MODEL SHIPWAYS KIT NO. MS2150

SLOOP-RIGGED WELL SMACK

INSTRUCTION MANUAL

TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICSSCALE: 3/8” = 1’0” (1:32)

Hull length: 19-1/2” Hull width: 5-1/2”

Height: 28-1/2”

Emma C. Berry

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Emma C. Berry was designed and built by R. & J. Palmer Boatyards in Noank,Connecticut. The sloop, named after Captain John Henry Berry’s daughter, waslaunched June 5, 1866. For 28 years she operated as a well smack, transporting livemackerel to market. Because sloops were fast and sturdy, they were popular EastCoast fishing craft. However, as schooners became prevalent, Emma C. Berry wasconverted to a schooner rig.

In 1890, she was sold to Maine interests where she was registered in the fishery andcoastal trades. She was abandoned 30 years later when the vessel wore out. Luckily,Emma C. Berry's hull lines attracted a new owner. Fixed up, she began a new career asa coaster, but was out of service again in 1931. She was rescued by F. Slade Dale, whopurchased the boat for a yacht. In 1969, he presented Emma C. Berry to the MarineHistorical Association in Mystic, Connecticut.

Between 1969 and 1971, Mystic Seaport replaced her rotted timbers, restored the wetwell and rerigged her as a sloop. From 1987 to 1988, The museum rebuilt her origi-nal deck and cabin trunk then developed restoration drawings.

Photos in this manual depict Emma C. Berry as she looked in 1995. At that timeshe was missing her topmast shrouds, spreader, and windlass barrel. For moreinformation on the Emma C. Berry, and the other ships at Mystic Seaport, pleasecontact: Mystic Seaport P.O. Box 6000 Mystic, CT 06355. Or call 1-888-9SEAPORT

HISTHISTORORYY

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TTABLE OFABLE OF CONTENTSCONTENTSBrief History 2 Introduction and Credits 4 Before You Begin 5Tools Needed to Start Construction 5How to Work With Plans & Parts 6,7Painting and Staining 8,9

Stage 1: Framing the Plank-on-Frame Hull 101. Bending Wood 102. Keel Assembly 113. Cutting the Rabbet 114. Setting Up the Building Fixture 11,12 5. Cutting Frame Bevels and Frame Assembly 126. Frame Installation 137. Completing the Keel Assembly 148. Installing the Transom and Transom Moulding 149. Installing the Clamps 14

10. Interior Detail 1511. Deck Framing 15,1612. Installing the Covering Board 16

Stage 2: Planking the Hull 17 1. Getting Started 182. Planking Battens and Belts 183. Planking Butts 184. Spiling 185. Fastening the Planks 18,196. Planking the Outer Hull 19,207. Planking the Deck 218. Constructing the Bulwarks 21,22

Stage 3: Mounting the Hull 231. Building Ways 23 2. Baseboard with Two Pedestals 23

Stage 4: Adding Hull Details 241. Stern Mooring Bitts 242. Main Sheet Horse 243. Hatches, and Wet Well Gratings 244. Cabin Trunk 245. Rudder and Tiller 256. Stern and Bow Lettering 25 7. Billet Head and Trailboards 258. Chain Plates, Stem Plates,

and Bowsprit Guy Eyebolts 259. Deck and Spar Eyebolts 25

10. Windlass 2611. Anchor 2612. Bow Chocks 26

Stage 5: Mast and Spar Construction 271. Iron Bands 272. Shaping and Tapering Masts and Spars 273. Building and Installing the Lower

Mast and Topmast 27,284. Building and Installing the Bowsprit 285. Building the Boom and Gaff 28

Stage 6: General Rigging and Sailmaking 291. Rigging Options 302. Rigging Line Sizes 303. Treating the Lines 304. Blocks, Deadeyes, and Bullseyes 315. Belaying 316. Rigging Tools 317. Sailmaking 31-338. Rigging the Model Without Sails 33

Stage 7: Standing Rigging 331. Shrouds 332. Topmast Backstays 34 3. Jib Stay and Topmast Stay 344. Bobstay and Bowsprit Guys 34 5. Running Lights 35

Stage 8: Running Rigging 351. Mainsail 352. Gaff Topsail 363. Jib 364. Topmast Staysail 365. Tiller and Boom Preventers 376. Gaskets 37

Final Touches 37Bibliography 38Scale Conversion Table 38Rigging Line Diameters 38

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Instruction Manual

Sloop-Rigged Well Smack

EMMA C. BERRY1866

Plans and InstructionsBy Ben Lankford

Model by John Fryant

Model Shipways developed the Emma C. Berry kit in 1996. The model is based on drawings and docu-mentation provided by Nancy d’ Estang, Supervisor of Shipyard Research and Documentation at HenryB. duPont Preservation Shipyard at Mystic Seaport. The museum has reviewed Emma C. Berry’s plansand instructions for accuracy.

This kit offers true plank-on-frame construction. At 3/8” = 1’0” scale (1:32), it is large enough forextensive detailing. More than 190 laser-cut parts simplify the building process. The model can becompleted in different configurations. The hull can be fully planked or presented Navy Board styleto reveal underlying frames and deck timbers. Interior detailing can be included or only partiallycompleted as if the boat were under construction or being repaired. The model can be painted, orleft natural and stained.

Frames will be erected like a real ship, i.e. with the hull upright. Although a little more difficult thanbuilding it upside down, this permits adding all the inboard details. Parts for a building fixture areincluded, but the model builder must supply a building board.

© 1997Model Shipways, Inc., Division of Model Expo, Inc.

Hollywood, FL 33020

Before You Begin

Tools Needed to Start Construction

Emma C. Berry is an attractive sailing craft and makes a splendid model. Assembling the plank-on-frame hull developsan understanding of how real ships are built, while laser-cut parts assure an accurate shape. Take your time building thismodel. Parts are delicate and the frame setup is critical. Always complete one stage before moving to the next. Whensomething goes awry, consider doing it over. A second attempt usually surpasses the first. Practice does make perfect.

The following items are recommended. Those who have modeled before may have their favorites.

A. Knives and Saws1. Hobby knife2. #11 blades3. Razor saw or jeweler’s saw

B. Files and Planes1. Set of needle files2. Small block plane

C. Clamps1. A few small C-clamps2. Wooden spring-type clothes

pins (craft shops have smallversions)

3. #16 and #33 rubber bands

D. Carving ToolsA small woodcarving set, or individualgouges and chisels for carving keelrabbets and tapering the stem.

E. Sharpening StoneKeeps tools razor sharp.

F. Boring Tools1. #60 to #80 miniature bits2. 1/16”, 3/32”, and 1/8” bits3. Pin vise

G. Miscellaneous1. Tack hammer2. Tweezers (a few)3. Small, fine pointed scissors4. Miniature pliers

a. round nose b. flat nose

5. Small bench vise 6. Soldering iron or torch

a. solder b. flux

7. Sewing thread for seizing (other rigging in kit)

a. black b. tan

8. Beeswax block (for treating rigging lines)

9. 1/2” or 3/4” masking tape10. Wire cutters (for cutting fine wire and

strip metal)

H. Sandpaper1. Fine and medium grit

garnet or #100 to #220 aluminum oxide

2. #400 wet-or-dry sandpaper

I. SailclothLight weave cotton or linen for making sails. Model Expo sells a suitable cotton cloth (MS0567).

J. Finishing1. Paintbrushes

a. Fine round point for detailsb. 1/4” to 1/2” flat square for hull

K. Supplies1. Paints2. Primer3. Stains and varnish4. White (polyvinyl acetate or PVA) or

woodworker’s glue (aliphatic resin) 5. Cyanoacrylates (generic name is

Super Glue)6. Five-minute epoxy 7. Wood filler

Note: White or woodworker’s glue in yellowor tan will suffice for most of the model.Five-minute epoxy provides extra strengthfor affixing fittings. Cyanoacrylates, such asJet, Flash, or Zap, produce quick adhesion.For most applications, the medium viscosity,gap-filling variety is best. The thin type isrecommended for filling a narrow crack andtacking frames to the keel or planking to theframes.

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How To Work With Plans and Parts

Before starting the model, carefullyexamine the kit and study the plans.First, determine if all the listed parts arepresent. Handling them will produce abetter understanding of the kit’s require-ments. Try to visualize how every piecewill look on the completed model. Also,determine ahead of time what must bedone first. The instructions will help, buta thorough knowledge of the plans at theoutset is essential.

To avoid losing small fittings and hard-ware, sort them into labeled boxes orcompartments. These should have lidsto keep out dirt.

1. The Plans

Four plan sheets are provided:1. Laser-Cut Wood Patterns 2. Hull Construction 3. Hull Arrangements and

Spar Details 4. Rigging and Sail Plan

Sketches throughout the manual illus-trate various construction techniques.

The Emma C. Berry kit is manufacturedto a scale of 3/8” = 1’0”. Each plan sheetis drawn to that scale, except areasenlarged to show detail. Most dimen-sions can be lifted directly off the plansby using draftsman dividers or a “tick”strip (piece of paper such as an addingmachine roll). Lay the paper strip overthe plan, carefully mark the item’slength with a sharp pencil, then transfer

the marks to the wood. For additionalaccuracy, almost every timber is dimen-sioned in imperial and metric units.

A 3/8” architect’s scale or metric ruler isa handy tool. Measuring and cuttingparts using the scale gives a better feelfor real sizes. Because these are model-builders’ plans, actual measurementshave been converted to the nearest 1/64” (0.4mm) or 1/2” (13mm) full scale.

2. Understanding Hull Lines

Beginners may not be familiar with thefollowing hull lines. Buttock lines arevertical longitudinal planes cuttingthrough the hull. Waterlines are horizon-tal planes, and sections are transversevertical planes. Diagonals are planes cutalmost perpendicular to the stationlines. These lines define the hull’s shapeand are used by the draftsman to fair it(create even curves).A complete set of hull lines is not neededfor this model, because laser-cut framesand keel define the hull. Sheet 2 showsthe frames. They are similar to a ship’sbody plan or sections, and illustrate howthe hull curves from top to bottom.

3. Using Basswood

Basswood comes in 1/32”, 3/64”, 1/16”,3/32”, 1/8”, 5/32”, 3/16”, 1/4”, and1/2” thick sheets and strips. Strip widthsare in the same increments, while sheetsmay be 1”, 2”, 3”, or 4” wide.

Note: Model Shipways occasionallysubstitutes lime (Tilia vulgaris), aEuropean wood, for basswood (Tiliaamericana). Both have a fine, uniformtexture and straight grain. Lime, howev-er, has superior steam-bending qualities.It is often called basswood in Europe.

Based on Emma C. Berry’s 3/8” = 1’0”scale, 1/64” equals 1/2” on the real ship,1/32” equals 1”, and so on. Generally,basswood strips or sheets can be used asis. Occasionally, a strip must be thinnerthan the supplied size. To maintain scale,sand the strip to the required thicknesswith a sanding block before making thepart. If too wide, reduce the width with ahobby block plane or cut it off with astraightedge and hobby knife.

Another way to reduce stock is with ahobby sanding thickness planer (soldcommercially). If you don’t own one,chuck a sanding drum into your drillpress, clamp a block alongside the drumto act as a fence, then insert the stripbetween the drum and block. This makeshift tool works quite well.

