"Queenscliffe" Build (Watson Class Lifeboat)

A brand new member, I live in Melbourne Australia, so I guess I'll never meet any of you in this life, but I have learned a lot from the articles on your site.
Now, I'm not a class act, and your builds make me feel a little inadequate, but as there is a long distance between us, I'll share my build with you to keep you entertained and feeling (justifiably) superior.
 
Well there I was coming out of a knee replacement, and in lockdown for Covid so it was time to build another boat, but a small one because I wasn't very mobile.
 
The Margaret and I headed off to Floataboat (https://www.floataboat.com.au/) to discuss the problem with Adrian Brewer (master model designer and maker), and we ended up buying the plans and propulsion fittings for the Queenscliffe lifeboat.
 
The Queenscliffe (https://maritimequeenscliffe.org.au/lifeboat-queenscliffe/) was one of 3 (?) Watson Class boats built in South Australia in 1923/4, and was in use at Queenscliff into the ‘70s.   Single propeller, 45 feet long, 27 tons, and double diagonally planked.   The plans are 1:12 scale.

If I can figure out how to post images, I'll tell you more.   I know it must be simple, but I need a bit of guidance, please?

Welcome to the Forum. We would love you to post details of your build. Not all of us are master lifeboat builders and everyone starts somewhere. Personally I build for my pleasure not for anyone else

For help posting photos see this tutorial. Its quite easy really and no need to resize your photos as the host does that automatically.

https://www.thercmodelboatforum.com/t39-uploading-photo-s-tutorial-update-june-2016

Barrie

Did I say plans? they were big enough to wallpaper the house. Not only that, the hulls lines were fairly basic, as far as I was concerned, and I discovered I needed retraining to work out what to do.  It was also apparent that Adrian’s carefully surveyed and drawn topside plans contained detail that may well be beyond my limited abilities. 
                                                             


Time for research!   Advice from Adrian  - “patience, careful consideration, take your time,” and stuff like that.  Then, reading up on lofting, learning about diagonal planking, showing a retired boatbuilder the plans and subsequently receiving a letter from him which included advice on being patient, taking my time, lots of thinking and planning time.   (I'm not well known for patience).
 
I also discovered (not that it was lost!) The RC Model Boat Association site in the U.K. -- yes, you - which contained a very detailed reconstruction of a run-down Watson kit boat https://www.thercmodelboatforum.com/t1039-watson-total-refit.   This model is different in that (a) it is a later twin engine model, (b) it’s a fibreglass hulled and superstructured example, and (c) its topsides are very different in appearance.  Never-the-less I learned a lot about the modelling techniques, including the futility of searching for a 1/12th scale blacksmith, it’s ok to cheat a little, and not to be discouraged about procrastination as apparently it’s a national sport in the U.K..   This was essential advice I took to heart.   Thanks Gribeauval!
 
After days of bookwork and Google searching, and after I worked out what a "rabet" line was, work commenced and the keel was drawn and constructed. The propeller, shaft and motor had been purchased with the plans, and the shaft tunnel was drilled.  A building jig was made up, the frames cut out, and the whole lot mounted and aligned.
 


It became apparent to me at this point that deep thought, visualisation, speculation, wondering how to proceed next etc. (i.e. procrastination) wouldn’t take the place of actually viewing the real thing – but the Queenscliffe Maritime Museum was closed because of the Covid-19 restrictions.  
After some time waiting for the Covid situation to improve (which I still am) I rang the Museum and to my pleasure found that John Sisley – Administration Co-ordinator at the Museum – was happy to let me and a friend have a private viewing, and so Nemo and I managed the 2 hour drive to Queenscliff the next day.   It was strange to find the town of Queenscliff as deserted as a country lane on a Sunday morning at sunrise!
John was very friendly and helpful, and I was able to take my photographs and videos.   John found me a ladder to climb aboard to check out the topsides, and despite the strain this put on my 6 week old knee replacement, I didn’t complain once!
 
Armed with the photos and the info gathered, the plans were re-examined, the questions and measurements that should have been taken were identified (@*&$%^@), and the next steps planned.
 
It was at this point a decision was made that the model would be a “representation” rather than a scale “replica”.   The task ahead of me looked well beyond my abilities, and it may well prove to be a correct assessment.
 
It seemed to me that it would be easier to make and fit the rudder and keel before planking, so these tasks were undertaken and seemed satisfactory - at that time.  
     

