BSC 2018 - Eric the Shed's Build - Nile Gunboat Abbas (update 24/2)

[Eric the Shed]

Afternoon All

Just back from some glorious sunshine in the West Indies and now pondering my build for the BSC competition...

Given my current project is taking me on a trip up the Nile to the Sudan I shall be building the Nile Gunboat Abbas-

Background (courtesy of this link http://thelastdaysofthunderchild.blogspot.co.uk/2010/04/colonel-jdh-stewart-of-gunboat-abbas.html)

Some days before the city fell, Colonel John Donald Hamill Stewart took all the remaining westerners in Khartoum aboard a fortified paddle steamer called the Abbas. It was a desperate attempt to run the gauntlet of Manasir tribesmen who were on both sides of the Nile. They got past the most heavily fortified part of the blockade, but they were running low on fuel when the steamer struck a rock close to the Island of Kaniett.

The Abbas paddle steamer was in a desperate situation after stubbornly fighting its way past the most dangerous part of the blockade. Their destination was a place called Dongola and they were still some way off. A little further along the river was a smaller island called Um Dewarmat and an Arab named Sulieman – wad – Gamur invited them to land. They were offered hospitality which they accepted. While they refreshed themselves, Silieman and his tribesmen overpowered the passengers and crew of the Abbas after a brief fight.

There were many civilians among them and all were believed to have been executed including Colonel John Donald Hamill. Not much is known of the fate that befell the unfortunate people of the gunboat Abbas, but their final moments at the hands of Sulieman’s tribesmen must have been very ghastly if their captures were allied or part of Ahmed Al-Mahdi’s Manasir tribesmen.

it was clearly an ill advised action to accept the hospitality of this Arab

[von Lucky]

Clearly. Are there any pictures of the Abbas (or even a description)?

[Eric the Shed]

Finally started on my gunboat Abbas

First up I needed some inspiration and came across this Osprey book



The Abbas itself was a twin paddlesteamer and having read through my book most of the gunboats were about 100ft in length with a beam out to the width of the paddle boards of about 25ft. This gives an approximate scale of 50cm long x 12cm wide. My boat is going to be 46cm long (governed by length of foam core) and slighlty wider (16cm)

A base profile was cut from foamcore



and a second footprint cut (including area for paddleboards) - these were stuck together and the engine room added



the next step was to add the wooden lower deck using coffee stirrers




more soon

[Mason]

A nice start, mate.
 

I guess a paddle steamer or tramp freighter has to be on most peoples bucket list.
Another one to tick off when finished.
 

[Eric the Shed]

Well there is no point in building something I am not going to use...

This is going to be a really simple, cheap, very fast and functional build - having looked at the other entries I fully expect to be near the bottom

[Andym]

Good start mate! 

Knowing you, you’ll have a full fleet by....let’s see my calendar.........2pm?

[Mason]

Well there is no point in building something I am not going to use...

This is going to be a really simple, cheap, very fast and functional build - having looked at the other entries I fully expect to be near the bottom

With 100% on that, mate.
Gotta get use out of it, oh yes.
 

I am using the BSC to get me to pull my finger out and get started on the project that I have been planning for ages.
I am not expecting any kind of serious entry either, although I do think most people are entering for the 'spirit' of it, and not really seeing it as any form of serious 'competition'.
 

[McMordain]

An another ship! I already love this

As for the competition, I will be happy, if I actually finish my build in time

[Captain Blood]

A good start there Giles, and always a useful thing to have in the collection 
Looking forward to seeing how it progresses. Bon voyages!

[Eric the Shed]

Come back tomorrow for another update - its starting to take shape

Managed to find some bits on ebay that will work for the paddles

[Stu]

Looking good and very inspiring.

[Eric the Shed]

early morning update for you all

Bottom deck planked and then the second deck added



This second deck gets planked



I then trimmed the planking on the lower deck and added the sides to the boat (breakfast cereal card)



Its now starting to look like something

[Vanvlak]

All those planks!
Interesting stuff that plank trimming bit. I'd probably have fiddled away cutting the planks to size, taking ten times the time for this and getting a poorer result. 

[flatpack]

Have you looked at Blotz for paddles ?
They make one of mdf that might work.

[Juxt]

I'm loving this boat build, great stuff!