am new to the kit build section of MSW but not new to building models.  My name is Petrus W. van Warmerdam and live in Palm Coast Florida.  I retired in 20o9 from Federal service with the Federal Aviation Administration as an Airworthiness safety Inspector.  My wife and I moved from the Pittsburgh, PA area to get out of the cold.

 

Having finished one scratch build of my own design and then started a self design of a Dutch VOC ship, also scratch build and currently in the finishing stage of a scratch build Dutch submarine, I thought trying my hand at a wooden boat kit.  This is not the first wooden ship kit I have tackled and a few plastic models but those are all a long time ago.

 

I chose a  mid 19th century fishing boat, the Muscongus Bay Lobster Smack.  It's an apprentice level 2 kit and I think that it won't be too difficult for me to tackle.  I'm also going to be daring and bash it some.  

 

There are few things I like to be able to show like the cabin, the actual working area and make the rudder movable.  There'll be some other changes I think in making but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

I just hope that I can do as well as PiperJoe!   Did all y'all see his little sloop?

 

When we lived in Bangor, Maine from 1979 to 1987, we had a friend who was a lobster fisherman but he worked with powerboats though.

 

I like the looks of this little boat, much like the Friendship sloop I designed and scratch build but smaller.  This boat will be donated to the "Injured Warrior" program.  A bunch of folks from MSW will attend in April, 2015.  If you are not familiar with this event then check with SawdustDave.  It'll be in North Carolina right off I-95 and anyone willing and capable to attend, please contact Dave.  We can also bring our builds to show (off  )  He has a beautiful model going himself.

 

This is my first page of the build log and will tweak it in the next few days.  I'll need some help from Administrator Mark T with name, avatar and the signature.  Hey, I'm an aircraft guy not a computer wiz like many of you.

 

Here are a few pics of the kit box.  I bought it from Model Expo, it was on sale for a very handsome price and being a frugal Dutchman (my kids used to call me cheap    ) I could not refuse it and it's for a good purpose.  I'll add my impressions and comments with each picture, in case someone else would like build this very nice looking boat.

 

This is the box with the kit inside.  Love the picture.

 

First impression when I opened the box was that everything was packed very neatly with the two-sided drawing rolled up, instead of folded.   

 

The wood used is primarily bass wood.  Im not a fan of bass wood and would exchange it in a heartbeat for a better quality wood, if I had more time.  However, I'll work with te bass wood so I can learn how to manage it and give my impressions in case someone else wants to buy this nice kit.  Overall though I am rather impressed with the quality of the packing and lazer and die cuts.  They use balsa for for the hull planking, ugh.  But I have some stuff that will harden it up.  I'll have some comments I'm sure when we get to actually working with all this stuff.

I'll most likely use some of my own wood for different applications.

 

As mentioned, I really appreciate them rolling up the drawing. I don't have to worry about the folds tearing.  The sail and rigging plans are on the reversed side.  The build instruction booklet is also very nicely laid out and in simple steps even I can understand it.  As a scratch builder I have the tendency to do things my way but I try to follow their process.  This will be difficult to do because I am bashing it.  

 

The hardware is also very nice and plenty of it.  

 

Cheers,

 

Piet, the Flying Dutchman.

[Dee_Dee]

Hey Piet!

 

I've built the MBLS twice and it's a great kit for bashing, having fun, learning, creating......  and more!  

 

FWIW, Chapelle's book "American Small Sailing Craft" is the 'go to' soure for bashing this kit.   

 

I'll just take a seat at the coffee bar.  

Dee Dee

[bdgiantman2]

Welcome to building ship models, Petrus! I have one completed model of this little lobster smack and a second one about half way done that I will probably make some changes to. I will be glad to be of any help to you that I can with your model. Good luck and will be watching from West Coast.

 

Brian

 

PS - I happen to be an aviation enthusiast as well wanting to working at an airport as the manager of the place. Probably not really related to what you used to do, but know you help make some rules for us also.

[Adrieke]

hey Piet, knowing your awesome skills , you ll make this into a masterpiece

[Piet]

Thanks everybody for visiting my new kit build and your comments.

