Building the Kanrin Maru – Japan’s First Screw Steamer

It’s been just about three years since I last wrote about researching the Kanrin Maru, and I really haven’t done much about it lately, but I did start construction of the 1/75-scale model based on the kit from the Japanese wooden model kit manufacturer, Woody Joe. The model is being constructed with modifications based on my research.

I started construction long ago on this model, but set it aside for other, higher priority projects. Recently, I realized that I don’t have any models on permanent display anywhere. My only models on display are my Japanese traditional wooden boat models that I put on display in San Francisco’s Japantown a couple times a year.

There is a possibility that I could build this model and have it on display at the Mare Island Museum, where they have an existing display dedicated to the Kanrin Maru’s 1860 diplomatic mission to San Francisco.

Woody Joe’s 1/75-scale Kanrin Maru kit.

The Build Plan

The hull of the Woody Joe kit is very close to the line drawings I acquired of the ship, so it’s an excellent start to building what should be a pretty accurate model. There are a few details of the kit that I will change or am considering changing:

• The planking and shape of the hull at the bulwarks
• The presence of a winch above the propeller well in the kit
• The shape of the hawse pipes from the kit
• The location of the hawse pipes on the deck of the kit
• The armament
• The location and configuration of the ship’s wheel
• The size of the turnbuckles provided in the kit
• The configuration of the fore-and-aft sails
• The presence of mast wooldings in the kit
• The presence of a mizzen mast top in the kit
• The absence of coal loading ports in the kit
• Miscellaneous small details

I’ll deal with these as the build progresses.

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Building the Kamakura Period Umi-Bune – Final

A completed model, but an ongoing project. Don’t think you’ve seen the last of this model.

Wasen Modeler

I brought my Kamakura period sea boat to the Nautical Research Guild Conference, which was held this past weekend in Las Vegas, Nevada. I had some last minute work to complete, but finished in time for the model display.

Kamakura Period Sea Boat (鎌倉時代の海船) at the 2018 Nautical Research Guild Conference.

Preparing it for the display took a bit of last minute work. I hadn’t put the remaining oars on until I was actually in the hotel the night before. The reason for the delay was mostly due to my taking the model to the October meeting of the Hyde Street Pier Model Shipwrights. Carrying around of model of this nature, or any nature I suppose, has certain hazzards associated with it. I had taken the model to the meeting of the South Bay Model Shipwrights the night before with no problems whatsoever.

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Building a Gozabune (Kobaya) from Paris Plans – Part 9

The latest update on the Japanese boat model that should be the next to see completion, hopefully by the time of my next traditional Japanese boat models display in Japantown in February. The 1/32-scale model is structurally pretty close to completion, but there’s a lot of decorative work to do.

Wasen Modeler

A couple weeks ago, I reached a dilemma about the kobaya’s paint scheme. I’m trying to stay as true as I can to the 1868 notes by Armand Paris. He describes the lower hull, hanging beams and rail stanchions as painted in red lacquer. He then describes the interior deck area as being all painted a “blood red”.

This suggests two different shades of red, and there’s only one model I’ve seen that displays two shades. It is a model of the large gozabune Tenchi-maru, which was kept in use right up to the beginning of the Meiji restoration, 1868. From what I can tell, the model was part of the Tokyo Maritime Science Museum. Since the main museum is closed, I don’t know what the status is of this model.

But, since my kobaya also was apparently in use up until the start of the Meiji restoration, it…

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ALL NEW Ages of Sail Site

Ages of Sail just upgraded their website and is currently offering up to $40 off of standard shipping charges on orders of $200 or more.

The new site is supposed to offer better support for phone and tablet users.

Ages of Sail

Ages of Sail has finally sailed into the modern age with a newly designed website. The site’s new modern look is all part of a push to make it more accessible to customers who are increasingly using tablets and phones to do their online shopping.

With the new site, you get a cleaner look, but retain access all of the great products we carry, including wooden ship model kits, multimedia kits, RC models, tools, fittings, books, plans, paints and more!

To celebrate the grand opening of our new site, we are offering free standard shipping (* up to $40 credit) on any order of $200 or more. The discount credit will appear automatically during checkout.

Things get busy as we get closer to the holidays, so make sure to buy early to avoid the rush and to make sure what you want will be in stock!

SHOP NOW

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At the 2018 NRG Conference

The 2018 Nautical Research Guild Conference is in progress and I’ve been here manning a vendor table for Ages of Sail. I’m not thrilled with being in Las Vegas, just not my thing, but I’ve managed to get by. The event is being held at the Palace Station Hotel and Casino, and located on the second floor.

The event is lightly attended, but the those here seem to be enjoying the talks and workshop round tables. There are only two other vendors here besides Ages of Sail, so the table gets extra attention. Makes time pass more quickly.

