Managed to get the hull finished, undercoated, wet & dry polished as smooth as a baby's bum, and prepped for painting.Added some anodising plates although I guessed at their placement as the only photos i have seen of the boat out of the water are when it was being repainted and the plates had been removed.
Also added some details to the hull.
I had brass etched some fender tie loops. They are 2 separate pieces – the hull plate and an eye that slots into it and through the hull ply.
Worked out OK. I attached the bases for the bow and stern fender straps.
Don't worry about the rough finish inside the fender housing, it will be hidden by the rubber fender.
And scribed out the outline of the ASD hull section. The ASD plate has rounded corners in a square cut hole in the hull.
You'll never get to see these lines but at least I'll know that they are there.
Now ready for the paint job.
Over the years the 2 tugs have had several colour schemes. The hulls have always been mid blue and the superstructure white but the decks have been pale grey, pale blue, light blue and the same blue as the hull. The bulwarks have been white, hull blue, pale blue and light blue.
The funnels have been white, hull blue, dark blue and yellow.
Plenty of options to choose from. I'm tending towards pale blue decks and bulwarks (yes, that happened) and yellow stack.