Bluenose by Scientific

Hi ;

 I find that posting a build with photos to be a daunting endeavor . I see the flaws and I am sure someone is going to catch me out on something . We all do . I admire your courage and the final result . Building in wood is , to me , refreshing and besides I love the smell of sawdust in the morning . Even if it gets in my coffee , reminds me of the " Good Old days " 

 Anyone remember them ? If there's no kit , Build it yourself , Ta Da ! reminds me of a big Boo - Boo from younger days . 2 1/2 inch dowel , dad's , solid White Oak from work .I sawed it up  and created eight subs from various navies all about 11 inches long .

 The Punishment was worth it . All that shaping and filing and sawdust and I had all those submarines , that none of my buddies had . And I did them from scratch ! 

 Isn't working with wood satisfying ? T B. 

Well, it came out a beauty. Very inspiring. There's nothing quite like a wood model of same as a ship.

Thanks for posting your build.

Tanker - Builder - many thanks for following along with me on this kit. I'm taking a break for a moment on building another wooden kit and I've started work on Trumpeters plastic Nantucket lightship but, I'm then going to try my hand with Model Shipways HMS Bounty Launch to learn some skills with planking. 

While I was working on this schooner, I found that working with wood gave me a feeling like I was actually 'building a real boat'. I learned quite a few new skills and techniques working with wood as opposed to plastic assembled kits. I also am grateful for the feedback that I received from other modelers who offered me advice from time to time to help me reach the end on this project I'm very pleased with the way this 'old' kit turned out and looking forward to building the wooden Launch. Thanks again!

Hmmm;

 See , even the old standby , Wood , yields some spectacular results ! Well , actually the patience of the builder . Great job . To Quote an Officer I formerly knew ." Well Done , Sailor " !

So I've come to an end on this adventure in wood. I'm waiting on a new printer so I can make my decals to install on the bow and stern, and also to make an iron-on transfer to use for the Canadian flag which will be flown from the main mast. I've made some errors along the way, but this 'old' kit has taught me some valuable skills that will help me with future kits. I would also like to thank everyone who has followed along on this thread and were kind enough in offering tips and advice to save me from many a wrong turn!!! I'm very happy with the way she has turned out - now on to more adventures!

Port and starboard lights now lashed to the foremast's rigging. 

Currently got in some work on the bow section. I now have my jib sail and jib balloon sail in place. Now working on some lines and rope coils for decking and belaying pins. Have my lines for the Canadian flag coming off of the main mast. I believe at sea, it would be found atop the main gaff. Also made my port and starboard lights for the rigging. Getting close to finishing and then I notice something else to include! 

Jim - many thanks for taking a look on my 1st wooden kit. I realized, after I started this post, that most of the models on this site are plastic. I put my Revell 1:96 USS Constitution on a holding pattern while I've worked on this schooner. I finally got the gun deck mounted and was starting to install the long guns on the Connie when I stopped.

It's nice to know that you picked up on a couple of tips with this post. I sure did as well!!! LOL I've had some really good advice and helpful tips from other moderlers that have gotten me this far. Many thanks to all of them I've learned quite a bit with this kit and that's what this is all about anyway. A learning process and an enjoyment in what we create

I hope to finish the Connie but my next kit will be another wooden model. I would like to purchase (and build) Zvezda's Black Swan plastic kit but, so many wonderful kits and so little time! LOL Here's to more builds for us both. Cheers!!!

Very nice build. Picked up a couple of tips along the way. Thanks for the WIP.   

Jim  

Here I am about a week later now with work on the mainsail. Attached my boom, sail and gaff to the main mast. I connected the main throat halliard from gaff to mast. Hooked up all of the line(s) and tackle for the gaff's main peak halliard. Installed my flying backstays from top of mast down to ring on stern deck and belaying pins. Boom crutch tackle is in place. Finished by installing the main topping line from main mast to end of main boom. 

