BR60103 Wrote:Does that mean you'll be sailing on Cheapskate Bay?

It's never "cheap" to sail, and you can only "skate" when the bay is frozen over......at that point,
give me an ice boat, and a good wind !

Puddlejumper Wrote:I do not model boats but I truly enjoy looking at the posts of the members that do.  I would like to build a PRR tugboat someday. Dave

Gidday Dave, Thanks for the welcome. I'm not sure I'd call my self a Boat modeler, but then that beggars the question, am I a model railroader ??  At the present I would be quite content to be known as a bloke who enjoys his hobby.
During the years when I only had time for armchair modeling, besides to be fairI didn't have a clue what I actually wanted to model, railway wise, I found the "operating" side of model railroading fascinated me along with the concept of "interchange". One of the methods of interchange was the car float and when I came more involved with these Good Folks, <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://modeltrains.kiwi.nz/">http://modeltrains.kiwi.nz/</a><!-- m --> , and decided to build my own modules which would also double as my own home switching shelf layout, i started to investigate what was available, the Walthers car float, tug boat and apron being the most obvious. My problem is that I can be a difficult "so and so" at times and with a certain amount of cussedness, which is why I've had my nickname for virtually all my working life, want to do things completely different so when I found this photo, about 5 months ago,  https://www.shorpy.com/node/14494, I was sold.
Now as I freelance a 1950s railroad very loosely on the Clinchfield , how I can plausibly explain a Detroit River Car Ferry service on my layout is why I wonder if I'm a model railroader,    and looking at model ship building books for modeling tips, the amazing work those guys turn out, well I'm just not in that class.
Anyhow I've found on the interweb enough information and photos to draw up HO scale plans, which I is something thoroughly enjoy, actually when I found the dimensions of the Windsor on the quaintly named Bowling Green State University site I was pleased to find I that my guesstimation was only 8 feet out on length, though I won't say how far out I was in the beam. :oops: The build is progressing very slowly.
Ah well its all Good Fun.
Cheers, the Bear.

JaBear:

That is one of my favorite photos. I especially like the flatcar load with the traction engine load. I look forward to seeing more of your work.

dave

You, are going to have a ton more "railings" to build for your "steamer", than I have to build for the "tour Ship".
The build, to where I left off for other things, is here:
http://bigbluetrains.com/forum/viewtopic...=22&t=5936

Hope you can find some of the information there useful when you start your project.

I'm a fan of carfloats as well, although my layout's version is pretty simplified. That's great photo.

Sumpter250 Wrote::  You, are going to have a ton more "railings" to build for your "steamer", than I have to build for the "tour Ship"..........................
Hope you can find some of the information there useful when you start your project.    

Hmmmmm, most likely a case of ignorance is bliss but the railings don't actually fill me with too much dread,   , actually I should also throw in famous last words!!!. Thoroughly enjoyed your steamer thread,   at least I don't have to model the table ware, can't have the crew drinking on the job!!
The only thing you didn't have to model were cowl ventilators, not really sure how I'm going to scratch build those, the commercial ones I've seen are far too big even for a freelance.  Any   anyone :?:
Davits, not being a nautical person, I thought big deal. Well I'm certainly having a crash course in expanding my knowledge. I have opted for the radial type, easier to make than the quadrantal type that I suspect , viewing a very grainy photo, the Windsor had at one stage.
Again the cheapskate method , this time using Tichy sprues.

[attachment=33895]
To those of you who haven't tried this method, don't get over exuberant using the heat gun, , at least the material was cheap and readily available.  
Cheers, the Bear.

Gidday All, Well progress has been slower than a wet month of Sundays in summer. Still a work in progress, but here's my ferry apron so far..........
[attachment=33941]
Cheers, the Bear

Bear,
That looks,''Great''!
Cheers,
Frank,zstripe

The planks and the stained tracks are beautiful!

JaBear Wrote:The only thing you didn't have to model were cowl ventilators, not really sure how I'm going to scratch build those, the commercial ones I've seen are far too big even for a freelance. Any anyone :?: .

Google: Scale model cowl ventilators You should be able to find some that are the right scale, or if nothing else, "close enough for Government work"
Looking at the linked photo of the car ferry, I didn't notice any cowl vents, but would have to assume they are located close to the four stacks, and hidden by the rail cars.
If all else fails, the best answer is to make a master, mold it, and cast the parts from the mold.
In any case, I'm looking forward to seeing this built......there's always something new to learn, and one of the greatest places to live is on the sharp leading edge of a learning curve.

Gidday Frank, thanks.
Reinhard,  I feel like a bit of a fraud. :oops: The material I'm using  is MDF which I am going to have to paint to seal and the Peco Code 100 track which is second hand and about six years old, and because I live in an active geothermal area has been naturally stained, thanks to  hydrogen sulphide gas. So alas I can take no credit.
Sumpter 250.  My apologies, the linked photo was the photo that made me aware that the Detroit River Car Ferries existed and sold me on the idea of building one. Here's a photo of the Windsor which I'm freelancing...https://greatlakes.bgsu.edu/item/440795. she has four cowl ventilators with an openings of 4 scale feet. Well that is what I've determined and without plans is just an approximation, which does not explain why I'm agonizing over getting them dead right, must be a character flaw    
"...there's always something new to learn, and one of the greatest places to live is on the sharp leading edge of a learning curve."  One of the cleverest engineers and bosses I had the privilege to work for and with, maintained, " if you don't learn something new each day , my boy , then you're letting yourself down and  also not trying hard enough"  This is all new to me, at the local club and for others, I'm very comfortable about building benchwork, tracklaying and wiring, (with the hydrogen sulphide, local common practice is to have a feeder to every length of track) and basic scenery, so I'm enjoying this aspect of the hobby, though, to be fair, not the mistakes  
Thanks for looking,
Cheers, the Bear.

"Well that is what I've determined and without plans is just an approximation, which does not explain why I'm agonizing over getting them dead right, must be a character flaw "



I think it's the same one most of us have....I know I do :o

Sumpter 250 Thanks for the notification that my link to the Windsor photo was not working, hopefully it is now. Please excuse me while I go outside and give myself and for not checking!!!!
Cheers the Bear.

Gidday, now if you hold yer mouth just right and squint reeeeaalll hard, you might just be able to picture it.

[attachment=33898]

[attachment=33899]

Cheers, the Bear.

Bear,
I would be interested, as to how, they would, go about loading and unloading, that ferry. Due to the length, it would appear, that they may have to use, an Engine, either that, or a long string, of idler cars. Do you have any idea? :?:
Cheers,
Frank, zstripe