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[tigertiger]

I am putting together a kit Mary J Ward.

This is how it should look when finished, but I am being a little different

[tigertiger]

The sail plan will be a bit different with topsails and an extended bowsprit with a second headsail.



I have also re-enforced the keel trunk. The kit instructions say use CA glue, but I am a bit dubious and have beefed it up with a good layer of epoxy


I have also decided to plank the deck. I did this with 2mm balsa and used darning wool to simulate caulking.


My first attempt caused the original deck to warp. So I subsitiuted the ply with door veneer. This was thiicker and I had to soak it and bend it over a former (after planking) and to hold it on for gluing I resoted to using small screws as clothes pegs did not do it.



I have also added a rubbing strip. To do this I needed to add additional pieces of wood beneath the sheer strips, inboard, so that I can add a a chainplate for deadeyes on the outside.

[MCR]

Does the model have a false keel,if it does it seems that the keel box is below the water line.
Nice looking model
Mark

[tigertiger]

Does the model have a false keel,if it does it seems that the keel box is below the water line.

You are right it does have a false ballast keel and the keel box is below the waterline. This allows the radio tray to fit in.

However I have been out on the pond and it doesn't leak.
There is a bolt at the end of the false keel, a rubber washer and a wingnut.

[MCR]

You may find that given time water will find its way up the thread of the studding into the hull, some form of grease will hold back the water for a while.

[tigertiger]

You may find that given time water will find its way up the thread of the studding into the hull, some form of grease will hold back the water for a while.

Thanks for the tip. Vaseline probably.

I expect some water, which is why the 'toolbox bilge pump' thread was so interesting for me.

[Roger in France]

Vaseline is water soluble, over time. Silicone grease is better.

Roger in France.

[Doc]

tigertiger,
I've been the screw tight keel route with another of their boats.  The wing-nut had to be very tight to keep (most of) the water out.  Setting the bolt in the keel very well is a must.  I didn't try adding to the seal with grease, wish I had.  Did try stuffing the keel box with several different things so that the 'squeeze' would be more water tight.  Good results?  It didn't sink, but I'm afraid that's about all I can say for it.  The CA did work well... till I decided that getting the wing-nut tighter was the only thing to do.  @#$... epoxy wouldn't have done any better, all things considered (as in how tight I thought things should be) uh, wouldn't advise that, the -very- tight thingy.  Don't you just love learning by making mistakes (Yeah!  As long as they are someone else's!)?
 - 'Doc

[tigertiger]

Hi Doc

I am also looking at ways of making her unsinkable.

I was at a public lake and some dumb F**%^% in a pay by the hour boat just ran over my Victoria.
This is China and this sort of behaviour can be expected by adults who have the attitude that if it ain't theirs it don't matter.
She went right under but I have a reasonable seal.

She only took on about a litre of water and I was able to point her in the right direction before the electrics gave out.

However the MJW would flood in seconds. In need enough buoyancy to stop the keel bulb (5lb) taking her down. Then at least I can attempt a rescue.
But I also need to run lines for the sails below the deck.

TT

[Doc]

'TT',
One solution would be to fill the hull with foam.  Not the 'squirt' in kind, but the 'cut it out' kind.  In layers.  If the lines under the deck can be put all on one 'plane', just cut out parts of that 'layer' to make room.  Same for all the other stuff in the hull.  Sound like a whole new building project??  Yeah, but it won't be me doing the work, so it ought'a be very easy! 
 - 'Doc

[MCR]

I think you might find that the foam you can place in the hull will not match the 5
lbs of lead in the keel just a thought.

[tigertiger]

I think you might find that the foam you can place in the hull will not match the 5
lbs of lead in the keel just a thought.

I think you are correct.
There is not a lot of room as I have four sheets running from stem to stern almost. And they dont run ina straight line.
So not a lot of room for foam.

But any increase in boayancy will assist recovery.

I think I will have to resort to plan B. A floating hatch and 10m of line tied to the insde of the hull somewhere.

[Doc]

Second suggestion.
Make the sails out of thin sheet of foam?

Oh well, it'd sink up right anyway.