With all of that, I will now try to finish up the furled sails and lines on bow of schooner. I am really happy in the way this boat looks and how far I've come along on this project!

I did some work on my rigging at the stern area of schooner. I attached the flying backstay lines from the top of mast which will connect up th the deck at stern of ship. I have the start of my main throat halliard awaiting connection to the main gaff. I also worked on the main pel halliard lines that will hook up to main gaff.

I had some time off from the day job and worked on my schooner. I cut off some of my mast rings to reduce the bulkiness look. Definately a lesson in keeping with scale! I then moved on to getting my foresail in place and most of the running line taken care of. 

Like I've said before, this model has been a great learning experience for me and it's helped me along with learning terminology, scratch building, researching and trying to go that extra distance with adding interest with my current skills that I have. 

GMorrison - 1st off, it's good hearing from you and YES, your America was looking great. Wonderful job with the wood decking!!!

I know what you are saying about using the black mast hoops. I picked them up at HobbyLobby when I first started this build. I now realize how large in scale they appear. One of my mistakes (learning curve) that I've done along with reversing the upper masts, but I was able to correct that mistake in time.  Thank you for this tip on using manila folder. Possibly a thin cardboard stock? I will cut off these plastic rings and go with your idea. Cheers on that one!

For an inexpensive model, this has turned out to be an excellent project for my 1st time wooden kit and, with the help of other modelers such as yourself and these sites, I am very happy with my results. Cheap kit but a wealth of gained knowledge. Thank you for your advice and comments. Here's to more adventures for us both!!! 

Wow, that's nice.

(voice from the back-"how's that America coming?"}.

The sail looks just great. All of the little details are just clean, like the sail gaskets.

You might consider replacing the mast hoops if you can. They look out of scale to me, and as you note are causing problems.

They can be easily made using strips of manila file folder envelopes. Ther real thing was a long strip of willow or similar bent to a hoop and spliced together with nails. So a lap joint with white glue, held together one at a time can be put together.

I really respect that model. it's pretty.

Thanks Don - here's a pretty good link that I came across on researching furled sails for model ships. My sails do not even come close but it helped me along my path. Scroll down 5 members to Twintrow's post and click the pdf file. It is by a gentleman named Landlubber Mike. Some great information! 

https://modelshipworld.com/index.php?/topic/13903-furled-sails/#comment-499878

Looks great!  I am planning furled sails on a Great Lakes schooner I am working on (never done them before), so I will be following your work.

So here is my 1st attempt at trying to create a furled sail. I have started with the staysail. I'm aware I've cut some corners and probably have missed some nautical elements, but I'm hoping I can improve on the next four sails. I plan on removing a couple of my mast rings from the two masts to lower the spacing between the booms and gaffs which will reduce the bulkyness in the furled sails.

I want to give a big 'shoutout' to tempestjohnny for hooking me up with postimage website which enabled me to begin posting pics once again. Cheers mate!!![quote user="fright"]

O.K. Here we go....again. I'm posting a quick time lapse series of photos to get to where I am at this stage in my build. I think this is the easiest way I can bring back this post on my Bluenose build after losing all of my pics from photobucket. All previous information is already listed - these are only photos to back up my posts. Where's a lawyer when you need one?  So, here I go:

The photo below is my little grandson who really was fascinated with this schooner, so I made hime 1st mate and put him too work helping me with my dories and making rope coils.

... Wallah! This is where I am now at this stage in my build. I am planning to add furled sails and finish up with my standard and running lines. Thanks again for everyone's input, feedback, likes and support in getting me this far with my build. Cheers for now!!! 

 "Why walk when you can stumble, why stumble when you can crawl."

O.K. Here we go....again. I'm posting a quick time lapse series of photos to get to where I am at this stage in my build. I think this is the easiest way I can bring back this post on my Bluenose build after losing all of my pics from photobucket. All previous information is already listed - these are only photos to back up my posts. Where's a lawyer when you need one?  So, here I go:

The photo below is my little grandson who really was fascinated with this schooner, so I made hime 1st mate and put him too work helping me with my dories and making rope coils.