Sorting the wood in the kit by thicknesssaves time. After selecting and cuttingwhat is needed, return the remainingstock to the proper thickness pile. Don’t worry about using a piece for one itemthat was intended for another. ModelShipways supplies enough extra wood tocomplete the model before running out.

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4. Britannia Metal Fittings

Before painting metal fittings, removeany mold joint flash with a #11 hobbyblade, then file or sand smooth with finesandpaper. Clean parts in dishwashingliquid and warm water to remove tracesof mold release agent and any body oilsyour fingers have deposited. Rinse thor-oughly and allow to dry completelybefore applying primer.

5. Soldering and Working with Brass

Emma C. Berry has metal bands on hermasts, bowsprit, gaff, and boom as wellas bow plates, chain plates, and rudderstraps. These are best made from brassstrip and wire. Although paper could besubstituted, at this large scale the effectwill not be satisfactory. Consequently,make these fittings from brass and sol-der the parts. Here are a few tips onmetal cutting and soldering:

Cut brass sheet and strips with a smallpair of tin snips or heavy scissors.Thicker brass will require a jeweler’ssaw. After cutting, smooth the edgeswith needle files followed by wet-or-dry fine sandpaper used dry. Cuttingslivers from brass sheet curls and bends

it sideways. To straighten, grip the endswith a pair of small pliers and pull inopposite directions. Thin brass sheetscan be scored with a utility knife andmetal straightedge, then snapped off.Use two or three light passes, cuttingagainst a maple chopping block, birchboard, or glass backing.

Drilling holes in brass with a pin vise isa slow process. The solution is to mounta handpiece for flex-shaft machines in ahobby drill press. Several companiesmanufacturer this tool and it is worththe cost. When working with brass, usea 1/4” or thicker piece of maple or birchfor backing. (Avoid softwoods, as theseflare the exit hole.) To prevent the bitfrom wandering, mark the spot with asmall center punch. Lubricate the bitwith light oil and drill slowly to avoidbreakage. Keep rpms under 2,000, orexcessive heat buildup will also breakthe bit. Caution: The brass will becomehot, so clamp the pieces to the drillpress table or hold them down with awooden stick. Do not touch the brass!

Until recently, modelers used pure sil-ver solder to avoid the corrosive quali-ties of lead in soft solder. Today, manysolders are lead free. They’re com-posed of tin and antimony, are strong,and melt at less than 450º F. Some

brands are mixed with 3% or 4% silver,but still melt easily. Consequently, noreason exists to use pure silver solder(melts at 1300º F).

The key to soldering is keeping thebrass clean. Use a solvent, lightly sand,or both. Once the parts are cleaned,don’t touch them. Your fingers willleave greasy spots. Soldering is easy ifyour work is set up properly. First,immobilize the parts in a fixture orother holding device, then add justenough flux to the joint to do the job.Remember, solder flows where flux isapplied, and paste flux is easier to con-trol than liquid flux.

Next, cut a small piece of solder and layit on the joint before heating. Experimentwith various sizes to learn how muchsolder it takes to just fill a joint. The jointshould look like the real thing, not a bigglob of fillets. Heat the joint with a smalltorch or pencil soldering iron. Thissequence is important. The larger theparts, the longer it takes to heat the brassand melt the solder. Remove excess sol-der with needle files.

Figure 5-1 in Stage 5 illustrates somemethods for making metal bands.

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Painting and Staining the Model

Beginning with directions on applyingfinishes may seem strange, but it isn’t.Much time and effort can be saved andmore professional results obtained if thefinishing process is carried out duringconstruction. Paint small parts, masts,and spars before they are installed onthe model. The painting sequence mustbe well thought out; otherwise, assem-bly difficulties can arise. For example,painting a cabin or hatch coaming iseasier if it isn’t glued to the deck. Storeparts in covered containers until theyare ready to be installed. Proper timingwhen applying finishes or using mask-ing tape to define painted edges shouldeliminate unsightly glue marks andsplotchy, stained surfaces. Take advan-tage of these general suggestions:

1. Preliminaries

Sanding and cleaning: Rub down externalsurfaces with 220 grit sandpaper, thenwipe off every speck of dust. Giveuntreated surfaces two light coats ofprimer. Sand very lightly after the lastapplication. Don’t sand down to barewood. After washing your hands, use asoft brush and clean, soft cloth or tack ragto gently dust the hull. Use a spacklingcompound, such as Pic-n-Patch or DAP,to fill any scratches and defects, thensand and prime again.

Choosing paint: Glossy surfaces are notdesirable on ship models. A flat finish orone with a slight sheen is best, becauseit doesn’t reflect daylight or artificiallights. Consequently, details show upbetter. However, the undercoat orprimer should be dead flat. A primergives the surface a little tooth and helpstop coats adhere better.

Any of these hobby paints are satisfac-tory: Floquil, Polly-S, Testors ModelMasters and Humbrol. Jo Sonja artists’paints (used by bird carvers) or HolbeinAcryla Gouache are also acceptable.They are a combination acrylic-gouache.

Hobby paints have a variety ofreflectance levels. For example, Floquil’smodel railroad and military colors arebasically flat. Its marine paints,designed to match original ship colors,vary from gloss to flat and have areflectance reducer. When using amixed group of reflectance levels, finishthe completed model with a flat, clearcoat. It provides durability and sealsany decals or rub-on lettering.

When using Floquil’s colors, spraying ona coat of reducer will blend the colorsand subdue a gloss to almost flat.Because of resins in the reducer, subse-quent applications raise the reflectancelevel from flat to about semi-gloss orsatin finish. Consequently, for nearlydead flat, use one coat of reducer. For alittle more sheen, apply several coats. Ifyou start with flat paint and want somegloss, finish with a crystal or high glosscoat.

Jo Sonja paints are dead flat. To finish,use either a flat acrylic varnish fordurability or a gloss varnish toincrease reflectance. Other manufactur-ers have similar paint mixes and flat orgloss finish coats. Always read themanufacturer’s instructions.

Brush painting: Painting with fine, softbristle brushes is probably best for thebeginner. Many skilled modelmakersprefer the brushed-on technique,because its subtle imperfections impart

a more lifelike appearance to the model.Brushes must be soft and of the highestquality. Artist grade sable or syntheticsare the best. Use wider brushes for paint-ing broad surfaces. If too narrow, thebristles will cause excessive streaking.

When applying paint or stain with abrush, lay down one thin coat in a sin-gle stroke, then move to an adjacentarea and coat it with a single stroke.Never go back over fresh paint. Thatwill tear up the surface. Wait until it hasdried to a hard finish before applying asecond coat.

Spray Painting: Although slightly expen-sive, a Paasche, Badger, Testors, Revell-Monogram, or similar airbrush will pro-duce a first-rate job and is worth theinvestment. Airbrushes are either singleaction (trigger controls only airflow) ordouble action (trigger controls air andpaint) and easy to use. Spray patternscan vary from thin to about 1/2” wideby either adjusting the needle or

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installing a different, sealed nozzle. Insome brands, paint travels through theairbrush body to the needle. Theserequire disassembling to clean. Otherdesigns bypass the body and bringpaint directly to the nozzle. These cleanby simply spraying solvent throughthem.

Paints are either water (acrylic) or sol-vent-based. Solvent- based paints spraybest. This includes Floquil’s lacquers(thin about 25%) and Model Master’senamels. Polly-S and Model Master’sacrylics are difficult to spray, and mustdefinitely be used with the manufactur-er’s special thinner. Thinning water-based paints with water creates surfacetension problems, resulting in poor cov-erage and spray atomization.Experiment when using acrylics. Somemodelers have success and others don’t.

When using solvent-based paints, workoutdoors or equip your shop with aspray booth. These fumes are toxic.

Many brands of aerosol paints producegood results. However, test them onscrap wood before spraying the model.Aerosols put out a lot more paint thanan airbrush, so be careful to avoid runs.

Floquil, and other brands, has specialthinners for its various paint lines.Follow each manufacturer’s recommen-dations. Mixing brands is not a goodidea, because they may not be compati-ble. Sometimes, however, no otheroption exists. If so, apply each brandseparately and allow to thoroughly drybefore adding the next. Always test tomake sure the final flat or gloss finish iscompatible with the paint it will cover.

Masking surfaces: Masking can be a trickyprocess. Some brands of masking tapeare worthless, because they allow paintto seep underneath their edges. Formasking fine stripes or straight andcurved lines, use a graphic arts tape suchas Chart Pak. It comes in widths as fineas 1/32” and 1/64”. Chart Pak tapeshave superb adhesion and won’t bleedwhen firmly applied (burnishing is rec-ommended). Black plastic electrician’stape and Scotch Removable Magic Tapeare also excellent. Scotch’s tape has thesame, low stick adhesive as its famousPost-It pads. In fact, Post-It CorrectionCover-Up Tape can be used for mask-ing. Rolls are 58-feet long and come in1/6”, 1/3”, and 1” widths.

Scribing the waterline: This can be donein a variety of ways. One method is tomount the hull so the waterline is par-allel to the bench top, then mark thewaterline using a height gauge andsharp pencil or scriber (Figure 1). Withor without the aid of masking tape,paint the bottom and topside colorsprecisely to this line. The scribed lineacts somewhat as a barrier againsttransgressions by either color, but asteady hand is needed.

A second approach is to guess wherethe waterline will lie, but deliberatelyoverrun it when spraying or brushingon the bottom color. Once it has dried,scribe the waterline onto the hull with aheight gauge, then paint down to it.Those with shaky hands should firstapply masking tape to the waterline.

2. Emma C. Berry Color Scheme

The color scheme is shown on the plans.Below are Mystic's formula, followed byFloquil mixes. Floquil equivalents aremarine colors, unless marked RR(model railroad), and stains. Since mostare gloss, give the completed model acoat of Floquil flat, clear finish.

Buff: Kirby #53 unleaded (same basecolor used for the cream mix). Floquil:1 part Deck Tan + 2 parts Panama Buff

Cream: 4 parts Kirby Marine OutsideWhite plus 1 part Kirby #53. Floquil: 1 part Deck Tan + 2 parts Panama Buff + 12 parts Bulwark White

Note: Those who don’t like to mix cansubstitute Floquil Deck Tan for Buff andHull Cream for Cream. Although DeckTan is a little too dark and Hull Creamtoo yellow, they have a pleasing con-trast and are a close enough match.

Black: Mystic Satin Black. Floquil: DullBlack, Engine Black (RR), Iron Black, orWeathered Black (RR). Can also be usedon the anchor and ironwork

White: Mystic White. Floquil: BulwarkWhite or Reefer White (RR)

Oxide red: Gloucester oil-based CopperRed #540. Floquil: Anti-Fouling OxideRed or Oxide Red (RR)

Gray: Mystic French Gray by Kirby.Floquil: Slate Gray or Navy Light Gray

Gold: One Shot #191L Imitation Gold.Floquil: Bright Gold

Oiled: Nothing from Mystic. Floquil:Maple Flo-Stain. Newly oiled areasshould appear tan to maple, whileweathered wood is grayer. Flo-StainNatural Pine provides a grayish hue.

Following the 1971 restoration, Emma C.Berry was painted green and gray.(Mystic has a post card showing her likethis.) The present colors, based on fur-ther research, more closely match heroriginal color.

Note: Kirby's colors for M.S.M. are cus-tom mixed not readily (not stock colors)commercially.

