The mighty tug Wattle

[mick eastParticipant @mickeast46851]

The start of a new build blog of the mighty tug Wattle (maybe not in size but in significance to history of the Royal Australian Navy and Garden Island dock yard in general.) As always you start with a flat sheet of paper and over the months you turn it into a living 3D model (that’s the plan anyway)

So let’s start at the beginning with photos of me concentrating on the plan and tracing out the keel and frames.

[mick eastParticipant @mickeast46851]

I will endeavour to keep a regular update on the build and if followers of the blog have any ideas on the build, please post them as you did in my previous build of the northsea trawler because as a relative newcomer to the hobby I value the help and comments of more experienced modellers.

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Looking forward to it Mick.  Nice to see someone include a shot of themselves in the blog so we can see who we’re talking to!  Good to see the dining table being put to far better use than simply eating dinner off!

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Mick,

I’m sure your going to turn out a brilliant model 🙂  Btw you look far to young to be building boats !!

Regards Ray

[mick eastParticipant @mickeast46851]

Good on you Ray . Let’s say on my next birthday i won’t be in the seventies any more,  it will be welcomed to the eighties . Thankfully both myself and my better half are in fine condition so you all will have to put up with me waffling on for quite a while. Any way it early morning over here and your post has put a smile on my face.

Regards Mick East aka eastie

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Subsequent waffle (but interesting) posts now moved to Soapbox Forum – Colin

[mick eastParticipant @mickeast46851]

Frames traced out and positioned on ply sheet the most economical way ,as a young lad said to me at my local hardware supplier when questioned about the rapid rise of price of plywood (“it doesn’t  grow on trees you know”)I suppose he’s right technically  but still put a smile on my face

 

[mick eastParticipant @mickeast46851]

Like pieces of a jig saw puzzle.  All cut out ready to be fixed onto the jig 

[mick eastParticipant @mickeast46851]

The building jig is made, the rib/frame spacing calculated and frames mounted . A good lesson was learnt from my previous build and instead of sticking the mounts to the building board I screwed them from underneath to make it easier to remove the hull after framing. The keel angle looks odd but looking at the builders blue print it’s exactly as it should be

[mick eastParticipant @mickeast46851]

I think I’m one of the  odd modellers that like planking hulls, I find it exciting that each plank you put on reveals more of the hidden  beauty of the curves of a well designed boat  ,even in the beginning phase of the roughly planked hull before sanding you can get get the idea of the finished shape. 

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

I know exactly what you mean Mick.  I once had a retired boat builder build me a hull from some plans I had and it still fascinates me to see the beautiful complex curves you can get by bending and shaping straight planks of wood.

 

[mick eastParticipant @mickeast46851]

Bottom of hull planking completed and first sanding done next is FB resin inside and out ,more sanding, a covering of light weight FG cloth and and then some body filler to sort any minor imperfections that are left . Then fitting the bulwarks and sorting the deck out .

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Mick,

Wattle is looking good.

Yes I agree about planking 🙂 watching the shape develop is one of the most satifiying parts of the build, I’m selling my big tug Cullamix 39″ 35lbs !!

So I have to build another one soon, but slightly smaller .

Regards Ray

[James Hill 5Participant @jameshill5]

Hi Mick,

I have to agree with others regarding the satisfaction of planking the hull. I’ve covered three hulls now in sheet, diagonal and straight planking and I found the planking method more satisfying as you went along. you’ve certainly made a very nice job on yours and it should be an attractive model when complete.

Jim.

[mick eastParticipant @mickeast46851]

The first coat of resin on after sanding , now more sanding and another coat of resin, and sand some more with layer of body filler sand again, repeat  until all the imperfections are gone . Tedious work but essential if your looking for a good finish to the hull I reckon. I don’t normally glass mat the out side of the hull instead I put a layer of very light layer of mat/tissue on the inside to seal everything. You will notice my constant companion Mr milo dog, he’s a dear little fellow who unfortunately is blind due to being diabetic (strict diet control and insulin injections morning and night ) . Amazingly he gets around with out bumping into things , vet says it’s inbuilt canine radar. We can all learn a lot from animals they adapt and just get on with life.

