Hot Rodding Bounty's Jolly Boat

[Pat H]

Modifing Kits For Fun and Grins

Introduction
My first wooden boat kit project was Artesanía Latina's HMS Bounty's jolly boat kit (#22810) in 1/25 scale, begun in November 2024.
As the build got underway, I spent a lot of time tediously removing char from the laser-cut frame and keel, giving my imagination far too much free time on its own.
Gradually an idea formed about adapting the model to resemble Captain Jack Sparrow's sinking boat from the opening of the first Pirates Of The Carribean movie.
With that in mind, the hull was modified to incorporate a removable bow spint and the mast was set up for square rigging. All but two of the seats were left out and only a single pair of oarlocks were installed. Numerous belaying pins were created from round tooth picks to tie off all the needed lines.
I decided to incorporate as many full-size ship features as possible as a joke. I really wanted to add a small ship's wheel, but settled for coppering the hull below the waterline instead.

 

[Pat H]

14 Nov 2024th
Frames and supports de-charred and assembled.
Went through a lot of sandpaper to get to this stage. (Have since learned better techniques for removing char, such as using needle files.)

 

[CarlosE]

Looks like a great project modification—now I’m just waiting to see Captain Sparrow perched on top of the mainsail as the boat approaches the dock, hopefully without sinking!

 

[Pat H]

16Nov2024sat

The Magic Begins . . .

First plank being glued into place.
Plastic sewing clips being used for clamping.




17Nov2024su
Second plank in place.




22Nov2024f
Additional planking going into place.
Expanded clamping includes clothesline clips, chip bag clip, rubber bands.
The magic isn't quite as sparkily now.




24Nov2025su
Progress so far.
A trip to the Rovers' Return is starting to look very desirable.




25Nov2024m
Bow area looking pretty rough.
Hole bored through stem for removable bow sprint.
Upper stem piece will be glued in above hole.




26Nov2024tu
Starboard planking completed.
I didn't really understand about tapering planks, so I ended up making several with triangular ends that took a lot of sanding to fit into place.




26Nov2024tu
Progress so far.
Half the planking is roughed in, with gaps yet to be filled.
Bow sprint dowel in place along with mast and initial shrouds.
This model is small enough so my laptop computer can be used to display backdrops. In this case, the rigging master is shown testing out Cap't Jack's sinking rowboat before principle filming began.




30Nov2024sat
Planking the port side. It went a little smoother than the starboard side.
I still hadn't learned enough about tapering planks to avoid creating triangular gaps.
However, I'd become well-versed in spritzing planks with a spray bottle of water so I could hold them in a bent shape until they dried enough to hold a curve.

 

[Pat H]

Looks like a great project modification—now I’m just waiting to see Captain Sparrow perched on top of the mainsail as the boat approaches the dock, hopefully without sinking!

I'm still looking around for a Cap't Jack figure. I'm thinking Lego would be about the right scale.

 

[Pat H]

01 Dec 2024su
Port side upper plank pre-formed and redy for gluing.
Spraying a little water on this kit's planks really softened them up for bending. Upon drying, they were much easier to install.




Now it gets trickier.
Next plank required not only bending, but shaping with points on each end.
Since floundering around with my first planking job, I've done quite a bit of reading and research. I would never do it this way again.




Planking completed . . . in my own fashion.
It started out well, but ended up as a real hash-up.
In retrospect, I think I should have continued planking from the top down, tapering and shaping planks to retain some width at each end.



The remainder of December was spent sanding the hull into some semblance of smoothness while beginning to work on rigging the mast and other details.

 

[Pat H]

12 Jan 2025su
Square sail mounted on proper yard.
Sewing pin clips holding seat in place that supposrts mast.




05 Feb 2025w
Parts for gaff-rigged mast.




Assembled top for gaff mast.




27 Feb 2025th
Floor boards stained and installed.
Hull is beginning to take on a homey feel.
Note that chain plates have been added as continuing big ship joke accessories.
Holes in stern sheets are for belaying pins made from round toothpicks.




03 Mar 2025m
Keel in place, hull stained.
Just keeps gettin' gooder and gooder.
I like to have working rigging, so the lines are waxed to slip through the blocks easier. The lines are actually belayed and the excess coiled up and draped over their belaying pins.




06 March 2025th
Jib sail attached.




08 March 2025sat
Jib furled . . . after a fashion.




Main sail furled as well.
Kit-supplied blocks replaced with wonder blocks for yard lifts and jib uphaul.




12 March 2025w
Final handrail awaits installation after bending, twisting, and painting.




13 April 2025su
Gaff-rig mast stepped into place.
Removeable seat with mast mount is now held in place by inverted knees and belaying pins. When pins are removed, seat can be slid out. (Same for other seat.)
Mast seat also acts as fife rail.
Remvoveable plug in stem takes place of bow spint when it's removed.




21 April 2025m
Gaff and jib sails mounted.
Can switch between gaff and square rigging by casting off all lines, then unlacing deadeyes.
Complete mast with rigging can then be lifted out and other fully rigged mast and sails installed in their place, shroud lines attached, and deadeyes laced up.

I haven't installed the rudder yet. (Apparently I'm taking a breather that's lasted several months.)
I want to paint the hull white, then weather it to a dirty grey.
And the name needs to be painted on the stern.
Still looking around for a 1/25th Cap't Jack figure.


( Background image is Cubi Point in Subic Bay of the Phillipines. Photo taken from the Grande Island liberty boat in the 1990s.)