jcooke26

Thanks to all who've commented and offered recommendations and words of wisdom! Your advice was well received and I'm happy to report that I'll be transitioning into a reputable product. I'd like to use the "I was new.. I didn't know" excuse here but honestly I know better than to buy junk. Lesson learned. Going to do some research tonight before bed and pull the trigger tomorrow. Heavily leaning toward the 3 kit combo. Seems to be a lot more value there for a beginner. I'm not ditching this kit just yet though... Gotta have something to do while my real kit is in transit! I know it's not accurate and will likely frustrate the heck out of me but I'm hooked. Whatever comes of this garbage kit I'm holding, good, bad, or ugly, will be posted here for laughs. Go easy on me. I was new... I didn't know! Thanks again for the direction! Looking forward to learning a lot through these projects and developing some new skills! (Hoping at some point I can use this hobby as an excuse to buy more tools lol)

This is great! Much appreciated! So many things to learn & start to consider when breaking into a new hobby.

First and foremost, I realize that this "kit" is of very low quality. Having said that, I bought this kit (and another) from Amazon as a first build to test my skills, build knowledge, and help determine the feasibility of completing a scratch built shrimp boat any time soon. After receiving the kit on Friday and putting a few hours into it thus far, I can say without a doubt that I'm hooked. That's the good news. The bad news... This kit is junk. At least that's my current sentiment. I've made it to the planking stage, per supplied instructions, and can't help but think that the included materials are not adequate to complete the project, not even to my low standards. Specifically, the length of the first plank is causing some concern. I'm currently weighing my options.. Continue along with the materials supplied and hope for the best OR order additional materials and try to turn this lemon into lemonade? I realize that this was never intended to be a high quality product but I had hoped that a proper planking experience would be provided. Maybe I should scrap the directions and look for another suitable way to cover the hull, despite not being accepted or accurate? I'm inclined to limit my expenditures and redirect my money to a more reputable supplier. Any advice, observations, or critique will be welcomed. To be honest, I should have started with something reputable. I enjoy a challenge, but only when I'm sure that the outcome will be worth my investment of time. I really didn't want to drop a few hundred without first knowing it would hold my interest either. It's been 30yrs since I've even thought about a model lol. Know I know.

This might be worth a try after I get a few practice pieces under my belt! Thank you! I feel like this is a little longer than most? And the structure is set back a bit farther than usual? We'll see. Maybe that's something that I could work with. Wrapping up work for the week in an hour or so... After that I'm diving in!

JC is fine with me but I'll answer to anything

Looking at the US versions for sure. Spent a lot of time in the low country of SC over my life and have always loved the sight of them rolling back in while I'm fishing. They're not much to look at really but to me they represent a lot of good times, for a lot of reasons. In the process of gathering pics & any supporting documents I can find... Then hope to do the design digitally before starting the build. Lots of talent on this forum and I've already found a few great examples to follow! Honestly, I haven't been this excited about a new project in years. Considering taking a week or two off of work to dive in head first lol

Hey guys, just a quick thank you & introduction. I decided a week ago that I needed some new decor for my newly refurbished office. A model shrimp boat sounded appealing. I was shocked to find few choices to buy, and appalled at the quality of those available (not to mention the price associated... For junk). Needless to say, I've made the decision to take matters into my own hands. Outside of a handful of plastic models built as a child this will be my first attempt at real modeling. I've spent the last week doing research, ordered a few very cheap kits from Amazon for practice, and will hopefully gain enough knowledge & experience in the coming months to design and build my own creation from scratch. Thank you all for contributing here & sharing your passion! I look forward to the learning process and hope to gain valuable insight from this community along the way! Historical accuracy & realism are my focus for this project. I am fairly confident in my abilities as a craftsman but look forward to learning new skills. Please feel free to offer critiques and opinions on anything I share! I'm less focused on the end results right now and more interested in the knowledge. Once the planning ends and the real building begins though... That will definitely change. Again, thank you all for your contributions! I look forward to learning from you!