Need advices on a Maine lobster boat design – for a scale model

[speed50]

Hello there. I am new to the forum. Currently I am working on a three-dimension view of a Maine lobster boat and a pleasure boat. The two boats share the same hull but with different superstructures. After the three-dimension drawing is finished, we will create a 3D model of the boats and then make a scale model based on the design.

Since I have never view a Maine lobster boat in real life, I have to use web-found materials to support the design. The boat hull is coming from Stanley’s 31’ Rita Ann but I enlarge it to 36’. All other parts of the boats come from various photos/drawings of the Maine lobster boat I could find on the internet.

My concern is that my boat design is a mix of various boat designs. Have I made any mistakes in terms of the layout of the superstructure, the relative dimensions of different parts? Or fundamentally, does my boat really look like a typical Maine lobster boat?

I attached three views of the lobster boat/pleasure boat for you to comment on. The drawings show a general profile of the boat, so not all details are added onto the plan. Something missing are the hand rails on top of the boat cover and the bow cabinet. Since the rails are so fine I intentionally ignore them at this stage.

The left wall of the wheel house of the lobster boat has three windows, while the right wall only has a small triangle window. But for the pleasure boat, both walls have four windows.

Please point out if any parts may look odd or uncomfortable to your eyes. Or any obvious mistakes, e.g. the diameter of the exhaust pipe and davit or the size of the windows?

I really appreciate your help.

 

[gonzo]

Nice, you got the look right.

 

[Niru]

i was expecting to see a big clamp here.

just kidding.

whats the material of the hull, FRP or wood?

my comment on your design concept - keep your design on the classic type.

imagine your boat painted in plain black and white - hope you get the idea.

 

[speed50]

Nice, you got the look right.

Thank you. That sounds comforting.

 

[speed50]

i was expecting to see a big clamp here.

just kidding.

whats the material of the hull, FRP or wood?

my comment on your design concept - keep your design on the classic type.

imagine your boat painted in plain black and white - hope you get the idea.

Hi Niru,

Good Joke. It is going to be a plastic or resin model boat.

I am trying to figure out your suggestion.

 

[TANSL]

neither do I get the idea.

 

[ned L]

Nice job! She looks very good. The only comment I would have is that I think the amount of curve in the stem you drew is indicative of an older hull, new boats have a bit of a straigher stem profile. I haven't found a picture of Ralph Stanley's Rita Ann that shows her stem to see how close you are. Personally I like the one you have drawn. Yours also looks like one of Osmond Beal's boats, some of the prettiest built.

 

[speed50]

Nice job! She looks very good. The only comment I would have is that I think the amount of curve in the stem you drew is indicative of an older hull, new boats have a bit of a straigher stem profile. I haven't found a picture of Ralph Stanley's Rita Ann that shows her stem to see how close you are. Personally I like the one you have drawn. Yours also looks like one of Osmond Beal's boats, some of the prettiest built.

Hi Ned L,

Thank you for your comment. I got the profile of the hull of Rita Ann from here: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/me0347.sheet.00001a/

I am trying to do a old fashion lobster boat used in 60's 70's so I picked up Rita Ann, a lovely boat. My drawing is almost an exact copy of Rita Ann except I enlarged it to 36 ft and raised the side line of the hull a little bit.

Since you mentioned Beal's boat, I searched in the same source and found Beals Island Silver Dollar. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/me0392/. Yes I can see Silver Dollar and Rita Ann are slightly (someone may not agree) different in terms of the side line of the hull. This is the most amazing part of the Maine lobster boat which differentiates it from other type of boats.

 

[Niru]

Heres what i mean of the classic type.

Though its a yacht, you can put a little attitude on your concept boat.

see attached pics.

 

[ned L]

Once you start to learn the details you will see that Rita Ann and Silver Dollar are very different boats. Rita Ann is a Mount Desert Island style boat (built down keel), and Silver Dollar is a Jonesport type boat (plank keel). The construction is very differnet between the two. .... I should have picked up on your drawing that you have modeled the Mt Desert Island type. I have always thought the Jonesport boats lines are a bit more 'delicate'. Both are very appealing.

 

[speed50]

Heres what i mean of the classic type.

Though its a yacht, you can put a little attitude on your concept boat.

see attached pics.

Thank you for the pictures.

 

[speed50]

Once you start to learn the details you will see that Rita Ann and Silver Dollar are very different boats. Rita Ann is a Mount Desert Island style boat (built down keel), and Silver Dollar is a Jonesport type boat (plank keel). The construction is very differnet between the two. .... I should have picked up on your drawing that you have modeled the Mt Desert Island type. I have always thought the Jonesport boats lines are a bit more 'delicate'. Both are very appealing.

Hi ned. I am glad that you pointed out the difference between boat types. I am illiterate in terms of real boat strctures so bear with me. I agree both types are very appealing.

 

[ned L]

Speed 50, .... No problem. Let me know if you don't understand what I meant about the differences in how they are built. As I said, the keels and deadwood are built VERY differently between the two styles. The two styles were developed independently in different areas of Maine. There are other subtleties that also differentiate the two styles.

 

[speed50]

Speed 50, .... No problem. Let me know if you don't understand what I meant about the differences in how they are built. As I said, the keels and deadwood are built VERY differently between the two styles. The two styles were developed independently in different areas of Maine. There are other subtleties that also differentiate the two styles.

Hi ned L, thanks for your kindness. Can you briefly explain the main differences of the two types of boats in terms of their structures?

Do you know any online resources about the Maine lobster boat's structure?

 

[ned L]

Hmmm, ....... In a "Beales Island" type of construction the keel is a framed and planked structure where the steam bent frames make a tight reverse turn from the bottom of the boat down into the bottom of the keel (much like a traditional planked keel sailboat hull). In a "Jonesport" type of hull the frames run flat across the bottom of the boat from one side of the keel to the other, and the keel is a separate bolted on plank skeg.