 

Hi Dee Dee, Oh I would love to get Chapelle's book, I'll check with Amazon or other book stores.  I have two books by him, "The Search for Speed Under Sail" and "The History of American Sailing Ships."  My bashing will probably not be into the extreme but just making it interesting.

Coffee bar is okay, there is plenty in the Bunn brewer thingy and cookies too  No popcorn though, Sjors is the keeper of that one.

 

Hi Brian, good to see you too and thanks for the welcome in the kit section.  Thank you also for your generosity in offering your input.  Yup, I like to get any input you have to offer.  I'll be checking in on your build log if that's okay.

Aviation is a real challenging way of earning a living, there is a lot of money in it - - - I know, I left a lot of it there  I have been in it since 1952.  Started out as an airframe and engine mechanic, got authorized by the FAA to certify aircraft airworthy after work was done to them.  From there I just moved up the ladder and enjoyed the trip.  Yeah, I actually was instrumental in creating new rules and special inspections recommended by the NTSB.  It's been interesting.

 

Hoi there Adriaan, good to see you in my new dockyard right next to the VOC ship and my father's O19 submarine.  As mentioned in my short intro this kit is meant for a good cause and instead of offering version 1.0 of the O19 dinghy or making a larger version of a Dutch dinghy I was contemplating of making for Dave's shindig I thought it better to make a true American fishing boat from the days before engines.

I hope that with what I have gained in experience building the three ships scratch this should not pose too many problems.

 

Cheers to all, 

[mtaylor]

Hi Piet,  I'll be following along also. I figure I can learn something as I have on your other builds. 

[Piet]

Hello Mark, that'll be great, glad to have on board, so to speak.  You learning from me?????  But thank you for the compliment, that is appreciated.

This'll be a little different then my previous builds.  I have to work with that crappy basswood but will give it a try.  And as with several other kit builders who are not satisfied with the basic kit I too have to add some more detail and that means bashing this thing.  Most of it I have to improvise as I go along but make notes on the drawings and the build guide.

Hey, it's all fun and am enjoying all this ship building immensely, too much actually, neglecting my artwork.

 

Cheers, 

[SawdustDave]

OH YES!

Piet is THE MAN!!!!!

You are just too special my friend.

[GLakie]

I'll be pulling up a seat too if it's ok Piet. Looks like a fun build.

 

Fair Winds & Following Seas

[Piet]

Hello all and thanks for visiting and your like votes and comments.

 

Hey Dave, good seeing you here and your very kind words, you make me blush    I'll try to live up to your expectations.

 

Hello George, yeah please come join us, there is plenty of room and coffee with cookies.  Thank you as well for adding me to your friend list.  It's as I have in my signature, it's not the quantity of friends but the quality that counts.

 

Cheers,

[GLakie]

The honor's all mine Piet.

 

Cheers 

[SawdustDave]

Trust me Piet....the honor is mine.

[Piet]

This is really a belated post because the pics I'll be showing is work I did last Minday when it was raining here in Palm Coast, Florida.

 

I started to mark the drawing where I wanted to make the immediate areas for the mods.  There are of course a few more as I start thinking about te different sections.

To help yuns in following along I have annotated the drawing with numbers that'll be explained on each picture.  I can't add all the things I think I should change right now but we'll get to tem in due time.

 

As I mentioned before I wanted to make the actual work area as it should be.  The kit has part of this area closed off with the deck.  Then I want to make the small cabin visible through the entry way with possible bunk beds and a table.  I don't know yet how far I will go with dolling this baby up 

 

Okay then here are the pics I took last Monday.

 

#1 is a little involved. I have to drill a hole through the keel frame for the rudder pivot shaft and cut the helm slot a little further back.  I reinforced the keel frame with 2 mm blocks of poplar.  That hole doesn't leave much meat in the keel frame

# 2, I had to make a new rudder because the kit rudder is too skinny to allow me to drill a 1.2 mm hole in it for the pivot pin. I made the new rudder from the same material as the keel frame.  This way the gudgeons and pintels for the rudder hinges will flow naturally together.  It also gives me the thickness for the helm pivot pin, which will be made from 1.2 mm brass tube.  The helm will have a 0.8 mm brass rod at the end that'll slide in a small piece of 1.2 mm brass tube that'll be soldered on top of the rudder pivot pin.  I'll show a pic when I have made that.