Regards Easty

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

One of my dogs is just starting to show signs of cataracts and when we mentioned it to the vet he said not to worry as sight is very much a secondary sense to dogs who use smell far more for getting around.  They really are quite amazing animals and wonderful companions.

[mick eastParticipant @mickeast46851]

I’ll second that Richard , Mr Milo Dog is an amazing creature,  he’s seven years old and has only recently become blind but he doesn’t let that get in the way of him living his life to the full . To be honest unless you are aware of his condition you wouldn’t know  he is blind.

[mick eastParticipant @mickeast46851]

A quick update on progress so far,  the inside of the hull has been fiber glassed., the deck has been cut out glued in the steering gear and rudder have been fitted. The next job is to wet and dry the outside of the hull and give it a coat of primer and lightly sand back to find the high and low points . Happy with the progress so far with not too many problems showing up .

Mick East aka eastie

[James Hill 5Participant @jameshill5]

That’s a very attractive looking hull which definitely lends itself to being planked, as you have done. Will be watching how the rest of the build comes together.

Jim.

[mick east]

On mick east Said:

I’ll second that Richard , Mr Milo Dog is an amazing creature,  he’s seven years old and has only recently become blind but he doesn’t let that get in the way of him living his life to the full . To be honest unless you are aware of his condition you wouldn’t know  he is blind.

Just an interesting dog story, not to detract from the build.  I live on the fens in Lincolnshire, so was driving home through the local village and towards the fen road when I came across a little dog running up the road.  I stopped and called it to no avail so I had to very carefully drive past it on the grass verge and stop ahead of it so I could intercept it.  I managed to stop it and laid down on the grass verge while it got its breath back as it was very stressed and anxious and obviously quite old. I ended up getting the Landrover out so I could put it in the back then drove around various places trying to find an owner to no avail.  I was on my way to the local vet with it to see if it was chipped when my wife called and said she had found the owner and told me where to meet them.  I met the owner who was quite distraught as well and everyone greeted everyone before they told me that the dog had escaped from the garden and had become disorientated and got lost.  Not only was the dog very old but she was totally blind.  So how did it manage to run down the centre of the road and round two sharp bends?

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Back to the build, are you going to glass the outside of the hull as well?

[mick eastParticipant @mickeast46851]

The lower part of the hull has had one coat of resin and one coat of ultra light tissue and a final coat of resin and a light sanding between each coat. I’m going to give it a coat of primer and a light wet and dry sand back next to pick up any high and low points. I’ve noticed on each new build I do I’m becoming more critical of myself and with a less “that will do” attitude. Bloody hell I might metamorphosis into a rivet counter eventually.  Naa my better half says I’m too untidy a person to be a rivet counter ( thank God for that , )I used to belong to a model railway club that had a few rivet counters and the were soooo bloody boring to listen to.

Regards Eastie

[mick eastParticipant @mickeast46851]

A update on progress so far . The hull has numerous coats of primer and sanding back after each one , I’m happy with the hull finish so it’s now ready for final coats of satin black and anti foul red. The fore deck has been planked and I’m now in the process of cutting out card templates of the superstructure . I habitual do that as it’s cheaper to see mistakes in card before committing to plywood ( it’s the limited income  pensioner coming out in me lol). I’m going to have a enforced break for a couple of weeks as we are flying to Canberra to attend my beautiful granddaughters wedding to Sam a really nice man ( they are both members of the Royal Australian navy. He’s a PI instructor and she’s in logistics .) So we’re pretty excited to be going there

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Great work so far. Hull looks really good..pity you had to paint it!.

It’s a shame Mick that you have not considered this as article for the magazine

Lindsey always wants copy, and you are taking good pictures, all it needs is a bit of writing and you would end up with a subsidised build seen by thousands of people all over the world.

Ashley

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Mick,

As you have your build photos you could do a build article when she’s finished , Ashley works on the secret squirrel principle for his new designs, but I’m using stuff that has been described on the forum, not a problem as the forum hasn’t that many followers/contributors these day 🙁

Have a great time at the wedding 🙂

Regards Ray

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