Moby Dick 03

Two of the diorama's four major elements, the whaleboat and figures, came from Revell's 1:96 (1/8" = 1') scale CSS ALABAMA kit. The hull was well molded, required little work to prepare it, and measured 3.9" or a scale 31.2' long. That is longer than the average American whaleboat, but within acceptable limits. The thighboard and cuddyboard were molded as single pieces that fit into the hull. Their sides simulated the hull framing. My intent was to do as little modification and scratchbuilding as possible, but it wasn't to be. Studying Knisely's article and Jim Robert's exhaustive "Whale Craft" series in SHIPS IN SCALE, I discovered a number of discrepancies. The thwarts were in the wrong place so they were replaced with ones made from plastic card. Of course, this meant the thole pins had to be moved, so annealed wire pins were glued in holes drilled in the gunwale.