Welcome to February! Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, so we've got 6 more weeks of winter. Reliable sources say that he is only accurate 38% of the time.

Makes no difference to us, we are making kits as fast as we can. We still have a small backlog from the Covid quarantine and Christmas orders. The good news is that the backlog is diminishing and we should be current by the end of the month.

Model Ship World is an on-line forum of over 39,000 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!

Bob F of MN writes "...the instructions do not say what color to paint the rudder..."

My answer: "for painting purposes, the rudder is considered part of the hull"

Astrolabe - A predecessor to the sextant; an instrument for measuring the altitude of celestial bodies. The term comes to us via French and Latin, from the Greek word astrolabeon, meaning star taking.

Chapels - Grooves in a built-up mast. The derivation of this term is uncertain; it may be from the word chaplet, Middle English, Old English, and Old French, one meaning in all these being support.

Glory Hole - Earlier, a holding cell for prisoners. In the late XIX and early XX centuries it was the name given to the stewards' quarters on a passenger ship. the origin is not known, but appears to be another example of seaman's whimsey - glorious neither was.

Pudding - Earlier called puddening, it is padding or protective netting to absorb shock and reduce chafe. The origin is uncertain, but there are two possibilities, both of which could be right: Middle English, poding, sausage, and Old English, puduc, swelling.

Information is from the book "Origins of Sea Terms" by John G. Rogers

Hello,

This is from Mike G. in ME

Hi Nic,

So here’s where I spend a lot of time in the “boatyard”. You’ll see the Friendship Sloop on the right ready to start the upper works. Are you going to be in the shop Monday? I’d like to stop by for supplies and advice.

Take care.

Mike

Nic's bench - With the Red Jacket done, I am working on some repair jobs. A prairie schooner.

and a little Farm Wagon.

Al's bench - Still working on our newest kits, but took some time to do a lobster boat for a customer.

2- The Bee Gees - How can you mend a broken hip?

3- Bobby Darin - Splish splash I was havin' a flash

4- Ringo Starr - I'll get by with a little help from Depends

5- The Commodores - Once, Twice, three times to the bathroom

6- Marvin Gaye - Heard it from the Grape Nuts

7- Leo Sayer - You make me feel like napping

8- Willie Nelson - On the Commode again

9- Procol Harem - A whiter shade of hair

10- Johnny Nash - I can't see clearly now

11 - Helen Reddy - I am woman hear me snore

12- ABBA - Denture queen

There are many ways to finish scribed decking, like pencil lines in the grooves, or painting, then using a wash, but this one from Mike W. of MA I think is the best.

You start by putting some wide blue painters tape sticky side up under each end of the decking, making sure to leave a good amount of it exposed.

Next, you start laying fine thread into the grooves of the decking. It is important to have the thread stuck to the tape to hold it in place. Also make sure it is taut.

Once you have all the threads in place, simply brush over them with thinned down Elmer's. I didn't bother to do all the threads, but you can see what a good visual effect this is. One other note, if you want to stain the deck, do it before starting the threads.

Something for Everyone: 

Throughout Bluejacket’s history, the company has developed not just products, but rather a well thought out product line that features model kits for all skill levels and seagoing areas of interest. I’d like to tell you that we invented this concept, but we didn’t. However, we’re working hard to make sure we’re living up to its goal. To that end, we’ve launched:

·     New Ensign level model kits Rainbow and Endeavor, the 1815 Revenue Cutter, and the J/24 One-Design keelboat.

·     New Captain level model kits Pauline sardine carrier and the USS Cairo, plus an upgraded Nantucket Lightship kit. And soon to come, the NS Savannah.

·     New Admiral level models USS Kearsarge and CSS Alabama, and the soon-to-be-launched USS Oregon Indiana-class, pre-dreadnought battleship. On the horizon, USS Oregon and 6-masted Wyoming.

It’s been a pretty ambitious product development program, but one in keeping with Bluejacket’s objective to offer fresh kits to current shipmates and to those who will come aboard in the future.

Sincerely,

BlueJacket Shipcrafters, Inc.