Hemingway's Pilar by General Nuisance

[BigBad]

I’ve reviewed the old photos you guys posted and ya know what- like any boat, over the years our boats are continuously maintained, renovated, upgraded etc, just like my 28 y/o Boston Whaler is. So as we look back it seems that things changed. Of course they did. So I guess that: if we want to be super accurate where do we go? Do we want exactly to know how she looked at launch or how she looked at some point in time? Anyway, I’m very appreciative of the info and photos because it gives me a very good idea of how she looked and what she was

 

[BigBad]

And she’s looking good and is gonna be super

 

[MisterCA]

Got the initial sanding done (what? Sure I cheat and use an electric sander but what’s that to you?) now for the start of the planking.
View attachment 644136

Cat tax included.

Inspector Kitty definitely not approving!

 

[GeneralNuisance]

I’ve reviewed the old photos you guys posted and ya know what- like any boat, over the years our boats are continuously maintained, renovated, upgraded etc, just like my 28 y/o Boston Whaler is. So as we look back it seems that things changed. Of course they did. So I guess that: if we want to be super accurate where do we go? Do we want exactly to know how she looked at launch or how she looked at some point in time? Anyway, I’m very appreciative of the info and photos because it gives me a very good idea of how she looked and what she was

A piece of advice someone gave me as I started working on Shackleton’s Endurance is that when it comes to accuracy it’s about picking a time in the boat’s life and emulating that.

These are/were working ships and they weren’t made purely to be pretty, they were made to do a job.

As someone who volunteers on a tall ship over the summer I see that even more now.

 

[GeneralNuisance]

Hey Punchie, I can’t thank you enough for the photos- they’ve solved several questions about the cabin arrangements I’ve been wondering about. The Pilar instructions and so-called instructive photos in the kit from MS is very poor about the cabin set up and if you ask me as a fisherman I kinda know what I would want even in 1938 so I’m improvising. Anyway if you look at photos over time there were modifications and

This is my third or fourth MS build and honestly their instructions suck.
Occre, to date, has the higher quality in both their ships and instructions.

 

[GeneralNuisance]

Much to my chagrin I have to admit I’ve never actually read Hemingway since high school so I’m taking the opportunity now while working on this boat to change that.

Completed
The Big Two Hearted

In Progress:
The Old Man and the Sea

Let me tell you, Old Man hits different when you’re not being forced to read it.

Anyway, got one segment of planking done and I’m happy to say this is my best planking job I’ve done on any of my builds so far, it will require a lot less wood filler and planing than previous builds that’s for sure.

 

[manning16]

Hello all-- General , thanks for the Pilar pics..am building her in 1/18 scale.. from what I've researched, he ordered her without frills, with utility in mind. Wood was apparently Fir and mahogany... good pic of the stern deck shows what appears to be mahogany, so I;ll go with that..anything green was canvas ..to your point on accuracy, I see pics of inside roof painted white, others , natural..stern painted yellowish, other pics, mahogany..so it;s our choice.. I have a fair amount of Cuban mahogany that hurricane Ian graciously provided me , so I will be using that, I can mill up what I need. The cabin exterior and interior look like mahogany veneer, as I see no evidence of planking. , so basically using pictures. I agree, the MS plans are terrible

 

[GeneralNuisance]

Some updates as I go, ran into some trouble in the instructions because when it comes to the forward bulkhead I’m not totally sure where to put it whether sitting on or in front of the lower section. The instructions are about as clear as mud.
Grex did his on top in his build but I almost looks like it’s supposed to sit in front based on the slight lip I’m seeing in the instructions.



I guess I’ll wait till the glue dries on the other bulkheads and see what looks better as I put the siding in.

Speaking of the siding my favorite strategy for getting perpendicular glue jobs straight is to repurpose some of my legos, a trick I learned from someone somewhere.



Anyway, still working on the planking and getting everything closer to finishing the initial layering. Cleanup and profiling to come later especially as I’m noting the forward keel looks different on the real ship when compared to the model’s instructions.

 

[Grex110]

GN,
You maybe right about the front bulkhead, if I remember correctly I wasn’t sure either, I think before glueing it I used the cabin top/roof as a guide. I placed it position and then decided where to place it. Also, look at the opening for the cabin assembly into the hull, with the trim on top, mine fits perfectly into the opening. If I would have glued in front of the floor like it looks like in the picture, it would have been too long. However, I may have just built it all wrong. I’ll be watching to see how you do it. .

PS. I use legos too…..