Modeler’s Name: Ralph Buckwalter
Period: 1888
Scale: 7/64 in. per ft.
Type of Model: scratch built solid hull
Build Time: not estimated

Build Materials:
No plans were available for this ship. Based on the plans for a similar ship which was 46 ft longer than the Lizzie I reduced the plans so the overall length was equivalent to the 81 ft of the Luzzie. I built the hull based on these plans modifying the hull based on the photos I had of the Lizzie. . The hull was done using the bread and butter method which consists of multiple thin lifts of wood cut to lines taken from the plans . I was intrigued by the triangular sail on the fore mast. I sewed all of the sails and bent them on as shown in the photos.

Ship’s Story:
The Lizzie Metzner was a typical Great Lakes Schooner which was used to carry various cargos on the great lakes. She was built in 1888 Rand and Burger in Manitowoc Wisc. for the firm of Mashek and Metzner of Kewaunee Wisc., who owned the south pier in Manitowoc. Wisc. The Lizzie Metzner was 81 ft. in length, had a beam of 21ft 8 in. and a depth of 6ft 9 in. Her gross tonnage was 77. She was built from blue oak and cost $1200 when delivered. The Lizzie Mitzner had a shallow draft,less than 3 ft.,and had a centerboard that could be used to take advantage of this shallow draft. She had a Raffee sail, a triangular top sail, on the foremast. These Raffee sails were the trademark of many Great Lake schooners.

Modeler’s Bio:
Ralph Buckwalter, a retired Mechanical Engineer has been modeling for about 14 years. He joined the Rocky Mountain Shipwrights in 2000. His first model was a pirate ship.