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March 2021 Volume 11 number 3

ShipShape

News, Tips and Happenings
It's March and spring is just around the corner. We're still very busy making kits and parts for our customers.

With the anticipation of widespread availability of the COVID vaccine, I am confident to announce that our popular rigging class is scheduled for September 20-24th. More details will follow in the April newsletter. To attend the class, you must have been vaccinated.
NRG'S MODEL SHIP WORLD
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!

www.modelshipworld.com
We get emails......
Doug P. from IA sent me this note:
"Years ago I purchased both the limited edition kits of the Maine and the Olympia (#88 for both). After many years of seeing them on a shelf in my shop, I have come to the realization that I am never going to get to the kits. I am dropping you this line to see if you or any of your customers might have an interest in one or both of the kits. I know I can try ebay, but thought you might have had requests over the years
The kits are as complete as they were shipped to me. I have opened the boxes to look inside, but all the parts are packaged as received, no packages have been opened. I also purchased the CD’s and the respective paint set at the time, but don’t know what the status of the paints might be after all this time."
If you are interested, you can reach him at: https://doug@tegracorp.com 
Nautical terms and origins
Beacon - A shoreside marker, to indicate a channel or a hazard. Its origin is an Old English word, beacn, of about the XII century, and of the same meaning.

Easting - Distance sailed eastward. On the long eastward leg for ships sailing for Australia via the Cape of Good Hope, or from Australia via "The Horn" for the North Atlantic, a ship was said to "run her easting down"

Pillow - A part of the bracing structure at the inboard end of the bowsprit of a sailing vessel. The derivation is late Old English, pyle, of this same meaning.

Sally - (1) To venture forth, as to sea. The origin is Old French saillie, sortie. (2) T cause a vessel to roll or rock, to work her loose if aground. The derivation in this sense is probably MIddle and Old French salire, jump.

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 - another Smuggler
This was built by Cosmo DeS. of NJ - he did a wonderful job of adding details.

"Hello Nic,
I hope you, your family and everyone at Bluejacket Shipcrafters are healthy and well. I consider my model of the Smuggler finished. I attached a few photographs of the completed model.
I hope to post the pictures of the finished model and a build log on the NRG website soon. I narrowed my build log to about 200 photos. I know it sounds like a lot of photos but I benefited from the Smuggler logs posted by Bob Steinbrunn, Jamie Peghiny and Alfons so I hope others will benefit from my log.
As I mentioned in my previous email, this is my first venture into a sailing ship model. It took me approximately 2 1/2 years to complete the model but I was working full time during that period so my "build time" was limited. The excellent plans and instruction manual kept me on track.
Have a great and healthy weekend.
Regards,
Cosmo"
Real Boat Names
Let's see YOUR workbench
This is from Mort S. of NY - HMS Victory
What's on the workbench?
Nic's bench - I've finished the work on the Prairie Schooner - kinda cute.
Al's bench - Is empty for now. He's been doing drawings most of this past month. Oregon, Wyoming, etc.
Something Fun
DID I READ THAT SIGN RIGHT?

