Runag

The first Sgoth on the Tube?

2009-05-15T13:20:00.003+01:00

I have a 28 inch model of the 'Jubilee' in my posession, acquired on loan last weekend when I visited Sam Maynard, who raised the funds for and filmed the building of 'An Sulaire' for posterity (and amn't I glad!). She was built by John Murdo Macleod and lent as part of the An Sulaire exhibition, and here she is, still travelling the Country wowing the crowds. I've been delighted to have her here in Lyme and am showing her off to all and sundry with very positive results!

Lofting with a model at your side also takes away a lot of the pain and I've really been able to visualise what all the lines mean. The detail is stunning, tiny thwart knees, even tinier nails and the most incredibly detailed thwart pump...a joy to behold!

So her journey is not over yet, she WILL make it back to Stornoway, I'm flying up next week but am terrified of letting her go through the baggage system in anything other than a bomb-proof casket. But there's always a way around things, after all, I managed to get her from London to Lyme on a busy Saturday evening, running the gauntlet of the Tube and Rail systems. I think the look on my face must have said it all, anyone coming within touching distance was glared at severely while she rested at my over-protective feet in her rather lovely, strong paper shopping bag.

Pages 5-6 of the Scottish Arts Council published 'Glorious Obsession' give some background to the An Sulaire build along with some great photos.

Blogging

2009-05-14T23:30:00.001+01:00

Hmmm, it may take me a while to get the hang of this lark. And the blog may change appearance a few times...but bear with me!

Lofting...and more lofting...and then some.

2009-05-14T23:16:00.000+01:00

Lofting is the process of transferring the lines on a boat lines plan or from a table of offsets onto the floor, or in my case, a couple of pieces of hardboard painted white and nailed down. You basically draw the boat lines or contours, full-size on the floor with three different views overlaid on each other....confused? Me too! I've learned a lot obout lofting these last couple of weeks...but particularly that it gives you sore knees, and you have to change the lines a lot. I now have knee pads and a decent rubber.

Dudley Dix nails the process here http://www.dixdesign.com/lofting1.htm it's much easier when you're actually doing it, and I've just done it twice. Once for Jubilee, the three quarter sized Sgoth scaled down to 16 ft and then for Morag, the half-sized Sgoth that I took lines off in April. The difference between the two boats was remarkable although they are both still shapley Sgoths. This is not really surprising as scaling a big boat down requires a lot of changes. It was a worth while exercise though, seeing those lovely beamy lines taking shape.