I should say at this time that I may well reconstruct the rudder assembly roughed out here, if i can figure out how the rudder actually slides up and down the pintle.   It actually appears that the entire pintle slides up leaving the lower gudgeon empty temporarily.   You may be able to see that the gudgeon passes through the steering lever via a square hole.   I notice that the rudders I have viewed on other watsons ar a simpler design and that the rudder raising technique is clearly visible.
Any advice would be helpful - the Museum guys haven't seen it in operation.
 
Strip planking the hull before overlaying a second layer of diagonal planks seemed a good idea, and trial runs using different types of timber were done.  In the end, western red cedar was my choice for the strip planking, and teak for the diagonal planking.
It takes quite a while to rip the cedar into 2mm x 3mm strips but once 140 lengths were produced, it was time to plank.

  






I’m happy with the result so far, and the hull is now covered with an epoxy and micro balloon mix waiting for sanding and fairing.   A further coating will probably be required to consolidate the job.
The next step is to cut the teak into the dimensions required for the diagonally laid planks.
How to fix them to the Hull??     I received this advice from Adrian at FloataBoat
"Would probably use either long cure epoxy or Purbond.  2 planks a day and let dry over night.  Worth taking time and doing it properly. Build superstructure and fittings while planking in progress."
 
The planks will be 12mm wide, and the hull perimeter is 1200mm x 2!!!!!!    The Margaret just laughed as she considered my patience levels!
 
Anyway, that’s where we are now, and to be honest, although I can see some interesting adjustments to be made, I actually feel encouraged with progress.
I’ll keep you informed.    David (Slithytove)

David
That planking looks excellent - good enough for a final surface. Please keep posting - we really love to see other peoples work

Barrie

Ok, not a lot of progress, but a bit of work done.     How come things take so long?
 
The thing about procrastination is that everything keeps popping into your mind, and because you’re not focussed, there’s too many decisions to be made, and so you don’t get around to making any!
There’s a list made now, set some priorities and narrowed down my daily focus.
 
These are the things tackled “pre list”.
 
I’ve bitten the bullet and decided to re-do the rudder and assembly.   This came about because I ended up cutting a square sectioned pintle from 3/8^th  inch brass rod, which means I have to modify my gudgeons, which on the rudder side are soldered into the hinge assemblies…….       Time to start again!
 


The Hull has been sanded outside, refaired with wood filler, and the inside the hull the planks have been smeared with a glue and sawdust mix, to be sure, to be sure (actually a very unattractive result, but it is on the inside).









There are a lot of stanchions on the boat.    The ones drawn up with TinkerCad and 3D printed are exactly to scale, and look authentic (the kids bought me a 3D printer for Christmas) - but unfortunately turned out to be too fragile if handled roughly.
Having lots of 1/8^th brass tube, printing the round bits with the holes already in them, and sliding the beads over the tube, seem to work.   Another job half done, but closer to a solution.

 
  




Next job – cut out diagonal planks for hull exterior.

Seems like good progress - its a hobby not a time critical project

An interesting technique for the inside - I would have just used resin, or possibly glass tissue and resin.

Hope you have not been affected by the storm.

Barrie

It was windy, Barrie.  We escaped unscathed - our 53 year old 100ft+ gumtree in the back yard survived yet apain, but a few small branches around the place.
The sawdust and glue?    I was trying to save a dollar.   Epoxy is expensive.
!

The diagonal planking has been tackled and completed, and I am happy with the result.  The pencil lines are my attempt to get the plank lines to emulate the real boat's planking.
 
 
There were concerns that some minor bulging on the initial planks would cause a problem when sanding time came, as the planks (made from teak) were only 1.1 mm thick.  They sanded ok 'though, at the end.




 
The 30-odd planks towards the bow had to be planed into tapered shape, but there were no dramas.  I found the Dremel ideal to cut the rabets.




 
Planking stared off slowly – 6-8 planks at a time, but in the end the 2^nd side was done in 3 days.




 
The sanded end result looks fine.
 
 


I ended up resealing the interior of the boat with a thick coating of epoxy mixed with micro balloons, and now it looks like the inside of an abalone!






How many planks?   114 each side, an average of 6 pins per plank - 1200+ holes to fill!
 
Looking ahead, I suspect I’ve done the easy bits.