- Joined
- Dec 28, 2024
- Messages
- 2
- Points
- 18
Greetings, and many thanks to the wonderful craftsmen and women here who inspired me to take on this project. I had never built a ship before, or any model, in fact. I have always adored tall ships, have sailed on a few, and taken many photos of rigging over the years. When I decided to do this (using the Halcon as a base), I wanted to learn all the rigging terminology and to understand how everything worked, so I was thrilled when my first lines actually did what they were supposed to do!
I have had rheumatoid arthritis for 25 years, and my hands are getting quite bad now (pain and lack of dexterity), so I wasn't sure how far I could take this build... but it utterly consumed me for four months ... and I loved every minute.
Little gremlins under my work table seemed to steal every single thing that fell down, and I had to fumble about with a torch, on my knees, to search the carpet (until I pinned a white towel to the desk and put it over my lap, which worked to catch the tiny things). My experience with the various kinds of CA glue led to a few disasters (e.g., I was unable to rake the masts as I had intended, as one of the glues was ultra thin and bonded in about one second, leaving no time to adjust. I worked with CA throughout, and otherwise found it brilliant but if I ever do another ship, I would use wood glue for the masts). I accidentally broke both masts mid-rigging through simple clumsiness. Nothing deterred me. I am so proud of this little world I have created and wanted to share the experience and, perhaps, inspire others to bring their builds to life with a busy crew. In the end, it was this aspect that brought the most joy for me.
The Resilient was a topsail schooner purchased as a dilapidated shell by Captain Solomon, a second-generation Caribbean Brit who found himself homesick after a dozen or so years working the whaling ships off the coast of Maine, USA (circa 1900). Returning to England, he invited old friends to be his crew, building up a casual but successful business transporting anything around the British Isles. Once a year, in winter, Captain Solomon got a hankering for the perils of the open sea, so he took The Resilient around the northern cost of Scotland, and down through the turbulent North Sea, just wake up his crew! The ship itself was refurbished on the fly, with whatever could be scrounged or traded. And a few not so 'legit' jobs lined the pockets and gave the men a bonus now and then (like making private deals transporting whiskey and finding safe hiding places along the British coastline).
I began thinking I would simply complete the Halcon. I bought the new version and the original, knowing I would probably break things and need spares. The extra cost of the new package, with the cannons, etc., wasn't really worth it. I never wanted cannons on my ship. Live and learn. Anyway, this is an image of the clandestine trade in whiskey, with barrels being hauled from a small bay on the coast somewhere. The row boat was an extra little kit. My idea was to do a full ocean base, with resin, but my funds fell short of that (including barnacles on the hull, underwater creatures, etc.).
Below, is the hold being readied for the new barrels. The sailor is just emerging and you can see barrels stacked below him. I had a few broken figures (sets of "gunners" bought from Mighty Minis) so made them into crew members showing through the deck.
Here, another is coming up from the captain's cabin ...
I should say that I researched every single aspect of the build, making certain at least one original ship, photo, or painting referenced what I did/made. You can see, for instance, a circle of rope raising the lines closer to the gaff ... there was little space to insert a wheel that looked functional, so I checked to see if it was possible to secure the lines a little higher - I found an image of a metal contraption that did just this job, so that was enough for me. It was a legitimate adaptation in a tight space.
This is Captain Solomon - given an Aussie hat by a fellow captain he got drunk with and never met again. The dog peeing on the hatch is about to be caught by his owner, who is running swiftly to catch him before Solomon discovers the miscreant (the dog was not allowed on the poop deck).
Here is the sailor running to fetch his dog...
There are two sheep in the pen with the tarp on the top. I wanted some chickens, too, but space was at a premium.
This chap didn't like the sound of the anchor chain!
You can see the ship's cook, with his wooden leg (very delicate and broke instantly, so remade with putty - a bit thick but suffices). At his feet is a puddle of (resin) water spilled from the bucket - the sailor cleaning the sheep area has a mop made from jute string.
From the start, I determined sails were necessary ... but when I toyed with full sails the entire deck seemed underwhelming and all the detail was overshadowed. I decided to do furled sails. Again, I researched for each mast and found evidence of this sort of furling, even for the gaffs. The main topgallant is in the process of being raised/lowered by the sailor in another of the pictures (in the old uniform).
There are three seagulls ... two suspended by human hairs, and one perched on the tip of the main gaff.
Scape and Toddle ... always found together, getting into mischief.
A little blurred but this lad is splicing rope, with a fid in his hand (made from epoxy resin)...
Almost everything was handmade (barring the wheel itself, the lamp, the metal windows, etc.); all trial and error, sometimes going through three or four phases (as I got used to working on such a small scale). The people were painted with ordinary acrylics over a grey undercoat, then matte varnished. In a few months the skin tones faded to a dull, almost grey colour (on the "white" figures - the dark-skinned ones didn't change).
The deck was covered twice, as I attempted a stain that looked awful. The lovely wood veneer pieces I bought were wider than required, so I simply made them part of the Captain Solomon story: He used to work on whaling ships, and they often top-decked with broad planks for protection. Ta da!
I used, as my main reference for rigging, Rigging: Period Fore-and-Aft Craft by Lennarth Petersson (Barnsley, UK: Seaforth, 2007), following the guide for the topsail schooner. I included as many lines as space would allow, and each worked before being glued in place. Another very helpful text was The Art of Rigging by George Biddlecombe (New York: Dover, 1990). I also researched nearly a thousand photos online (I enjoy doing a lot of research).
