Spellapeaka

So my next build I am torn between these 2 kits. Any input on which would be better, I have built AL kits before and are aware of the issues. I really like the look and challenge of these 2 ships so my next build will likely be one of them. Any opinions on either kit is welcome.

Thank you.

Your welcome.

There is 2 other videos on you tube also in the series, I think this is the second one in the series. recording is not that good but its still pretty cool.

Here is an interesting link to an instructional video about sailing a three masted square rigged vessel. Lots of insightful information that I think helps understand rigging and the function of all the lines and sails. Really insightful for gaining an understanding of the why and the how. Plus its just a neat video. Hope its not a re-post.

Thank you very much for the offer. I am going to stick it out for now. Feel like im on a roll, a slow but steady roll. And the next kit I am likely to build will be a San Fran 2 which I belive is also a single hull planked kit. Looking forward to that as I would like to plank that ship with shorter planks to get that multi faseted texture on the hull. I know that is a much more delicate and time intensive proceedure than what im doing here but, I would like to get one single planked hull under my belt before attempting that. Even if the hull turns out less attractive than planned for this ship I wouldn't mind so much paintin the hull black and the top sides white like in the photo above. Thats my plan B. and I think it will still be attractive if so.

So I did a little work last night on my boat. Though I would post some pictures since this is the first work thats been done on it in a long time. Also, The planks are very, very hard to bend on this kit. I am sticking with the single planked hull for now. Although, if it ends up looking to poor, I will paint the hull black and white, kind of like the pride of baltimore so we shall see. I also have posted a few picturesof the tools I'm using to bend the planks. These have helped out quite a bit, it is still challenging work though. I had almost forgotten how stressfull and agrivatin.... wait, I mean enjoyable planking the hull can be. lol.

My typing is horrible by the way, sorry

THank you for the infor on the studding rails. I thinkn it give a more astetic look to the clippers.

Hello, Congrats on the house! Hopefully me and the misses will be moving to an upgrade in the next 2 years. I noticed all of the deck bashing you are planning. Sounds really interesting. I think this is par for the corse on this kit. I saw a build log on the old site (I cannot remember the member's name) They completed the harvey with alot of bashing, alot of similar Ideas. I believe they built a windlass and scrapped the outhouses as well. Almost a scratch build with all the changes they made. REally beautify build. Wish I could give you more information.

I did realize that after the fact. I actually planked the decks a few years ago when I first bought the kit. Since then I have joined this site (and the old site) and have reviewed a few builds of the harvey. I happy with how it looks though. Not worth the trouble trying to fix it now.

Looking real good! I am currently working on the Harvey as well. Are you building this with 2 layers of planking? My harvey only came with one layer.

Thank you.

I have done a little more work since this picture was taken. I ended up removing the one strake and fairing the ribs down quite a bit. I now have 4 strakes on the hull. A long way to go.

So here is what little I have done so far. Pictures are taken with my phone. New pictures will be better quality. 

Beautiful!

This is the build log of my second model ship, the Harvey. I am really excited to be able to work on this ship as I am from the Baltimore region. This build log will probably take some time to complete as I am a new father, full time employee and also a part time student. Hopefully when this semester is over I will get some more time to work on this kit. I started this kit a while ago and really haven't gotten much done since my son was born. Things have died down a little and hopefully you all will not find my progress too painfully slow.

A few notes on the kit:

1. The kit from AL has been sitting around collecting dust for a few years at my Moms house. I went to pick up some stuff one day and Accidentally spilled the entire contents out on the floor . I scooped up most of what I could find and took the kit home. I then spent the next 2 hours sorting all of the little pins, dead eye's, hooks, brass rings and so forth until I had the kit organized again. I am sure I am missing a few things. Hopefully I can salvage from other kits that have been collecting dust to complete this thing.

2. I was disappointed by the kit in that a lot of the deck hardware has been pre-assembled. I do not feel that this was an added benefit to the kit as the craftsman ship has left a lot to be desired. I am planning on rebuilding most of this stuff from scratch and I am hoping to turn a negative into a positive by gaining some small scratch build experience in this added task.

3. I have seen some artist renditions of the beautiful clipper ships of the 1800's and in particular have notice some additional sails fixed to outriggers on the yard arms (picture below). I was wondering if anyone has attempted to add something like this to a clipper, or any other vessel for that matter, and if they had some pointer for something like this it would be very much appreciated.

4. I have noticed in some builds that when sails are added it tends to cover up the rigging and some prefer to not add sails at all. I had an idea for this build to rig the vessel as if it is under way. Not just hang sails on it, but maybe try to adapt the rigging so that the ship is on a broad reach. I think this would add to the over all look of the ship fully rigged with sails. Has anyone tried this? Again, taking some ideas from pictures I seen.

Thank you all for any input and tips, tricks that you may have.

Thanks for the info, The Model you are building looks AMAZING by the way, sorry if I forgot to mention it. I think the cannons are looking wonderful as well! cant wait to see you rig this thing. Will be watching and enjoying.

Thank you for the response. I am currently getting back into the hobby with a Harvey Baltimore clipper that I started and stopped a few months ago(build log coming soon). After the Harvey I know I am going to want to do something with some more rigging and square sails. Might have to jump into the San Fran II and revisit an old friend .  Any one here have some thoughts on the quality of the San Fran II kit? I have only worked on kits from AL. The San Fran I kit was really well laid out with really nicely detailed parts and everything. I was a little disappointed in the Harvey though as it appears some of the pieces are pre-built and will require me to remake them from scratch. Your thoughts please.

Hello, Awesome build! I hope to some day build a ship of this caliber  Your work is inspiring!  Nice recovery form the accident too! I would have burned it in the fire at that point! lol Nice to see that cooler heads prevailed. Absolutely beautiful!

Hello, I'm new here. I had the original San Fran from AL a long time ago. Got almost all of the planking done and never worked on it anymore. Long story short, the boat is trashed. I still have the kit with a lot of the remaining pieces. Was wondering if anyone knows if the two kits would be compatible? If I was to get the San Fran 2, would some of the rigging, dead eye's  cannons and all be useful from the old kit? I think it would be neat to start fresh with a new kit and have the option to experiment a Little with some added extra furnishings, cannons and what not. Anyone know?