Holiday Harbor Fleet – 1:20 scale – {part 64}

In continuing with the modification,  pieces of scrap wood were cemented along the inside surface of the bow wall,  on the starboard side.

The traced part I had done on that slab of 1/8 flat stock was cut out.   I used the scroll saw,  since the wood is thicker than what I usually work with.

I had made another hull wall extension,  mirroring the original one I traced out,  and began the task of cementing them to the hull.   I use my handy bow jig,  I had made ,  to align the tips of the extensions to the bow stem.

The port side had dried long enough,  so the clamps could be removed.   The bulkhead wall was cemented in place at this time.

With the clamps removed,  the top edges can be sanded flush with one another,  to accept the deck platform.   A second deck beam was spanned across the open hull.   I will most likely put in one or two more,  mainly for extra support.   It will require more sanding.

A pair of hull extensions were added to the mod,  to allow it to slope down,  blending with the main deck bulwarks.   I will make allowance for a drip edge,  instead of an extended,  overhanging deck,  as I did with the Andrea Gail.  I want to bring this boat more up to speed with the Jingle Belle,  but I want to do another comparison with the four hulls {it should be very interesting to see}.

It was time to cement the deck platform in place…..but there was a problem…I should have traced the platform now,  instead of earlier in the mod.   The platform is now too small and out of shape.   I had to make a new one……I used 1/16 flat stock to make it.

Once dry,  the entire area can be sanded and made flush.   From this point,  I can give the entire hull the once over using a solid sanding block with finer sandpaper,  and then perhaps one last wave of filler.   I’m going to try something with the hull,  that I did with the Nordkap,  and a couple of my other early builds.   I went over those hulls with a couple coats of diluted white glue.   I’m noticing that the hulls have slight cracks……some even surfacing a while after the paint fully cures.   Patches where I have used filler,  seems to absorb the paint differently too…….even if covered with a coat of primer.   The hulls that I treated with the mixture have virtually no cracking going on,  and they have a smooth glossy finish.   My big enemy is that I get rushed……by no one but myself.  I will make time for this step.    I have been going like crazy these last few weeks……I really want to get some of these builds finished and off the table.   Here is the state of my tables at the moment.

The Wharf is in full swing.

AHOY!!!