Fig 1 Scribing the Waterline

Pencil or scriber

Wood block

ParallelWL

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Framing the Plank-on-Frame Hull

1. Bending Wood

Building a P-O-F hull requires bendingsome wood without distorting itsdesired position (doing so stresses gluejoints and fasteners). Although the termsteam bent is used to identify theprocess, there are three ways to do it.

Steam bending: Hold the piece over akettle of boiling water and bend. Holdthe wood in position until it cools. Itshould remain in that position, but mayspring back slightly.

Soaking: Submerge the piece in warmwater for several hours. Try adding a lit-tle household or pure ammonia. Thisspeeds up the soaking process andmakes the fibers slippery so the wood iseasier to bend. After soaking, hold thepiece in position with a fixture and let itdry completely.

Soldering iron: Large soldering ironswith a tubular end are ideal. Clamp theiron upright in a vise. While the ironheats, soak the strip of wood in tapwater. Some modelers prefer bendingaround the tube near the handle (it’s notas hot), while others use the shank.Move the strip back and forth againstthe iron. Its heat turns water into steamand drives it into the wood. The trick isto wait until you feel the wood wantingto yield before starting the bend. Begintoo soon or apply too much pressureand the strip will break.

Wood dries rapidly, so care must betaken to avoid scorching. Resoak andreapply it to the iron until the desiredshape is achieved. Once the piece isformed, it can go directly on the model.Because the wood’s memory has beenpermanently altered, it will never springback to its former shape, meaning nostress on any timber or fasteners. Spendsome time acquainting yourself withthis method and you’ll never botherwith fixtures again.

STAGE 1 Fig 1-1 Keel Assembly

Glue

Glue

Waxed paperor plastic wrap

Weight to holdparts down

Building board or table

2. Keel Assembly

The first step in constructing the hull isto assemble the laser-cut keel-skeg unit,stem, deadwood/stem knee unit, cut-water, and sternpost. Although the keelalso consists of the laser-cut keelson, donot install it now.

Place the plan on a flat building boardor table, lay a sheet of waxed paper orplastic wrap over it, then position theparts on top. Affix the joints with whiteor woodworker’s glue. If necessary,add weights to hold down the parts.Let the adhesive dry for several hours(Figure 1-1).

Horn Timbers and Rudder Stock Box:After removing the keel from thewaxed paper or plastic wrap, glue theside horn timber-box units to the cen-terline horn timber-knee. Glue theassembly to the keel-skeg (Figure 1-2).On the real craft, the rudder stock pass-es through this watertight box.

The kit combines some separate hulltimbers into units on Sheet 1. To delin-eate the individual timbers, scribe lineson the laser-cut parts (Figure 1-3).

3. Cutting the Rabbet

The rabbet is the line where the exteriorsurface of hull planking butts againstthe keel and stem. The bearding line isthe intersection of the keel or stem withthe inside "face off" hull planks.Measuring from the plan, mark the rab-bet and bearding line on both sides ofthe keel. Using a hobby knife, cut therabbet to the required depth. Cut thegroove from the bearding line to thebottom of the rabbet with a chisel. Nowthe planks will lie flush on the cut por-tion from bearding line to rabbet wheninstalled. To help judge the rabbet’sangle, position a scrap piece of plankagainst the frames as you cut (Figure 1-4).

4. Setting Up theBuilding Fixture

Obtain a plywood or particle board atleast 3/4” thick, 21-1/2” long, 7-1/2”wide, and as flat as possible for thebuilding board. Mark each frame loca-tion in pencil on both sides of the keelbefore placing it on the building fixture.

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Fig 1-2 Horn Timber Assembly

Side horn timber unit(Stbd)

Glue

Maintainalignment

CL Horn timber-knee-box block unit

Formed opening for rudder stock

Side horn timber unit (port)

Keel assembly

Fig 1-3 Scribing Separate TimbersDot-Dash lines can be scribed onlaser-cut parts to represent separatetimbers of real craft

Skeg

Keelson

Keel

Fig 1-4 Cutting The Rabbet

Beardingline

Middleline

RabbetChisel out

Cut with hobby knife

Fit scrap plank as you cut

Typical Rabbet

Rabbet near Bow Rabbet at Midbody

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The building fixture is laser-cut exceptfor the stripwood side rails. Figure 1-5and the plans show the assembly. Forthe frame clamp bar fixture, glue thefeet so the frame sits 90 degrees to theboard. Likewise, glue the feet of thekeel support fixture perpendicular tothe base.

Mark a centerline on the building board,then glue or nail the keel support on thecenterline. Next, measure where thestripwood runners go and mark thisline on both sides of the keel support.Position the stripwood, then place theframe clamp feet over them. Tack oneend of the strips. Secure their length bysliding the frame clamp and tacking asyou go. When completed, the frameclamp fixture should slide easily butsnugly along the runners, and the frameclamp bar should be perpendicular tothe keel support.

When everything is correct, place thekeel assembly on the keel support.Transfer the frame locations from thekeel to the support, then to the buildingboard and out to the runners. Theseguidelines position the clamp bar.

Following the plans, glue the small tabsat the keel support. When dry, insert thekeel assembly. It should fit snugly. Ifnot, add some shims. Or, stick pins inthe keel support, then clamp a rubberband around the keel to hold it againstthe support.

5. Cutting Frame Bevelsand Frame Assembly

The kit has three types of laser-cutframes. Those at the bow and stern havea port and starboard section, but don’tmeet at the bottom. They are glued to thedeadwood (solid timbers at the bow andstern just above the keel). The rest of thehull has port and starboard frames joinedat the bottom or with a floor.

Sort the frames per the patterns onSheet 1. Next, mark and cut the bevelson the frames (Figure 1-6). Work slowlyand be careful. If the hull is to be par-tially planked, unsightly bevels willshow. Remember, bevel a frame’sinboard and outboard edges. However,the inboard bevel isn’t necessary if inte-rior details and ceiling planks are omit-ted. Beveling the top inside portions ofthe frames will make it easier to fit theclamp (longitudinal stiffener for sup-porting deck beams).

Fig 1-5 Building Jig

Tabs to hold keelassembly

Slides along rails

CL mark

Fit snugly overslide

Markframe

locations

Equal all along soclamp assembly will

not bind

3/16"Sq.strip. Nail down.

Mark CLon board

Glue

o90

o90

Fig 1-6 Cutting Frame Bevels

Mark bevel inpencil

Same belel cuton inboard side

Hobby Knife

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Place frame parts on Sheet 1. Gluetogether frames that meet at the center-line. If they have a floor, attach it. Tapeor clamp temporary 1/8” square woodstrips to the top of the frames to holdthem in place until the adhesive sets.Forward frames will need a strip nearthe bottom as well (Figure 1-7). Frames24 and 25 butt against the horn timbers.Because the box sides are in the way,adding a second strip is impossible.Don’t remove these strips until theclamp and deck beams are mounted.

6. Frame Installation

Position one frame at a time and do notrush. Start at the bow and work aft.Note: Frames are perpendicular to thebase line, not the keel. If the floor kneedoesn’t sit flush on top of the keel,sand a slight bevel on the bottom of thefloor knee.

Caution! Refer to the plans and measurethe distance from the baseboard to thetop of each frame as it is installed. Setthe frame at this height. Failure to do socould result in an uneven sheer curve atdeck level. Then frame extensionswould have to be added or the framescut to the correct sheer curve.

The first fore and aft frames don’t meetat the center, but are glued directly tothe deadwood or stem.

Place the sliding frame clamp on the run-ners, and locate it for Frame 1. Clamp thefeet to the runners to hold it in place.Position the frame and align it on thecenterline. The centerline on the clampbar should coincide with the centerlineon the keel. When correctly aligned, tapeor clamp (a clothespin works well) theframe to the clamp bar, then glue theframe in place (Figure 1-8). Wait a fewminutes before removing the tape orclamp and sliding the clamp bar to thenext frame. If the previous frame is stillwobbly, clamp a temporary strut fromthe top of the frame to the buildingboard. This will probably be necessaryfor larger frames.

When every frame is installed and accu-rately aligned, attach a 1/32” x 1/8”temporary batten at deck level to pro-vide rigidity and ensure a fair hull(Figure 1-9). Extend the batten beyondthe transom. If necessary, add a secondbatten at the turn of the bilge.

Fig 1-7 Frame Assembly

Pin orsmallclamp

2nd strip upforward

Glue

Glue floorswhererequired

Temporarystrip

Fig 1-8 Installing the Frames

Clamp afterlocating onframe mark

Tape orclamp

Equal

GlueKeel

Line up on AFTframe mark

Fig 1-9 Temporary Battens

Temporary framebatten

Temporary sidebatten

Optional batten ifnecessary

14

7. Completing the Keel Assembly

Glue strips to each side of the mast mor-tise on the keelson. Mount the keelsonon top of the frames (Figure 1-10). Sometemporary top strips may have to beremoved to do this. Be careful not to hitany frames or they may break.

8. Installing the Transomand Transom Moulding

Emma C. Berry’s transom consists ofseveral stiffeners. It is fully plankedoutboard, but the interior is plankedjust down to the deck. Although the kitprovides a laser-cut sheet for the tran-som, don’t hesitate to scratch build itfrom stripwood.

Cut the bevels as shown on the plans.Shape the laser-cut elliptical moulding toa half round, then glue it to the transom.

Glue the transom to the keel assembly.Align it accurately (Figure 1-11). The tem-porary edge strip will help hold it in place.

Since everything is delicate, don’t worryabout a perfectly fair hull until someadditional strengtheners are installed.However, if something is drastically outof line, correct it immediately. Slightunfairness can be sanded later.

9. Installing the Clamps

Port and starboard clamps support theends of the deck beams and add rigidityto the frames. They run from bow tostern, tapering as they head aft. Steambend the clamps to their final shape toavoid stressing the frames and possiblypulling them out of alignment.

When installing the clamps, positionthem so the large beams sit flush withthe tops of the frames. Clamping a tem-porary batten the depth of the beams tothe frames will help locate the deckclamps. It also will indicate where tosand bevels in the inboard frame edges.This is necessary if the covering board isto lay flat on top of them. When the bat-tens are properly positioned, glue theclamps below them and to the frames(Figure 1-12).

Most of the frames’ temporary stripsmust be removed to mount the clamps.After they are installed, add some tem-porary athwartships struts to preventthe clamps from pulling the framesinward. Struts are removed as deckbeams are laid.

Fig 1-10 Installing the Keelson

Frame 5

Keelassembly

Keelson

Mast step

Fig 1-11 Transom Installation

Molding

Transom

Glue

Watch Alignment!

TemporaryStrip

Fig 1-12 Clamp Installation

Re-install some temporary framestrips to hold hull shape

Spacer, or batten equal todepth of deck beams

Clamp Tapers toward stern

15

Note: Modelers electing not to bevel theinboard side of the frames can glue theclamps directly to their edges. Don’tomit the clamps. They are important tothe hull’s rigidity and support thosedeck beams not attached to frames.

10. Interior Detail

Before installing the deck beams andplanks, decide how much interior detailto add. The kit provides ceiling planks,cabin and forecastle soles (decks), and awet well amidships. Options includeinstalling only portions of these struc-tures, omitting some hull or deck planksand detailing those exposed areas, ordoing the entire job even if it won’t bevisible. You will know it’s there!