#3, That's bulkhead #4 and the plan is to cut some away on the sides to make it look more like a frame.  That area will be reinforced with 1 mm plywood to prevent it from breaking off.

#4, is bulkhead 3 and the center part will be removed so I can extend the deck to the next bulkhead.

#5, is the position of the new deck piece.

#6, is bulkhead 2 and will have the an entry way opening cut into it for getting into the cabin. 

#7, is the cabin deck (floor for the non maritime oriented folks).

#8, is a reinforcement piece for the mast.  I found this area a little weak.  

#9, is what I'll cut away from the kit supplied deck plate to open up the work area.  Thoughts of planking the work area deck and cabin deck are floating through my mind or just scribe them in and blacken them with pencil.

#10, are the two lobster holding bins.  I'll move them aft a little so we have access to the cabin.  Originally this boat had a movable centerboard that is housed in a pocket inside the keel.  I won't that far but do as the plans call for, cement the centerboard to the keel.  Too much work and would be  a good project for a scratch build, then the engineering can be thought-out beforehand.

 

This shows just a hint of the changes I'll make to these two bulkheads. There'll be more, like reenforcing and added upright blocks to secure the bulkheads.  The numbers follow the ones on the drawing pic above.

 

This shows just a few of the changes to these bulkheads. We'll show more of them when I have made them.

 

This shows the area on the kit supplied deck plate with the planned change.   

 

Here I have temporarily installed all the bulkheads on the keel frame.

 

If anyone has batched this kit and want to add suggestions please feel free to do so.  I have certain ideas and don't want to go too far overboard with details (pun intended   ) 

 

Cheers, 

Edited November 26, 2014 by Piet

[hexnut]

I look forward to seeing this.  After all of your other magnificent builds, you should be able to do this with your eyes closed. Also since this was sort of the Maine coastal boat builder's "warm-up" before making the Friendships, almost everything that you did on your sloop model will apply.

 

Dee_Dee, Pete 48 and myself spent a fair bit of time researching and bashing this little guy, 2 things sort of stood out:

1: Although the skeg-type stern is very modeler-friendly, the quarters of this boat are shaped and planked much more like the Friendships.

2: The cockpit floor is way too high in the position Midwest has it, it should be much deeper.

 

I did a 3-d cad model of the hull, and I've saved all of my frame profiles as well as a line plan scaled up to 1/24th from the Chapelle book, if you have any interest...

 

 

 

 

 

[bdgiantman2]

I like your CAD drawings. Those would be really cool if going to completely scratch-build that little boat. 

 

On my second Smack, I am going to be replacing all the balsa siding with basswood. Plan to also make the storage containers again under the cockpit seats. Can't wait to see how this kit comes along.

[Dee_Dee]

Piet,  

My first MBLS was a minor bash - All of the photos from this build went 'missing', I'm working on adding these back.  One photo is the drawing from Chapelle's book which should help.    

My second MBLS was a major bash - the final model contains only 6 parts from the kit and all of them were altered (2nd + 3rd bulkhead, transom, two cockpit combings and the cut water). This build has a working rudder, centerboard, fish wells, hatch opening, full cabin, floor boards in the cockpit and cabin, mast step, port side bunk and is single planked in walnut.  I've added back most of these photos, should have all added back soon.

 

The links to these builds are in my signature.     

 

Dee Dee

 

 

[Piet]

Thank you all for visiting and your comments.  And to all dropped in and clicked like, thank you.

 

Hi there Hexnut.  Wow, what a nice set of drawings, mind if I safe them?  One never knows if at some future date I want to scratch build this lovely little sloop.  It saves me of taking off the lines - - - oh forget about that idea - - -    It sure looks very similar to my self design of a friendship sloop.  My wife and I were going to build a 1:1 sloop of 25 ft that's called a "Friendship" sloop which is a simplified take on the Freedom sloop.  I did quite some research on this type at that time.

