# DESEADO, Royal Mail Line.



## Shipbuilder (Jun 30, 2005)

My current project is the DESEADO, completed in 1961 by Alexander Stephen, Glasgow as the IBERIC for Shaw Savill. Transferred to Royal Mail in 1976 and renamed DESEADO, she was finally scrapped in 1983.
Bob


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## 6639 (Apr 20, 2006)

bob, I am about to try a "minature" myself for a change so that i can play about with it on my knee at night...it'll be a 1:96 scale model of an old classic lifeboat giving a hull length of 113 mm..........how do you do the sea on which your seas sit, and how do you form the waves.
could you give a little step by step demo in this thread that you are now building.

I know that we have our differences as to what we build, but I do respect you for what you do, and the immense enjoyment you bring to others.
cheers,neil.


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## Shipbuilder (Jun 30, 2005)

Hi Neil,
The seas are only made from plasticine that I shape with a round plastic bead mounted on the end of a stick. As it is rubbed up and down the plasticine, it forms very realistic waves. My wife paints all the seas. She uses Humbrol matt for the first coat. Then the blue gloss and whilst it is still wet, paints darker blue in the troughs and adds white caps and wake. As it is all wet, it all runs and gives a watery effect.
Here is a picture of DESEADO a couple of weeks ago.
Step-by-step demo would be too time-consuming I am afraid. At the moment, I am writing an e-book on building a miniature the Norwegian barque SVAERDSTAD and have only just finished describing the fitting out of the hull and already have topped the 17,000 word mark and 143 illustrations and plans. And sailing ships are infinitely more easy that powered ships to build in miniature.
But I can answer any individual questions on how to approach certain tasks.
Bob

PS: I will go and look for the picture of the sea roller.


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## Shipbuilder (Jun 30, 2005)

Further to my last reply above, I have just "plucked" this picture of the sea roller from my e-book as my laptop is lying open and on in the other room.
Bob


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## 6639 (Apr 20, 2006)

That's majic Bob. I'll have a go with my moulding plastecine before I begin...did you buy the roller or make it yourself.

What you have told me about the sea is my stumbling block, but I'll practice it.

I saw some beautiful little models of RNLI lifeboats at their headquarters in Poole this summer, and they, and your models have inspired me to try one this winter......I love carving small lifeboats for bigger vessels, so can but try.

Thanks again, and keep up your lovely work......just inspiring to an old argumentative git like me.

having just enlarged your picture of the roller, I can see how you've made it, so off to the craft shop tomorrow.
Neil.


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## Shipbuilder (Jun 30, 2005)

I made it myself. The steel was from Homebase and I can't remember where the bead came from, but it has been in use for a number of years. It forms waves perfectly. I have taken it along to North West Model Shipwrights with a board covered in plasticine and they all had a go. There were no failures although most of them had never formed seas in their lives!
Bob


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## 6639 (Apr 20, 2006)

thanks bob.....i look forward to trying one.
neil,


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## jerome morris (May 27, 2008)

Bob, Interesting that she is a full hull. Why not a waterline or a little deeper model?
Either way, Nice model....and a motor ship as well.


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## Shipbuilder (Jun 30, 2005)

Hi Jerome,
I suppose I build as many full hulls as waterlines, but if DESEADO had been waterline, you may have asked why I didn't build a full hull. 

Don't really understand your question about having it a bit deeper. The depth was decided by the designer of the ship, not me. I always work to plans that have been printed to the scale I am building and use them as templates. Here is the DESEADO on the first day of building. As you can see, I have pasted the General Arrangement profile on the wood block ready to cut it out. That is the depth it was! 
Bob


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## jerome morris (May 27, 2008)

Bob, What I had meant was you'd want to build the hull a little deeper as you mount your hulls in a diorama seaway, so the wake rides undulating down the side of the ship. From the bow you know how it rolls back and down below the 
the waterline and then continuing aft rises up again before finially trailing off the end of the stern.


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## Shipbuilder (Jun 30, 2005)

Hi Jerome,
I understand what you mean now. I really couldn't figure it out at first. If I build a model of a ship that is intended for a heavy sea, I do make the hull deeper, even though a lot of it will still be under water as it allows me to make the waves without having to worry about what parts to make deeper. If the DESEADO had been intended for a rough sea, I may well have made most of the underwater section, but I would certainly not have bothered with the propeller aperure as I would have ensured that bit was underwater at least! 
Bob


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## Shipbuilder (Jun 30, 2005)

Here is latest progress. Just a few items left to be fitted on deck now, such as davits, lifeboats and guardrails and then I can start the masting and rigging.
Will be glad to get back to something easiere such as a sailing ship again.
Bob


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## Shipbuilder (Jun 30, 2005)

I have now completed all the hull details. The next task is to make the masts and derricks and rig them. That is not a big job and I expect it will be complete within the next week. then I will get back to something easier - a four-masted, full-rigged steel sailing ship - FALLS OF FOYERS!
Bob


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## Shipbuilder (Jun 30, 2005)

I have at last completed and fitted the masts, posts and derricks. The only work left to do is the rigging. Should be finished within a week now.
Bob


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## Shipbuilder (Jun 30, 2005)

Completed at last!
Bob


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## jerome morris (May 27, 2008)

Well done Bob! going to send her to auction now?


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## Shipbuilder (Jun 30, 2005)

Hi Jerome,
Thanks. No need to on this one. It is being collected on Tuesday by it's new owner-to be!
Bob


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