Perhaps this lot should have a seperate thread.
LIFEBOATS...my way.
I find that making these is about the trickiest and most awkward jobs on a model.
It is my preference to build wooden "clinker-built" boats as were fitted to older vessels. I also prefer to show them "open" (without covers). This is not a heresy. Many ships ran around without canvas or wood slab covers. Owners choice, I guess. As long as the bottom plugs were out the weather (wet, preferably) would keep the planks "tight". In tropical climes it was quite normal to see ships in port with their lifeboats lowered to the water still on the falls to allow water to creep in and swell the planks. I guess that if the crew had to abandon ship before they reached a harbour all the boats would fill with water. Odd thinking... However, leaving the boats overside/overnight certainly tightened the planks. Unfortunately the weight of water in the boats meant they were too heavy to hoist back up again...guess which low-lifes had to bale them out so they could drain via the plug holes. Us cadets. But not all bad news, if a bit of notice was taken a lot of "how it was made" info, could be gathered.
I don't think that wooden lifeboats changed their shape all that much between 1900 and the 60's when GRP made an appearance, but if there were differences then maybe at modelling scale they would not be too evident.
Being generally "double-ended" makes the job of making them a lot easier than, say, flat sterned "cutters". "Havelock" has 4 double-ended boats and 2 cutters (of different sizes....yeucch).
Computers and printers really make the 1st steps easy.
The drawing I have posted is almost certainly the wrong size for you..as it is for me. But by re-scaling on the printer (as opposed to "re-sizing" on the computer) you can make it any size you wish and maintain the proportions...or change them if you want to.
I won't explain all that now as I am sure most of you know how, but if you are in trouble drop me a PM or e-mail. The boats I intend to build are 5.75" long.
First Steps.
Once you have the drawings scaled to your satisfaction and have printed at least 1 copy of all 3 drawings, make multiple copies of the Body Plan (at your scale).
I'm going to find writing this very difficult and will have to revert to photos as the building moves on. However, the 1st step is to make a sort of mould. I use Plasticard.
First pic. The marking out is self-evident. The centre "backbone" is cut a little short to allow the keel and false kelson to be fitted..thats the bit that looks like a "slot" in the pic. The "ends" of the backbone are filed down to a pointy end to make a false "bearding" line...the stem and sternposts will cover the join.
The use of multilple prints of the stations is now apparent. I stick the paper printouts on to thinner plasticard and cut around them. Cut to fit (allowing for the thickness of the keel) and stick to the base. Thats the basic mould. Enough for today.