I did that one to get back to small ship modeling and to prep me for the VOC ship I have always wanted to build.  Sorry to say that I don't have the Freedom sloop build log as a hot link, I'll have to ask someone more computer literate for assistance.

I hope you understand that I really can't go hog wild in bashing it to make it like they originally were.  There are time constraints and some other factors.  I must keep it all rather simple.

 

Hi bdglantman2, Yup, that balsa is also a real problem, all the wood in the kit would be my very last choice.  The poplar I have been using is a lot better but also not my real choice of wood, my economics comes into play here  I'll try using it and because of the woodtypes used in this kit I have bought a wood conditioner by Minwax and is called "Wood Hardener."  It penetrates into the wood and actually reinforces the wood fibers and hardens it.  With all your experiences with this kit and whatever I come up with it should be helpful for any novice model builder to cope with the material in the kit.

Hey, that's why they can sell these kits so cheap.  Although the actual fabrication of the parts is pretty well done.  As a challenge to me, I have to try and work with the wood in the kit so others can hopefully benefit from our collective experiences. 

 

Hello Dee_Dee, Thank you too for the input and I'll be looking at your pics.  I'll also be looking for Howard Chapelle's book.  

As mentioned I can't go into a major batch on this build, I have to keep it as simple as I can but yet make it look more like a working boat.  The only thing I'll make working is the rudder as mentioned in my previous post.  I won't lower the working deck / floor as it should but it should still look quite decent.  I did actually think about adding fake frames and lower the deck / floor but I might as well scratch build it then.  No, kiss is the way I have to go but am sure to glean some things I can incorporate from your builds.  

 

Thank you all for your input, I really appreciate it. 

 

Cheers,

 

[Piet]

Hello every one.  I made a start with cutting away the parts I don't want in my mod.

 

First order of business was to make a working dock.  I didn't like the idea of using the box.  I'm cheep but that is below my standards.  I like a small and maneuvering dock where I can also check vertical and square, not that it seems to be needed but hey, I'm used to it.

 

I started with removing that part of the center keel where the little cabin will be and the center [art of the working deck.  There won't be much of a deck (floor) in the cabin but enough to get around in for the crew.  If I'm not mistaken there were only men working these small boats.  I also glued a few extra blocks to the keel for the modded bulkheads .  

 

As mentioned before, I will make the rudder workable and made a new rudder from poplar.  I used one of the extra stanchions for the O19 deck railing for the rudder pivot shaft.  Waste not want not    The tiller will have a brass pin at the end that'll slide into the horizontal brass tube part on top of the stanchion (see pic 3 below).  I need to figure out how to secure that so it won't pull out by some eager sailor.

 

Right now I'm thinking of glueing the side planking on first so I can mount the rudder hardware and rudder to the keel and have access to that helm stick attachment.  I can then cement a small ball on the aft end.  Also, with all these alterations inside the hull it's better to have the side planking on and the top open.

 

Okay, enough of my banter and a few pics to show the progress.  I am dividing my time between the dinghy for the O19 model and this model.  I'm switching days between the two. 

 

Here we see my build dock with the slightly modded keel frame.  Here i have removed the cabin and the center portion of the work area from the keel frame.  Granted that this whole are should be lower but for my purposes this'll have to suffice.  In the background you'll see the deck plate with my proposed section for removal. 

 

This shows the keel frame outside the dock with the portions of the keel removed and added mounting blocks for the bulkheads.  If you squint real hard you can see the rudder pivot pin in the slot made for the helm. As mentioned before I had to reinforce that are for the pin hole.  I also added a few strips for the deck plate.  Perhaps not needed but I had to back-drill through the top to make the rudder pivot pin hole and it really needed some extra beef there.

 

This is the new rudder and I have placed the pivot pin next to it so yuns can see how it's made.

 

Cheers,

[Piet]

Hello everyone and thanks to all for visiting and your likes.

 

I trust that all had a great Thanksgiving and a great Thursday for the non-Yanks.

