Calling all Topsail Schooner fans

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Expand view Topic review: Calling all Topsail Schooner fans

A Square-tops'l Schooner

by JerryTodd » Wed Nov 05, 2025 9:30 pm

Log ago, I worked on the construction, and then, about 5 years later, crewed on board a square-tops'l schooner called Pride of Baltimore. Pride was a recreation of a Baltimore Clipper privateer of the the War of 1812 period. I crewed and managed her armament in the Autumn of 1981, participating in the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Yorktown.
Pride of Baltimore in the Pacific 1982
Pride of Baltimore in the Pacific 1982
Pride of Baltimore on the Chester River in Maryland 1981
Pride of Baltimore on the Chester River in Maryland 1981
Building the Pride of Baltimore 1976
Building the Pride of Baltimore 1976


In 2010 I started a 1:20 scale RC model of the boat as she was in 1981, during my time aboard.
Profile of Pride of Baltimore in 1:20 scale
Profile of Pride of Baltimore in 1:20 scale
The model with an ape near-by for scale
The model with an ape near-by for scale
On display in Baltimore 2019
On display in Baltimore 2019
First sail - 2019
First sail - 2019
More information and pictures are available at: My Pride of Baltimore site

Re: Calling all topsail schooner fans

by Chris@Sea n' Sky » Mon Jul 15, 2024 8:11 am

Stan Rogers' Antelope sloop.
Stan Rogers' Antelope sloop.
Stan Rogers' Antelope sloop. 2
Stan Rogers' Antelope sloop. 2
Barrett's Privateers 1/700 Antelope sloop, sporting her topsail. She's a fictitious ship, so no references apply. Do what you want! Her cannon are 9-pound 3D printed guns, rather than the "cracked 4-pounders that make an awful din" in the song. She is neither "scummy" nor "sickening". 10 gunports are molded into her hull. She carries 4 cannon for the box art photo. She's won several contest awards as a stand alone Sloop model.
1812 Nancy Schooner 1
1812 Nancy Schooner 1
1812 Nancy Schooner 2
1812 Nancy Schooner 2
War of 1812 1/700 Canadian topsail schooner Nancy.
Switching from invisible thread to Uschi .005 rigging line added to the scale authenticity of the model ship, I think.
See the little white figurehead of the owner's daughter, Nancy on the point of the bow? Nancy's guns are also inaccurate. She carried 6-pounders during the war. These are the 1/700 9-pound 3d printed cannon again, like the Antelope's.
P/E ratlines and guns will be included in the kit.

1/700 War of 1812 US Brigs Lawrence and Niagara are also in the works. These grand ladies are easier, because the hulls and sail plans are exactly the same. One Master. One Mold. (One mission) :heh:
Apologies, neither Lawrence or Niagara are topsail schooners.

Re: Calling all topsail schooner fans

by Chris Rhiner » Sun Jul 14, 2024 9:59 pm

I'm working on a 1/700 scale Canadian maritime set. The War of 1812 Nancy schooner and Stan Rogers' "Barrett's Privateers" fictitious Antelope sloop are included with 2 Cape Island lobster boats. The Bluenose is still in the mastering stage, but I expect to get her to mold before the end of summer this year.

I'm new here, so I apologize for my lack of knowledge at posting photos.

Re: Calling all topsail schooner fans

by Story » Wed Feb 13, 2019 11:04 am

A pair of BF-110s on patrol over Sicily, 1943.

Image

Look closely and there's a very unique Vorpostenboot down there.

Image

Re: Calling all topsail schooner fans

by wefalck » Sun Feb 26, 2012 4:52 am

Ah, OK. It the technique for sculpting styrofoam. I thought you used some polystyrene putty.

Actually, I used in principle the same technique for sculpting rocks on a model railway layout some 40+ years ago. The shapes were created using a soldering iron with a Teflon-coated styrofoam-cutting tip and whole covered in plaster afterwards.

Thinking about it: I just acquired from a Chinese source (48 � including shipping) an electrical hot-air soldering torch. The temperature can be controlled between about 70�C and 450�C, the airflow can be regulated and it has various nozzles from 3 mm to 10 mm diameter. Such a device should give much better control over the process than a blow-torch.

wefalck

Re: Calling all topsail schooner fans

by Shipbuilder » Sun Feb 26, 2012 1:56 am

Hi Wefalck,
I just followed the technique described in the Hints & Tips section here. The only thing I did differently was forming the surface of the sea with a small gas torch. I turned the air intake off so the flame was like a candle flame. The polystyrene sank in very quickly even with just a light brushing of the flame.
Bob

Re: Calling all topsail schooner fans

by wefalck » Sat Feb 25, 2012 4:16 pm

@Bob,

Third sea in polystyrene ? Did I miss something there ? Do you show the method anywhere ?

wefalck

Re: Calling all topsail schooner fans

by Dave32 » Sat Feb 25, 2012 6:59 am

My first thread reply, (took me long enough to find my way back to sailing ships after logging on). I chose this to test reply mode, as that schooner is top notch Bob, very crisp!. hope to post some of my 1.300 & 1.1200 stuff when i have got my head round it. Will be watching for other models you put on here.

Re: Calling all topsail schooner fans

by Shipbuilder » Sun Feb 12, 2012 10:04 am

Message now passed on to wife, who agrees! :thumbs_up_1:
Bob

Re: Calling all topsail schooner fans

by Shipbuilder » Sun Feb 12, 2012 10:01 am

Thanks, I never relly gave it a thought because my wife paints the seas! I see your point though and can therfore correct the matter on the next one. I suppose I have spent too long sailing in ships with propellers :smallsmile:
Bob

Re: Calling all topsail schooner fans

by carr » Sun Feb 12, 2012 9:53 am

..

Re: Calling all topsail schooner fans

by Shipbuilder » Sun Feb 12, 2012 6:12 am

Hi John,
Thanks. I have replied via e-mail. I was actually started on the polystyrene seas here on Model Warships in the Hints & Tips section. The main change I made to the suggested methods was to shape the sea with a gas blowtorch with the air intake turned off so the flame was more like a candle flame. I am not planning another instructional CDs in the near future. Having done one for sail & one for steam/motor, there is nothing much more to add at the moment.
Incidentally, I only noticed the blue spot in the wake of Mary Sinclair after I took the above photograph. It has since been corrected with a bit of white paint!
Bob

Re: Calling all topsail schooner fans

by 1492 » Sat Feb 11, 2012 6:31 pm

Really beautiful once again Bob.

You're right; the sea is so much better than your previous plasticine seas, and I really admired them too.

I have tried this method of sea for my Glenmoor, but somehow it doesn't look 'real'.

Is there any way you can do a photo tutorial for the sea, or perhaps include it into your next instruction CD?

John

Re: Calling all topsail schooner fans

by Cadman » Sat Feb 11, 2012 12:24 am

very nice!

Calling all Topsail Schooner fans

by Shipbuilder » Fri Feb 10, 2012 12:45 pm

They make small, but very attractive models. Here is Mary Sinclair that I completed on Wednesday morning. Scale 20'=1" This is my 3rd polystyrene sea and I am finding it far superior to plasticine.
Bob
Attachments
Mary Sinclair 20'=1"
Mary Sinclair 20'=1"

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