47ft Watson becomes a 46ft 9in Watson

Repost as I will not be blackmailed by photobucket!!


I have been asked to make a 47ft 6in Watson using a 48ft Watson moulding.

Hull as received.


The opening in the deck is incorrect for this new build so a short time with a grinder and the deck is removed.


Using large clamps the hull is gently eased in to give the correct beam and held in place with a new set of beams glued in place.



Propshafts fitted with discs to maintain the gap in the tunnel.


A template for the new opening in the deck was made and the deck cut to shape and boned onto the hull.



An extruded polystyrene block for the forward superstructure was laminated to make a plug to allow a grp shell to be made.



After cutting and sanding the resulting plug is ready.


Grp lamination made on the plug.


Engine room bulkhead fitted into the shell.


Engine room casing added to the shell.


The plug for the rear section made and a shell for the rear cabin made.


Rear shell in place, but not bonded to the front section. They will be joined after detailing of the cockpit area as otherwise it would be impossible to get in there!!


Comparison of the superstructure as sent with the superstructure I now have.


Engine room bulkhead hatch fitted in the shelter.


Rudder built ready to hang later.


Rear sliding doors added and porthole locations drilled out.


Details started on the front casing.

Discussion on Photobucket is now here https://www.thercmodelboatforum.com/t1541-photobucket  

Barrie
Mod

Trying out the forum's picture hosting.  

Just two pictures to show for the last few days work.

The instruments, switches, oil pumps, fire system, throttle quadrants, reversing wheels etc have been made and painted ready to fit onto the engine room bulkhead.


I have also made the tabernacle, mast/exhaust and capstan head for the front of the engine casing.

booootiful work mike.

The planking of the deck had been completed, filled and sanded back ready for the next stage.


The positions of the (dummy) removable deck access panels have been plotted and the positions for the filler/drain plates marked out ready to be drilled to allow them to be fitted flush with the deck.


The two sections of the new superstructure have been given two coats of gloss dove grey and after adding the control fittings I made earlier to the engine room bulkhead will be joined together in the next few days then given a further coat of grey.

looking absolutely beautiful mike..........as always.

All the metal covers have been inserted flush with the deck surface at the points mapped out earlier, plus the two rectangular 'lights' that gave daylight into the forward survivors cabin.


The front face of the rear cabin has been detailed and painted.


The controls, dials and switches made earlier have been fitted onto the engine room bulkhead.


Both sides fitted along with the side seats, gratings and Steering, complete with working compass.


Now you can see why the superstructure had to be made in two parts. It would be impossible for me to get in through the small access gap to fit out the details inside!! The two parts will now be joined together.


I have also made the forward survivors cabin hatch and its cover, this is now ready to paint in the same grey as the rest of the superstructure.

no other way to describe this build but WOW!!!

  Wow   wow   wow

Glad you like the transformation so far guys.  

A few more steps forward over the last few days.

The two sections are now fixed together as one unit, the joint filled, sanded and painted. The position for the spray screen support has been marked out, the mast support crutch made and fixed in place and the positions for the two small cowl vents marked out.


The capstan, mast tabernacle and large cowl vent have now been fitted onto the front engine room casing. The rope trays have also been made, painted and fixed in position.


The forward hatch has had the hatchet fixed inside and the loud hailer socket fitted onto the outside.

love it...........such excellent wrk...............love the detailing.

Some more parts made and added.

The stanchions either side of the central rope tray, engine room cowl vents, navigation lights, side handrails and spray screen,


The handrails on the rear casing made and fitted in place.


View of the casing from the bow.


The keel at the stern has been rounded off and reshaped up to the lower rudder bearing, the three ruffle holes drilled and the reinforcing plates bonded onto the hull at bow and stern.


Now looks a lot different from the 47ft Watson we started with.

Next item on the agenda will be to sort out the hull belting for the fender at deck level.

looking fantastic. 


david

Outstanding 

Gawd..........that looks good mike.............superb.