The forward bowsprit pawl bitt extendsto the keel and fits into the slot in thestem knee (Figure 1-13). The bitt isattached after the deck framing is com-pleted, so don’t do it now.

The wet well is a little tricky to install,because its corner posts secure to thedeck beams. Therefore, mount the deckbeams and carlings over the well as it isbuilt. Display suggestion: Install the wetwell’s bed timbers and corner posts, butomit some upper side and end planks.The cabin has a small access ladder, asdoes each forward hatch. Constructthem from thin stripwood. Figure 1-14shows a fixture for making ladders.

Cabin Interior: Mystic Seaport hasn’tdetermined how the cabin wasarranged, and consequently hasn’t out-fitted it. Model Shipways’ plans reflectsan educated guess and should be con-sidered an option. To model what is onthe boat, simply add the cabin sole andextend the ceiling to it.

11. Deck Framing

Once the interior is completed to your sat-isfaction, add the deck beams and car-lings. Laser-cut main deck beams are5/32” deep and intermediate ones 1/8”.Beams must be cut to length. Make car-lings from stripwood. Plane 3/16” woodfor the 5/32” carlings. To use 3/16” stockas is, file the ends or adjust the clampsbeforehand to accept the increased depth.

Note: Beams and carlings are notchedwhere they join. Options include follow-ing the plans, using a full notch, oromitting the notch (Figure 1-15).

Fig 1-13 Bowsprit-Pawl Bitt

Fig 1-14 Building Ladders

Bowsprit-Pawl bitt(add later)

Notch inknee

Stile Holder

Stile

Snug fit

Tread

Ladder Jig

Tread holder(angle slots)

Length Stop

Relocate forvarious widths

Fig 1-15 Beam-Carling Joints

Real Boat Model Options

Butt

SimpleNotch

16

Lodging knees, part of the deck framing,are the same thickness as the intermediatebeams. Lodging knees can be cut fromwide wood strips, or omitted if the deck isfully planked. If the latter, extend the inter-mediate beams to the frames. Since they arenot as deep as main beams, place a 1/32”shim under their ends where they rest onthe clamp (Figure 1-16).

The transom has a beam supporting theends of deck planks. Cut it from strip-wood and glue in position.

Most deck beams secure to frames, butsome do not. Before gluing one in place,check the frame alignment. Has itsprung inward or outward distortingthe hull? Although the temporary stripsshould prevent this, always doublecheck. Start with the beams amidshipsand work forward and aft. When beamsand carlings are installed, smooth thedeck framing with a large sandingblock. Sanding from side to side willproduce the sheer bevel, so the deckplanking will lie flush.

Add the lodging knees and blocking,then sand the framing again.

12. Installing the Covering Board

The laser-cut covering board has rectangu-lar holes for the bulwark stanchions andknightheads. This was done on the realboat. Positioning the covering board is easy.The outboard edge of the stanchion holesshould line up precisely with the outboardedge of the frames (Figure 1-17).

The covering board’s outboard edge is alittle wider than required. Sand it flushonce the hull planks are installed.

Glue the covering board halves togeth-er. When the adhesive is dry, slip thecovering board on top of the frames,then pin and glue it in place.

Covering board

Stanchionholes

Line up outboard edge of stanchionholes with outboard edge of frames

Fig 1-16 Intermediate Deck Beam Ends

Fig 1-17 Covering Board Installation

Lodging knees are secured to mainbeams and frames

Intermediate deck beam

Intermediate beam(extended)

Add shim for support if lodgingknees are not installed

Clamp

17

Planking the Hull

Before starting, it’s a good idea to knowsome shipbuilding terms used in theplanking process.

Plank: Single length of wood used toplank a hull or deck. A strake is a contin-uous line of planks from wherever itbegins to where it ends.

Garboard: Planking strake adjacent tothe keel.

Sheer strake: Upper line of planking ona hull.

Wale: Heavy layer of strakes below thesheer strake. Emma C. Berry has no wale.

Belts: Group of planks along the hull.Belts are laid out using battens (tempo-rary strips of flexible wood). A ribband isalso a batten. It holds frames in positionduring planking. Ribbands are removedas planking is completed.

Spiling: Process for marking and cuttinga plank to a given shape.

Edge-bending or springing: To bend aplank edgewise.

Fair: Refers to smooth, gradual curveswhen planking.

Nib or nibbing: Eliminates the taperededge of one plank from running intoanother at a sharp angle by squaring offthe pointed end and inserting it into anotch in the following plank. Nibbinggenerally applies to decks, but some-times hull planks are nibbed. Emma C.Berry doesn’t have nibbed deck planks,but her stern hull planks are nibbed.

Stealer: Plank inserted into anotherplank or between two adjacent planksto reduce their width. Or, when twoplanks taper toward a narrow end, bothmay have to be cut off and a widerplank substituted to leave enough woodfor fastening. Emma C. Berry does notrequire stealers.

Fig 2-1 Checking Hull Fairness with Batten

Frames

Batten

Needsshim

Needstrim

OK OKOK

Needs trim or shimdepending on fairnesswith next frame

STAGE 2

18

1. Getting Started

Planking, although tedious, is not astough on a large scale model like Emma C.Berry. However, work slowly and think ofeach plank as a project unto itself. Sincehull sides are identical, simultaneouslycut one pair of port and starboard planksto shape. Fit the plank on one side, thenthe other. Don’t rush. Speed results infrustration and a poor job.

Although possible to plank the hull in itsbuilding fixture, it is difficult, especiallyat the garboard. Consequently, removethe hull, invert it, place it back in thebuilding fixture, and clamp it down.

Next, check if the hull is still fair by lay-ing a stiff batten over the frames in sev-eral locations (Figure 2-1). If not, use asanding block to eliminate humps. Hulllines must be smooth, so the planks willlie flush against the frames.

2. Planking Battens and Belts

Hulls are easier to plank when dividedinto belts. Each is designed to lay theplanks against the frames withoutexcessive edge bending. They gentlysweep up at the ends like the decksheer. Planks within a belt are usuallyevenly spaced, tapered, and fitted. Beltsprevent errors from accumulating.

When selecting a belt width and thenumber of planks it contains, considerhow the planks taper and lay againstthe frames. Taper too much and notenough stock is left for fastening. Thena larger plank must be substituted fortwo planks to increase the width.Planks too wide won’t lay flat. In someareas, the distance between plankswidens rather than tapers. If it becomestoo wide, a stealer must be added.While these alterations are acceptableand employed on many ships, the bestrun of planking limits their number.(Figure 2-2 illustrates some inserts.)Luckily, none are required for this model.

Sheet 2 shows the planking layout. Foreand aft views plus a profile view pro-vide a complete picture.

3. Planking Butts

Planking butts are another thing to con-sider before getting started. Few treesgrow as tall as ships are long. Therefore,real planks were generally 20 or 30 feetin length. Emma C. Berry is a small boatand doesn’t need more than perhapsone butt per planking strake.

To emulate shipwright practice, staggerhull and deck planking butts. Two ormore planks per strake may be necessaryto do this. Figure 2-3’s pattern is similarto a real ship.

4. Spiling

Edge bending planks on real shipsoccurs on a limited basis. Wood is rigid,so many planks must be cut to shape.Spiling (Figure 2-4) is simply a matter oftransferring curves to a straight plank,then sawing them out. To test if spiling isrequired, lay a tapered strake against the

hull and see if it can be edge bent intoposition without excessive force. If not,then spile and cut the strake to shape. Inmost cases, basswood strips are flexibleenough to edge bend in place.

5. Fastening the Planks

A commercial screw type plank clamp isavailable, but is more trouble than it isworth. It screws into frames, leaving abig hole to contend with when installingsubsequent planks. Model Expo, how-ever, sells a hull planking clamp that

Fig 2-3 Staggering The Planking Butts

Frame

Must be 5 feetor more

Must be 3 strakesbetween butts on same

frame

Fig 2-2 Planking Shown Using Stealer Inserts

Stealer

Single plank insert

A. Planks Getting too Wide

B. Planks Getting too Narrow

relies on side clamps to hold planks inplace. Or, use metal push pins to posi-tion planks, but be careful not to splitthe wood. If necessary, drill a pilot holefirst. Smear a light film of white orwoodworker’s glue along the edge ofthe plank with your finger, then toucheach frame with thin cyano to quicklyaffix the plank. Be careful not to glueyour fingers to the model.

While glue alone will secure a plank,small brass brads or wooden treenailsprovide additional holding power andduplicate shipwright practice. If usingfine, brass brads, cut off and discardthe heads, then hammer in. Treenailsare commercially available, but makingyour own is easy. Buy a package oflong bamboo skewers, strip off shortlengths, and pull through a drawplateto the desired diameter. Drill holesthrough the plank into the frame, dipthe treenail in white or yellow glue,and drive in place.

Another alternative is to whittle flattoothpicks (round ones don’t work aswell) to a point. Place the entire toothpickin the hole, rap sharply with a 10-inchbastard file, and break off the remainingportion. A file works better than a ham-mer, because its serrated surface catchesand firmly holds the head of the tooth-pick, permitting it to be driven in tightly.Exterior stubble is dressed and sandedsmooth when treenailing is completed.

A new device to cut treenails mounts ina drill; expensive, but worthwhile.

6. Planking the Outer Hull

Transom Intersection: Hull planks shouldextend beyond the transom. Cut themflush after the adhesive has dried.

Belt Layout: Taper planking forward andaft from the covering board to the keelrabbet. The area below the covering boardis divided into BELTS A through C.

On Sheet 2, use a tick strip to mark beltseams on each frame or every thirdframe. Transfer these points in pencil tothe model. Now temporarily tack two,1/16” x 3/32” basswood battens alongthe port and starboard belt lines.Battens assure an accurate run of planksby correcting any errors in drafting, tickstrip marking, or transferring.

19

Fig 2-4 Spiling The Planks When Edge Bending Cannot Be Accomplished

3. Use compass-Run steel point alongplank in place and mark parallel line on new plank with pencil end

1. Plank already in place2. Wood: Lay along frames

without edge bending

4. Measure width and mark, draw curve

5. Cut out plank

Once the two battens are in place, checktheir flow. Look at the model from theside and from the bow and stern. Do thebattens have a pleasing, smooth curve?Are they symmetrical? If necessary,adjust the battens referring to the plank-ing profile on Sheet 2. When everythingis fair, make sure the belt seams areclearly visible. Re-mark those thataren’t. Now, either remove the battensor leave them in place until they inter-fere with installing a plank.

Tapering Plank Edges: As planking pro-ceeds, the edges of a particular plankmay require tapering to butt flushagainst its neighbor. Properly machinedplanks have square edges. Butting themtogether on a hull may produce smallgaps. Most are sealed with glue orwood filler, or caulked on a real ship.

Procedure: With the model upside down,start planking at the keel, complete thelower belt, then continue toward thecovering board.

Laying the Planks in Belt C: Belt C hassix 3/64” thick strakes. Next to the keelis the garboard strake. Its maximumwidth is about 1/4”. The remainingstrakes are about 3/16” wide amidships(6 inches on the real boat). As they nearthe stem, planks taper to about 1/8”,except for the wider garboard. Theyalso taper going aft, but instead offeathering out at the rabbet, lowerplanks are nibbed. Consequently, thenext plank above must be a little widerto cover the nib (Figure 2-5). As anoption, omit the nibs and run the plankdirectly into the rabbet.