I hope you enjoyed seeing The Resilient. It sits proudly on my bookcase and brings me great pleasure. Will I do another one? Possibly - something a little different, like a time-travelling pirate ship, or a detailed steampunk airship based on a pirate ship. We'll see if my hands let me!
Thanks for looking.
I have had rheumatoid arthritis for 25 years, and my hands are getting quite bad now (pain and lack of dexterity), so I wasn't sure how far I could take this build... but it utterly consumed me for four months ... and I loved every minute.
Little gremlins under my work table seemed to steal every single thing that fell down, and I had to fumble about with a torch, on my knees, to search the carpet (until I pinned a white towel to the desk and put it over my lap, which worked to catch the tiny things). My experience with the various kinds of CA glue led to a few disasters (e.g., I was unable to rake the masts as I had intended, as one of the glues was ultra thin and bonded in about one second, leaving no time to adjust. I worked with CA throughout, and otherwise found it brilliant but if I ever do another ship, I would use wood glue for the masts). I accidentally broke both masts mid-rigging through simple clumsiness. Nothing deterred me. I am so proud of this little world I have created and wanted to share the experience and, perhaps, inspire others to bring their builds to life with a busy crew. In the end, it was this aspect that brought the most joy for me.
The Resilient was a topsail schooner purchased as a dilapidated shell by Captain Solomon, a second-generation Caribbean Brit who found himself homesick after a dozen or so years working the whaling ships off the coast of Maine, USA (circa 1900). Returning to England, he invited old friends to be his crew, building up a casual but successful business transporting anything around the British Isles. Once a year, in winter, Captain Solomon got a hankering for the perils of the open sea, so he took The Resilient around the northern cost of Scotland, and down through the turbulent North Sea, just wake up his crew! The ship itself was refurbished on the fly, with whatever could be scrounged or traded. And a few not so 'legit' jobs lined the pockets and gave the men a bonus now and then (like making private deals transporting whiskey and finding safe hiding places along the British coastline).
I began thinking I would simply complete the Halcon. I bought the new version and the original, knowing I would probably break things and need spares. The extra cost of the new package, with the cannons, etc., wasn't really worth it. I never wanted cannons on my ship. Live and learn. Anyway, this is an image of the clandestine trade in whiskey, with barrels being hauled from a small bay on the coast somewhere. The row boat was an extra little kit. My idea was to do a full ocean base, with resin, but my funds fell short of that (including barnacles on the hull, underwater creatures, etc.).
Below, is the hold being readied for the new barrels. The sailor is just emerging and you can see barrels stacked below him. I had a few broken figures (sets of "gunners" bought from Mighty Minis) so made them into crew members showing through the deck.
Here, another is coming up from the captain's cabin ...
I should say that I researched every single aspect of the build, making certain at least one original ship, photo, or painting referenced what I did/made. You can see, for instance, a circle of rope raising the lines closer to the gaff ... there was little space to insert a wheel that looked functional, so I checked to see if it was possible to secure the lines a little higher - I found an image of a metal contraption that did just this job, so that was enough for me. It was a legitimate adaptation in a tight space.
This is Captain Solomon - given an Aussie hat by a fellow captain he got drunk with and never met again. The dog peeing on the hatch is about to be caught by his owner, who is running swiftly to catch him before Solomon discovers the miscreant (the dog was not allowed on the poop deck).
Here is the sailor running to fetch his dog...
There are two sheep in the pen with the tarp on the top. I wanted some chickens, too, but space was at a premium.
This chap didn't like the sound of the anchor chain!
You can see the ship's cook, with his wooden leg (very delicate and broke instantly, so remade with putty - a bit thick but suffices). At his feet is a puddle of (resin) water spilled from the bucket - the sailor cleaning the sheep area has a mop made from jute string.
From the start, I determined sails were necessary ... but when I toyed with full sails the entire deck seemed underwhelming and all the detail was overshadowed. I decided to do furled sails. Again, I researched for each mast and found evidence of this sort of furling, even for the gaffs. The main topgallant is in the process of being raised/lowered by the sailor in another of the pictures (in the old uniform).
There are three seagulls ... two suspended by human hairs, and one perched on the tip of the main gaff.
Scape and Toddle ... always found together, getting into mischief.
A little blurred but this lad is splicing rope, with a fid in his hand (made from epoxy resin)...
Almost everything was handmade (barring the wheel itself, the lamp, the metal windows, etc.); all trial and error, sometimes going through three or four phases (as I got used to working on such a small scale). The people were painted with ordinary acrylics over a grey undercoat, then matte varnished. In a few months the skin tones faded to a dull, almost grey colour (on the "white" figures - the dark-skinned ones didn't change).
The deck was covered twice, as I attempted a stain that looked awful. The lovely wood veneer pieces I bought were wider than required, so I simply made them part of the Captain Solomon story: He used to work on whaling ships, and they often top-decked with broad planks for protection. Ta da!
I used, as my main reference for rigging, Rigging: Period Fore-and-Aft Craft by Lennarth Petersson (Barnsley, UK: Seaforth, 2007), following the guide for the topsail schooner. I included as many lines as space would allow, and each worked before being glued in place. Another very helpful text was The Art of Rigging by George Biddlecombe (New York: Dover, 1990). I also researched nearly a thousand photos online (I enjoy doing a lot of research).
I hope you enjoyed seeing The Resilient. It sits proudly on my bookcase and brings me great pleasure. Will I do another one? Possibly - something a little different, like a time-travelling pirate ship, or a detailed steampunk airship based on a pirate ship. We'll see if my hands let me!
Thanks for looking.
