The Launching Ways:

The yard was on a tidal creek off Little Neck Bay at the western end of Long Island Sound, NY. At a very low minus tide, they sank a frame with two parallel timbers (actually salvaged square, cedar telephone poles) about 12” x 12” onto the mud just above the low tide line to about 20 feet out from the Mean High Water line. These timber skids and the framework remained in place and were only changed when they wore out. Cedar doesn’t rot so they were good for years. The top surfaces were coated with very heavy grease. This frame & skids were weighted down or otherwise anchored in place to keep them from floating when the tide rose. Similar lengths of greased timbers were then laid from the shore end of the submerged “tracks” to where the boat was to be stored. To haul the boat, and because this was a tidal creek, this was always done at high tide or an hour or so before or after, a cradle similar to what I built under the Bluenose was slid down the rails until it submerged to a depth adequate to float the boat being hauled. They had several general purpose cradles for different hull shapes and sizes. The boat was then run up onto the cradle and a line from the bow was tied to a bollard on the towing vehicle, generally an old tractor or truck. The boat and the cradle were then pulled out; as the water got shallower the boat settled onto the bottom of the cradle supported on the sides by angled timbers. After the boat was in its place in the yard, it was jacked up and blocked with permanent supports. Once this was accomplished, the cradle was pulled out and the rest of the blocking added. In the spring the process was repeated for launching.

In the photo of the skid & cradle system, the light tan color was a test to see how well it represented the dirt color that would have coated the cradle and skids after being stored around the yard when not in use. On the finished model the skid, cradle and cribbing were all painted in this tan mix. The supports under the hull are a light gray just to add some contrast.

Conclusions
While the model was not difficult to build, years of experience with real wooden boats helped. There should have been more “how to” information in the kit and some drawings of the critical points, such as the planking at the stem, transom & under counter areas. The deck layout drawings show what is apparently a rode roller immediately aft of the bowsprit, but between it and the windlass is a dorade; that doesn’t seem right. One the drawing shows the connection area for the top foremast & foremast and the detail of the aft part of the lower mast for the running rigging. This detail, with the attachment points for five blocks, is actually the detail for the mainmast.

Overall I think Billings’ “Advanced Beginner” rating is about right; they qualify it by saying that it is “for those who have tried to build a ship model before” and admit that a new builder will encounter “…a number of challenges.” The “challenges” could have been minimized with better drawings and instructions.

That said, I enjoyed building it which is the whole purpose of modeling, and I am satisfied with the results.
I have not yet decided on what the next ship model will be, but it will not be a full rigged ship or built in two halves.

Elder Jim,
May 2010