I HAVE always been Interested in ships, and when I lived at Lowestoft my
attention was naturally drawn to the trawlers there. The trawlers in general
are very colourful little ships, and are most seaworthy, so it seemed
reasonable to assume that a model would be likewise.
My choice of the "Boston Arrow" was because it was the smartest ship In the
fleet, and the most up to date with its look-ahead wheelhouse, single arm
davit, and a tripod mast, besides the interior equipment.
Near water trawler built by Richards Iroworks Ltd., Lowestoft, in 1958 as
"Boston Arrow" (LT113) for Boston Deep Sea Fisheries Ltd. to fish the North Sea
grounds. Sold to French owners in 1963 and renamed "Avocette". Later renamed "Le Croise".
The dimensions of the ship are as follows: Overall length 116 ft.(1392in = 35.36m), beam 23
ft. (7,01 m), draught aft 13 ft.(3.96 m) 6 in., draught forward 7 ft.(2.13),
gross tonnage 197 tons. The ship is powered by a six cylinder 550 h.p.
WIddops Diesel engine which also drives the main winch by means of a large belt.
As I intended to fit a radio control set in the model I thought that a 3 ft.(36in = 91.44 cm)
model would be about right, so the rather unusual scale of tfi in to a foot (M 1:38.7)
was used making the model just over 36 in. a good modelling size.
The hull was made by employing the bread and butter method. The wood I
used was obeche, the plank itself was 15 ft. x 6 In. x 3/4 in. planed finished
size — this was the most expensive single item. Costing about F2 10s. Od.
from the local wood merchant. The shape of each plank was obtained in the
usual way, marking the cross-section Into 3/4 in horizontal lines, putting
these at riaht angles to a straight line the appropriate distances apart, and
joining the marks up, allowing, of course, for the overlap. The planks were
glued with Aerolite 306 and left to dry. The hull was shaped to the outside
dimensions Sand then hollowed out; the hole for the shaft was drilled and
the shaft fitted. The difficult part was to thin the top 11/4 In, down to 1/16
in, as this was the bulwark: under the forecastle it was left 1/4 in, thick for
strength and is not noticed when the model is completed (see sketch No. 1).
An 1/4 in. groove was cut as shown to take the keel which rather unnaturally
ends halfway up the bow. On the real ship this is the case, for a large plate
is riveted to the end of the keel (see sketch No. 2).
The wood was primed and given three undercoats sanding with wet paper
between each coat. In all the hull was painted 13 times—black above the
waterline and slightly darker than red oxide below. After the final sanding
the rubbing strakes were put on, and also the bilge keels (see plan) and the
whole painted for the last time. The white line and lettering was home-
made. This was done by painting white over a sheet of white lettered
transfers brought in a shop and when dry cutting the letters and the white
line out with a straight edge and a razor blade the transfers were clear
varnished over the top so that water would not affect them. The deck beams
were cut from a sheet of 3/16 in, obeche and shaped with the correct
camber and then glued in place. The deck was planked with 3/4 in. planks,
this was necessary as the deck curves upwards and is also cambered. It was
decided to do it this way as putting down individual plank would not be
worth the trouble—especially as very little of the deck is exposed to view.
The deck was painted a light yellow and the planks drawn on with a ruler
and Indian ink. The bulwark supports were fitted, the required supports
being drilled with a pin to take the rod to which the nets are tied when
stowed on the deck, and the top rail shaped round on top of the
bulwarks. Before fitting the fore-deck It is necessary to have all the details
underneath completed. This means the two store compartments (port and
starboard), the anchor chute, and the bulwark supports. The foredeck, it
should be noted, is cambered. With all these details I find it much easier to
have the plywood (1/32 in. or 1/16 in.) as the case may be, ready painted
(about four times to fill in the grain) and then sanded down: the pieces are
then joined together, the whole article painted and a really good finish can
be obtained this way. The deckhouse was the next item along with the
steering compartment. This was made from 1/16 In. and 1/32 in. ply
strengthened with obeche stringers behind. On the real trawler the
deckhouse is, of course, made from steel and then painted over to represent
oak. While this was gluing and drying I made the mast from a 1 in. dowel.
Near the top the mast is reduced in a series of steps. These I cut roughly
with a razor blade, then fitted the base of the mast Into a wheel brace and
got my younger brother to turn the handle while I held sandpaper on the
other hand—a crude sort of fathe, but nevertheless effective. All the details
on the mast were attached before the mast was glued in place. The platform
for the pulleys, etc. was made from a piece of 1/32 in. ply with one layer
carefully cut off with a chisel. The ladder also was rather delicate, as was
putting the wires up the mast to the Iights. Between times, I had managed
to make all the fish hold hatches and the otter board gallows (see sketch No.3).
To be absolutely correct the ship should have a four-blade propeller but as
this costs about 30/- have fitted a three-blade; besides the average person
won't know which is correct.