Over the weekend the fender at the deck edge was laminated in position from several mouldings to get the correct shape. The glass table used as a reference plate was set up , the boat levelled, given the correct rise at the bow and the reference waterline drawn on the hull.


The spray rail was added to both sides of the hull just above the drawn waterline.


As the weather today was warm, dry and windless the hull was masked off and the upper section given two coats of grey primer and two coats of Oxford Blue top coat. Nice to get it all done in one day!!


The hull will now be left for 48 hours for the paint to harden off then it will be re-masked and the lower section given two coats of satin white top coat over two coats of white primer. The fender will also be painted in the distinctive pillar box red used at this period.

superb.

The fender has now been painted, the lower hull given its coats of satin white and the kick boards for the stanchions bonded to the deck.


Started to fit the stanchions in place.


All the stanchions now in place and the fittings on the foredeck added.


The anchor is now in place and the small angle supports for the kick boards added to the outside face.


At the stern the fittings have also been done including the brass sheathing on the fender.


Steps and gratings added to the crear well area.


View of the kit as it was supposed to be built.................


View as it has been built....................

brilliant i hope who ever it belongs to appreciates all the hard work that has gone into this build.


david

The Watson has now aquired a name and station.  RNLB R.A.Colby Cubbin No1 stationed at Douglas (Isle of Man).



(The names are straight, it's an optical illusion caused by the hull curving in two directions that makes them look cockeyed!!)

The stanchions now have their chains fitted and the anchor hawser rigged.


The mizzen mast that will carry the aerial wires has also been made and fitted in place.



Next on the agenda will be the fitting of the grab ropes along the sides of the hull.

Another masterpiece well done. 

The mast/exhaust is now in place and the emergency exhaust pipe made and fixed onto the engine casing.


The aerial rigging has been fitted to the masts and the grab lines fixed around the hull.


The shafts and props are now back in place and the rudder rigging finished.


Inside the hull the shaft oilers have been fitted and the motors fixed onto their mountings. The r/c system is also being fitted.


The Cox'n has been painted and is ready to take command .



Sea trials, hopefully, will commence at the end of next week when I get back from my trip to Barra in the Outer Hebrides.

Back from Barra and back to building!

The Cox'n has now taken possesion of the vessel ready for the sea trials.


The 'engine room' and the control systems have now been fitted and wired up ready to go.


Initial ballasting and control checks have been done in the test tank, in between heavy rain showers, and she is now ready to go for open water trials when I get a decent length break in the weather over the next few days.

truly magnificent..........what a beautiful boat.

nhp651 wrote:

truly magnificent..........what a beautiful boat.

Thanks for that Neil.

Looking forward to the 'sea trials' when the rain stops.




Just realised that the title of this thread is wrong!!

It should read........ 47ft Watson becomes a 46ft 9in Watson

Another senior moment!!!!!

gribeauval wrote:

nhp651 wrote:

truly magnificent..........what a beautiful boat.

Looking forward to the 'sea trials' when the rain stops.

what do you mean WHEN..........IF is the word.
.........you'll be waiting a while............we got the tail end of 4 hurricaines to get through once they get across the atlantic, as well as our normal and plentiful lows.......jet stream just hasn't been kind to us in jolly old blighty this summer................you can tell i'm well p'ddddd off...........only had the one chance to sail the ferry this summer to adjust the trim on the Voiths...........sick as a parrot.

gribeauval wrote:

nhp651 wrote:

truly magnificent..........what a beautiful boat.

It should read........ 47ft Watson becomes a 46ft 9in Watson

and not one of us lifeboat fanatics picked up on it..............must pay more attention.

now corrected matey.

A right bottler if you can find a bottle big enough.

Very nice detailing as usual and a lot of food for thought on building for the novices like myself, thanks for sharing.

Fantastic looking model ! 
I am Hoping to make a start on a 46’9” Watson in the near future. I’ll be happy fit turns out half as good ..


John