Lift the plank widths from the hull plank-ing layout with a tick strip. Mark theselines on the frames in pencil. If the battenfor Belt C was altered, the plank marksmay need adjusting, but not by much.Belt C is now completely marked.

The next step is to cut planks to fitbetween the marks. Starting with thegarboard plank, taper the lower edgeuntil it fits against the rabbet; use trialand error or spile the edge from therabbet. Once this edge is fitted, markthe widths of the plank at the variousframes, draw a line through the points,then cut this line. Cut an identicalstrake for the other side of the hull.Glue first one, then the other in posi-tion. Note: If butting the planking, thegarboard strake may require two orthree planks. It has quite a twist, sosteam bend the wood.

The tapered strake above the garboardmust fit over its nibbed end. After cuttingthe aft end to accommodate the nibbing,spile the remaining portion of the strake.Repeat this procedure for every plank upto the belt line. Remove the batten whenit interferes with progress.

Strakes have a simple taper at their for-ward ends. Forward butted planks willbe simpler to install and may not requirespiling. Basswood is flexible and easilyedge bent. However, do not stress it. Ifedge bending feels stiff, spile and cuteach plank.

Install the upper strake, being sure itextends beyond the transom. After theglue dries, cut it flush with the transom.

Planking Belts A and B: Each belt hasseven planks about 3/16” wide amid-ships, tapering to about 1/8” at theends. Cut the tapered strake (or planksif butting them) with a sharp hobbyblade or small block plane. Next, edgebend a tapered strake to test whether ornot it should be spiled.

Install each strake until the belt line isreached. Remove the batten as the top ofBelt B is approached. The covering board

on top of Belt A serves as the batten. Asplanking progresses, the taper on a plankor two might have to be changed to windup on the belt line. However, try to main-tain the belts as they were laid out so asnot to accumulate errors or disturb thesmooth run of planks.

Now complete Belt A to finish the hullplanking. Cut planks in Belt A and Bflush with the transom.

Plank Variations within a Belt: Suppose abelt has seven planks the same width,but the eighth plank must be wider tocomplete the belt. Cause for worry?Certainly not. No planking job, even onreal ships, is that precise. After all, theseare hand-cut planks and slight varianceswill occur. The important thing is tokeep their flow smooth.

Omitting Planks: When omitting planksto reveal interior detailing, follow thetaper marks on the frames so it appearsas though a plank fits in the opening.This is an attractive approach to dis-playing a model on the building ways.The boat looks natural, as if being builtor repaired. See cover photograph.

20

Fig 2-5 Nibbed Hull Planks AFT

Wide strip required- cut to shape

Fig 2-6 Mast Step and Alignment

Mortise

Wedges to adjustmast rake

Notch inkeelson

21

7. Planking the Deck

Coamings for Hatches, Wet Well Grating,and Cabin: Install these coamings beforeplanking the deck. See Stage 4, Step 3.

Deck planking is 1/16” thick x 1/8”wide except for the 3/32” thick king-plank and 3/32” thick rudder stock pad.The laser-cut kingplank has holes forthe mast, bowsprit bitt, and windlassbitts. The laser-cut rudder stock pad hasan opening for the stock.

Prepare the deck planks by painting oneedge black or dark brown to simulatecaulking. Be careful! Too much paintwill penetrate too deeply with unsightlyresults. Do a test first. If it doesn’t work,edge glue the planks with brown wood-worker’s glue. This adhesive dries darkenough to replicate caulking.

Procedure: First install the kingplank andrudder stock pad. Align them exactly onthe centerline. Then insert the bowspritpawl bitt through the hole and into thenotch in stem deadwood.

Now is a good time to pre-fit the mast.Read ahead to Stage 5, Step 3 and atleast make the lower mast. Its heel has amortise that fits the keelson in way ofthe slot. Insert the mast through thehole in the kingplank. If necessary,enlarge the hole with a file. Temporarilystep the mast at the proper rake andalign it forward and aft. Make necessarycorrections, then glue small wedges toeither side of the mast heel (Figure 2-6).Remove the mast. Later, when the mastis permanently stepped, it will slide intoits proper position.

Add the 1/16” deck planks. Begin to oneside of the kingplank and progress out-board. Feather and glue the planks intothe covering board. Ends are not nibbed.Scrape off excess glue after each plank islaid. Planking butts are an option. On thereal boat, they don’t show up as readilyas deck seams. Butts can also be scribedin after planking is completed.

When omitting deck planking to revealinterior details, be sure to follow the runof planks.

Smooth the deck and covering boardwith a sanding block, then apply yourchosen finish.

8. Constructing the Bulwarks

See Figure 2-7. Make the knightheadsfrom stripwood and insert them into thecovering board’s pre-cut holes. Bulwarkstanchions are laser cut. However, anglethe bottoms of the forward ones wherethey encounter frames. Insert and gluethe stanchions in their holes. Check theangles. Stanchions must run fair toreceive the bulwark plank. (On the realboat, thin wedges hold the stanchions inthe covering board. This makes themeasier to remove.)

Fig 2-7 Bulwark Construction

Cap rail

Insert laser-cutstanchions

Covering board

Alignaccurately

Pin cap rail, andcut off heads

22

Pin and glue the laser-cut port andstarboard cap rails to the stanchions.Position them to evenly overhang thestanchions and bulwark. Use a scrappiece of plank to judge the bulwarkoverhang. Add the laser-cut stern railto the transom. Steam bend it to thecamber if necessary.

Forward, on top of the cap rail, is abuffalo rail. Make it from stripwood.Check the rigging plan, then drill ahole in the port and starboard buffalorails for the topmast staysail and jibdownhaul lines.

Bulwark Planking: First install the scupperstrake. It is thicker than the others. Laythe plank against the stanchions, markthe locations of these drain holes, and cutthem out before gluing the plank. After itis installed, add the two upper planks.Clean up excess glue while still wet. It isdifficult to remove when hardened.

A 1/32” thick doubler fits on top of thescupper strake at the bow. To makeroom for it, reduce the scupper strake to1/32” thick, then fit the doubler. Drillhawse holes through the doubler, plank,and knighthead (Figure 2-8).

Sand the edge of the covering boardflush with the adjacent hull plank andscupper strake.

Mooring Chocks: Fit the mooring chockdoubler between the aft stanchions,then drill and shape the mooring chockhole (Figure 2-9). On the real boat, theseiron chocks have lips. They can becarved from wood, or just have a hole.

Lashing Rails: Glue or pin the lashingrails to the inboard side of the stan-chions per the plan.

Thoroughly examine the hull forstarved glue joints. Fill these with woodglue or spackling compound, thensmooth the hull with sandpaper.

Fig 2-8 Bulwark Details

Fig 2-9 Mooring Chocks

Upperplanks

Scupperstrake

Scupperstrake

Coveringboard

Cut beforeinstalling strake

Sand flush withscupper strake

Mooring chockdoubler

Ring lips optional

Doubler

Gap

1. Cut scupper straketo 1/32 " thick

2. Add hawsedoubler

23

Mounting the HullMount the hull as soon as basic framingand planking are completed to preventdamaging fittings when handling themodel. Proper mounting is important,because future alignments will require atrue waterline. This kit contains 1/4”square stripwood for making a build-ing, or launching, ways (Figure 3-1). Asecond option is to purchase brass orwooden pedestals.

No baseboard is included. Pre-finishedones are commercially available, ormake your own from woods such asbasswood, cherry, walnut, bubinga, orrosewood. Round the top edges or cut asimple chamfer. Those with access to arouter can cut mouldings along theedges. Paint or stain the baseboard.

Models should be cased to protect themfrom dirt and damage. Furthermore,most competitions require entries to becased. A glass or plastic case is a cheapinsurance policy. A case’s outside diam-eter should be 4” longer than the model(2” fore and aft), 4” wider (2” port andstarboard) and 2” higher. If casing themodel, make the baseboard largeenough to double as the display base.

When setting up the building ways orusing pedestals, the model’s waterlinemust be parallel to the base. The correctangle was used for the building fixtureand is shown on the profile plan.

1. Building Ways

This model is best suited for display ona building ways (Figure 3-1), especiallyif planking and other details are omittedto give the illusion of a boat under con-struction. Building ways is also ideal fora model without sails. With a largeenough baseboard, a builder can createa diorama based on a shipyard activity.The cover photograph illustrates such adiarama.

2. Baseboard with Two Pedestals

Purchase pedestals of different lengths tokeep the waterline parallel to the base-board (Figure 3-2). Mark the pedestals’locations, then drill pilot holes for theirscrews in the keel and board.

Fig 3-1 Building Ways Mounting

Fig 3-2 Pedestal Mounting

Set boat's waterline parallel with base

Support strut p/s

Optionalwalkwayplanks

Base

Optionalwalkwayplanks

Pin in keel

Shape top timber to fit keel

Use 1 or 2 sets ofside supportsabout 1/8 " square

1/4 " Sq. stripsprovided in kit

Model waterline

Baseboard

Short Pedestal Long Pedestal

Keel

Locate so waterline isparallel with base

Mounting screw

Brass or wood

FWD

Optional tabs

Makes 6 to 8 stacksYour choice

All same size

2 Long rails

Optional Mount

STAGE 3

24

Adding the Hull Details

1. Stern Mooring Bitts

Make the bitts from stripwood and glueat the locations shown on the plans(Figure 4-1). Mystic Seaport added bittsat the rail in 1988. These are securedwith bolts. Prior to that, Emma C. Berryhad deck bitts on each side of her tiller.

2. Main Sheet Horse

Make main sheet horse on the transomfrom brass wire (Figure 4-2). It may beeasier to add the block on the horsenow, because the ring can slip over therod before it is mounted.

On the actual craft, the horse is boltedto the transom. For the model, justdrill holes and secure the brass wirewith cyano.

3. Hatches, and Wet Well Grating

Note: Hatch and wet well coamingswere installed before laying the deck.

Between the two small hatches aft of themast is a grating over the wet well. Thecoaming for the grating is low andtapered flush with the deck. When thegrating is removed, fish can be swept eas-ily over the coaming into the wet well.

Each hatch has a portable cover that fitsinto notches in the coaming (Figure 4-3).Ventilation gratings occasionally replacethese covers on Emma C. Berry. They areonly for museum use and not consideredpart of the original vessel.

The grating is two, laser-cut panels(Figure 4-4).

4. Cabin Trunk

The cabin coaming was installed beforelaying the deck.

Glue the laser-cut cabin beams into notch-es in the thick side plank. (This could beomitted if desired.) On top of the cabin is acompanionway on the centerline. On itsstarboard forward side is a small scuttlewith portable cover. A britannia stove pipeis on its port side. The cabin has no portlights or windows (Figure 4-5).

Fig 4-1 Stern Mooring Bitts

Fig 4-3 Hatch and Cover

Fig 4-4 Wet Well Gratings

Fig 4-2 Main Sheet Horse

Chamfers

Drill hole -Glue brasswire horse

Option-Add ring andblock before gluing horse

Notch

Laser-cutgrating

Port panel

Stbd panel

Shelf

Low coaming

STAGE 4

25

To make the stove pipe more realistic,drill out the flue and paint it black. Foran even more realistic pipe, scratchbuild it from 1/8” brass tubing.

5. Rudder and Tiller

Taper the laser-cut rudder according tothe plans. It mounts to the sternpostwith a strap instead of pintles and gud-geons. The strap goes through roundholes cut in the rudder.