 

I finished modding the bulkheads, at least to the point of gluing them to the keel frame, which I then did do.  It turned out that the most aft bulkhead, #4, sat too high on the keel frame by roughly 4 mm.  This is the location assigned to it per the drawing and instruction manual.  

I should have checked all the bulkheads for proper positioning before gluing them to the keel frame an not trust the kit maker for accuracy.  

Turned out that kit provided location for that bulkhead is in error, they should have slotted the keel frame a little.  Lesson learned, check positions of all parts before permanently cementing to whatever they are supposed to go.  I found this out when I tried to fit the "Keel Strip" per step 18 of the instruction manual.  At this #4 bulkhead the strip actually bowed upwards instead of making a nice positive bow down.

 

So, I removed #4 bulkhead and cut a notch into the keel frame to lower the bulkhead to the desired position and checked it again before gluing the bulkhead back on.  

 

I also found that the 1/16 notches in the bulkheads for these strips are not deep enough, at least not to my liking.  I had to enlarge then just a smidgen.  

The instructions have you used slow setting CA and only to apply the CA to the notches in the bulkheads.  To me that would make it too springy for the hul planking plates.  I think that I'll glue them on with PVA and clamp them, along the entire length of these strips and them fairing them following the rounded contours of the bulkheads.

 

I also found that the notches in frame 1 needed to be shaped in order for the 1/16 X 1/8 center battan to fit properly.  There is also an error in step 23 of the manual calling this battan 1/16 X 1/18 instead of 1/16 X 1/8 inch.  Yeah, okay, I'm picky but I keep thinking about the novice builder.

 

Just wondering here.  If this kit is supposed to be a Novice level 2 kit, who will these novices be?  Young people in their early teens?  Totally inexperienced adults who have nu clue about terms, tools and how to solve some of these annoying little inconsistencies?  Would they have experienced help nearby?  This could very well be very discouraging for them and ready to give up.

 

The error with bulkhead #4 may not be noticeable by a true novice and he or she would happily forge ahead with the result of an odd looking hull at the stern end.

 

I mention all this in case some inexperienced novice builder want to build this lovely little boat.  It's my humble opinion that the instructions lack extra notes and warnings to help the novice along.  

 

Okay, let me add two pics to show the progress with a few notes attached.

 

This shows the modified bulkheads numbered 4 at left bottom, # 2 at left top and # 3 at the right.  The keel frame sits nicely in it's dock.  I have annotated a few areas of interest.  At the keel, I have indicated where I cut a 4 mm slot to lower bulkhead 4 to it's proper position in the keel for a nice flowing bottom hull planking.  It's now also obvious that I will also lower that section of the keel frame aft of bulkhead 4.  There may be other changes in that area but I'll get to that later when I put the benches in.    It also shows the added blocks to give the bulkheads something to glue to after the keel frame was cut down for work area.

On bulkhead 3 I'll remove the two small horizontal pieces where the deck is supposed to be glued to and just make the leftover parts look more like frames. 

On bulkhead 2 I added a few curved pieces of wood to simulate frames.  Now I'm thinking of adding a bunch more fake frames between bulkheads #4 and #2. That means that the supplied deck plate will also be changed to just a cap rail over these frames.

 

Here I have glued all four bulkheads and the transom to the keel frame.  I'll most likely treenail the transom to the keel.  It's in my opinion not strong enough, it already popped off when trying to fit the 1/16 X 1/16 lower keel strip.

 

Cheers,

Edited November 30, 2014 by Piet

[bdgiantman2]

I am trying to post on here a pic of my smack for you but the forum is not allowing me to do so

[GLakie]

bdgiantman2 There's a 10 post rule for posting links and pictures because of spamming in the past. After you make your 10th post you should be able to post your pictures.

 

Cheers 

[mtaylor]

You might be having a browser issue.  IE 11 has some incompatibilities.  There's been some discussion on this along with copy/paste, etc. here:  http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/forum/47-questionsinstructions-on-how-to-use-and-post-to-this-forumsite-problems-or-suggestions/

[Piet]

Hello boys and girls and my thanks to all who dropped in and left a like vote, much appreciated.

