Having added the helm to the deck, I decided any competent helmsman would need a binnacle to help with navigation.

Several offcuts of 15mm copper water pipe were cut to size to form the body of the binnacle. The compass disk was turned from brass and pivots on a needle. The needle is fixed in a holder, also turned from brass. The holder pivots in a brass gimbal ring on two 1mm dia brass pivots. The gimbal ring is pivoted to the outer body using two similar pivots. Two tiny magnets, 2mm dia and 3mm long fit into holes in the underside of the compass disk. I found that the magnets were attracted to the needle pivot, which prevented the disk from turning. Replacing the needle with the shaft from a map pin solved this problem. I guess the map pin is a non-magnetic stainless steel.

The oil lamp housing was built up from pieces of brass sheet, soldered together. A compass dial was printed and glued to the compass disk. The disk is 9mm in diameter.

I didn't have any large enough brass rod to make the binnacle plinth, but I did have a brass nut from a plumbing fitting. The end of the nut was turned down and parted off to provide the plinth.

The angled photo shows the gimbal in use.

A window was turned from acrylic rod to fit in a brass bezel. Both faces of the acrylic were smoothed with 1200 grit wet and dry and then 'fire polished' to make the window transparent.

The last two photos are to give an idea of the scale. In the last photo, the oil lamp is lit 😉.

Another prominent feature in photos of Pilot Cutters is the windlass. There are several different designs, but the one I decided to model is the barrel windlass.

The first, and perhaps most difficult part was to make the ratchet wheel. The largest diameter brass I had available was 12mm so a short piece was drilled with a 4mm and then cut from the bar. I didn't have any means to accurately scribe the ratchet teeth positions on the circumference of the blank, so I had to set to and make an indexing attachment for the lathe. This turned the job into a bigger task, but the indexer will come in useful for future jobs.

I had previously made a winding handle for the lathe spindle which I use for threading workpieces using a tailstock mounted die holder. A plastic gear wheel salvaged from an old printer was bored out and glued to the winding handle shaft. This gear has 48 teeth so provides a range of indexing options 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 24. A spring loaded detent, attached to the headstock holds the spindle in the required positions.

The ratchet blank was inked with a black marker pen, mounted on lathe spindle and scribed around the circumference with 12 equally spaced lines. Twelve radial cuts were then made 1mm deep with a piercing saw and the surplus material filed away to produce the ratchet wheel.

Using a similar approach, a wooden barrel was marked radially with 8 equi-spaced lines (I knew the indexing attachment would come in useful 😀)Flats were planed on the barrel using the lines as a guide. Timber battens were then added to produce a completed barrel similar to the ones seen on full sized Cutters.

A couple of temporary support posts were made so that the completed Windlass could be tried in position on the deck. It is important that the height of the windlass is low enough that the bowsprit can be retracted over it. Fortunately it does, however...... as Martin (☹️) said a few weeks ago "If it looks right, it probably is". Looking at the completed windlass, it just doesn't look right. The barrels and ratchet wheel are just too small a diameter. Two reasons I got it wrong, 1) I only had 12mm diameter brass and 2) I had to be sure it would fit below the bowsprit.

Oh well, back to the drawing board..

I usually find, when I have to make something twice, that it turns out better the second time - but not always !🙄

The first task for the revised windlass was to make another (larger) ratchet wheel. The same technique was used as with the first attempt, but this time the blank was 16mm diameter. The indexing attachment on the lathe was used to scribe the teeth positions on the blank. As the wheel is bigger this time, it was scribed for 16 teeth rather than 12.

The two wooden barrels are also larger and hence were easier to make. The plain barrel has square mortice holes added for the operating lever. The battens on the other barrel have small holes drilled in the ends and filled with black epoxy to represent bolt heads.

You can see the relative sizes of the two completed barrels in the photo. The Mk2 version is a much better proportion, and it still fits underneath the retracted bowsprit (just!)

The location for the supporting posts were marked on the deck and then drilled and opened up to be square. The two posts extend down through these holes and are braced on the underside of the deck. Finally a pawl for the ratchet was made from brass and fitted to a third support post.

I'm now happy with the appearance of the Mk 2 windlass. "If it looks right, it probably is right" to quote Martin 😊

I find it difficult to judge the scale of chain when looking to buy a length on-line so, continuing with the 'make it if you can' theme, I set out to make the anchor chain.

A length of copper wire, salvaged from scrap electrical cable, was wound round a metal dowel and then cut into rings using the piercing saw. The rings were squeezed to an oval shape using pliers and a metal spacer to set the internal width. The oval links were then linked together and the butt joints soldered to stop them spreading. A quick undercoat of etch primer and a top coat of silver completed the chain.