Shape the laser-cut tiller per the plans(Figure 4-6). Don’t round the edges.Keep the chamfer sharp.

The rudder stock passes through thestock box and mounts to the rudder.Insert the dowel, then connect it to therudder. The slot in the dowel is for thetiller arm.

6. Stern and Bow Lettering

The transom and bow carry the boat'sname. Below the name on the stern is theport, NOANK. The best way to add thisdetail is to buy dry transfer lettering(available at art and office supply stores.Or, look for Woodland Scenes lettering inmodel railroad shops). After applying,give the letters a coat of flat varnish.Woodland Scenes has gold lettering, but ifit isn’t available, paint over black ones.

Another method is to make your owndecals using dry transfer lettering on aclear decal sheet.

7. Billet Head and Trailboards

The billet head (bow ornamentation) isshown in Figure 4-7. Either carve thebillet head and scrollwork on the trail-boards, or paint the trailboards to repli-cate the detail.

8. Chain Plates, Stem Plates, and Bowsprit Guy Eyebolts

Install these fittings. They are described inStage 7 under Shrouds and Bobstay.

9. Deck and Spar Eyebolts

Eyebolt locations are shown on the plans.Drill a hole wherever one is required.Attach blocks to eyebolts requiring them.Using a toothpick or Microbrush, spreada thin film of cyanoacrylate on the bolt,then insert. Don’t overdo the glue. Whenall are mounted, test the bond by tuggingon each eyebolt.

Fig 4-5 Cabin Trunk Details

Fig 4-6 Tiller

Molding

Sill

TopSlide grooveoptional on

model

Companionway

Laser-cutcabin beams

Sides and Ends

Notch for beams

Corner post

Coaming

Panel door-Make in two partsor scribe lines torepresent panels

Laser-cutRound

Square with chamferedcorners

Chamfer

Rectangle

Covermolding

Carling

RealBoat

Model Options

ModelOption

Trailboard (Port and Stbd)

Billet Head

MoldingCarving-Paint only as model option

Fig 4-7 Billet Head and Trailboards

Trailboard

Open

26

Eyebolts (kit supplied) are simply brasswire bent into a loop. To close the loop,touch with a little solder or epoxy.Figure 4-8 shows an easy way to pro-duce scale eyebolts. The twisted wireshank traps glue and ensures a perma-nent bond.

10. Windlass

Windlass barrel, purchase arms, androcker arm are Britannia. Knees, bitts,and whelps are laser-cut parts. Makelinks from wire. The kingplank haslaser-cut holes to accept the bitts(Figure 4-9).

Carefully align the whelps to the barrel,then touch with cyano to attach them.

When assembling the barrel, make surethe slots at the centerline are facing inthe proper direction to engage the pawl.

11. Anchor

The anchor shank is britannia, but makeits triangular stock from stripwood.Position the anchor to starboard withone fluke on top of the rail just forwardof the shrouds and the stock forwardoutboard. Tie the fluke and stock to thelashing rail (Figure 4-10). After passingthe anchor cable around the windlass,coil it on deck.

If the model is displayed in a shipyarddiorama, the anchor could be lying onthe ground. Possibilities abound withsuch a presentation.

12. Bow Chocks

The open-skewed bow chocks are bri-tannia. Although they can be glueddirectly to the buffalo rail, drilling holesin their ends and pegging with brasspins dripped in cyano is a betterapproach. Nip off the pin heads. Makesure the skews are facing forward.

Fig 4-8 Making Eyebolts

Fig 4-9 Windlass Assembly

Fig 4-10 Anchor Stowage

1. Form wire over adrill bit

Glue laser-cut woodwhelps to casting

( 6 each side)

Wood pawlfrom stripwood Rocker arm (casting)

Shackle

Shackle

Purchase arm (casting)glue to barrel overratchet teeth (p/s)

Make frombrass wireLink

Laser-cut cross bitt

Laser-cut bittset (p/s)

Wood handle

Split and bendBrass brake bar

Brake optional couldbe stowed below deck

Drill hole in armfor bar

Rocker arm

Fit into hole inkingplank

(p/s)

Barrel casting

Made from stripwood

Casting

Brass ring

Lying on deck

Forwardlashing rail

(Stbd)

FWD

2. Twist 3. Glue in hole (holds great)

27

Mast and Spar Construction

Before jumping into the masts andspars, examine the hull, correct mis-takes, and touch up paint blemishes. Goover the plans again. Was anythingoverlooked? When all is well, get readyfor the masts and spars.

1. Iron Bands

All the spars have iron bands. These aremade from brass strips, and it is tedious.To reduce fatigue, intersperse this iron-work with building the hull or spars.

The kit contains brass strips to simulateiron bands. See Figure 5-1 for ideas.

2. Shaping and TaperingMasts and Spars

Masts and spars are drawn to scale onSheet 3. Dowels are provided (except forthe square bowsprit), but require finaltapering. A dowel, because it is round,is difficult to taper. The best approach isto taper the dowel from its maximumdiameter to square at the ends, theneight-sided. Sand to achieve finalrounding. This prevents a dowel frombecoming an oval (Figure 5-2).

Although a little tricky, dowels can betapered by chucking them into an elec-tric drill or lathe. As the dowel turns,taper with sandpaper.

3. Building and Installing the Lower Mast and Topmast

The lower mast is almost straight, buttapers near its head. Its heel fits intothe mortise with side strips on the keel-son. After squaring the head, cut thetenon for the iron mast band. The top-mast heel is flat on the side abuttingthe lower mast head.

Make the topmast spreader from strip-wood. It bolts to a band. Assemble themast and topmast (Figure 5-3). Attachthe ball to the topmast truck.

Sand and stain the laser-cut boom restand mast hoops. Slip 11 hoops onto thelower mast, then fit the boom rest. Slipseven hoops on the topmast. Be sure

Fig 5-1 Making Iron Bands

Fig 5-2 Shaping & Tapering the Masts & Spars

Fig 5-3 Assembled Masts Fig 5-4 Installing the Mast Coat

Cut from brass tubing orform strip around a drill bit

of correct diameter

Add flux, lay piece ofsolder on joint thenheat with torch

Pin down while soldering

Pin down whilesoldering

File from brass

Use pliers andform around drill bit

Brass strip

Wire

Solder,then cutoff

Cut off after soldering

Cut off, drill holeafter soldering

Use eyebolt

Option

Band with Eyes

Main Sheet Bail

Masthead Band

Straight line - No!

Bottom of mast, max. dia. ofgaff/ boom, or cl of yard

Round

Desired curve, mathematically a parabola,but very close to arc of a circle. Simplytaper spar gradually toward the end

1st Cut tosquare

2nd Cut tooctagon

3rd sandround

Topmast

BolstersLower mast

Spreader

1. Laser-cutring

2. Shapering

3. With mastinstalled, slidedown on deck.Glue to mast only( you may want toremove mast atsome time)

STAGE 5

Trestletree

28

these are in place before starting to rig.Make mast cleats from stripwood.Obtain their positions from the plans.Drill a hole through the cleat into themast, then peg with a brass pin dippedin cyano. Glue alone will not do thetrick. The cleat will probably fall offwhen a line is belayed.

Mast Coat and Mast Installation: A laser-cut ring represents mast wedges cov-ered with a mast coat (canvas). Shapethe ring and slip it on the mast. Then,insert the mast through the deck holeand step it. If necessary, add someshims to jam the mast in the hole. Checkthe alignment forward, aft, andathwartships. The angles must agreewith the plans. Hopefully, this was doneearlier when adding wedges to the keel-son mortise. Finally, secure the mastcoat ring to the mast with a touch ofwoodworker’s glue (Figure 5-4).

4. Building and Installing the Bowsprit

The bowsprit is made from squarestock. It is square as it passes throughthe hull, becomes eight sided, then 16sided, and finally round except for theflat top. The tenon in the heel fits themortise in the bowsprit pawl bitt(Figure 5-5).

Insert the bowsprit into the mortise inthe bitt, and align it properly. Make surethe side angle lines up with the center-line. If necessary, modify the bow holeto correctly set the steeve (angle fromthe horizontal).

5. Building the Boom and Gaff

The maximum diameter of the gaff andboom is not at the center, but about one-third out from the forward end asshown on the plans.

The boom and gaff jaws are laser-cut,but make the clappers (Figure 5-6). Gaffjaws are shorter than boom jaws. Stringbeads for the gaff and boom parrels, oruse a bare line. Add parrels wheninstalling these spars.

Add the chocks to the gaff for peak hal-liard block strops. Now attach the cheekblock for the gaff topsail sheet. Completethe ironwork. The boom requires cheekblocks for reef pendants and a cleat forthe topping lift (Figure 5-7).

Stain and paint the spars prior to instal-lation. Also, much of the rigging can beattached beforehand.

Fig 5-5 Making the Bowsprit

Fig 5-6 Boom and Gaff Jaws

Fig 5-7 Boom and Gaff Details

Square

Tenon Taper first, then cutchamfers

Cut 8 sideshape, thenslice corners to form 16 sides

Carry 16 side shape to end,then sand this portion roundexcept for Flat Top

Flat Top

Square8 Sided(octagon)

8 Sided16 Sided

Pin

Pin

Laser-cut jaw

Clapper

Gaff Cheek Block-Drill hole, or installsmall sheave

Boom Reef PendantCheek Block and Chock

Boom Cleat

Gaff Throat HalliardLift Iron

Gaff Cleats forpeak halliards

Split ring, or form from wire

Wire link

Eyebolt

Drill hole

Pin in place

File fromwood strip

Use sheave, orjust a hole

29

General Rigging andSailmaking

Newcomers to the nautical world shouldlearn the following rigging terms.

Each edge and corner of a sail has aname. On a fore-and-aft sail, the top isthe head, bottom the foot, aft side theleech, and forward side the luff. The for-ward lower corner is the tack, aft lowercorner the clew, forward upper cornerthe throat, and aft upper corner the peak.A triangular sail is similar, except theupper corner is called the head. It has nothroat or peak.

Cringles, sewed into corners of sails orelsewhere, are metal thimbles to whichlines are attached. They are named pertheir location; for example, clew cringle.

Grommets are either a buttonhole-stitched round hole in the sail or a brassgrommet. They are used to pass a linethrough the sail. Sails are bent to theiryard, stay, gaff, or boom.

Standing rigging: Fixed lines supportingmasts and spars. Standing rigging isgenerally wormed, parceled, and servedwith a light line. It also is tarred; hence,its black or dark brown appearance.

Shrouds: Transverse lines supportingmasts. Deadeyes are wood and havethree holes for reeving the lanyard.Lanyards are lines used to tightenshrouds. On modern ships, metal turn-buckles have replaced deadeyes. A bulls-eye is similar to a deadeye, except ithas one hole.

Chain plates: Iron bars or rods on thehull for holding deadeyes.

Stays: Fore and aft lines supporting themasts. Backstays provide side and aftsupport. They are generally angledslightly aft.

Bobstays: Support the bowsprit fromupward loads. Bowsprit shrouds (calledguys on Emma C. Berry) support thebowsprit from side loads.

Running rigging: Lines that move, reevethrough blocks, or operate sails and spars.

Blocks: Wooden or metal shells withsheaves (pulleys) for handling lines. Apurchase (tackle) consists of several blocksand a line to provide a mechanical

advantage for handling sails and spars.

