December 2023 Volume 13 number 12

NEW MANAGEMENT - We are very pleased to announce that our own Josh Ramsey, who has been casting our parts for 25 years, has accepted a new position as Bluejacket's General Manager. We couldn't think of a better choice. His email is josh@bluejacketinc.com

NRG'S MODEL SHIP WORLD

Model Ship World is an on-line forum of over 40,000 ship modelers. Topics range from kits to scratch builds, in-process continuing stories, tips, manufacturer information, technical topics. Too many to list here. Go take a look! And yes, BlueJacket is one of the sponsors.

www.modelshipworld.com

Methods of trying to keep out teredo worms from a hull, used in warmer climates of

60-80 degrees F. Other methods were tar, ox or goat hair, and later covering with brass or copper.

Breamed - Burning the grass, ooze and weeds from her bottom, then rubbing her with a mixture of sulfer and tallow.

Boot topping - scraping the ship to the waterline.

Hob-nailing - oak floor pieces were to be smeared with tar and matted hair, on to this viscous surface, more oak boards were fitted before the whole of the bottom portion of the hull was covered with broad-headed iron nails.

this is courtesy of Guy B. of ME

Our rigging class is a popular event. We run it from 9 to 3 for 5 days (although some people leave early on Friday.) IT IS A CLASS FOR NOVICES. We don't assume you know anything about rigging a ship model. All tools and materials are provided with the class fee of $500. You get a hull to work on, all the sticks and dowels, glue, blocks, deadeyes, threads, wire, beeswax, sandpaper and the following tools:

Excel hobby knife and blades

2 Pin Vises

Assortment of drill bits

Tweezers

needle nose pliers

flush cutters

clamps

cuticle scissors (best for clipping rigging)

and probably some other things I forgot

If you use magnifiers for your modeling work, you should bring them. By the end of the class you will have learned how to use the tools, tie a multitude of various knots, and will have completed what you see in the picture above.  You can see shrouds, backstays, bobstays, gammoning, vangs, topping lift, ratlines, hearts, throat halyard, peak halyard, sheet tackle on a traveler, lifts, braces, forestays, etc.

Obviously, we don't waste a lot of time to make the model look pretty! We want to concentrate on the rigging. At the end of the class, BlueJacket will ship your model and materials to your home, again all part of the tuition cost.

Monday will include a pizza party for lunch and a behind the scenes tour of the BlueJacket facility. In addition, all students will receive a 10% discount on anything they buy during that week. Kits, tools, books, gift items, you name it!

The hours of 9-3 are flexible, we have the hotel conference room available 24 hours a day for the week. If you bring a family member, the 3:00 PM cutoff lets you do some sightseeing around the area. But if you need to catch up a bit, the room is yours!

Classes will be at the Fireside Inn in Belfast, 4 miles from BlueJacket on Route 1, tel# 207-338-2090. You can ask for the promotional code BEL if you choose to stay there. They are holding rooms at $160.49 for us. There is a pool and Jacuzzi, and all rooms have an excellent view of Penobscot Bay. If you are the camping type, Searsport Shores is nearby.

Class is limited to 12 people with payment in advance. Full refund up to 2 weeks before, 50% refund up to 1 week before. Unfortunately, cancellation less than a week in advance cannot be refunded except by extreme circumstances, which we reserve the right to determine.

Robert Steinbrunn, well-known and multiple award-winning modeler, sent us this:

"Hi Nic,

Not a BlueJacket kit, but since you asked for submissions….here ‘tis. 1/350 USS North Carolina BB-55 highly modified from the Trumpeter kit. It’ll be going to the 45th annual ship model competition at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum at Manitowoc May 19-22. You are fondly remembered there for donating two BJ kits in the past: Smuggler and the 80’ ELCO PT boat."

Second photo is where it resides

PLEASE NOTE - I HAVE NO MORE WORKBENCH PHOTOS - PLEASE SEND ME YOURS

Nic's bench - Started rigging a Harriet Lane for a customer. At a scale of 1:144, the deadeyes are really tiny. Oh, and I'm still doing the plastic Santa Maria and my r/c plane as well.

Al's bench - Al has finished his part of the Harriet Lane, and now is working on a special project for our new owner. Soon he will renew his development of the 82' point class boat.

But you have to be careful - look at the fine print.......

From the Rocky Mountain Shipwrights of CO newsletter:

"TJ is your editor’s son. Knowing my passions (I also collect and enjoy a thousand or so recordings of vintage jazz and blues, as well as modeling ships and reading nautical materials), he’s always on the lookout for things I enjoy. He came across this YouTube video of a model ship wounded and sinking. I’ve never seen anything like it. I think you’ll enjoy it,too.

https://fb.watch/lxj4h5O5Vj/?mibextid=6aamW6

you can copy and paste this into your browser.

With the sale of Bluejacket complete, although I am still doing most of what I used to do, somehow it feels like a lot more fun. Josh, who used to work for me, is now my boss, so I guess you could call that a demotion. I love it!