Using a photo of the anchor on a full sized Cutter, the main parts were sketched. These parts were then glued to thin card and tried in place on the model to judge the scale. Some adjustment was necessary until it looked about right. The revised sketch was then printed onto a self adhesive label which was stuck onto a piece of brass and cut out. Several parts were cut, formed and soldered together to complete the anchor with its hinged head.

A shackle was bent from brass strip and a small bolt machined on the lathe and threaded 12BA to fit. The shackle attaches the chain to the anchor.

The anchor and chain pass over a sheeve attached to the side of the stem. A brass bracket holds the sheeve in place and bolts to the stem on the opposite side to the Gammon Iron. A pair of hex bolts pass through the stem holding both the Gammon Iron and anchor sheeve in place.

The anchor was painted - seemed a shame to cover up the brass work, but it doesn't look right in it's natural colour.

Finally, a quick video to show that it works 😁

Having completed all the major fittings that needed to attach to, or pass through, the deck it's time to get back to making progress on the hull. 👍

The exterior of the hull was glassed with two coats of epoxy resin. The inside of the hull was also given a sealing coat of epoxy resin.

The plans I'm working to suggest that the mast stays are attached to the gunwales with bent metal hooks referred to as 'pelican hooks'. It is necessary to be able to release the stays so that the mast can be removed for transport. I'm beginning to realise just how big this model will be, and how much rigging will be necessary at the lakeside. 👎

Rather than use the suggested Pelican hooks, I decided I would prefer to come up with a solution that looks more like that used on the full sized Cutters, using Chainplates and Deadeyes. There are two stays from the mast on either side of the hull, so four chainplates were made from brass strip with a short length of brass tube silver soldered to the top edge. A temporary mast was fitted (sorry no photo) and a length of string used to mark out the angle for the chainplates on the side of the hull so that they will be in line with the stays running down from the mast. The chainplates were then fitted using brass rivets which pass through the plates and the hull. Separate fixings for the end of the bowsprit stays were also made from brass and fitted to the hull sides.

On the inside of the hull, the rivets were soldered to brass backing plates and the excess length trimmed back.

I found a length of timber to make the deadeyes from among the bits and pieces I got from Dad. I think it is probably Ebony, based on the colour and grain. Eight deadeyes are needed to link the shrouds to the Chainplates.

The timber was turned to a diameter of 16mm and then grooved using the parting tool to form the deadeyes with a space between each for separation. I made 9 in all, in case one ended up vanishing on the workshop floor with all the other bits I've lost 🙄 Four of the deadeyes have a wide groove for the fixing strap, and four have a narrow groove for the bottom end of the shroud.

The deadeyes were sawn from the turned strip and a simple jig was used to drill the three eyes in each one. Each deadeye was positioned in turn in the hole in the wooden jig and the aluminium plate placed over it. The plate locates on two nails. Once in position, the eye holes were drilled in the deadeye using the holes in the plate to fix the positions.

An abrasive bit in the Dremel was used to chamfer each of the eye holes where the lanyard will pass through. The lanyard will be black elastic cord which I am hoping will apply enough tension to keep the shrouds taught.

The four lower deadeyes need a metal strap which fits in the groove around the circumference and attaches to the top of the chainplate. An outline for the strap was drawn on the computer and then printed out four times onto a sticky label. The label was stuck onto to a length of brass and the strap was then cut out with the piercing saw. After tempering, the straps were bent to shape around the deadeyes.

The last photo shows one of the deadeyes fitted in position. It is attached to the chainplate with a 'R' clip. It should be bolted in place but the 'R' clip is a compromise to make it easier to rig the boat at the lakeside. I don't think it will be too noticeable.

Having sealed the inside of the hull with two part epoxy, it was given a couple of coats of white Hammerite to ensure that there will be no water damage, and to make it easier to see inside the hull once the deck is fitted.

There are two winch servos to be installed. One will control the main sail and the other will control the stay sail and jibs. Mounting rails were made from european redwood. These are bolted in position onto the support blocks that were attached to the bulkheads early in the build. The servo mounting plates, cut from 3mm ply bolt onto the mounting rails through elongated holes that allow for some adjustment of the servo positions.

Nylon sheeves fitted with ball bearings are bolted to the mounting rails. There are two for each servo. These will be used for the rigging cords. Thread locking compound was used on the nuts. Adjacent to the forward pair of sheeves, a ceramic fishing rod eye is attached to the mounting rail. This will be used to assist with routing of the main sheet.