 - 'Doc

[dougal99]

Surely the aim of putting foam (or whatever) into the hull is to fill the space therein and thus deny access to water. This will maintain the buoyancy of the hull and thus prevent (reduce the possibility of) a sinking. Therefore, if your hull floats with a heavy lead keel, if you can 'fill' the hull with foam to keep water out it should still float in any circumstance.

JMO

Doug

[tigertiger]

I decided to modify the headsails.

I used the old jib as a guide and cut a smaller jib from dacron I purchased from Sailsetc.

I cut a flying headsail, the trailing edge of the sail as a curve to allow an overlap that would not interfere with sail movement.
I used a kebab skewer to act as a boom at the foot of the sail.
Also used the 'bolt rope' from Sailsetc, with rope removed as a sleeve for the kebab sick.

[tigertiger]

The routing of the sheets needed a little thought so that the Flying headsail will not interfere with the jib.

They eventually go through the deck close to each other. The original sheet feedthrogh (painted black) is place aft  of the new one (white) The new one is longer so the lines should not rub.

The sail arm has also been moded. there is another hole in it about half way along, as the headsail sheet only needs half the travel.

[tigertiger]

I didn't like the original portholes. These were just a brass ring (see pic) and you are supposed to paint black behind them.
I replaced with some from the modeldockyard.

I want to add interior light so i needed to cut down the inner cabin supports, I added plastic sheet to reduce any water ingress.

I also beefed up the cabin inner by putting blocks in the corner, thi is not in the origianl plan.

[tigertiger]

I added a foghorn and a chart to the chart table.
The chart was printed onto some of the decal paper Mentioned on this site. Then layer of plasticote.

The LED on the chart table will be dressed up with epoxy putty to look like a storm lantern.

The decal p[aper worked well on a white background, but not so good on a dark background.
She has had a name change but this is in gold, and it does not show up so well as you think.

But she is now starting to look a bit more like a boat.

[MCR]

Looks great well done! How long till she is on the water?

[tigertiger]

Looks great well done! How long till she is on the water?

Thanks MCR, kind words.

It will be about a month before I get her on the water as I am waiting for bits from UK. And I am taking my time.

[tigertiger]

New hatches

I didn't like the recomended hatch set up so I thought I would gve them a tarp cover.

Step 1
I covered the hathes in cling film to prevent tarp sticking to the hatch when varnished, and then covered them with bits of old trouser cut offs. These were summer cotton lightweight trs. I pinned down with thumb tacks.

Step 2
I varnished cotton and then primed and then painted with acrylic and then plasticote.

I used map pins in the corners as they have a long head and the item can stand off the table when driying.

[tigertiger]

Step 3
Drill holes for small round nails. These will be used to tie down the tarp.

Step 4
Round nails inserted.

Step 5, 6, 7.
prime, paint hatches white, when dry paint nails brown.
Trim tarp with scissors. Puch holes in tarp with bradawl.
Thread line through holes and around pins. I used 50lb braided fishing line as it looks like small line and will be different from all the brown dacron lines I have elsewhere.
When tied down glue with CA. CA down sides of tarp and glue where line goes around nail.

[tigertiger]

Hatch covers in situ

[romainpek]

Hi Tiger

as you know, I'm building the same kit and in similar conditions (I'm in Beijing while you're in Shanghai). Only I just started assembly last week... for the wood keel that is to be glued to the plastic keel, were they a good fit on your hull without modifying parts ?

My plastic hull keel is concave (higher in the center than front and back) while the wood keel is straight. Did you rasp the wood keel front and back ? add a wood shim in the center portion ? or did you force down the plastic keel straight down while gluing the wooden one below ?

The instructions do not mention any needed sanding or forcing...

(I posted the same question on the MJW yahoo board)

[tigertiger]

Hi Romain.

I just applied the CA Gel and pushed the hull down to meet the keel. This may need clamping. I also pushed the keel thwarts down slightly, so as they tried to pull back the added a bit of tension.

It might be worth remembering that the keel is decorative and not structural, so a small gap will not affect performance.

And if you are going to stain the keel, do it before gluing.

TT