TOILET OUT OF ORDER. PLEASE USE FLOOR BELOW. 
------------------------------ ------------------------------ ------------------------------ -
 In a Laundromat: 
 AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINES: PLEASE REMOVE ALL YOUR CLOTHES WHEN THE LIGHT GOES OUT. 
 ------------------------------ ------------------------------ -----------------------------
 In a London department store: 
 BARGAIN BASEMENT UPSTAIRS... 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In an office: 
 WOULD THE PERSON WHO TOOK THE STEP LADDER YESTERDAY
 PLEASE BRING IT BACK OR FURTHER STEPS WILL BE TAKEN. 
 ---------------- ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ---------------
 In an office: 
 AFTER TEA BREAK, STAFF SHOULD EMPTY THE TEAPOT AND STAND UPSIDE DOWN ON THE DRAINING BOARD. 
 ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ------------------------------ --
 Outside a second-hand shop: 
 WE EXCHANGE ANYTHING - BICYCLES, WASHING MACHINES, ETC. WHY NOT BRING YOUR WIFE ALONG AND GET A WONDERFUL BARGAIN? 
 ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ------------------------------ --
 Notice in health food shop window: 
 CLOSED DUE TO ILLNESS... 
 ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ------------
 Spotted in a safari park:  (I sure hope so.) 
 ELEPHANTS, PLEASE STAY IN YOUR CAR. 
 ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ---------
 Seen during a conference: 
 FOR ANYONE WHO HAS CHILDREN AND DOESN'T KNOW IT, THERE IS A DAY CARE ON THE 1ST FLOOR. 
 ------------------------------ ------------------------------ --------------------------
 Notice in a farmer's field: 
 THE FARMER ALLOWS WALKERS TO CROSS THE FIELD FOR FREE, BUT THE BULL CHARGES. 
 ------------------------------ ------------------------------ --------------------
 Message on a leaflet: 
 IF YOU CANNOT READ, THIS LEAFLET WILL TELL YOU HOW TO GET LESSONS. 
 ------------------------------ ------------------------------ -----------------------
 On a repair shop door: 
 WE CAN REPAIR ANYTHING. (PLEASE KNOCK HARD ON THE DOOR - THE BELL DOESN'T WORK.) 
  ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ------------------------------ --
 Man Kills Self Before Shooting Wife  And Daughter 
 ---------------- ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ------------------------------ -------
 Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says 
  ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ----------------------
Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers 
  ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ---------------------
Panda Mating Fails; Veterinarian Takes Over 
  ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ---------------------
Miners Refuse to Work after Death 
  ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ---------------------
Juvenile Court to Try Shooting Defendant  
   ----------------------------- ------------------------------ ------------------------------ -----------------------
War Dims Hope for Peace 
  ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ----------------------
If Strike Isn't Settled Quickly, It May Last Awhile 
  ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ----------------------
Cold Wave Linked to Temperatures 
  ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ---------------------
Enfield ( London ) Couple Slain; Police Suspect Homicide 
  ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ------------------------------ --------------------
Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges 
 ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ------------------------------ --------------------
Man Struck By Lightning: Faces Battery Charge 
  ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ------------------------------ --------------------
New Study of Obesity Looks for Larger Test Group 
 Weren't they fat enough?! 
 ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ------------------------------ --------------------
Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas in Spacecraft 
  ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ------------------------------ --------------------
Kids Make Nutritious Snacks 
 Do they taste like chicken? 
 ****************************** ****************************** ******************** 
 Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half 
 Chainsaw Massacre all over again! 
 ****************************** ****************************** ****************************** ****
Hospitals are Sued by 7 Foot Doctors 
 Boy, are they tall! 
 ****************************** ****************************** ****************************** *****
And the winner is... 
 Typhoon Rips Through Cemetery; Hundreds Dead
Tip of the Month - Various good ideas
This again comes from Mike W. who gave us last month's tip. Just a bunch of simple yet practical ideas.

1- Use clothespins as clamps. They can also be re-assembled backwards and the tips cut to various shapes.
2- Scotch Magic tape makes great masking material
3- Use rubber cement to hold sandpaper onto small wooden blocks
4- Blue painter's tape used sticky side up makes a great holder for small parts you are painting.
5- Pre-wind rope around winch drums BEFORE assembling the winch.
6- Coils of line can be made by wrapping a dowel with wax paper, then the line, and coat with white glue.
7-Make tiny pegs by putting a bamboo skewer into your Dremel and pulling it through one of those tools that strips electrical insulation.

Thanks, Mike!
Blatant Publicity
A Final Thought...
These trying times:

We see that phrase a lot in the past year. What does it really mean? For some, it is a total disruption of their normal routine. Work from home, home schooling, Zoom meetings. Shortage of toilet paper, of all things! For others, it is a real hardship - think of the effect on the restaurant industry for example.

For us here at BlueJacket, trying times means extra work, overtime, weekends working, and desperately trying to keep up with the increased demand from people wanting a hobby while cooped up at home. For our customers, occasionally it means disappointing delivery promises.

With vaccines becoming available, I sincerely hope this phrase will fall out of such widespread use soon.

Sincerely,
Nic Damuck
BlueJacket Shipcrafters, Inc.