Party (fishing) boats

[Ken_NJ]

I kind of shied away recently from posting build threads on forums. Although I might continue my post here on the USS Skipjack when I get back to it. In lieu of posting build threads I started my own web page which I will eventually add my builds for my USS Marlin and two other boats that I previously built. The completed Marlin build is on RCGroups BTW. I'll also be adding other relevant material. My web page is a work in progress, many pages have no material yet as it takes time to gather and configure photos and to write content. Having a web page allows me to have all of my content in one place rather that have material disappear on forums due to inactivity after the model is done. And I think I do some good stuff!

I'm currently scratch building a party (fishing) boat that was in the Belmar NJ Marina in the 70-90's. If you don't know what a party, or head boat, looks like check out the link below. I'm building the model from the only four pictures I can find. So I need to use my ingenuity and knowledge of boats in order to get this project done. By the way, I love to scratchbuild!! I already built one party boat, the SS Miss Belmar which some of you might have seen at Groton. In the future I plan on scratch building four other party boats from the Belmar Marina from that same time period. I'm current building the Big Marie S which will be 42 inches long. The Miss Belmar is 54 inches long. The future four other boats will all be less than 42 inches since as I get older bigger models are getting cumbersome to transport.

I tend to procrastinate updating the web page, I'd rather be in the shop building, but hope to keep at the web page more regularly. So check out my web page and let me know what you think.

My web site: https://kensmodelboats.com
Pictures of Party boats: http://shorturl.at/EGKRT
Big Marie S: https://kensmodelboats.com/big-marie-s/

[Ken_NJ]

Progress so far. I'm a little beyond where the video ends. Currently fiberglassing the hull with epoxy.

[coryhenry]

Ken your boats are amazing!!

[Bob Gato]

Way cool ...Ken you gotta post that on scale boats RCG... maybe a minimal post with no explanation and just the boat name for the title...the response should be interesting-BG

[Ken_NJ]

Thanks for the kudos guys. I know this is a submarine forum so I didn't expect much response since this model is not a sub. So thanks for noticing this thread.

Way cool ...Ken you gotta post that on scale boats RCG... maybe a minimal post with no explanation and just the boat name for the title...the response should be interesting-BG

Well Bob, since I'm trying to make progress on my Skipjack, thought I would post this here. I have the website so I can contain my model building in one place and shy away from maintaining threads on multiple forums. Will think about it.

As the model stands now the hull is coated with cloth and epoxy. I used white pigment in the epoxy. The different colors are body filler and will go away once the hull is painted. David encouraged me to give scribing a try on the Marlin, which I did on the sail. Since the Big Maris S was a wooden boat and you can see the planks I decided to scribe planks into the epoxy. The whole hull, once painted white, will have the appearance of being a planked hull. Some of scribing on the bow needs attention, not sure if I'll try to fix those spots. The real boat would have had planks removed or repaired so I can call those spots repairs. Once the hull is painted the scibed lines should fill in nicely and the planked effect should look damn good. The SS Miss Belmar is 54" long with a 16" beam (110' x 32') and the Big Marie S is 42.5" long with a 10" inch beam (85' x 20') Scale is 1/24th or 1/2 = 1 foot. Both model are 100% scratch. My website.... https://kensmodelboats.com/big-marie-s-2/

SS Miss Belmar and Big Marie S


SS Miss Belmar and Big Marie S


Scribed planks at the bow

[trout]

Ken,
I like seeing what you are building whether surface of subsurface craft. That planking looks amazing!
peace,
tom

[Bob Gato]

Ken, The pictures on your website are amazing!-I felt as if I was looking at a 1:1 being built -if they were B+W, there would be no telling the difference! ...

-if anyone out there enjoys build pictures, definitely visit the site (extensive!)

[Ken_NJ]

Thanks guys! Appreciate the comments. Here's an update. Rudder blocks are in, gunwale cap is on, sub-deck is on, brass railings are done. Railings have 86 visible pieces and are pinned & soldered with 88 pins. Still have to clean up the soldered joints with a file.

Had to start a second page on the website, first page was getting a bit long. Here's a link to page 2.

https://kensmodelboats.com/bms/bms1/

[Bob Gato]

Nice rudder stuffing box towers! Are those rails heated for cod fishing?-Looking real/reel!

[trout]

Ken,
‘Those railings are a work of art. A lot of great information there and you are seeing the talent you have come to life. Really amazing!
peace,
tom

[Ken_NJ]

The cabin is assembled and individual windows cut and shaped from 1/16" acrylic sheet. Fabricating the cabin roof is in progress. I made up a jig, cutting board, to cut 1/4" wide planks for the deck. Will show this later.







A boat captain\operator supplied me with a great picture that I did not have before. This will give me lots of info about details

[Bob Gato]

Nice stance...you nailed it!

[roedj]

Wow, just WOW!

This brings back memories. In the late 60s when I lived in CT a group of us crazies would go down to Niantic - IIRC - and charter - along with a few dozen other nuts the My Joy. As I recall, she was about 70 feet LOA. It would take us 4 hours to go out to Block Island - cod fishing for 4 hours - and then 4 hours to get back to Niantic. She sailed every day day but two out of the year. March was always the fun time. Sometimes you got rain, sleet, and snow at 40 MPH all at the same time - in about 6 foot seas - we loved it. Of course, the 4 hour ride out gave plenty of time for the amateurs to get royally ****ed before the fishing started, Most of them lasted a couple of minutes on deck before their lunch did a U turn and came back up. Inevitably, these jerks would park themselves on the most windward part of the boat so the game was try to concentrate on the fishing while dodging the half digested liverwurst and onion sandwich flying past your face a 40 MPH. Party boat? Some party.

Love your work, Ken.

Captain Codfisher

[Ken_NJ]

Great story Codfisher. Glad the model brought back memories of the past.

[Ken_NJ]

Taking a break on the cabin for now. The simulated scribe lines I did on the hull needed work. When scribing its hard to know that each line is the same depth. I used a glazing compound to fill in the lines then before it started drying I wiped it down with acetone on a paper towel. The glazing compound was recommended to me by David. This removed glazing where it was not supposed to be and gave me a slight indention where the planks are. Needed to do this before I started on the scuppers. The main deck and cabin is now planked. Planks are 1/4" wide with varying lengths. Glue is applied with a paint brush to each plank. Needless to say it took 2 weeks to cut, stain and apply the planks to the main deck and cabin. Now that the hull plank lines are filled in and the deck is applied next up is to cut out the scuppers.