BCK 209 Jeannie McIntosh Model Project

Glenn, I am starting to look at the wheelhouse and engine casing construction now. From the pics it looks like the wheelhouse had 2 windows facing forward, 1 each side at 45 deg to the front, 2 on each side and 2 plus a door on the rear, with the door exiting onto the top of the engine casing.
What do you think? Ian

Ian
These pics are about the best I can do right now. Better make that 3 windows facing forward & 2 rounded from forward to each side.
Glenn

BF 398 Frigate Bird was launched in 1900 - the first steam drifter launched by the McIntosh's & the first launched in the Buckie district. The wheelhouse appears to be made of wood and looks the same as the other wheelhouse whose top is just visible near the convict ship sign.
It is quite different than those on these other later steam drifters.

Now to the drifter in question. The wheelhouse is quite different.

This is SY 111 Lews - the wheelhouse is obviously steel. She was built of wood by William Geddes of Portgordon (Buckie) & launched in 1915 as BCK 207 Braes O' Enzie. So she was launched in the same year in the same area as the Jeannie McIntosh, and the wheelhouse looks the same as in the previous pic.

Got a little done today, fitted the rudder tube, and the under deck on the stern. Also managed a start on the stern rail, doing this using a thin piece of lime to give me the shape of the stern, held in place with pegs, and fitting individual pieces of lime vertically to give me a rough shape to sand from.

Fiddly, but should work I hope

More sanding and filling on the hull, think its just about ready for epoxy now.
Finished off the stern, just needs the capping piece all around the hull now.
Made and dry fitted deck beams - that was awkward to get the curve for and aft! 4 attempts till I was happy.
I have also made some card wheelhouse and engine casings to see what sort of size I need - dont think they are quite right yet.

I had quite a bit of trouble with this thing over the last few weeks. I put on the first coat of epoxy and it dried looking like a severe case of cellulite! So, off it came with hours of sanding using wet/dry.

Then, I was able to do a little on nights at work, I got a coat of epoxy on and it went on great, so, the problem was, I put the first coat on too cool! It was about 25 degc in the boiler room at work...perfect!

Then came painting. the red is car primer, matt, the black is satin. I put on the red, marked the waterline and sprayed on the black. Went back the next day and realised the waterline wasnt straight! Doh! So, back with the wet/dry.

After respraying the red, I used a laser pointer to get the waterline on the hull, worked a treat, wish I had thought of that before! Then finished off with a coat of black satin on the topsides. Tonight I put on the boot top, pinstripe and names/numbers. Tomorrow it will get a coat of sealing varnish (satin) and that the hull exterior about done!

Spent a couple of days just trying to sort little things out like the hatch opening, the wheelhouse rear and identifying what I need to order. Anyway, here we have Jeannie with her deck linings cut and laid loosely in place. I have to wait for some gear hardware to arrive before glueing these down.

I have made an 'executive decision' on this build. I have realised that the boat, and the steam plant are best treated as 2 separate projects, hence. I will initially power the boat with an electric motor, and then when its finished - if they ever are - convert to steam when the steam plant is right. I ran the engine last week, - it leaks and so needs more work.