Sherline lathe demonstration

Building Woody Joe’s Horyu-ji Temple Five-Story Pagoda – Part 3

With the construction of the base of the temple completed, I proceeded to paint the completed assembly using smokey beige satin-finish Rust-Oleum Ultra Cover spray paint. I also decided to go forward with construction of the mounting base. This was actually from Step 27 in the instructions, but I had the parts out and didn’t see any reason not to go ahead with this assembly.

The base of the pagoda painted a stoney gray color. If I wanted to get more authentic, I would have painted it earlier in construction and masked off areas to create different shading for the different stone blocks.

Japanese Diorama Products Now Available from Zootoyz

Just saw that the online Japanese hobby store, Zootoyz.com, has just added Woody Joe diorama products.

[Note: This was announced on Zootoyz’s Facebook page, but there is currently no link on the website itself. Until the site’s navigation is updated, here’s a link to the new products: https://www.japan-wooden-model-kits-zootoyz.shop/contents/en-us/d2045761143_Diorama-products-by-Woody-JOE.html]

This line of products includes sakura, cherry blossom trees, Japanese pines, cypress trees, box trees, cedar trees, generic broadleaf and conifer trees and other vegetation. There are also bags of ground cover for simulating grass, dirt, and gravel.

Building the Kamakura Period Umi-Bune, Part 9

Been away from ship modeling due to various issues over the past couple months. Today, I made some real progress on modeling traditional Japanese boats, or wasen. The Kamakura period trade boat is getting closer to completion. Probably a couple build log installments to go after this one…

Wasen Modeler

As if my work wasn’t coming along slowly enough, a car accident and heavier work load managed to bring my ship modeling of all types to a standstill. After nearly two months of making no progress on anything, I finally found myself in a position to move forward again on the Umibune. I didn’t managed to figure out too much regarding the making of scale figures for the model, but I did finish tying the bindings on the rails. I also decided on how I wanted to finish the aft deckhouse, or yakata.

I basically returned to the idea of installing only lower panels on the sides of the structure. There seem to be a multitude of ways that artists and model makers have interpreted this design, so I just went with something I recall seeing in a painting. Is it accurate? There really doesn’t appear to be any way to…

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Model Boats on Parade – September 16 in San Francisco

Sorry, I know this is a very last minute posting, but I was just reminded that the San Francisco Model Yacht Club is holding its annual model boat event tomorrow, Sunday, September 16, 2018, at Spreckles Lake in Golden Gate Park.

The event setup begins at 9:30am. It’s open to the public and should go on most of the day. The club will have its clubhouse open, so you can view various boats on display that aren’t out in the water. Plus, you’ll have an opportunity to see all kinds of powered RC models, some small, some VERY BIG, plus RC sailboats. There’s even a group that does free sail racing, where the boats, powered only by the wind, are pre-set to guide themselves across the lake.

Here’s the informational flyer from the SFMYC’s website:

Get set for a fun and interesting day in the park! Ω

 

Nautical Research Journal – New Digital Subscriptions!

At least one person I know wouldn’t join the NRG because he didn’t want any more paper subscriptions piling up in his house. Well, those with similar feelings will be happy to know that they can now avoid the slow mailing system and piles of journals stacking up or getting lost by signing up for a digital subscription.

Digital editions are available as either a separate, lower priced, subscription at $40/yr, as opposed to the regular print subscription included with NRG membership of $50/yr, or as an add-on to regular membership and print subscription for an additional $15/yr.

The benefits to the digital edition are many. The subscription appears to be stored on-line, and you access the editions via the web. There is a large array of tools for searching, zooming, and scrolling through your magazine. There is a drop-down table of contents, if you want to jump straight to a particular article. You can mark favorite pages and can even type in your own notes.

There are some downsides that I can see already. A minor issue is that when you are looking at the tool that lets you jump to specific pages, those page numbers don’t correspond to the Journal issue page numbers, as the Journal issues are consecutively numbered for an entire volume, or year. So, if you jump to page 40 in the Autumn issue, the current one, it’s actually Journal page 198. Certainly not a big deal.

Another point you might want to note is that you can’t print off or copy any pages. I can understand the need for copy protection, and for the Journal to put itself out on the digital scene, it’s about the only way to protect it. But, it is annoying to not be able to copy an article that you’re referencing and to store it with other research materials. For that, you’ll need the print edition.

Personally, I found navigating to be a bit funky, but that’s probably because I’m a trackpad user. Using keys to paginate and zoom are pretty easy, and I can imagine that using a mouse is also pretty straight forward.

All in all, it’s a great step forward for the NRG and the Journal. I’m not sure if I’ll migrate completely from the print edition, or maybe just add the digital edition to my membership. But, it’s certainly a good option and one that I’m sure many people will appreciate.

There is a sample issue available along with subscription details on the NRG’s website here: https://www.thenrg.org/digital-edition.php.

Ω