Two pairs of copper fairleads were made with flared ends as described in an earlier post. These were soldered to copper plates which were then painted and attached adjacent to the rear pair of sheeves. These will help with routing of the sheets for the stay sail and jibs.

Next time - starting the rigging....

It is much easier to rig the two winch servos before the deck is fixed in position.

Each servo has a closed loop of cord running round the sheaves at the other end of the hull. The sheet for the main sail attaches to one of these loops and then passes through three ceramic fishing rod eyes before going up through the fairlead in the deck to the main sail. I've used a temporary blue string to test out the routing and to ensure it runs smoothly.

A pair of sheets for each of the foresails attach to either side of the other closed loop. This allows control of the foresails on either tack, one sheet being pulled in as the other is let out. These sheets run through the guides towards the stern of the hull before passing through the previously installed fairleads in the deck.

The cord used for the closed loops on each servo is 1mm Dynema 12 strand braided. This does nor stretch or twist so is ideal for the purpose. However, as the cord is wound from one end to the other on the servo drum, the loop does slacken due to the effective change in diameter of the drum caused by the overlapping turns. To overcome this, and avoid the risk of the cord coming off the sheaves, a spring tensioner was added to each loop. These were made from a short spring with two pieces of stainless steel wire bent and threaded through the spring.

With this rigging in place and tested the deck, which has been varnished, was glued into position with two part epoxy adhesive. The hatches give good access to the installed servos and rigging. It will be possible to remove and replace all the rigging below deck through the hatches (hopefully that won't be necessary 🤞).

With the deck glued in place, time to fit the timberheads.

The edge of the deck was masked with tape and then a 'washer' used to mark a constant width from the gunwale. The masking tape was then trimmed back to the marked line with a sharp scalpel. Doing it this way ensures a constant width margin around the deck.

To ensure that there will be no leaks, the seam between the deck and gunwale was sealed with 'Sticks like' white filler and adhesive. Individual timberheads were then cut and glued equally spaced along the gunwales. At the stern, a couple of shaped timberheads were fitted, the masking tape having first been cut away underneath them.

Four scuppers were cut through the gunwales on either side of the hull, level with the deck to drain any water that comes over the sides when the boat is heeled over.

Four fairleads (two either side) were added to the gunwales for rigging cords to pass through from the bowsprit. These fairleads were made from brass tube, cut on an angle with a copper wire hoop soldered on and shaped to give a flared end.

The gunwales and timberheads were then painted and the masking tape removed before the paint hardened. There were a couple of places where the paint had crept under the tape, but as this was not yet hard, it was easily removed by careful scraping with a knife.

As anticipated by jbkiwi 👍, the next task is to add a mahogany capping to the gunwale.

To accommodate the length and curvature of the gunwales, the capping along each side has to be made up of three pieces. This is the same approach a I took with my Bionic Bill rowboat last year. Lengths of hardboard were held in position along the gunwales and scribed on the underside against the rubbing strip which had been fitted earlier in the build. The hardboard was then cut along the line giving an accurate curved template for the outside shape of the gunwales. Dividers, set to the desired width of the capping strip, were then used to scribe the inner edge of the templates. Once the templates were cut to the correct width and curvature, scarf joints were marked and cut on the ends.

With the templates complete, the outlines were transferred onto lengths of 25mm x 5mm mahogany and the shapes cut out using a bansdaw.

A hardboard template was also produced for the transom capping piece. This was used to mark out a wider piece of mahogany which was also cut on the bandsaw. All the capping strips were then glued and pinned in place using brass pins which were punched below the surface. The holes were filled with Brummer stopping. Fitting the transom piece proved to be a challenge owing to the complex shape It took many trial fittings before I was happy with the final fit.

Holes had to be cut through the capping strips on either side to allow the chainplates to pass through.

Two jib sheets run through blocks attached to the gunwale capping on each side of the hull. I found a photo of such a setup on a full size cutter and used it as a guide to make mounting eyes for the blocks. A piece of circuit board was used as a template for drilling the holes in the base plates. The eyes were bent from 2mm brass rod. I was not happy with the result, as it was difficult to bend the rod (despite it being annealed several times) and the eyes did not sit well on the mounting plates. An alternative approach was taken to making another set of eyes using two pieces of brass. One was bent into a loop and the other piece silver soldered to it. This gave a more consistent result which was a much better fit to the mounting plate.

The completed mounting eyes were fitted to the gunwale capping. They fit through a hole in the capping and screw into a small threaded brass angle plate which in turn is soldered to a rivet passing through the side of the gunwale rubbing strip. Four brass pins attach the mounting plate to the mahogany capping strip. More for show than for security.

Finally, the mahogany was given a first coat of yacht varnish.