... Wallah! This is where I am now at this stage in my build. I am planning to add furled sails and finish up with my standard and running lines. Thanks again for everyone's input, feedback, likes and support in getting me this far with my build. Cheers for now!!! 

Lewbud - thanks for this information and I will look at Google pics this evening. My hoops will be the big problem now. The booms and gaffs are not fixed yet and I can still alter or work with them at this stage of the game.

I know what you mean about the debates that occur on some posts. The post I read on the 'correct' color that was used on the 1812 version of USS Constitution's gun port stripe reminded me of one's inturpretation of any given Bible printed! Very good information with a lot of speculation.  Thanks again for this info.

I googled Bluenose with sails furled and found several photos that would help you, unfortunately Google won't let me download​ them and I've never been able to do a screen grab with my phone.  In looking at the pics Google found, and based on my own rudimentary knowledge of rigging, part of me says you might be too late.  The hoops on the masts were attached to the luff (leading edge) of the sail.  The foot (bottom) of the sail, was secured to the boom with rope loops.  There is a boom that attachs to the head of the sail, that is raised with a block and tackle, which raises and lowers the mainsail.  In the pics I found, that boom rests on top of the furled main.  This is why I think you may be too late.  To do it correctly, it looks to me like the sails should have been added almost before you started rigging.  In regards to the mains, definitely before you did all that work on the mast tops.  Just my opinion.  Google also found a YouTube video of Bluenose's sails being furled, so that might help you figure it out also.  Hope this helps.  If you want to have some fun, go to a ship modelling forum and read posts on whether to add sails or not.  Almost as contentious as arguments over the right color paint in our world.  Keep up the good work.

Installed my two masts. Attached my lower shroud lines to the lanyards. Next up is working on shroud ratlines. Did a fitting of booms and gaffs - nothing is glued in place. I'm still trying to decipher where lines, blocks, stays fit in place, but I feel like I'm making some headway to all of this.

I would like to display this schooner with furled sails but not sure when in this build I should attach them. Especially unsure of how the upper sails would appear. Any suggestions? 

Getting better with my seizing on the shroud lines. I use this little set-up for my wrappings. It also has a hole that allows me to hold my mast while working on it.

Worked on making some desperately needed oars for my dories. Made from four 1" length pieces of 1/16" thick wood. Clamped and used small file to round off the handles; then flattened the paddles. Stained handles, flat white on paddles and flat black handle tips. I found this method on someone's post and, I'm sorry to say, at the moment I cannot recall their name. I'll try to find it - it was very helpful!

My rigging is starting to take shape. I still need to add the boom and gaff to foremast. Nothing on the masts, boom or gaffs are glued at present - just fitting. I worked on some block and tackle on the boom and gaff of mainmast. Need to do the upper ratlines on the mainmast. So far, I feel I'm doing a good job at keeping close to what her rigging would be, although, I do not think she is sea worthy! 

I made two bilge pumps out of small strip of wood and some wire. Painted flat black and attached to deck with pin and CA glue

Pat - thanks for the input on kit builds. I know what you mean about doing things the 'correct' way. When trying to find material on my Connie, I stumbled upon a forum post about the correct color of the gun port stripe used in 1812. Depending on which book or painting(s) one is looking at and whose interpretation on what material, I went with my own artististic discretion and went with a white strip. The article was very informative, but a few of the posts were adament on a specific color. 

I have only worked on five models, including the Bluenose and, although I'm trying to stay as close to the 'look' of the ship as I learn new skills, I also want it to be my ship. I'm a long way off from building what people call a museum quality model. This is simply a learning curve on the highway to enjoyment. 

"I aims for perfection but I'm happy's with what I get!" LOL Thanks so much for your insight and for taking a look at my post - Cheers!