HMB Endeavour (Mantua Kit.)

Hi Guys,

As you know I have not been on this site for a while but one thing lead to another or should i say life keeps getting in the way.

I now have to remember how to use the site again.

I know this is an RC model boat site but I have checked with the Moderator to see if it is ok to post this log.

This is a static model.

This is not so much a build log it is more like an in progress update log.

Years ago i was given this part started kit and it has been living up in the loft ever since forgotten.
Recently I had to go up in the loft and there it was looking at me.
Well to cut a long story short i decided to build it.

Firstly i noticed that the hull was incorrect towards the transom and needed some rework.
I removed some of the planking and reset the shape using some strips of wood.
It looks a little better but requires some filler and sanding.




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Hi Guys,
Here are a few photos of the hull after some sanding ,filling.
I would of liked to of just varnished it but due to glue and filler showing through I decided to paint it instead.
The colour scheme I got from looking around on the internet.

Martin555.

Good to see you are back Martin.

This is looking good, keep it up.

Fred

Hi Fred,
Thank you.

This is not my favourite type of boat to do but as it was given to me by my father who has recently passed away i thought i would build it in his memory.

I have got a little further with the build than posted but it wont take long for this log to catchup with the progress so far.

Martin555.

Am I right in thinking this is the same as Mutiny on the Bounty? I'm tempted by a Mantua kit but not yet i need major buttering up of the CEO to put one on display in our house.
What's the finishing process for the hull on a static build? you don't need to resin & cloth it do you?
What's HMB Bounty? why's it not HMS is it due to the science side of the trip?
Sorry to hear about your Father as well.

Hi Swab,

Thank you My father was two weeks away from his 93rd birthday.

I don't know a lot about these ships but i did do a little reading up on this one.

The vessel was renamed His Majesty's Bark (HMB) Endeavour (bark being a nautical term to describe a ship with three masts or more). Endeavour departed England in 1768 under the command of then-Lieutenant Cook.


Here is a link to a little bit of the ships history that you might find interesting.


https://www.captaincooksociety.com/home/detail/endeavour

As for the Finnish of the hulls:
There is no need for waterproofing you can paint or varnish them unless you plan on doing this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTExq48Pqdg

If you choose to varnish them then you wood working skills will show as would glue and fillers.

Also there are many different types of woods in these kits if varnished you will get quite a bit of colour variation.

On this model i have used a wood stain to try and even it out a little as you will see.

I do not wish to put you off but these ships do take up a bit of space and to save you periodically dusting it off a display case would be needed.
The plus side is building this type of ship is it is good to keep the brain and fingers active especially when doing the rigging.
And when finished the satisfaction of completing quite a complicated vessel.
You will also have a model to be proud of and a real talking point.

Sorry for going on a bit.

Martin555.

Hi Guys,

A few more progress photos.
As you can see i have used some wood stain and paint on this hull to hide all the mistakes LOL!!
Also fitted the rudder.

Fred i apologise for Endeavour i read Bounty I've no idea why maybe because I was looking up wooden boat kits and the Bounty is well served.

Hi Swab,
As you have seen there are many different kits and manufacturers.
The same ship will always look different I suppose it depends on how much research the kit manufacturer dose and how much is artistic licence.

Martin555.

Hi Guys,
Here i have started work on the deck fittings and installed the lower deadeyes.

Martin555.


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Hi Martin

You are coming along in leaps and bounds with this boat, your workmanship is so good and as for your work service I just wish mine was half as clean.

Fred

Hi Fred,
The only area i have to work in and build my models is 1 bench that is approx 48" x 24" and that takes a bit of juggling around.
Sometimes I have to put my model on the floor so that I can use the bench top.
I know what you are thinking and yes I agree i will end up breaking something.

Martin555.

Hi Guys,
A few photos of the deck fitting that I have added and the jolly boat.
The jolly boat was of plank on frame construction and painted white but I had to tone it down a bit as it was to bright and stuck out like a saw thumb.

A few more posts and I will be up to data with the progress of this ship.

As i am only skipping through this build so if you have any questions then please ask and i will do my best to answer them.

Unfortunately i did not take any photos of the making of the Cannons.

Looking really good Martin. Did you read the instructions?

Hi Peter,

Welcome to the site.

I think I was blessed this time this kit came with two books of instructions. LOL!!

But in answer to your question  'NO' lucky there were pictures on the box, but I think the pictures on the box must of been of a different boat as mine looks nothing like or as good as it LOL!!

Martin555.

