Step 1 (drawing out and removing the bow section).

To start, draw the outline of the anchor well's shape on the prow of the forecastle deck with a dark pencil. Next cut this section off either using a scroll saw or scoring several times with a hobby.

Keep the section you cut off.

Step 2 (lowering the level).

Now that you need to drop the anchor well below the level of the main forecastle deck.

First make the anchor well's aft wall. We decided to make ours about 3mm below deck level.

To make a depth of 3mm add a 2mm sheet plastic wall below the forecastle part (keeping in mind the 1mm thickness of the forecastle part). Bend and shape this to follow the contour of the anchor well's angled aft end.

Glue the new wall underneath the forecastle's new bow line.

To ensure a flush fit to the hull you have to cut the outside edges of your new wall to an angle matching the contour of the hull.

To do this ensure that the new wall is dry and carefully dryfit the forecastle onto the hull. Watch the edges as they touch the inside of the hull. DO NOT force the front down but make a rough guess at the angle you need to cut. Draw a pencil line onto each corner of the sheet plastic wall to the angle required and trim the wall's corners with small scissors or hobby knife.

Re-dryfit the forecastle section to the hull and check for the correct fit. Trim if needed but do not make it too short or the wrong angle!

Now make the floor of the anchor well.

Because you have lowered the well floor by 3mm from it's original position it is IMPERATIVE you reduce the width of the bow section you cut off to to compensate for the narrow hull 3mms below the original gluing ridge. It's not much but if you don't do it the well floor won't fit.

As the anchor well had a smooth bottom take the bow section and flip it upside down so the deck planking will not be seen. Next, drag the port and starboard edges along the sanding block one or twice each and then dryfit it into the bow to see if it sits flush 3mm below its original position.

Repeat the sanding procedure a few times to achieve the right dimensions. DO NOT sand too much off or gaps will show. After a few sanding passes and dryfitting attempts it will eventually fit properly into the new location.

Glue the new floor to the bottom edge of the sheet plastic wall so that it butts up against the wall, not under the wall. When dry, dry fit the new forecastle/anchor well assembly to the hull to make sure all contours are flush.

To save a bit of work we did not remove the hull's gluing ridge as we were going to add the anchor grate and catwalks which effectively mask this area. If you are not considering the catwalks and/or grate then you may want to sand off the gluing ridges on the hull.

Paint the entire area of the anchor well flat white.

This can be made from GMM spares or A/M railings. We chose to use the A/m railings but the GMM sections would be more to scale. Modeler's choice.

Use two rail panels, cut on angles to match the prow and side profiles. See diagram opposite.

Paint gray and glue into place.

Step 2 (making the catwalks).

Along the bow anchor well were two `catwalks' from the deck planking over the anchor well to the prow. Use spare GMM Lusitania parts to make these catwalks. Take a pair of stairs from the Lusitania section and remove all the hand rails so only the steps are left. Measure these the distance from the deck planking up to the anchor well grate (at the prow) and cut the step sections to length.

Paint gray and glue into place using CA glue.

Step 1.

To make the anchor head heat and pull sprue stock to a thicker diameter than normal. You are looking for a diameter roughly the same and a HB lead pencil (approx. 2mm).

As you heat the sprue and pull the sprue bend it down on both sides to create a 'C' shape. Allow to cool.

Step 2.

Next cut the wider ends off so only the 'C' remains. Then take this piece and sand it down on the sanding block so it becomes flat on opposite sides.

Step 3.

Now shape the `hooks' or flukes on the ends by filing the tips to a point and then sanding into the C about 1mm from the tips on the inside edges to create a barb like shape.

Step 4.

Place the anchor head into the anchor well and measure from the inside of the curve to the tip of the well. Take another piece of the same diameter sprue cut to length. Glue it to the 'C' from the inside curve's center.

Step 5.

Now take the 5mm long piece of pulled sprue and glue it to the outside curve of the 'C', again centering across the span of the curve.

Step 6.

Paint the anchor flat black and the glue into the well deck after the well deck has been painted flat white.

Step 1.

For the head of the kedge anchor we used a metal fishing clevis. You can get these from fishing tackle stores that carry material for making spinners for worm harnesses etc. (They're also fairly cheap to buy).

Glue the clevis to the forecastle deck with the center of the about 7mm in from the starboard edge of the hull and the rounded bottom facing the stern.

Step 2.

Now cut a piece of 7mm long pulled sprue. Glue this so that that one end is in the center of the inside bend of the clevis and the other end reaches just behind the aft side of the starboard splashguard. The post should be running forward/aft.

Step 3.

Now place another slightly shorter one as close as you can to its starboard side and glue. This appears to be an extension for the anchor.

Step 4.

Now when these two rods are secure, glue the two microdots onto the first one sort of overlapping the second.

Step 5.

When dry, paint the clevis, two sprue rods and microdots flat black.

Step 1.

First to make the arms take a 7mm length of pulled sprue, heat and bend it into a C shape.

Step 2.

Take the last section of 7mm pulled sprue and glue this to the inside center of the C piece. However, this part does not come straight out like the forecastle's version but was offset. See diagram opposite.

Step 3.

When dry, stand the anchor up on its edge and cut the end of the rod vertically so it will sit flush with the rectangular block.

Step 4.

Now glue the small plastic rectangular block (about 1.5mm l x 1mm h) to the end of the rod making sure they both sit flush to the table top (and later the deck).

Step 5.

Once dry, glue it to the Poop Deck so the pole and block are just to the inside port edge of the aft most starboard fairlead and the C just off center from the Poop deck's centerline near the base of the flagstaff. See diagram above.

Step 6.

Now, take the small flat square of sheet plastic (about 1mm x 1 mm) and glue it to the arm resting on the deck on an angle so it looks like a wedge shaped collar that the arm slid into to lock it in place.

Step 7.

Paint this anchor, its retaining blocks and sleeve flat black.