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Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Steam Tug Hercules Photo Gallery

High-resolution Photo Gallery of Steam Tug Hercules

The Only Remaining Steam Tug on the West Coast

A great subject for a historic ship model


Photograph of starboard side of steam tug Hercules
Steam Tug Hercules
In 1907 the San Francisco firm The Shipowners and Merchants Towboat Company ordered two ocean-going tugboats from John Dialogue and Son of Camden, New Jersey, builders of tugs, pilot boats, and small steamers. At the turn of the century many harbor tugs were built with wooden hulls and powered by a compound two-cylinder steam engine of about 500 horsepower. Hercules and her sister Goliath instead were built with 150 foot riveted steel hulls and triple expansion three-cylinder 1000 horsepower steam engines.

The only remaining ocean-going steam tug on the West Coast, Hercules was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1986. She was was documented as part of the Historic American Engineering Record, a program of the National Park Service. 

Our photo gallery of steam tug Hercules features high-resolution photographs from that survey that are kept by the Library of Congress.

Also, check out our Free Ship Plans of Steam Tug Hercules.


Monday, January 20, 2014

Building Midwest Products' Chesapeake Bay Flattie Model Ship Kit

Midwest Products' Chesapeake Bay Flattie

Plank-on-Bulkhead Model Ship Kit

Promises Ease of Construction


plank-on-bulkhead model ship kit Chesapeake Bay Flattie
Midwest Products Chesapeake Bay Flattie kit.
While solid-hull ship models are generally considered the easiest to construct, Midwest Products has created a "Success Series" of ship model kits that offer plank-on-bulkhead models that promise to make model shipbuilding easy for the complete novice.

We decided to test this theory by making Midwest's Chesapeake Bay Flattie ship model kit our first on-line kit build. The simple lines of these boats that made them ideal for locals to build from locally-available lumber should also make this an ideal ship model kit or a person with no prior wood ship model building experience.

The biggest challenge of plank-on-bulkhead ship models is planking the hull, and because of the simple shape of these boats, this task is accomplished in this kit with a single plank on each of the sides, and two planks on the bottom.

The kit comes with well-executed die-cut and pre-cut parts, as well as fittings, rigging line, sail material, and a well-done set of instructions and building plans.

Click on the links below to visit each stage of construction:
Chesapeake Bay Flattie Kit: Introduction
Chesapeake Bay Flattie Kit: Chapter 1, Keel and Bulkhead assembly
Chesapeake Bay Flattie Kit: Chapter 2, Deck Assembly
Chesapeake Bay Flattie Kit: Chapter 3, Mast Steps and Bow Stiffeners

We have a lot more steps ahead of us, so keep checking back for updates!

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