Revell Yacht America

Still wondering about the 'trick' to doing gold leaf GM. Gimmie a couple of pointers? Would appreciate it much. Thanks

Lookin' good, G-Mo.

Thank you Arnie. This has really turned out to be the best of several ways

to go,

The hull is correct and I get to scratch build everything from the deck up.

I've never built a plank-on-bulkhead ship so this is working out to be a good start towards that,

I have built quite a few solid hull wood models and have the Model Shipways "Elsie" on the way.

One thing; this model is really BIG! Highly recommended.

OK the Lief sisters came in to the yard and reworked the scrolls.

After they left, Leff Niepad and his rather stupid brother Wright showed up to plank the quarterdeck. They work silently, and I'm pleased with their progress.

I have never quite got the sense of the word 'awesome' as it is made up of two words. Awe, which in its self denotes an overwhelmed response, but then followed by some, which seems to detract from the meaning. I am overwhelmed, but only some? Anyway.Kidding aside. Awesome! GM

I tried the gold leaf thing w/ my Connie, but just could not get it to work right. Leave it overnight before brushing off the excess?

The hull was towed back from the coppering yard and looks watertight.

The gold leaf guys have put on the garlands but need to come back tomorrow and brush off the excess. The idea is to get all of the hull details done before she goes in for the topside finishes.

The deck is started.

Gorgeous copperring.

Can't wait to see more of the spars.

GM - Looks terrific, I've pulled up a chair.

Thank for the generous words, Captain. We shall see and it's time to keep the crew in line. It seems that the crew had an accommodation up forward as you say, the owner and his son had a little stateroom each more like a locker on either side of the mast, and the hatches had a booby cover each fitted later while in England.

The drawings show a little galley with a stove pipe.

I had the misfortune to be the hash slinger on a 5 day sailboat race "Rund Sjelland" in 1978, around the Island of Sjelland on which Kobenhavn lies.

The only thing worse than feeding all the Knuts and Erics was tiller duty at night. You see these cross channel ferries coming, but cannot judge distance and track very well and tend to let the boat drift up the side of their path. At which point you truly lose your position until morning.

Any how off to the coppering yard.

GMorrison

This boat would have been a nightmare to sail in the dark. A rail about a foot above the deck and that grub beam half way back. Maybe not a big deal in the Sound, but imagine halfway across the Atlantic tripping and going over.

I want to remember reading, ages and ages ago about a racing crew sailing a similar vessel across the Atlantic. I want to remember that they rigged temporary lifelines for the crossing.

As mentioned above, these were austere vessels built for speed, not comfort.  The area under the cockpit would have a compartment mostly to secure the ship's papers in; perhaps a bare-bones cabin for the owner.  The rest of the space was open hold, with a platform or orlop over the bilges to stow the sails upon.

So, for the ocean crossing, a frame of cribbing was set up under one of the hatches , upon which the iron stove was lashed.  Some bins for fuel for the stove would be fit to the cribbing, too.  Had to be under a hatch as there is no Charlie Noble on these vessels.  Berthing was by way of hammocks from deck beams, or by flaking out on the bagged sails.

That grub beam probably had some structural merit; but, as noted above, probably existed as a social limit.  Only those of suitable station were allowed aft of it.

The model is shaping up a beauty, and we are the better for having seen it.

Made up the masts and bowsprit yesterday using the "octagon" shaving method with square stock.

The two masts are the same diameter and length.

Note that it helps to leave a 1/4" extra at the end because of the inevitable sanding taper. These get collar fittings however, so the amount to remove may be a little less after I carve the shoulders for the fittings.

I'd have a lanyard tied to me waist, arrgh!  

A grub beam is one that  is there for its shape not its structure.

In this case the schooner has a 6" break in the deck between the masts, creating a quarter deck. I can't really figure out why except that without it there would be no bulwark at all in the waist.

This boat would have been a nightmare to sail in the dark. A rail about a foot above the deck and that grub beam half way back. Maybe not a big deal in the Sound, but imagine halfway across the Atlantic tripping and going over.

It's no wonder the deck furniture and the lower parts of the masts were painted white.

I see the grub beam there, but have a question; What is a grub beam for?

Waterways and timberheads complete. Installed the grub beam across the deck break, and the coamings for the hatches, companionway and bases for the capstan and forward skylight.

You better not be messin' up Mizz G-Mo's kitchen counter, ya big galoot!

Steamed them. A little small to scarf. I've decided to cut the cap rails out of wide stock...

pic for waterways is a bit fuzzy. Wondering if you scarfed the pieces together or steamed them to get the bend.

Set up the waterway planks. I will sand them down from 1/32" to 1/50".

Set up the bulwark stanchions based on the frame lines which I marked out on the sub deck.

The quarterdeck break has a little crown (camber) cast into it but the deck is otherwise flat.

I roughly shaped a half-dozen deck beams that will give the rest of the (sub) deck the same shape.

My drawings and booklet arrived from Blue Jacket Friday. These are just what I needed. Nicely drawn and very detailed.

Put together a nice little stand.

Measured out the sheer line from the drawings, making allowance for the thickness of the plastic sub deck and eventual wood planks. Glued in blocks to support the sub deck.

Then I figured out a way to set up the mast steps, since I am not using the plastic ones that stuck into sockets in the deck.

I am using the mast center lines as a basis for scaling. The model scales at about 1/64.

Speaking of clothspins, Model Expo sells miniature clothspins that are only slightly over an inch long.  They  are wooden, so I find it easy to taper the clamping end with a disk sander to make them easy to use for tight areas.  They are really nice for modeling. I think they were only a buck or two for about two dozen.

Seventeen clamps!   I don't even own a clothes pin.

Looking good GM!  I am looking forward to your build.

Steve

Indeed.  I'd love to see how this progresses....  And I wonder if there will ever be a scale 72 foot cat released by someone....

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