Setting up the Mechanics

5/9-10/2015: With the sails on I began rigging the bracing that will turn the yards. Each of the corse yards is connected to the others so when the main is braces all the yards will turn with it. This isn't how the model will finally be rigged, but it gets the job done for this upcoming event.

The on/off switch was installed under the skylight. The wires that carry power from the battery, throught the switch to the servos was separated and a connector installed. Now the servo tray can be removed without removing the switch, battery, or anything else. The problem is the "crimp-on" connectors. As soon as I tried unpluging the connector the wires pulled out of the socket side connector. A lot of time was spent hunting down the soldering iron to make sure that doesn't happen again.

5/12-13: I thought I needed to get some sheet balsa to complete the hammock rail caps, but remembered I had a 1" x 12" x 7' balsa plank on hand, so I cut the pieces I need to finish from that. Tuesday had the starboard side done, Wednesday I had the port side on, with a coat of paint on all of it. That done, I made a post to fairlead the heads'l and driver sheets to their servo. The servo centers to one side of center, so the post was instellaed to the servo arm's center instead of the centerline of the boat.

I also made the panels that end-cap the hammock rails and stained them - as they are finished bright, they won't be installed for a while so they don't get messed up or paint on them.

Baltimore Port Expo

5/17: Dragged Constellation and Pride to the Baltimore Port Expo again this year. Generally, everything worked fine. I rigged back-stays and fore-stays to brace the masts now that there was nearly double the amount of sail up. The old card and wood winch drum was put into service again to brace the yards, which were connected to each-other in "parallelogram fashion. The pivot guns were hot glued to their slides, and Ivan was taped onto the deck where the ships wheel will eventually be. As seems to be typical of these things, the pool was just a little too shallow and she spent most of the day aground in the middle of it, looking good, but not going anywhere. For more pictures, go to the Photo section of the site.

5/18: The ballast keel rods have always been a little long, I finally dug out the reciprocating saw and cut them to length. I also slotted the tops so I can use a screw-driver to put them in.

Opening Bulwarks

5/19: Today I began templating the forward bulwark panels. Making them doesn't look like it'll be a big deal, but whether or not they are hinged, ie operational - that's another matter.

5/20: I cut the top and bottom of the starboard bulwark to manufacter it as a single piece. It was sheeted with 1/16" bass with the grain running vertically. With the top and bottom rails glued in, I glued in inner stanchions that straddle the section lines so I can cut each panel loose later, if I choose to do so. I then sheeted the inside, clamping the whole thing in place so it'll take the proper shape.

Winch Drum

In between, while glue was setting, I continued to cut the disks for the winch drums. All the disks are cut for the formast drum.

5/22: I couldn't find #2 brass machine screws in the length I wanted, so I settled for threaded rod. Here the winch drum is bolted together and a hole bored in the center. A mounting disk that fits the winch servo is also bolted on. I have to cut slots for the braces to pass into the center through, and add disks for the fores'l tacks yet.

Meanwhile, the hinges for the drop bulwarks were represented with card-stock, and brass eyes, and the notch for the catting tackle lead was cut. Then some paint went on. It piece had to be sanded back at either end to allow space for the end boards of the hammock rail and the fixed bulwark.

Cradle Mod

The big job today was rebuilding the cradle so the ballast keel can sit under the model.