Chapter 6 -The Intermediate Course

These well known nineteenth century American clippers have been selected as examples of study during the 2nd Phase of Model Building, because they represent an age of splendor, performance and historical significance. Aside from the construction of them, there is a patriotic pride of possession attached to each one of them.

In addition, the research work has been done and made available to the public by the supply houses. All the parts necessary to build these fine ships can be readily obtained, together with detailed plans and information.

Modeling from Scaled Drawings

There are two types of scaled drawings: those that are scaled to fractional dimensions of the original ship and need to be translated into measurements by rule to suit the size of model under construction; this type presents many difficult problems to the modeler and should be avoided when possible. The other type is based on the dimensions of the model itself, and all parts shown thereon are full sized without any bother with measurements. This type presents simple, straightforward work without confusion because the patterns can be traced direct from the drawings. Fortunately, this latter type of drawing is available for all the clipper ships mentioned for this course.
Flying Fish
Model Shipways

Young America
Model Shipways
Marine Model Co.

Sea Witch

Marine Model Co.
Swordfish

Boucher-Lewis
Flying Cloud
 
Models Recommended To Be Built Outright During The Intermediate Course
 
There are scores of beautiful clipper ships, windjammers and historical warships from which to make your selection. All are worthwhile; but in this first attempt, it is undoubtedly wise to select unarmed merchant ships because they have no armaments or gunports to jockey with. Among the three-masted clippers of the nineteenth century are many fine ships to recreate. Ariel, the blue ribband ship, is probably the loveliest and most exclusive. Cutty Sark is a favourite model, but there are so many of them in existence that you might aspire to some other ship. Thermopolae was a grand old ship and would make a beautiful model, but she has little significance to the American modeler. Among the American clippers are many suitable examples of beauty and performance Young America, Swordfish, Sea Witch, Red Jacket, Flying Fish and Flying Cloud.

My choice of the whole lot would be Flying Cloud, because she had everything worthwhile beauty, grace, performance and historical prominence. Detailed plans of her are available from your supplier, together with scaled parts of her, from rudder pintles to martingale, and from ensign to figurehead.

Flying Cloud

Donald McKay built Flying Cloud at East Boston in 1851. Like most American clippers of that age, she crossed skysails on all masts her total area of canvas must have exceeded one acre. Under Captain Josiah Perkins she made a record voyage to San Francisco in 89 days. For distance travelled North and South around the Horn 17,597 statute miles, she averaged almost 10 miles an hour. Her best day's run on corrected time was 427.5 miles. It is likely that this record remains unbroken by any other American ship. For fourteen years she sparkled in the China Seas and around the Horn to San Francisco in the Gold Rush days. It must be taken into account that Flying Cloud began and ended her days under the Stars and Stripes, before the great racing clippers were built after the Suez Canal was opened. She was one of the world's great ships that went about her lawful occasions unconcerned with the encroachments of steam.

At the outbreak of the Civil War she was sold to the English Black Ball Line and plied the Australian run for several years, then descended to the Canadian lumber trade and was gutted by fire in 1873.
You may search through all the suppliers' catalogs and the records of American history but you won't find a more satisfying or rewarding model to build than Flying Cloud. In her heyday she appeared in the passing parade of beautiful ships and shone like Halley's Comet. No other ship in the glamorous history of American clippers possesses such prestige. Millions know her history. Scores would pay a fat price to own a hand made model of her. Her memory lies deep in New England hearts. Her advent brought pride and admiration to a great nation and her lustre enriched the pages of maritime history with high adventure.

Fortunately every detail of the ship is known and is available to the modeler.

Making the Hull

The formula for constructing the hull of Flying Cloud is exactly the same as that of Ariel in the chapter on Anatomy. The same procedure and timing are applicable to all types of model ships. If the modeler has served the apprentice course his task will be simple and straightforward. Those who attempt to build this model without prior tuition should turn the pages back for guidance. Nothing is changed except dimensions and shape. However, the importance of making patterns for sections of the model must be emphasized at all levels. There is always the risk of human error with hand work, which drawings do not take into account. It would not be smart to fashion wood parts direct from the drawing without first fitting the patterns.

Flying Cloud's deck houses, railings, mast and spar hardware are different in design, but they are so clearly shown on the drawings that little comment is necessary. Unlike Ariel, this model should have topgallant railings, waterway planks and timber heads on the main deck. These should be all fashioned into one structure, fitted into their positions and fastened to the deck. There is no need to recess the deck plank in models of this kind because the waterways plank provides ample support to the entire railings.

Painting

Now that your hull is built put her out in the hot sun for a day or two, or heat her in an oven until every trace of moisture is out of her. In the meantime there are some bugs and anomalies about model ship building to discuss which ought to have been cleared up long ago.

Model ship building books have set forth rigid formulas for painting the hull which work very well under certain circumstances and very badly under other conditions. If you live by the sea, or in damp places where humidity is high, you are in for trouble when you begin painting the hull. I put 36 coats on the model of Cotton Blossom, and 32 of them had to be scraped off down to the bare hull! Moisture had got into the wood and when I tried to sand each coat down, small bubbles would form from friction caused by the sanding. Using wet sandpaper did not improve the situation. I finally had to scrape each coat with a razor blade, then rub them down with pumice on a wet cloth. lit is not necessary to use a high gloss enamel the old ships were finished with ordinary paint.

Shrouds and Ratlines

Hand made shrouds and ratlines present some difficulties in the beginning, but it depends to a great degree how you go about it. Some modelers believe it is a formidable task, but there are no problems that cannot be solved by willingness. All the difficulties I ever encountered with making shrouds and ratlines occurred because I did something wrong. Once you know what to do in the right order of doing it, there is no problem. It is just spade work.