Halliards or halyards: Lines for raisingand lowering a sail, yard, boom, gaff, orflag. For gaffs, the outer halliard is thepeak halliard. At the gaff jaws is a throathalliard, named for the part of the sail itoperates. Downhauls, outhauls, andinhauls drag a sail along a boom or upand down a stay.

Sheets: Hold the lower corners of a sailor boom. When not in use, sails arefurled (bundled on the yard, boom, ormast).

Reef bands: Horizontal reinforcing bandson the sail. They have short lengths ofrope called reef points. In heavy weather,sailors tie the reef points to a yard orboom to shorten the sail. Emma C. Berryhas no reef bands, but does have reefpoints. They run through grommets.

Parrels or parrals: Lines or devices forholding yards, booms, and gaffs to theirrespective masts and spars.

Mast hoops: Wooden hoops securing fore-and-aft sails to the masts. Hanks, smallwooden or metal rings, secure fore-and-aft sails to stays. Lacing secures the headand foot of a sail to its boom or gaff.

Topping lift: Line lifting the boom. A gasket(line) furls a sail to its spar.

For future reference, buy a marine

STAGE 6

30

dictionary.

1. Rigging Options

Like the real ship, the model can berigged four ways; with sails fully set,furled, some furled and others set orpartially reefed, or without sails. Thechoice is yours.

Sheet 4 shows rigging for a full set ofsails. Emma C. Berry’s simple rig shouldcause little trouble.

2. Rigging Line Sizes

Because more line diameters are shown

on the plans than provided in the kit, use the following guide:

Additional diameter lines are commer-cially available. Experienced buildersprobably have a stockpile of sizes fromwhich to choose. Try to use every diam-eter to enhance the model’s scalelikeappearance.

3. Treating the Lines

Worming, Parceling, and Serving: Lines onships were wormed, parceled, andserved wherever chafing might occur.Shrouds are a prime example. Worminginserts thin pieces of line (worms)between the strands. Parceling windscanvas strips saturated with tar aroundthe wormed part. Happily, this isn’t nec-essary on the model, because Emma C.Berry has no worming. Only considerserving (binding the wormed andparceled area in the opposite directionwith spun yarn). Use fine silk waxedpolyester (available from Model Expo),or linen thread. Avoid cotton. It’s toofuzzy.

Although serving is recommended, it’soptional. The model will look goodwithout it. Lines are easier to serve offthe model. Figure 6-1 shows how.

Note: Per the plans, not all standing rig-ging is served. The jib stay is an example.This unusual stay has a core line wrappedwith other lines, but no serving.

Seizings: Seize lines with cotton, nylon,or silk thread. Do not secure lines withknots. Knots are for shoelaces. Touchseizings with diluted white glue

Lines on plan Lines in kit

Less than 0.012" 0.010"0.016" to 0.023" 0.021"0.028" to 0.031" 0.031"0.039" to 0.049" 0.041"

Fig 6-1 Serving Line

Fig 6-2 Seizing the Lines

Fish hook or other swivel

Vise

Thread

WormParcel

Serve

Twist

Tie, touch with white gluewhen serve complete

Option: Secure line ina lathe-rotate lathehead by head

Serving

Starter Knots

Eye Splice

Regular Procedure

Constrictor knot(will not loosen)

Clovehitch

1. Beginthe knot

2. Wrap

Glue

Wrap

3. Tuck& Glue

1 1 2or

31

(Figure 6-2).

Beeswax: Protects lines against moistureand lays down fuzz. To soften beeswax,hold it to a light bulb. Run the lineacross the beeswax, then through yourfingers to soften and smooth it. Do thisseveral times to thoroughly coat the line.

4. Blocks, Deadeyes, and Bullseyes

The plans list each block’s, deadeye’s,and bullseye’s actual length or diameter.Because 7/32” blocks (7 inches full size)are unavailable, use 1/4” blocks. Sandthem a bit to maintain scale.

The kit may substitute a deadeye fora bullseye. If so, ream its center to asingle hole.

Sand the blocks and deadeyes andslightly ream their holes to better reevethe lines. Figure 6-3 shows an indis-pensable fixture for holding smallblocks. A sewing needle threader isideal for reeving lines through blocksand deadeyes.

Emma C. Berry has rope and ironstropped blocks. These are detailed onthe plans. Stropping blocks at 3/8” scaleis not difficult. However, modelingalternatives are shown in Figure 6-4 forthose who opt not to do so.

5. Belaying

Emma C. Berry has one belaying pin inthe boom’s starboard jaw. Most linesbelay to bitts, cleats, or to the port andstarboard lashing rails. Sheet 4 showswhere lines are belayed.

6. Rigging Tools

Some homemade tools are essential forthe rigging process (Figure 6-5). Similarshapes are commercially available.

7. Sailmaking

The plans provide details of Emma C.Berry’s sails. However, here are someshortcuts.

Choosing the proper material is critical.Sailcloth must be lightweight, yet fairlyopaque. Tightly woven cotton is accept-able and available from Model Expo.(We will have several sizes in new cata-log.) Although linen is ideal, most is

Fig 6-3 Block - Holding Jig

Fig 6-4 Stropping Model Blocks

Cut ends flat, glueon 1/32 " plywood

Clothes pin

Block holder in use

Wire Strop

Line Strop

Twist

Glue & cut off Slip knotthen glue

Seize

With hook

too heavy for models.

Wash sailcloth several times to pre-shrink it. When dry, iron the cloth, butbe careful not to scorch it. Next, lightlydraw the seams and hem (tabling) linesin pencil, then sew the seams usinglight tan cotton thread. A sewingmachine makes fast work of the project.Practice on scrap cloth. Balance the nee-dle thread tension so it doesn’t puckerthe material. No reinforcement patchesare required. Instead, simply stitch linesto represent corner reinforcements, etc.If sewing a double seam, be sure thetwo lines are parallel. Those who lackthe Betsy Ross touch can substitute asingle seam. Figure 6-6 shows themainsail layout.

When done, iron the sails. Be carefulnot to burn them. Next, cut the sailshape using Line A in Figure 6-6. Foldthe hem, iron it flat, and sew as close toLine B as possible. Tuck the ends andhand stitch the corners. The sail is nowready for stretching.

Sewing Aids: Visit a fabric shop andpurchase a bottle of Fray-Chek.Running or brushing it along the edgeof the cloth prevents the material fromunraveling when cut and produces a

sharp edge. Apply it to the sail beforerolling the hem.

Stitch-Witchery and Wonder-Under arebasically the same product. They areheat fusible bonding tapes. Stitch-Witchery comes in a roll and is bondsensitive on both sides. To join two

pieces, simply place a strip betweenthem and iron.

Wonder-Under comes in sheets with athin, paper backing on one side. Thismaterial is useful for bonding lettersand numbers to a scale sailboat’s sail.First, buy the colored fabric for the

32

Fig 6-5 Homemade Rigging Tools

Brass rod

Woodenhandle

Push

Pull

Make severallengths

Flatten end of rod,then file to shape

File out head of a steel orplastic crochet needle

Touch ends with glue

Light pencil line tolocate holes

Sew thru the line,not around it

Tabling

Cut line

Final shape

Hole for cringle ifno bolt rope is

used

Bolt Rope

Reef points

1.Punchhole

Sail material

Pencil in all lines, sew seamsfirst, then edges cut to “A” line

Seam lines same asdirection of cloth weave

2.Sewdown

“A”

“A”“B”

“B”

“C”

“C”

Mark with a pencil and sew seams.Double seam, or optional single

seam

Tuck in and sew by hand

Fig 6-6 Making a Set Sail

33

numbers. Place the Wonder-Under sheeton the cloth with the paper backing up.Iron the sheet to bond it to the material.Next, cut out the letters, numbers, logo,or whatever with scissors or a sharpblade. Peel off the paper backing, posi-tion the letter on the sail, and iron. Thistechnique also works for making flagsfrom colored cloth.

Emma C. Berry has no numbers. UseWonder-Under for hemming the sail ifsewing it is too difficult.

Stretching the Sails: This step assures thesail’s proper shape, since sewing mayhave altered it. Using the original pat-tern, trace the sail’s outline onto a pieceof paper. Place the paper on a solid, butporous backing, such as a wood or corkboard. Now wash the sail again and layit over the outline. Stretch the wet mate-rial to the sail’s outline, then securewith stick pins through its outer edges.When dry, the sail will have resumed itsproper shape. Iron it one more time.

Boltropes and Reef Points: Althoughboltropes can be omitted, they add quitea bit to a model the size of Emma C.Berry (Figure 6-6). The sketch alsoshows how to install reef points.

Furled Sails: Don’t furl sails made fromsailcloth and cut to the original’s scalesize. The material is usually too heavy,resulting in a bulky furled sail. To solve

this problem, either proportionally reducethe size of a sail by one-third when usingsailcloth (Figure 6-7), or buy a lightermaterial such as Silkspan (model airplanecovering tissue available from ModelExpo). Depending on their size, evenSilkspan sails may require being reducedby one-third. Test the percentage reduc-tion to determine how much material isneeded for a neat, tight furl.Even furled sails need some seams andhems, as these details are visible.

8. Rigging the ModelWithout Sails

Include most of the lines that remainwhen sails are removed. These areshackled together, tied off, or secured tosome other stowage point. Sketches hereand on the plans show some details.

If no mainsail is present, lower the gaffon top of the boom and stack mast

hoops between them.

Standing Rigging

Before starting, sort lines by size, coatwith beeswax, and keep them handy.Use polyester, silk, or nylon sewingthread for seizings. Treat this withbeeswax. Keep white glue at the readyfor dabbing on a seizing if necessary.Usually sewing through the shroud fol-lowed by a half hitch will prevent aseizing from unraveling.

Serve lines before installing them. Aspreviously stated, serving will enhancethe model’s appearance. Refer to thesection on serving for procedures.

1. Shrouds

Note: Before rigging, make sure allhoops are placed on their masts.Begin the standing rigging with thelower shrouds. Install the starboard pairfirst. Note: Double seize shrouds afterwrapping them around the masthead.

Fig 6-7 Making Sails for Furling

Cut to this sizefor furling

STAGE 7

Lower deadeyes have flat chain plates.Make them from brass strip. A cap railfits over the chain plates (Figure 7-1).To set up the shrouds, make a tempo-rary brass wire fixture to space the dead-eyes as seizing progresses (Figure 7-2).The fixture should be longer than thefinal spacing of deadeyes. Reeving thelanyards will tighten the shrouds to theirfinal proper spacing. Make a test shroudfirst to see how much it stretches.

Figure 7-2 also shows the sequence forreeving lanyards. When looking out-board at any deadeye, always start witha knot in the upper left-hand deadeyehole. Consequently, port deadeyes havethe knot aft and starboard deadeyeshave it forward. Keep an eye on themasts. Rigging the shrouds can pullthem out of alignment.

The bitter ends of the shrouds set upinboard, not on the side. There are threeseizings. Seize the wooden sheer poleabove the top set of deadeyes.

2. Topmast Backstays

Topmast backstays are eye spliced overthe masthead, run to the spreader, anddown to a lanyard. The lanyard,between the shroud eye splice andshackle on the chain plate, is hitched toitself just below the backstay eye thim-ble (Figure 7-3). Tension it like the mainshrouds and allow for stretching.

