New Bedford Whaleboat - Model Shipways - 1/16 - by JeffT [COMPLETED BUILD]

The 5 thwarts were next measured and fitted. I used some stiff paper (file folder) to create a template for each of the thwarts. They sit on top of the thwart risers. Some forward to aft shaping is required for all but the midships thwart. If one were very careful with measuring when putting in the ribs, you might not have to notch the thwarts like I had to. I think 3 of the thwarts required a notch to fit around ribs. I have done a nice job hiding those notches in shadows in the picture of the fitted thwarts but did not hide them as well in the picture of the templates.
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Superb workmanship.

I have one of these on my todo list. Could you post John Felming's web address? I would like to see if build article is available on the Internet Archive (wayback machine)
 
Working on the bow and stern.
Starting with the stern, the cuddy boards were fitted and the lion's tongue was glued between the stern post and the front of the cuddy. The holes for the stern lifting strap (the long eyebolt) are drilled and the piece is glued in place. Please forgive the obvious post processing of the picture as I "enhanced" the dark area under the cuddy so that the lifting strap and bottom of the loggerhead would be visible. I cheated a bit on the loggerhead by not making it as a single piece. I drilled the cuddy before placing the lion's tongue and glued in the lower part of the loggerhead. The loggerhead was then glued on top of the lion's tongue. I thought it was useful to label the parts of the stern since this are not typical terms that most of us run into on our builds.
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The bow box and the thigh board were constructed and installed. The bow lifting strap, the kicking strap and the lance tails are also added.
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Jeff T said:
Working on the bow and stern.
Starting with the stern, the cuddy boards were fitted and the lion's tongue was glued between the stern post and the front of the cuddy. The holes for the stern lifting strap (the long eyebolt) are drilled and the piece is glued in place. Please forgive the obvious post processing of the picture as I "enhanced" the dark area under the cuddy so that the lifting strap and bottom of the loggerhead would be visible. I cheated a bit on the loggerhead by not making it as a single piece. I drilled the cuddy before placing the lion's tongue and glued in the lower part of the loggerhead. The loggerhead was then glued on top of the lion's tongue. I thought it was useful to label the parts of the stern since this are not typical terms that most of us run into on our builds.
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The bow box and the thigh board were constructed and installed. The bow lifting strap, the kicking strap and the lance tails are also added.
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Nicely done, Jeff!
 
Jeff T said:
Working on the bow and stern.
Starting with the stern, the cuddy boards were fitted and the lion's tongue was glued between the stern post and the front of the cuddy. The holes for the stern lifting strap (the long eyebolt) are drilled and the piece is glued in place. Please forgive the obvious post processing of the picture as I "enhanced" the dark area under the cuddy so that the lifting strap and bottom of the loggerhead would be visible. I cheated a bit on the loggerhead by not making it as a single piece. I drilled the cuddy before placing the lion's tongue and glued in the lower part of the loggerhead. The loggerhead was then glued on top of the lion's tongue. I thought it was useful to label the parts of the stern since this are not typical terms that most of us run into on our builds.
View attachment 339564

The bow box and the thigh board were constructed and installed. The bow lifting strap, the kicking strap and the lance tails are also added.
View attachment 339565
View attachment 339566View attachment 339561
Click to expand...
Good morning Jeff. Fantastic work. Looking really great. Cheers Grant
 
Stern area details installed. First a cleat was made and installed on the lion's tongue. Next the standing cleats (grey pieces running parallel to the thwart risers) ate fashioned in a nearly triangularly. The two buff cleats were made and installed followed by the foot brace.
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For stepping the mast, I followed John Fleming's build and constructed a slide for sliding the base of the mast into place. It is attached to the bow thwart and sits over the mast block in the bottom of the boat.
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My next task was to make thwart knees and pads. These were individually fashioned starting with making a card template and then cutting the 1/16" pieces. The plan shows the basic form of the knees. Note that the second thwart has two knees at each end and is the pad covers the entire thwart to add support to the mast when it is mounted.
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For the tabernacle, once again I used the design in John Fleming's build. Some card was used to make the template and the wooden part fashioned from that. The supplied brass hinge was formed around a pin.
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The unit was painted, the hinge was glued to the tabernacle, and the unit was glued into place.
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Jeff T said:
Here's the URL that I have: https://www.charleswmorganmodel.com/whaleboat-build-log-by-john-fleming.html. As mentioned, the site does not seem to be active any longer.
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The text for
Jeff T said:
Here's the URL that I have: https://www.charleswmorganmodel.com/whaleboat-build-log-by-john-fleming.html. As mentioned, the site does not seem to be active any longer.
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I was able to fined the text only for the builds on the Way Back Machine internet Archive. If any one wants just the text reply to this post and I'll post the addresses.
 