The first thing you do is to install the channels on the hull, and fasten the lower dead eyes. These should be spaced y%" on centre for the lower shrouds. The next operation is setting the masts at their proper rake, and on dead centre with the tip of the bowsprit. Rig all your fore and back stays to hold the mast in position fore and aft.

In addition, guy the mast athwartship temporarily, so that it cannot move either way begin always with the foremast.

Seize deadeyes on the five strands of the fore lower shrouds and allow each strand at the top l½" longer than needed in order to have rope enough to fasten it at the doublings. Each one of these strands will be a little longer than the next one forward, to compensate for the sheer of the ship. The distance between the deadeyes on the shrouds and those on the channels should be ⅝". Then take careful measurements.

Now that you know the proper length of the shroud, pin the strands on to a board, using the top hole in the deadeye for this purpose. The pins should be ⅜" apart and tapered downward to suit the sheer of the ship. Up at the other end of the board drive in a staple at the exact spot where the end of the shroud should be. At this point all the strands should come together and pass through the staple. Secure the loose ends of the strands and your shroud is perfectly formed. See Fig. 34.

Ratlines can be fastened to the shrouds easily. Drive in a row of pins or brads on each side of the shroud 3/16" apart. Cut the heads off them. Then take a spool of No. 8 sewing cotton (don't cut it); fasten the end of this cord to the first pin at the top. Varnish all the strands of the shrouds also the cord for the ratlines. Crisscross the shrouds with the cord until you reach the lower end. At the finish give the whole another coat of spar varnish and allow it to dry. Raise the shroud off the board with matchsticks so that it won't stick to the board. When the varnish is properly dry, cut away the cord from the pins, lift out your completed shroud and apply a coat of varnish on the under side.

This process may sound long winded, but the gauge you have made for the first one will do for all the eighteen shrouds on the ship. All the ratlines on all the shrouds should be 3/16" apart. In actual practice the process of making your form and the first shroud takes less time than it took me to describe the process to you.

Flags

Some pictures that I have seen of this beautiful Clipper show her wearing the Stars and Stripes that did not come into being until long after the ship was destroyed by fire and out of commission. This is not only unprofessional but unpardonable. During her sparkling career under the American ensign, the flag changed several times, but she is certainly entitled to the ensign she wore during her maiden voyage in 1851 when she broke all records; the American ensign with 13 stripes and 31 stars, on her spanker gaff.

Rigging

Sail outline rigged ships, which I have described elsewhere, do not require any other blocks or rigging except those that control the yard. Sail control lines or blocks have no place on models of this type. Quite often we see models that are just plain rigged, fitted with too many ropes and blocks. Leech lines, sheets, bowlines, clew lines, bunt-lines and sail halyards belong to full rigged models with canvas on them. They are not needed and are quite out of place on rigged models. Except for the halyard block that points upwards, and the braces block which points aft at the yardarm, no other block is needed. The yards are to be left bare except for the footropes.

When To Do It

In fitting out a clipper ship like Flying Cloud there are many situations where timing is vital. For instance, don't install the railings, timberheads and bulwarks until you have scribed, stained and varnished the decks; otherwise you will have to lean over them to work. Make and install your hatches, deck houses, fife rails, winches, pumps, etc. before you fence the deck in with railings. Leave your davits, bumkins and catheads until the ship is nearly finished. They are always in your way.

Rigging The Model

Whatever you do or leave undone, please don't put sails on this treasured model. Of all the ludicrous displays that have been foisted on humanity, a ship out of water with all her sails set is probably the worst. Our museums and institutions are full of these monstrosities, made by expert modelers who have spent months setting the beautiful rigging lines in juxtaposition, only to bury them with canvas, that goes flabby and limp within a short time. Such practices mercifully have fallen into disuse during the last ten years, but they should have gone out of fashion many years ago, along with the whalebone stays and the spittoon.

As I have said, sails on clipper ships are permitted on waterline models, providing they are set into scenic surroundings that depict them at sea where they ought to be.

Masts and yards should be fitted and assembled before they are stepped into the hull. Each mast must be perfectly centered with the tip of the bowsprit, the rudder head and with each other; then stayed and guyed firmly on four sides before the shrouds are set. Each yard must be aligned, but not on the same level with the corresponding one on the other mast. Start your rigging from the topmost yard and work downward.

Fasten your halyards, stays and braces in their proper places, but do not cut the ends too short until the whole ship is rigged. When final adjustment of all the rigging and alignment is complete, put a spot of clear nail polish on the fastenings and trim closely.

Exhibiting the Model

Once the model is completed, take it out of the cradle and mount it on a base board to suit, using two brass pedestals to secure it. Do not put it in a glass case unless you wish to exhibit it to the public. The rigging lines are either waxed linen or nylon cord, and are not affected by dust or moisture. You can easily keep it clean with a bellows of bicycle pump. Even if you are a wealthy person, this treasured model may be the most valuable piece in the house and be entitled to a place of honor.

A Profitable Interlude

Now that Phase II or Intermediate Course is finished, it is a good time to have a look around the Maritime Museum at Mystic, Conn., is a treasure house of old memories and well worth a visit if you are in the vicinity. So is the model room at the New York Yacht Club. There are also replicas of old time ships at Plymouth, Mass. The Half Moon is at New York and the Susan Constant is at Jamestown, Va. A visit to these old timers induces a nostalgia for the quaintness of days gone by and is very instructive.

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