Galleys & Galleons: Waterlining the Pirateology xebecs

'Waterlining' the three Pirateology xebecs was an unavoidable challenge but not one I was looking forward to.

Owing to the relatively delicate and finished nature of the model, I could hardly put it in a vice, but had to handhold it. Luckily it was possible to rest the model on its stern and this provided a reasonably stable anchor point.

I made a nick in the bow with a pair of GW clippers and then attacked the model with a fretsaw. The hull is partially hollow, but there's a lot of thick plastic to get through.

Here's the first ship with the bottom cut off. It was tedious and not something I'd want to do for a living, but the job was doable with determination and no other choice. Towards the end , I cut a little too high at the stern, mainly because the fret saw was not large enough to clear the bows, but I finished off the other two from the sides. This slight error won't show once the model is mounted in some waves.

One ship done with an original for comparison. I don't pride myself on drawing straight lines, let alone sawing in straight lines, but the result was remarkably and pleasingly accurate.

A finished model now sitting flat. The 'snowflake' debris needs brushing off. Earlier today it was snowing outside too.