The Model Boatyard - Tug Arnold S

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November 15, 2018
I am starting a new project - a small HEAD BOAT called the Arnold S.

Boatshop

The plans are downloadable from Garden Railways Magazine at no charge. You will need to take the PDF files to some place like Staples to get them printed on 18x24 paper. It's not expensive. Cost me about $7.50.

The scale is 1:24 and the LOA of the model is about 16-1/4 inches. So it's a small model, and the plans are quite simplistic, but there is plenty of room to embellish and add details.

I didn't make a lot of progress today since I started late this afternoon. I got the keel and bulkheads cut out first. Then, I soaked some 1/8" square strips for a while so I could bend them to the curves shown on the plans for the chine logs and pieces that go along the keel. Those will have to dry overnite.

Keel & Bulkheads

Chine Logs

November 20, 2018
I now have the hull planked and have done a basic sanding. I can probably refine it a bit more. When I planked the hull, I didn't try to do any nice fitting. I figure the tug is made of steel, so there wouldn't be any plank seams showing. I used a LOT of filler to hide the gaps.

Frame

Planked Hull

November 27, 2018
Still plugging away. I have the bulwarks glued on now. I struggled to make a template for the side bulwarks that fit well. Even after I thought I had one and got the wood cut out, I still wasn't happy with the way it fit. Kept futzing with it for a while and finally decided to take a different approach. I used 1/16" square planks to lay up the side bulwarks. It was a little tedious but in the end, I think it was easier. One benefit of doing it that way was it made it simple to cut the scuppers as I went along. In the pic below, the planks look really ugly, but once I've applied a half tub of filler and then sanded them down, you'll never know they weren't single planks. They look ugly inside too, and sanding there will be difficult because of the stanchions, but there is a wide cap rail on this boat, so the bulwarks will be largely hidden by that.

Took a slightly different approach with the stern section. I cut notches in one side of the plank about halfway through, and that helped make it easier to bend it. Still had to soak it in water, but it went on pretty well. That section will get covered over by another short deck so the notches won't be visible then.

Bulwark Side

Bulwark Aft

December 11, 2018
I have not been working on the boat much at all the past couple of weeks. Just haven't been interested in modeling. I have the red bottom paint on the hull but haven't gotten to the upper section. This afternoon, I finally got out in the shop and made the 4 portholes for the aft section of the deckhouse. I decided to use clear plastic for the windows because these are pretty large - 3/8" internal diameter. I turned a 7/16" recess in the back side of each one to hold the plastic. The plastic is clear - not translucent. There's a protective film on the pieces shown below. I have only planked one side of the aft deckhouse so far.

Portholes

December 15, 2018
Making a bit of progress. I got the rub rail on the hull and got a coat of primer on the upper section. (The bottom is already done.) Still need to do a bit of filling and sanding before I paint the upper section of the hull. I also got the aft section of the deckhouse planked and the door made for it. It just has one coat of primer on it at the moment. It will get painted a color that looks very similar to the primer. Of course, I still need to make the pilothouse, the roofs for both, and all the bits and bobs that go on top of each. A long ways to go yet.

Hull	Aft Deckhouse