Small Topsail schooner

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Ready to start – 16 feet to 1 inch – waterline – Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Looking forward to your build, Robert

It`s a bit of a Tiddler….eh?

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

98 tons. 85.8 feet long (25.8 feet longer than a railway carriage), 19.9 feet wide.

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Thanks Bob

I just divided 80 feet by 16 and got……..5"

About the length of your Biro

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Correct, it is 16 feet to 1 inch – Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Not very good weather for photography at the moment, dark all day, and likely to continue for another week, at least Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hi Bob

Have you made the Bowsprit of brass sheet?

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

It hasn't got a bowspit yet! When I do make it, it will be from thin brass tube, and the jibboom above it will be thin brass rod.

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

The only brass in it at the moment is the clipper bow, rudder and two mast stubs!

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

All ready for masting & rigging.

Bob

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Bob. Another brisk build!!

Am sure someone must have asked already…what paint do you use?

Ashley

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

The black part is water-based acrylic. The white stripe is a piece of thin white styrene rod stuck on. The under water colour is gold paint to represent yellow metal. The undrewater part is a bit untidy, but it doesn't matter, as it is to be a waterline model and only the top 3mm of the gold will be showing slightly. The bowsprit/jiboom was undercoated with red oxide matt primer (From Halford's) Then the final colour was Russet Brown, also Halford's. Both aerosol spray cans. No-one has ever asked what paint I use as far as I can remember! In fact, I have stopped taking them to the local ship model club because very few even notice them – too small, I suppose!

Bob

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

It is a shame, but size seems to matter when in company with other boats. Even my SansP (which is a whopper compared to most of yours) seems to lose significance when on the pond. Perhaps you should wow with quantity when taking boats down? The total is bigger than the sum of its parts (or whatever the saying is)

​Paint,, I think you are a man who uses what is convenient and/or to hand. I must say acrylics are very useable for small areas, easy clean-up and fast drying. A lot of people worry about durability but for the amount of time these things spend in the water this just cant be anything to worry about (obviously you do not have that worry!)

My larger models tend to get the household paint treatment…

​Ashley

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

I don't have a great deal of patience, and the paints I use all dry in about ten minutes. Although model shipbuilders dislike miniatures, and the general public are completely indifferent to them, I find that the demand from collecors is uncomfortably high. Far too high for me to be able to cope with, in fact. For that reason, I stopped taking private commissions years ago, and now only build what I feel like building. Even so, I am continually getting "If you ever think of building xxxxxx, I will buy it!" which is a sure way of making sure I will never build it!

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Looking rather better now, and a fine, bright day for a better photograph. Nearly finished now, as the rigging is the easiest part.

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Looking very nice Robert

Black masts and spars with gossamer white sails, seems to be your trade mark?

Also the natural bow in the rigging is a nice touch

Don't be discouraged by the lack of comments, Bob, lt seems to be the trend these days

Bob

[BanjomanParticipant @banjoman]

Bob (W.)

A beautiful build, as always when you are involved, and a very nice subject — for some reason, I have always had a particularly weak spot for schooners …

Are those deadeyes of the same type as the one you showed us in your recent "Tiny deadeyes" thread?

Mattias

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Thanks,

The masts are rusett brown (Halford's car spray). Lack of interest by modelmakers has never bothered me, (although it has always surprised me) but it does mean that I post fewer images of the build than I might have done otherwise I have more time for model shipbuilding now, as I have discontinued my monthy downloads of The Shelterdeck, again because of lack of interest! Yes, the deadeyes are the ones described under "tiny deadeyes" It is nearly finished now. Yesterday, I set and rigged four jibs. The next task is to fit the mainmast, with its mainsail & gaff topsail. Then the main topmast staysail and finally the two square sails on the foremast. But Tuesday is normally day off, so will not start again until Wednesday.

The display case and sea are already built, but the sea has not yet been painted.

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

I didn't do anything on Wednesday and Thursday, but fitted the mainmast and mainsail on Friday, and today, fitted the gaff topsail and main topmast staysail. I also made 24 more tiny deadeyes this morning. I will not need that many, but they can go to the next model.

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Very nice Bob

What length of voyages would craft like this, safely undertake?

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

This one was built for the fruit trade from the Mediterranean to Britain. Ideal for the job because they were fast and there was plenty of wind available on that run. But some of them went far further, often being built in Britain and sailed out to their new owners in Australia or New Zealand. The next task is to complete the standing rigging. Fit the running rgging to the mainmast and set and rig the two square sails on the foremast. My wife should be painting the sea this afternoon.

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

All ready for sea – Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Very nice Bob

I still find it truly amazing, with all that sail top side…………It doesn't roll over?

Bob

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

As usual Bob, a miniature work of art.

​It has to be due to the relative weights involved (turning over). It would be nice to calculate the weights of sails, masts, top deck, bulwarks and so on and scale them down to make a scale weight-distribution model to see if in fact a model can be made to sail without a big ugly keel…>>

Ashley

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