 

I managed to install the keel strip and side battens.  I had to make a few adjustments in the notches and also added a few reinforcements to the now weekend frame ends.  I started with the fairing and according the instructions I can expect areas that may not fair out quite right.  Well, they are right and I'll have to add strips of basswood to the battens and bulkhead sides in several locations as wel as the transom.  

At least the kit producer has added this note, which is appropriate and expected.  

 

I'll try to do just that tomorrow between working on the O19 dinghy.  I am now soaking the planks for that project and plan to start planking that little dinghy.  While the glue cures on that project I can devote some time on the lobster smack.

 

Here are a few pics of the work done so far.

 

 

 

 

Cheers,

[captainbob]

Interesting changes I want to see where they take this lovely little boat.

 

Bob

[Piet]

Hello Captain Bob and welcome to my shipyard.  It's kinda busy around here with three builds going on but there is plenty of space for all yuns on MSW.

 

Well, the changes I'll be making are not going to be very drastic but with the help I already received from Hexnut, Dee Dee and Pete 48 I'll try to make it presentable enough to be auctioned off at Sawdust Dave's event for the benefit of the "Wounded Warrior" program.  

I love these beautiful little working boats.

 

Cheers,

[Piet]

I managed to cement all the planking sheets to the hull yesterday and today.  Wow, anyone in his / her right mind using balsa wood for planking should see a shrink    with me as numero uno.  That's one tough job and do it right.  I like to see a 12 year old tackle this one, not easy!!!

 

The instruction manuel tels us to put the "sloe acting" CA on all the frames and strakes.  Well, that doesn't work to well because there is just too much area and curves.  When holding one end down and working to the other end the first part starts to op back up and then the CA dried up.  I worked only small parts at a time which worked okay for me.

 

Of course the added difficulty is that I did it without the deck already glued on.  It's the top planking piece I needed to be particularly careful with not to snap pieces off or cracking the edges, which did happen but was reparable with some CA gel.  

 

On top of that, the upper hull plank has compound curves at the bow and stern ends, complicating things quite a bit.

 

Being the typical stubborn old Dutchman I had to try using the balsa just to find out what a novice would be facing.

If I would scratch build this little smack I will plank it the old fashioned way with 1 mm thick planks from some decent wood.  That's what I did with my Friendship sloop "Gwenfra."  Yup, I named it after my dear wife. 

 

If using balsa for the side planking I would consider glueing paper over it bonding it with an acrylic polymer like Liquitex glazing medium.  I have used this with great success in the past.  The paper gives the balsa extra strength.  If not then at least follow the advice in the construction manual and use Floquil glaze.  I have a can of Minwax Wood hardener that works great in strengthening soft woods.  It also gives the wood a good base for wood putty and any kind of pant.  CA adheres to it also quite well.

 

After the hull was planked I trimmed it all nice and neat and sanded it down some.  After that I brushed this Minwax wood hardener on all the wood, inside and outside and let it dry.

 

The instruction booklet also mentions that there may be areas that need some wood filler.   Yep, indeed, they are correct in that.  No matter how careful one is it'll never come out perfect.  So, hopefully I can proceed to to just that tomorrow.  This way I can work on both this smack and the O19 dinghy between filler and glue drying 

 

I also managed to glue both now filler blocks and started shaping them.  I thought in giving the bow  concave sides, looks nicer I think then the straight sides.  

 

Okay, that's it for today and now a few pics.

 

 

 

 

Cheers, 

 

 

 

 

[Piet]

Hello all and thanks to all who dropped by and visited and also your likes.

 

In found that this Minwax wood hardener really works like a charm.  I finished shaping the bow filler blocks and really like the way the bow came out.  

I did some more light fairing with a sanding stick and then proceeded by smearing a light coat of water based wood putty over it, which has a nice buttery consistency.  It dries real fast when using thin coats so I can sand away the high spots.  There was not much filling in needed but it is hiding the balsa grain nicely.

