H.M.Y Britannia (MV44) by Mamoli [COMPLETED BUILD]

Joined
Dec 8, 2019
Messages
776
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Location
Virginia Beach, VA.
My wife is a big fan of racing yachts and wanted me to build the Britannia. I couldn't find a build log for her so comments along the way would be appreciated. I'm not a big fan of Mamoli kit instructions. I had the same problem with my cross-section of Constitution. It would be nice if the instructions were in booklet form with separate drawings sheets instead of all mixed together. Also the print is too small for me to read without using magnifiers so I have to scan the english directions into Adobe and enlarge them 200% then print. Works better to have the directions on a separate sheet that I can also use as a checkoff list as each step is completed.
HMY Britannia 001.jpgHMY Britannia 002.jpgHMY Britannia 003.jpgHMY Britannia 004.jpg
 
Getting the hull and bulkheads true and square has always been a problem for me. For this build I spent a lot of time with a square and a compass making sure all the lines were correct. I glued stop blocks at each bulkhead location and at the bow and stern to insure nothing moved. After test fitting all the bulkheads for square and plumb and cleaning off some char so the glue surface had better adhesion, I glued in # 8 and will wait for it to set before adding the next bulkhead. I intend to go slow and making sure each is correct and dry before gluing in the next one.
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I built mine many years ago. Beautiful. Very tall. I double hulled mine
 
STGCS:
There is nothing more rewarding that to build a model for the wife; my wife want it a seascape decoration in our Florida room and I built her a model. SHE LOVES IT.
The model you choose it will be a very elegant piece to exhibit an in a key place in your home so it could get the appreciation that it deserves.
I will keep my eyes open for you building
This is the model I built for her. I wanted to go bigger but this is the one she liked.
Thank You.
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STGCS:
There is nothing more rewarding that to build a model for the wife; my wife want it a seascape decoration in our Florida room and I built her a model. SHE LOVES IT.
The model you choose it will be a very elegant piece to exhibit an in a key place in your home so it could get the appreciation that it deserves.
I will keep my eyes open for you building
This is the model I built for her. I wanted to go bigger but this is the one she liked.
Thank You.
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Love the Dory. I built two, one for each grandchild. Not as much detail as yours. Very impressive. I only added a rope painter and some lobster pots with their initials on the flags. Also sent then a DVD of "Captains Courageous" so they could see dories in action. Some great shots of the Bluenose in the film which I also have built.Lowell Dory 01.jpgLowell Dory 06.jpgLowell Dory 07.jpgLowell Dory 08.jpg
 
I used the metal fittings and painted them so you can’t tell. I’ve since been used the gun bluing solution to stain the metal parts of other builds to give them and the brass a more aged used look
 
I used the metal fittings and painted them so you can’t tell. I’ve since been used the gun bluing solution to stain the metal parts of other builds to give them and the brass a more aged used look
I usually use JAX black for copper and NOVACAN black patina from a local stained glass store for lead based parts. I'll have to try gun bluing. Think I still have some leftover from my gun smithing days. Thanks for the idea.
 
Bulkheads dry fitted then glued. Jig really worked well. Using a compass I drew arcs on the base from the centerline to mark the position of the stops then glued them on. This kept the bulkheads exactly centered on the keel. I liked this system because all the bulkheads came out square both horizontal and vertical and I didn't need to put right triangles at each intersection of the keel and bulkhead as I glued them in.

HMY Britannia 010.jpg

The deck, part #15, glued in place. So far the parts are aligning correctly. Following the instructions is a bear.
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Back in the jig to sand the bevels in the bulkheads to match the planking.
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Turned the hull over and clamped it down in another jig. Carefully adjusted the cutouts in the bulkheads to accept part #16. The top of this part marks the top edge of the hull and will align with the first plank.
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Mistake #1. The instructions say to glue in part #16, the top rail. Later in the instructions, after the hull is planked you are supposed to "break off" the bulkhead extensions just above the the deck, #15 (see drawing). Well there is no way that could happen it the rail is glued to the notches in the bulkheads. So you should only glue where the rail meets the bow and stern. I had to cut the old rail out then clean the notches to receive a strip of bass wood I had leftover from another build. Next I glued the first plank level with the top rail making sure I didn't get any glue on a bulkhead. The bulkheads are so thick breaking them off would probably destroy something so I will saw through each one about 75% of the way to make it easier to remove the pieces after the planking is completed..

HMY Britannia 018.jpg

The new rail is now installed and the top plank glued to it. I'll do the sawing bit before the next plank is added so I have room to cut.
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Sawn part way through bulkhead for easier removal.
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Planking completed except for the strange keel assembly. Two blocks of wood are glued on either side of the keel, parts #26, and sanded down to form the "bulbous" bottom of the keel. Also I can't find part # 25. It's listed as "Deriva metallo", a metal part. No dimensions are given and no drawing that I can figure out. Any comments are gratefully accepted. The two wood blocks # 26 look like they will do the job so what the heck is #25?HMY Britannia 023.jpgHMY Britannia 024.jpgHMY Britannia 025.jpgHMY Britannia 026.jpgHMY Britannia 027.jpg
 
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