3. Jib Stay and Topmast Stay

Install the jib and topmast stays after theshrouds are completed. Start these linesby making an eye splice around themasts. Be careful not to pull them out ofalignment when installing the stays. Tokeep things taut until the mainsail isbent, run a temporary line from themasthead to the stern (Figure 7-4).

The topmast stay is eye spliced to a shackleat the bowsprit. The forestay passes througha hole in the bowsprit, runs to a bullseye atthe stem, then seizes to itself. Neither areparceled and served. Emma C. Berry’s jibstay has a core line wrapped in strandedlines. For the model, just use the line as is.

4. Bobstay and Bowsprit Guys

The chain bobstay fits to the stem. Partof the chain is parceled and served asshown on the plans. Prior to installing,wrap the chain with cloth and serve itwith thread. Or, cover the chain withheat-shrink electrical tubing. The for-

34

Fig 7-1 Chain Plates and Shroud Seizing

Fig 7-2 Setting Up Shroud Deadeyes

Fig 7-3 Topmast Backstay Set-Up

Shroud overmasthead

Deadeye

Doubleseizing

Bend arounddrill bit

Covering board

Wood strip

Brass strip

Lower Deadeye Strop

Pin with smallhead, or cut offhead

Pull tight

Startknothere

Hitch to shroud

Lanyard lookingoutboard

Seize to inboardside of shroud

Backstay

Seize, or eyesplice

Hitch

Lanyard

Solder

Shackle- Makefrom wire, or usea split ring

Twisted Wire Jig

Make longer than final spacingof deadeyes. Lanyards willstretch shroud to obtain properspacing

Simple Wire OptionFor Shackle

Wire-solder orglue

Pin, Cutoff

35

ward end of the bobstay sets tobullseyes and lanyard (Figure 7-5).

Bowsprit guys (also called bowspritshrouds) are single, parceled, servedlines (Figure 7-6).

5. Running Lights

Glue the britannia running lights toflat, wooden boards. Or, drill a hole inthe side of each light, then peg to theboard with a pin dipped in cyano.Paint the boards and running lights.Seize the boards to the shrouds

(Figure 7-7). Remember, port is redand starboard is green.

Running Rigging

Decide whether to rig with or withoutsails or with a few furled. The followingdiscusses the choices and how to rig them.

1. Mainsail

Lace the mainsail to the boom and gaff(Figure 8-1). Rig as much of the mainsailoff the model as possible. Leave enoughline for reeving, handling, and belaying.Don’t be in a hurry to snip lines flush.They may need retensioning as riggingprogresses.

Install the gaff, boom, and sail. Reevethe throat and peak halliards first, thenthe main sheet. Rig the topping lift last.Sew the mast hoops to the sail as shownon the plans (Figure 8-2).

If no sail is used, rig the topping liftfirst, then the boom sheet. Lower thegaff on top of the boom, and rig thethroat and peak halliards. Hold themast hoops together with a small linearound the gaff and boom (Figure 8-3).

Belay the topping lift to the cleat on theport side of the boom. Belay halliards tocleats on the mast. The boom sheet runsthrough a double block on the horse, thenbelays to the stern rail bitts (Figure 8-4).

Reef pendants belay to the mainsail’stack with a simple hitch. If rigging with-out sails, don’t add reef pendants. Theyare removed with the sail.

Fig 7-4 Setting Up Headstays Seize

Seize

Seize (4 places)

Shackle and eyepiece

Temporary linesto prevent pullingmasts out of line

Topmast stay

Jib stay

Bullseye

Solder wire, pliers tobend around bullseye

Seize end

LanyardBullseye

Chain

Eyebolt incoveringboard

Sister hook- Fakedfrom wire

Served full length

Shackle, from wire, oruse split ring as option

Open link,bend closed

Lower end of bobstay chain isparcelled andserved

Fig 7-5 Rigging the Bobstay

Fig 7-6 Bowsprit Guys

Fig 7-7 Running Lights

Casting

Mount withpin,or just glue

Sheetwood

Seize to shrouds

Board and light globe red-port

green-Stbd

STAGE 8Pin

36

2. Gaff Topsail

The gaff topsail is generally set up onthe starboard side of the gaff. Becausethere is only a single tack, the sail isn’tconstantly shifted from port to star-board and vise versa.

The sheet feeds through a block with along pendant, then belays to the lonepin in the boom jaw. The tricing line(pulls sail in for furling) runs through ametal ring seized to the sail’s luff(Figure 8-5).

As with the mainsail, sew the masthoops to the luff. If no sail is bent,bunch hoops on the topmast.With the sail removed, connect thesheet and halliard (Figure 8-6). If thesail is furled, make it a tight bundle(Figure 8-6). Notice the lack of ratlineson the shrouds. When a crewmanwent topside, he climbed along themast hoops.

3. Jib

If rigging with sails, add their halliards,downhauls, and sheets before installingon the model. Leave enough extra linefor belaying (Figure 8-7).

The real boat has steam-bent woodenhanks for bending the jib to the forestay,but the kit contains split brass rings(Figure 8-7).

Belay the halliard to a cleat on the mast.The downhaul feeds through a smallcheek block on the bowsprit, passesthrough a hole in the starboard buffalorail, then belays to the lashing rail. Lashthe sheet’s standing end to the aftershroud chain plate. The running endgoes through a block on deck and belaysto the forward most stern rail bitts. Thispermits operation near the tiller.

If sails are not used, attach the halliardand sheet blocks to the downhaul, thenbring it just forward of the mast.Another option is to eliminate thesheets, attach the downhaul and hal-liard, and bring the combined lines tothe end of the bowsprit (Figure 8-8).

4. Topmast Staysail

The topmast staysail sheets lead directlyto the aft lashing rails. This sail, like theothers, is operated from the tiller. Note:The downhaul originates at the tack, notat the head like the jib. It runs through ablock shackled at the end of the bowsprit,

Fig 8-1 Gaff and Boom Lacing

Fig 8-2 Sewing Mast Hoops

Fig 8-3 Gaff in Lowered Position

Fig 8-4 Main Sheet Rig

Punch holes

Laser-cut mast hoop

Sew by hand

Steady line Boom

Gaff

Position similar iffurled sail used

Stackedmasthoops

Single Block

Double Block

37

through a hole in the port buffalo rail,and belays to the lashing rail.

If the sail is not installed, the sheets areremoved with it. They are attached witha bowline hitch and are not easilyuntied. Shackle the downhaul to thehalliard similar to the jib.

5. Tiller and Boom Preventers

Port and starboard preventers run fromthe tiller and boom iron to the bitts.These lines, used only when the boat isin port, steady the boom and tiller.

6. Gaskets

Gaskets furl the sails on top of thebowsprit. These are simple, port andstarboard lines with a knot at the jack-stay. Use a touch of glue on their endsto prevent them from unraveling(Figure 8-9).

FINAL TOUCHES

When the model is rigged, recheckevery line and make sure the seizingsare sound. If necessary, add anothertouch of glue. Touch up shiny spots onstanding rigging with black paint orblack liquid shoe polish. Use a tan stainor brown liquid shoe polish for runningrigging. Check if any painted woodenparts were fouled during the riggingprocess and make repairs.

CONGRATULATIONSEmma C. Berry is finished! Take amoment to revel in your accomplish-ment. You’ve persevered when thegoing became rough and your effort hasproduced results. You’ve developedskills you never knew you had,increased your vocabulary, and becomea time traveler. We hope you’ve enjoyedyour voyage and look forward to sailingwith you on your next shipmodelingproject.

Fig 8-5 Gaff Topsail Rigging

Fig 8-7 Jib Ready to Install

Fig 8-8 Jib Rig with No Sail

Fig 8-9 Bowsprit Gaskets

Fig 8-6 Furling the Gaff Topsail

Tack

Halliard

Downhaul

Hanks

TackSheets

Halliard

Option 1

Option 2-No SheetsAll hooked together

Halliard

Sheets

Knot

Jackstay

BowspritGasket (p/s)

Touch end with glue

Downhaul

Downhaul

Real boat wood

Split brass ringon model

Sail pre-riggedleave enough linefor belaying

Tricing line

Furl tightlyHoops

Ring seized toedge of sail

Sail pulled towardmast for furling

Hoops

Halliard

Sheet

Cringle-Eyesplicetricing line

38

.20mm (.008")

.25mm (.010")

.40mm (.016")

.50mm (.020")

.60mm (.024")

.75mm (.030")

.80mm (.032")

.90mm (.035")

.95mm (.037")

1.20mm (.047")

1.25mm (.049")

1.30mm (.051")

1.50mm (.059")

1.60mm (.063")

1.70mm (.067")

1.75mm (.069")

2.00mm (.079")

2.50mm (.098")

.10mm (.004")

RIGGING LINE DIAMETERS

1.00mm (.039")

Diameters in Tenths of an Inch

1/32 x Inches in Tenths3/8" .375" .012" (.30mm)1/2" .50" .016" (.40mm)5/8" .625" .020" (.50mm)3/4" .75" .023" (.60mm)1" 1.0" .031" (.79mm)

1-1/4" 1.25" .039" (.99mm)1-1/2" 1.5" .047" (1.19mm)1-3/4” 1.75” .055” (1.39mm)

2” 2.0” .063” (1.59mm)

4" 0.125" (3.18mm or 1/8")5" 0.156" (3.97mm or 5/32")6" 0.188" (4.76mm or 3/16")7" 0.219" (5.56mm or 7/32")8" 0.25" (6.35mm or 1/4")10” 0.313" (7.94mm or 5/16")12” 0.375” (9.53mm or 3/8”)

Lengths for Lifesize Vessel Lengths Converted to 3/8” Scale

Diameters for Lifesize Vessel

R I G G I N G

S C A L E C O N V E R S I O N T A B L E

1 mm = .03937 of an inch

To find tenths of an inch:.03937" x mms = tenths of an inch

To find mms from tenths of an inch:Tenths of an inch ÷ .03937" = mms

FORMULAS FOR CONVERTING MILLIMETERS AND INCHES

B L O C K S

Diameters Converted to 3/8" Scale

Bibliography

1. Restoration of the Smack Emma C. Berry atMystic Seaport 1969-1971, by Willits D.Ansel. Mystic: Marine HistoricalAssociation.

Reference for framing the Emma C. Berrykit. This edition also contains plans of thecraft, but do not reflect its current decklayout. The book was updated in 1993 toreflect the ongoing restoration andchanges made after 1971. However, it hasbeen out of print since 1995.

2. Mystic Seaport Museum Watercraft, byMaynard Bray. Mystic: Mystic SeaportMuseum, 1986.

Description of Emma C. Berry (shows 1971version) and other craft at Mystic.

3. Boatbuilding Manual, by Robert M.Steward. Camden: International MarinePublishing, 1994.

Good text on boatbuilding practices.

4. Boatbuilding, by Howard I. Chapelle.New York: W. W. Norton & Co., 1941.

An old standby with excellent descrip-tions of boatbuilding practices from thatperiod.

5. The Classic Boat, by Time-Life Editors.New York: Time-Life Publishing, 1978.

Wonderful book with photos and draw-ings of boat construction. Has a lot aboutsloops.

6. Building the Blackfish, by Dana Story.Gloucester: Ten PoundIsland Books.

Shows a larger boat, but excellent photosof planking and framing.

39

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