1/100 Chaconia LPG carrier

[Neptune]

Thanks for all the comments guys,

another small update. Due to intermittent rain, the pace has slowed down a little. But I'm continuing on the rudder now. Also started detailing the hull a little, cutting the small sea chests and refrigeration plant overboard in the hull. I'm not really cutting through, I'm just removing the filler in that spot, so I get an approx 1mm deep "hole", where I will fit a small grille.
Furthermore I've fit the slightly thicker plate around the hawse pipes. Now I'm busy building the "warts" around the hawse pipes to keep the anchors from touching the hull.
I've tried to use the real plate shape from the plating diagram, but that didn't really fit fully, so I used the upper part and adjusted the lower part. My thanks go again to Ron as he supplied the Litho and brought me towards the idea of doing this.





For the rudder I'm again using an idea from Ron's Iron Duke (and also used by other people here) although I had to adapt it to get a semi balanced rudder. I've fitted a small ring around the shaft to attach to the support. I'll first add the filler to the rudder, shape it and then seperately (with the rudder masked) do the support.
I've more or less decided to make both rudder and support detachable, to be able to remove the shaft. I've ordered the six blade prop from Raboesch. I just hope I have place enough to fit it, as on the real ship there is also very little space between prop and rudder.

[Neptune]

With too much humidity and rain outside I've stopped using the car body filler for now. This is where I got with the rudder, it needs one more touch-up layer and it'll be ready. Then I'll mask it to attach the support.


I'm stuck inside for now, so I decided to continue work on some of the deck fittings. I've continued on the tank domes. Those are the wooden things you could see in some of the previous posts. I'm not cladding them in litho. The vapour dome is the big one, the pump dome is the small one. On the pump dome I tried to put some rivets, like in reality. It looks nice, so I guess I'll have to redo the vapour dome to get the same effect.

[ARH]

Hi Neptune, Some nice looking parts you have built there,

[Neptune]

Thanks a lot Ron,

Having some trouble with internet, so work hasn't stopped yet, I just didn't update it o er here
I received the Raboesch prop, but it appears that they have an opposite idea of direction. Ordered a right hand propellor and received a left hand... Anyway, I'll see what I can do with it.
The diameter is 5.5cm and in real scale it should have been 5.4, close enough! However a question to the more experienced people over here, what motor do I use to propel this 20-30kg/50lbs beast?

Today I did a watertightness test. The tube for the rudder was installed, yet the rudder itself is proving difficult for now. The test was done with 15kg (about 30lbs) of stones inside.
I'm also busy, due to the stupid weather over here (hasn't done anything but raining over here since I got home), with a smaller previous project. It's nearly finished, I'll show it once it has been handed over to a certain person.


Tried to upload a pic three times yesterday, didn't work, so I guess you'll have to be ok with the explanation only... I'll see if I can get a picture uploaded from somewhere else!

[Neptune]

Had to move all the way to Kuwait to actually get these pics uploaded, stupid Belgian rip-off internet providers!

Anyway here they are.




As you can see I've got the bilge keels done, a strange shape, but apparently they did some over-engineering. They did model tests and adjusted the bilge keel shape to follow the wave created by the hull. That's why it has this certain knick in it.



Although I can't continue, there is only a small part to apply the filler to and perhaps when I get back home, the temperatures will be ok to continue with that first. If not, I guess I'll be continuing with the detailing of the midship deck house and other parts on the ship. First I'll have to paint the deck though. Then I plan on contuing with small stuff and since the deck houses are not fixed yet, I can do the sides and bottom after I do the deck.

[Capit�o Norbert]

wonderfull model

[ARH]

Neptune, You are making a real good job of your build, it looks the part,

[Dave Wooley]

Hi Roel Even though you move around so much with the job you are still managing to build a superb model . What is the weight of the ballast ? Good to see progress though .
Dave Wooley

[Neptune]

15kg a little less than 30lbs. She was still far from the draft marks though. I could sail like this however as the prop was fully submerged. I can also shift ballast aft to give her a trim. Normally we'd sail with 1-1.5m trim on the stern as at full speed most ships are trimming forward by about 70cm-1m due to dynamic forces on the hull. I'm not sure about the weight of the ship itself by now, I estimate it to be around 4-5kg herself. In total that would be approximately 20kg which is about right for the ballast condition of this ship (in reality around 20,000 -22,000t in ballast).
I still don't know how to propel it though. Full load would be 30kg, if whatever motor I choose in the end, has trouble with it, I can still reduce the weight to normal ballast weight for sailing it as well. I guess I'll have some testing ahead...

[Cadman]

Nice work Roel! Quite a beast. Nice to see her in the water.