Good to see more pictures of your progress Martin. It's starting to look really good now!
That Mouldbuilder chappie has got a bit of a cheek asking if you had read the instructions. I would like to meet him one day and give him a piece of my mind!

Anyway, keep up the good work.

Cormorant.

Hi Steve,

Thank's she is getting there.

I think if peter wrote instructions he would still not read or understand them.LOL!!

Martin555.

Hi Guys,

Well it is time to tackle the Masts and Yards.

As I do not have a Lathe and my electric drill burnt out after many many years of service these all have to be done by hand using a file and sandpaper.

I did not take any photos of the Foremast assembly but i have remembered to take some of the Main mast.

After completely assembling the for mast as it was attached to the ship I decided to assemble this Main mast as a separate assembly then fit it to the ship making it a little easer.

A few photos of the Yards and them attached to the mast.





At this stage i started fitting the running rigging ready to attach the Main Mast to the ship.





You can see in the background in some of the photos that the Foremast is already fitted but by showing you the Main mast and it's setup you will see how i did the Foremast.


Martin555.

Those spars look so evenly tapered on each side! It's not too bad a task if the wood is relatively soft like dowel but I understand you had to plunder your wife's supply of wooden knitting needles? If this was the case (and don't worry, I won't tell your wife), the bamboo is  been much harder I think.

Hi Cormorant,
It has been a bit of a battle.
As you know this boat is one of those boats that has given me grief all the way throughout the in-tier build and dose not want to be built, if you know what I mean. 

Martin555.

Hi Guys,
A couple of photos of the 4 cannons fitted on the deck.





A view of some ropes tied to the Belaying pins.I will show how i achieved this the easy way.

Hi Guys,

These photos brings this progress log up to date.

The next job will be adding the main mast and then rigging it.
It should look similar to the foremast in the photos.
At this stage of the build there is not a lot you can say as it is all rigging all over the place.
The Flag was rolled and twisted in my fingers so that it appeared to have movement.

Rigging this sort of ship really keep the mind and fingers active.

You are correct - it keeps the mind and fingers active, particularly tieing the ratlines and threading the deadeyes. 
Did you use a jig for the ratlines?

Cormorant

Hi Cormorant,

I did every thing by eye, Like my signature says "If it looks right then it probably is" altho that might not be true in this case LOL!!

Martin555.

And an excellent job you have made!
I only ask the question as I looked into a jig for the ratlines, but it received very poor reviews so I didn't bother. With such a large number of rungs (I counted 844 for my two masts), any slight discrepancy gets lost in the overall.

Hi Cormorant,

I know there are Ratline jigs available that cover different scales.
I think the best and cheapest is to make your own using something like flowerpot sticks and small nails.
It all depends on how close to scale you want to get, this model that I am making is really only a representative of the ship as when you look at all the different manufactures of this ship kit they are all different.

I think if you were building something like the 'HMS Victory' then maybe people will say things like "that bit is not right" as they have something to compare it to.

The way I look at it is as long as i am enjoying myself then that is all that matters, altho having said that i have not enjoyed this one so much as it has been fighting me all the way.

Hopefully it has given up fighting now LOL!!

Martin555.

Thanks for the tip Martin. I will be able to use it on HMS Surprise (whenever that may be!)

Cheers

Steve

Hi Steve,

It would be great if only that guy would pull his finger out and get on with writing the instructions.

Maybe you could convince him to send us both a free kit  of HMS Surprise and we could build and write the instructions for him LOL!!

Martin.

Or send one to Pete who doesn't need them anyway?

 Very good Steve.

Martin.

Hi Guys,
As you can see in the attached photos I am still wrestling with the main mast rigging.

Hi Guys,

Just a little update.

At last I have finished the main mast except for some rigging that has to attach to the Mizzen mast.

Next job is to start all over again this time on the Mizzen mast.
At least the end of this build is in sight.

Martin555.

Looking good Martin. Hopefully the mizzen shouldn't take as long as you have had plenty of practice on the main.

Hi Cormorant,

Hopefully I will have her finished in about a month or two.

Martin555.

Hi Guys,

As some of you know it has been a real battle to build this model and at last i can say she is finally finished.
Not my best work but at least she is done.
I think i will do a little bit of clay sculpting before i tackle the next project.

Martin555.



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Hi Martin

You have made a really cracking job of her.

Congratulations and very well done!

Steve

Hi Martin

That is looking good, photo 2 looks a bit drunk

Fred

Thank's guys,

I am glad to of finished it.
It was quite a battle but when I got to doing the rigging I could then see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Fred,

A little to much rum LOL!!
(she was not sitting right in the stand)

Martin555.