 

The only way to tell if the hull is nice and smooth is to spray a coat of white primer on the hull.  I'll wait with that till after I have completed everything inside the hull, which is next on the agenda.  

 

Here are a few pics of the progress so far.

 

A bow shot with most of the shaping done.  A shame you can't see the slight concave entrance of the  bow.  That raggedy stuff you see at the top of the bow will be covered by the shearwater that'll be cemented to the keel / bow.  

 

Stern view

 

This is the area of the small cabin.  Yup, this cabin will be small but it's a working boat and not a weekend sailer.

 

This is the area of the cockpit.  More changes are in the works.

 

A general view from above.  I put a small stump on the mast hole when I used the deck to run of the side planking and now also as an added handhold.  

 

 

Cheers,

[popeye the sailor]

hello Piet........had no idea you were starting another build.  I must say,  you've done a great job so far.   I used the balsa when I did the Maine Lobster boat.........you did a much better job than I did     I ended up planking it over.....and when I did the scratch build a while later.   the other nice thing about the Midwest kits though,  is that most, if not all of the instructions are 1:1 to the model.   makes reusing them again easy    I'll enjoy following along.......looks like a lot of fun!

[hexnut]

Looking really nice! 

 

The cabin gets even smaller once the centerboard trunk is in place, but it will still fit a scale bunk. (Chappelle has it located on the starboard side in a Friendship sloop drawing, with a small stove portside.)

 

Some of these craft were planked on the inside of the ribs as well, so if there is a concern about visible detail in the cabin and cockpit, some sheets of thin scribed basswood or even paper with plank lines drawn on would add "authentic" detail...

 

I love what you have done with the hull shape.

[Piet]

Hello Popeye, yep, this is a special project for the "Wounded Warrior" program that Sawdust Dave cooked up for next April.  First I thought in making a larger version of my O19 dinghy but that wouldn't ring a bell here.  So I thought building a small model of an old Yankee work boat of the mid to late 1800ds.  I just love this style of boats anyway and fall in love with the kit.  I purchased it from Model Shipworld.

Yeah, the balsa was a bear to work with but wanted to find out what a novice kit builder has to face using it.  Yes, the drawings and instructions are really very nice and could easily be used for a scratch build.

Thanks for the kind words.

 

Hi Hexnut, thanks for the kind words my friend, appreciate it coming from you.  Thanks also for the heads-up about the bunk being on the starboard side.  I did plan on planking the inside and adding a few knees for under the deck   I guess just one bunk, right?  There is a way for people seeing the inside through the entry door and sliding hatch so a little detail would be nice.  I have 0.65 mm plywood that'll be good for the interior.  The bunk can be cemented to a pair of cleats to the bulkheds.  I did make and installed the cabin deck / floor but forgot to scribe the plank lines in it.  I'll have to try and do that as well.  

 

I may just place the hypothetical centerboard well just aft of the cabin with the two fish wells next to it.  

 

I'm still kinda in a quandary about the cockpit area, haven't made up my mind how to proceed.  Am thinking though to lower the floor somewhat though as you have done but as an after thought it's not that simple.  I'm also going to plank the actual "floor" of the work area with 1 X 6 mm poplar planks.  Then some extra fake frames on the sides.

 

Happy to hear that you like the hull shape.  Yeah, I kinda like it myself   

 

I pulled a few pics from my own designed Friendship sloop model for you to look at.  

 

This is looking straight down into the cabin area. There is a dry-chem toilet with a sink in the head, there are 4 bunk beds with the top ones sliding out to the center, the galley has a cooking area with a propane  3 burner grid on the port side, a sink, refrigerator on the starboard side and plenty storage.  There is more storage under the cockpit deck with access behind the entry steps.  I have no engine in it just an electric outboard motor run off batteries.  That's just for mooring.  If I were actually going to build this 1:1 scale I'd get a small diesel generator to run all the electric stuff.  They have them now that run really very quiet. 

 

This is another view looking aft.  I have a table in the center with folding blades on each side.  Here it's almost ready for the cabin roof.

 

Cheers,

Edited December 7, 2014 by Piet