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August 2022 Volume 12 number 8

ShipShape

News, Tips and Happenings
IT'S TIME UPDATE

First, I want to thank the dozens and dozens of you wishing me well. And thanks for all the compliments about what I have accomplished in the last 9 years, it really means a lot to me.

Although I had a few inquiries, none have gone any further than the initial talking. So I'm still looking for that person who recognizes the opportunity of a lifetime.



IMPORTANT NEW ANNOUNCEMENT

We are a week or two away from launching our new website. Vastly improved with pictures you can zoom in on, a search function, real pictures of our fittings, etc.1500+ web pages. BUT along with the new site comes new prices on kits. This is unavoidable due to the cost of wood, metal, photo etch, resin, oil, chemicals, etc. If you are thinking about buying a kit, save money and do it now before the web changeover. I will send a separate message before the switchover.
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!

www.modelshipworld.com
Nautical terms and origins
Camel - (1) A type of floating dock used to lift a ship over shallows on entering or leaving port.The device was first used in Amsterdam, possibly as early as the XIV century. The origin of the term is believed to be from the name of an early dock, Camel. (2) A floating fender, of a log or cluster of logs or beams, between a ship and her pier or quay when moored to the shore. In France they were called chameau, camel, the reason for which is uncertain.

Down East - Anyone who isn't familiar with the Maine Coast and its waters may ask, "why 'down'?" Two possible answers: one is that no matter where one is in New England, one always goes "up" to Boston. Another is that to sail across the Gulf of Maine, as to Nova Scotia, the magnetic course is south of east. A possible third explanation is that one sailed downwind all the way. but I would suggest not counting on this.

Make Fast - To fasten a line, especially to a cleat or to bitts. Fast is from the same word in Anglo-Saxon.

Rivet - A bolt with the headless end hammered or pounded flat after insertion. This was one technique for some fastenings in Viking ships; however, the term came into English from the Old French river, to attach.

Information is from the book "Origins of Sea Terms" by John G. Rogers
copyright 1985 Mystic Seaport Museum, Inc. and available from BlueJacket. 
Model of the Month - Drift Boat
"Hi Nic,
 
Here is my latest model ship. A 15' McKenzie Drift Boat designed by Woodie Hindman in 1948. It was called a double-ender with a transom. The Drift boats were used by fishing guides for fly fishing on the McKenzie river, Oregon. The model design comes from a book by Roger L. Fletcher "Drift Boats & River Dories" covering the history and design of the boats. 
 
The boat and clothing is based on 1948. The woman wears a flannel shirt that is cloth printed on an inkjet printer to keep in scale at 1" to 1ft. The fishing guide wears a fedora hat and waders. All clothing was cotton cloth wrapped and glued (not sewn) and then painted with acrylic paint. The mannequins were superglued in their poses and epoxy clay used to fill cracks and build hair and beards and painted. 
 
The boat stand was built by cutting an oval out of 1.4mm thick plexiglass and adding 3 clear plastic legs. The water effect was made by pouring Liquitex Acrylic Medium on top of the plexiglass and letting it dry clear overnight. Then painting the opposite side with blue and green acrylic paint thinned with the Medium. The rocks and gravel are real and stuck into a layer of Liquitex Modeling Paste and painted with Acrylic paint. Then coated with a Matt Acrylic Varnish. 
 
The fishing rod was made of Music wire and spray painted. The pole guides are 1/8 scale brass Eye Bolts from a Bluejacket model. And the fishing line is .51mm brass rod. The reel is polystyrene. The anchor hanging on the back of the boat is a real fishing weight reshaped with Epoxy clay.
 
This was one of my Pandemic models. 
I hope you and everyone at Bluejacket are doing well,"

Carl W. from TN
 
Real Boat Names
Let's see YOUR workbench
"This is my workbench" Ralph G. of CT
What's on the workbench?
Nic's bench - Working on rigging the Wyoming. Notice how it takes up the entire bench.
#6 mast is done, now working on #5.
Al's bench - Al is excited to see the end of the Oregon project in sight. Currently working on the ship's boats.
Something Fun
Tip of the Month - Making battens even
Some ships do not use ratlines, they use thin strips of wood called battens. To cut and glue these tiny pieces evenly has always been a problem for me. After building the Notman, Al and I brainstormed and came up with the idea of a batten ladder. While we used our laser machine to cut these "ladders" you can lay out a grid and glue one together. Here's how it works:

Attach the to the shrouds. Use clamps or tape. Then glue every batten to every shroud.
Trim off the overhang. Beautifully even spaced battens with almost no effort. We now provide these on our Bowdoin, Pauline, and Charles Notman kits, and will be included in the Wyoming as well.
Blatant Publicity
A Final Thought...
I truly hope someone will come forward and take over BlueJacket. I am looking forward to a less hectic pace, and more time to enjoy building and repairing models. It has been a fantastic experience.
Nic Damuck
BlueJacket Shipcrafters