Corel's SM23 HMS Victory kit question...

[rivdvm]

I'm new to this site, so hope the question isn't redundant and is in the right place. Years ago I built Mammoli's Constitution. It took a long time, but the directions were thorough and helpful, and I thought the results were OK. I then bought Corel's  HMS Victory where it laid in my garage for 10 years until now (when I have gotten some time to start building).

I don't know if this is the place to post the question, but a quick perusal of the kit's provided instructions seems to not provide much detail about the actual "nut and bolts" of its construction. The instructions I do have appear to be straight out of an Italia-English dictionary. And..........I feel a little intimidated.

I have noticed on this site's forums one nice blog by a JPett showing some good photos of his ship build, but does anyone know if there are some better/more detailed step-by-step instructions for the SM23?

Thanks in advance,

BobV

[hornet]

I built this kit over a period of years fom the mid 1980s and finished it in the early 2000's. You are correct the SM 23 instruction booklet is laughable. However, the actual plans are not so bad. My suggestion is to bin the instruction booklet, bite the bullet and get started. Don't feel intimidated, just fire up a build log. There are lots of folks who have built this monster, they will provide you with all the help you may need. The MOST important thing to remember is that there is no such thing as a stupid question! We have all been there!!!! I LOOK BACK AT MY Victory and shudder at the mistakes I made. I am still proud to have finally finished her but would have given my eye teeth for access to a site like this when I was struggling with the complexities of the rigging ( among other things!!!)

 

 

Purchased 1985 - completed 2006!!!

 

NOT my best build but very glad to finally finish her!!!

 

If only I had access To MSW then!!!!!

Edited February 20, 2015 by hornet

[shihawk]

I can only agree with hornet , i,m building a billings Victory and again the writen instructions are vague but with the help of this site and a little basic research i have overcome the intimidation and am now really enjoying the build . A build log is helpfull if only to explain your questions  . Best of luck !!!

[hornet]

Vague Shihawk!! I would have paid extra for vague!!! Corel's instructions of that era, I don't know if they have improved any but I won't be buying another Corel kit anytime soon to find out, were almost totally indecipherable!!!!! Luckily the Internet came along in the latter years of my build. I actually put together a large scrapbook of photos ofthe Victory. Luckily she is one of the most photographed/ recognisable ships in the world!! Don't forget to do the same Rivdvm. There is a lot of good stuff on the net which will really help your build

[rivdvm]

Thanks to all of you. I will soon take the plunge and keep a photo log.

[Teal2]

Hi all,

I am fairly new here. I have the Corel Victory. Bought it in 1990 didn't start till 2011. WOW the instructions are non existent as far as being helpful.

I have struggled with it and have, thanks to the Internet and some building from plans experience have done sort of OK. Some mistakes but looking not so bad to date.

I wish the kit came with a layout picture and I'd of the pressed wood parts, some are a bit hard to decide which is which.

I have a problem, how to asses the bowsprit angle and attach it to the hole in the deck.

Can anyone help?

I have attached a couple of pics of my build, please forgive some of the errors, especially the gangway steps.

Ted

Edited December 13, 2017 by Teal2

[Canute]

Ted, welcome to MSW.

 

You should start a build log in the kit build section. Many folks have built an HMS Victory kit and are only too willing to help. Read the pinned topics in that section before you start to ensure everybody will know pertinent details. Ask questions in your log. The only dumb one is the one you don't ask.

[hornet]

G'day, I've also built this kit twice for two different clients and had no problems with the instructions or plans, I definitely would not throw the instruction book in the bin, if you study the instruction book you can see the correlation between the code numbers in the book and on the plans, especially in regards to the rigging and once you grasp this then you should have no problems,

 

  best regards John.

You probably have a point John, but I still think that the instruction booklet ( not the actual plans) were pretty daunting for an inexperienced builder - at least that is what I found at the time. I gave up on them and used the plans alone. Reading back through them now (over 20 years and 8 builds later) they are a little easier to follow but still bloody awful in my opinion.

 

[Stockholm tar]

Teal 2,

 

The bowsprit angle is 30° from the horizontal, according to the book 'Anatomy of Nelson's Ships' by Nepean Longridge. This is quite an old book now, but still a valuable source of information about the Victory, since it was written from his scratch build of the ship for the Science Museum in London. (I have seen it several times and it is superb, although I'm not sure it is on display now.) 

 

The book would be useful for the rest of your build and you should be able to get it fairly cheaply, if you look around.

Edited January 15, 2016 by Stockholm tar

[hornet]

Agree 100% John. I reckon there are countless unfinished Corel Victories around the world that were purchased by inexperienced builders who became disillusioned and gave up. At the time I bought mine ( mid eighties) it was half price - Unfortunately I couldn't resist a bargain

 

Cheers

Steve

[Teal2]

I am like you, started my ms23 without much knowledge, the awful" instructions and at the time no internet. I started then put it away for years. Started again and realized through this forum and other sources the awful mistakes I made especially with the laying out the keel and framing. I realized I had to live with the errors or quit, I decided to continue and tried to correct what I could and live with the things that were out of sorts, it is working out ok, not a museum piece but something I am proud of. All my tools are hand tools and carving which I find is sort of fun. I do,have a small problem though. I have a bunch of wood pre shaped pieces that I cannot find on the plans nor in the instructions, or on line. So I would like to know if anyone out there can identify them, see attached pic.

 

 

[Altduck]

It looks to me like a piece of grating. If you have a bunch of these,they should assemble with some of them notches up and the others at right angles, notches down to make a little panel of grating.

 

Richard

[hornet]

That is exactly what they are Richard. They can be cut to size for different sized grates then framed all around with some timber the same height. I found that the easiest way to make them was to dry fit them together them drop the grate into a bath of thinned down wood glue. Let them soak for a few seconds then allow to dry on greased or oven bake paper (so they don't stick)

Edited May 9, 2016 by hornet

[Teal2]

Could these be pieces for the window frames in the aft galleries?

[Ponto]

Those are the segments for the gratings, indeed.........I chose to use the pressed wood gratings on my build long ago as I felt the scale was more indicative and accurate as opposed to the supplied wood gratings.

 

JP

[hornet]

This is grating and how it is assembled.

 

[humf]

Hi all

This is my first post on this forum as I am merely a 13 month newbie. I bought my first kit 13 months ago and just happened to be the Corel, Victory, so thought it fitting to make comment.

I found the written instructions near on useless for me as they are way to vague. The only useful items in the instruction book is the parts list. The drawings are exceptional though.

I have studied them over and over while putting her together. As much as I study them, I still find that I see new things 2 weeks after I have incorrectly completed parts of my ship.

Although I have made many mistakes, I try and make it look as 'only I know about them'. I am nearly completed planking the second layer of planks now, with all 3 decks planked also. Bow sprit also affixed.

Everywhere I read, it stated I shouldn't start with this model as it is hard to do, especially the corel. But the way I look at it, after I finish her in hopefully 12-18 months time, I will have enough experience to tackle almost any ship I want.