Oar chocks are installed. These parts are used to hold the ends/handles of the oars when the oars are in the oarlocks but not being used. Different heights are required due to equipment or design of the boat. For instance, the one above the thwart riser is there as it has to go over the top of one of the rope tubs that will be placed in the boat later. The other high one is for the bow oar that needs to go over the mast tabernacle.
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I found a picture of a compass rose online and printed it at an appropriate size. This was glued to the metal compass bowl that is supplied with the kit. The compass drawer is made from stock pieces of boxwood stained and glued in place. The builder has the choice of mounting under the stroke thwart or the cuddy. IMG_6918.jpg

I chose to make the steering oar brace as per John Fleming's method. Holes were drilled for the rope that holds the oar in place and for the line from the stern that passes into the cuddy area.
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The harpoon crotch and its chock are constructed as per the MS instructions and plans. The chock is glued to the gunnel and crotch is removable. I still need to add a safety line to keep it from falling out of the boat when not in place.
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The top of the centerboard case was constructed after the centerboard is fitted into the case. There is a pin in the lower right corner that holds the centerboard in place. The eye for mounting the handle for raising and lowering the centerboard is seen through the hole in the cover. In other pictures the upper half of the metal strap for lifting/lowering the centerboard is visible and the centerboard in the lowered position (which is how I am going to display the model) is seen. I am still considering whether I will rebuild the metal centerboard strap or not.
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Jeff T said:
Oar chocks are installed. These parts are used to hold the ends/handles of the oars when the oars are in the oarlocks but not being used. Different heights are required due to equipment or design of the boat. For instance, the one above the thwart riser is there as it has to go over the top of one of the rope tubs that will be placed in the boat later. The other high one is for the bow oar that needs to go over the mast tabernacle.
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I found a picture of a compass rose online and printed it at an appropriate size. This was glued to the metal compass bowl that is supplied with the kit. The compass drawer is made from stock pieces of boxwood stained and glued in place. The builder has the choice of mounting under the stroke thwart or the cuddy. View attachment 340629

I chose to make the steering oar brace as per John Fleming's method. Holes were drilled for the rope that holds the oar in place and for the line from the stern that passes into the cuddy area.
View attachment 340630
The harpoon crotch and its chock are constructed as per the MS instructions and plans. The chock is glued to the gunnel and crotch is removable. I still need to add a safety line to keep it from falling out of the boat when not in place.
View attachment 340632View attachment 340633

The top of the centerboard case was constructed after the centerboard is fitted into the case. There is a pin in the lower right corner that holds the centerboard in place. The eye for mounting the handle for raising and lowering the centerboard is seen through the hole in the cover. In other pictures the upper half of the metal strap for lifting/lowering the centerboard is visible and the centerboard in the lowered position (which is how I am going to display the model) is seen. I am still considering whether I will rebuild the metal centerboard strap or not.
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Would people be sitting on the ridge on the extended knee sitting on top of the seat? That looks like it would be uncomfortable.
 
I had that question as well when first examining the design of the thwarts. I think that from the way the knee extensions are covered with the pads on one side, that the oarsmen sit on the side of the thwart with the pad which removes the problem. The pads alternate on either side from forward to aft. The (sitting) pad is on the side away from their associated oarlock. No one sits down the centerline of the boat with the possible exception of the coxswain who likely sits on the cuddy or stands if using the steering oar.
 
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