Miss Jenna located in Mahone Bay, N.S

Started by Ronald

12 updates 90 likes 49 comments
Ronald Opening post

Miss Jenna located in Mahone Bay, N.S

Mike Kelly owns the Miss Jenna, a Russel Brothers Ville Class tugboat built for use by the RCN for duty on the East and West coasts of Canada. It has an approximate LOA of 40', beam 10' and interestingly virtually no keel. The drawings found, show a visible keel beginning about in the middle. A 4 1/2" width and about 1 3/4" depth, which becomes increasingly more moving aft.

http://www.russelbrothers.ca/xlisterville.html

Bill Froelich, Houston, Texas, built a fine 40" 1"=1' scale model seen here.

Bill and I have been in contact and have shared various ideas.
Liked by Joe727 and Colin H and
3 comments
  1. marky
    Commodore
    Really nice tug , daft question in photo 2 are these all churches in the background?
    Cheers Marky
    Liked by Martin555

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My Scroll saw is the workhorse for cutting the ribs

Just starting to see how the design is starting to shape up. The keel is sturdy quarter-saw oak. The ribs are lightly tacked in place with a drop of CA, easily removed. A couple ribs are to be altered and the Stuffing box secured before the ribs are glued up.
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On Board the Loganville today

My wife, Catharine and I, were invited by the owner of the Loganville to come down to Port Dover, Ontario, on the north shores of Lake Erie. We drove 500km round trip today to experience walking the decks above and below. We enjoyed photographing the vessel by ourselves. The owner, Pete Spencer, of Tiller Marine, left us pretty much on our own to photograph, measure and explore the vessel.

Pete has a No Visitors sign posted on the property. Best you contact him first before you coming knocking on his shop door. 🤓😉
Liked by Peejay and Joe727 and
4 comments
  1. Newby7Bronze
    Fleet Admiral
    looks like it was a good day to see the boat .Was it Fri. that you went.How wonderful to be building the tug and then be able to see her up close.
    Rick
    Liked by Peejay and stevedownunder and

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Keel and frames are glued up

The keel is Oak, strong & straight. The frames are cut and installed; also the stuffing box, and rudder. Making progress, length 30” width 10”, 3/4”=1’
Liked by Peejay and MouldBuilder and
4 comments
  1. redpmg
    Commodore
    Hi Ron - very nice job so far . Cant quite make out how big she is. Looks like a pretty hefty geared motor you have there too .
    You could end up like one of the members of my old club who used his tug to pull the clubs safety /rescue duckboat around - with him in it !
    Liked by Peejay and Martin555

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Four wheel secured

The skipper from Port Dover, said that a tugboat’s propeller is called a wheel. If you drive the tug with a four blades it is called four wheel. Thus two, three, five also a two wheel, three wheel or five wheel. Learned something new.
Liked by Peejay and hermank and
6 comments
  1. redpmg
    Commodore
    Heard the expression before Martin in a few American movies - and books - not from the local tugmasters - think its a term peculiar to the North Americas - Canada included.

    A ships wheel in English influenced countries is the usually spoked item on the bridge or deck used to steer with.....................
    Liked by Peejay and Martin555
  2. Ronald
    Fleet Admiral
    https://www.miwheel.com/

    Michigan Wheel is launching a new work boat propeller. Adding to our legendary work wheel styles such as the Work Horse, Michigan Wheel is introducing the Power Tow for push boats. Michigan Power Tow propellers are designed to provide the maximum thrust vessels need, with the maximized fuel efficiency you want. Each propeller is built to Michigan Wheel's high quality material standards. Keeping an earned reputation of reliable, repairable propellers for over 100 years.

    https://www.workboatshow.com/exhibitor/michigan-wheel/
    Liked by Peejay and hermank

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Planking coming along

I am pleased with this project it is coming along better than the Miss Katherine did last fall. Bigger scale helps too as does heavier frames.
Liked by Peejay and hermank and
3 comments
  1. Martin555
    Fleet Admiral
    Hi Ron,
    In my opinion the hull is always the trickiest part of building these models.
    You are really getting the hang of it.
    With a little more practice you will have joints you can hardly see.

    Keep up the good work.

    Martin555.
    Liked by Peejay and hermank
  2. Ronald
    Fleet Admiral
    Thanks Martin.
    I cut a sheet of 3 ply 3/4” wide as they are as the original of 1ft steel plates. Some plates are wider than 12”. I did not follow those exactly or the manner of application these steel plates which were welded on the frames. The photos show the plates were over lapped allowing welding inside and outside the hull. A welder who repairs these vessels told me about this manner of construction.

    The model will have auto spot, glazing putty applied to the small spaces between the planks, then sanded, and fibreglassed prior to painting.

    Ron
    Liked by Peejay and hermank and

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Nearly ready to fill seams

Hope to utilize the unseasonably warm weather to get the seams filled with spot putty/glaze tomorrow. Final section was glued in this evening as the rubber bands and clamps show.
Liked by EdW and Peejay and
2 comments
  1. RNinMunichBronze
    Fleet Admiral
    A word to the wise Ron😉
    Before you start trowelling on the filler, put a layer or two of glass fibre tissue on the inside of the hull.
    Stops the filler squishing through and looking unsightly inside.
    Had to do that on my fish cutter restoration, as it was like Chantilly lace after cleaning off 1/16" of old paint and 10 lbs of filler!😝
    Cheers, Doug 😎
    Liked by Peejay and hermank and
  2. Martin555
    Fleet Admiral
    Another little trick is to use thin cotton sheet and Varnish.

    Coat the inside of the hull quickly with the Varnish then put on the cotton cloth then more Varnish and allow to soak in and let dry.

    Martin555.
    Liked by Peejay and hermank

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More progress

Initial sanding done; filler applied and sanded; glazing spot putty applied and sanded; fibreglassing complete; Fine detailing with glazing auto putty yet to be done since the primer was done.

We in Ontario have enjoyed warm weather and that has sped things along.
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Ronald #10 of 13

Keep those cereal boxes

Made a pattern from cereal boxes to cut-out the deck. This will be done in two sections. Bow to aft line of the engine room will be one section; the other will be added after I make and mount the tow bollard.
Liked by EdW and Peejay and
7 comments
  1. mturpin013Bronze
    Admiral
    I save all my cornflake boxes and cut to flat sheets, my grandson loves to make things with them and they are good for template card.
    Liked by Peejay and hermank and

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