[Neptune]

Hi guys,

Happy Easter!!!
no pictures this time, but a lot of progress was made. With the moderate weather in March I succeeded in painting the beast. I put some layers of white primer to reduce the differences in shade between the grey sacrificial coat and the sanded parts, then I put on the light red coat over the entire hull (Dave-style) in order not to have trouble with the edge of the anti fouling.
The deck was also painted light grey and also has some of the markings (anti-skid walk way from gangway to accomodation entrances in black and the emergency eye-wash/shower markings in light blue.
Currently finishing the bulwark supports and structure and then I'll do the rest of the details on the foc'sle.

The anti-fouling is still not done as temperatures came down last week and I need a higher temperature for the anti-fouling spray can. But since I need to mask off the entire top part, there's no problem in progressing with details fore and aft (middle parts has to remain clear since I'll have to turn her around for spraying the bottom).
I'll see if I can post a picture of the progress.

[Neptune]

Takes half an hour to get something uploaded. But I'm patient

[Capit�o Norbert]

Hi Neptune nice model you showing us
i like it -fantastic

[ARH]

Roel, Its looking very good.

[Neptune]

Thanks Ron and Norberto, coming from you guys it's really an honour. My pace is a lot slower than yours though.
I finally bought that motor, a Speed 27. She won't be too fast, but a tanker isn't fast anyway.
I also installed the rudder support, without fixed connection to the rudder.
And last but not least, I changed internet provider, which finally allows me to upload pics again.
So I guess I'll be posting more updates if and when they are there.

Here is a first batch. Last few days I've been building the winches for the poop deck. I've also painted the bollards and horizontal rollers for aft, but I'm waiting to install them until I can place the winches (in order to align everything correctly). The winches are hydraulic, so they have a drip tray, to collect any leakage and avoid oil spills. Forward and on the main deck, I will glue these edges on the deck, aft I've opted to use a 0.5mm sheet of styrene to mount the winch on and put the edge around it. The aft winches will be partly placed on the hatch for the rudder system, thereby camouflageing part of the edges of the hatch, therefore the bottom plate comes in handy to keep things together.

Forward I did install the bollards and rollers (along with ventilation goose necks), but haven't started those winches yet.
I've used some wire and litho (thanks to Ron) for detailing.






It's all black, so little will be seen of the details on the winches. I'm prepairing the rudder and support since they predict some higher temperatures over here, so I should be ready for the spraying of the anti-fouling (who knows when the next opportunity arises).

[Capit�o Norbert]

Hello Neptune the fittings as well the model are very good man.
i like comercial vessels as i said once.
i pretend make my Esso tanker Europa some day.
fantastic

[Neptune]

An Esso tanker shouldn't be such a problem for sources. There is a whole site dedicated to old Esso ships I believe.

Here is another update. Finally, after the bad weather april month, finally a good day. Started masking the ship in the morning. And started spraying in the afternoon. Last layer will be put on when the sun goes down a little, don't want to spray in bright sunlight.
Temperature is ok for now.

I'm not truly happy with the rudder, so I'll finish the one I have (put it in primer already), but probably I'll build a new one on a later date.

Here is the masking, the table on which she is sitting is a project of its own, it will be sprayed as well:
Near the stern you can see some additional holes in the filler coat, these are the in-and outlets for the engine room. The metal thing on both sides, behind the main sea chests, is part of the cathodic protection system.





And here are the first coats, I'll keep you all waiting a while before I take off the mask
Before I thought the colour would be too dark, but it looks ok for now. The ships changed colours quite a couple of time, since most of the dry dockings are in different docks around the world, where certain brands and types of paint are or aren't available.





As a side note, I just found out the company actually sold this ship together with another LPG tanker (and announced the order of 8 brand new ones)

[Richard J OMalley]

Neptune
Sorry I had not checked out this build before ,I have just read this thread from start to finish and have learn't some new tricks .The way you used sheet and stringers to make your hull is outstanding . Also like the info you provided on these ships .

[Capit�o Norbert]

wow fantastic pictures and paint job.
very cool

[Neptune]

Hi Richard,

thanks for checking it out. I did follow all your topics and loved your methods of construction. However, I'm a complete retard with fibreglass as you could see in this thread... So I'll just quietly admire your skill with that material.

Well here is the result, after a long construction time, it seems I'm almost independent of the weather to continue the construction. I'm currently working on the markings on the hull before I put a layer of protection over the hull for the water.
Also the rudder still needs a solution.

This is the marking for the bulbous bow, which normally every merchant ship with a bulb carries. (In extreme cases, like on VLCC's they often even write the length of the bulb next to it, because their bulb is around 9m long)



And the long awaited-overview, at least for me it looks like a big step ahead!


And the dry-fit poop deck fittings. The name on the stern isn't really a big success, but it's not easy as I can not put that part horizontal for painting! Below that will be the port of registry, namely Antwerp, you can see it drawn out in pensil.


After that, I'll have to find a way to put draft marks and the plimsol mark, luckily this is an old ship with a rather easy plimsol mark.

I was lucky that I used our single good weather day yesterday! Today it was raining dogs and cats AGAIN and it was half the temperature of yesterday too!