I’ve always had an interest in building/making wooden sailing ship models. I’ve just never had the time to actually build due to spouse, kids, space and long deployments (US Navy). You always think you’ll eventually get an opportunity to finally get the chance to start but… things always have a habit of getting moved to the head of the line and other things get pushed back towards the end of the list. And time slips by fast… I’m finally at a stage in life that I can devote to a younger me’s desires. That’s not to say I’ve done nothing with regards to model ship building. I’m interested in the American Colonial and Revolutionary Navy. The interest stems from my years of “Haze Gray and Underway” with the modern U.S. Navy. While I didn’t have the time or space to actually build I’ve always had my head buried in books about wooden sailing man-o-war ship models. I’ve picked up books whenever they’ve been available and they’ve provided me with numerous hours of enjoyment while deployed or traveling. I currently have a Sloop Privateer that I’ve just started. In the closet sits the USS Constitution that I picked up years ago as well as a scratch build of Rattlesnake using Harold Hahn’s plans. Between the 3 it’s probably all I can hope to accomplish. I make bamboo fly rods so a lot of those tools (Sherline lathe, Model Machines mini table saw and thickness sander) carry over to wooden ships. I also have an extensive research library that I’ve collected over the years that provides me with a lot of enjoyment just reading or thumbing through the pictures and drawings. Anyway I will say thank you in advance because I’m sure I’ll have questions and if I can contribute in some small way I will help anyone as much as I’m able. I’ll paste my current research library titles so that if anyone has question I “might” be able to look it up for you. If you have suggestions for additions to my library let me know. I find I like collecting reference books also.
My current research library:
Nelson’s Navy - Brian Lavery
Sailing Ships of the U.S. Navy - Donald L. Canney
The Masting and Rigging of English Ships of War 1620-1860 - James Lees
The Arming and Fitting of English Ships of War 1600-1815 - Brian Lavery
The Construction and Fitting of the English Man of War 1650-1850 - Peter Goodwin
A Most Fortunate Ship. A Narrative History of Old Ironsides - Tyrone G. Martin
Old Ironsides The Rise, Decline, and Resurrection of the USS Constitution - Thomas C. Gillmer
Anatomy of a Ship The 44 gun Frigate USS Constitution - Karl H. Marquardt
USS Constitution A Midshipman’s Pocket Manual 1814
The Baltimore Clipper - Howard Chapelle
The History of the American Sailing Navy - Howard Chapelle
The Search for Speed Under Sail - Howard Chapelle
Arming the Fleet. U.S. Navy Ordnance in the Muzzle Loading Era - Spencer Tucker
American Ships of the Colonial and Revolutionary Periods- John F. Millar
Ships of John Paul Jones - William Gilkerson
Ships of the American Revolution and their models - Harold M. Hahn
The Colonial Schooner 1763-1775 - Harold M Hahn
The Boats of Men-of-War - W. E. May
Ships of the American Revolutionary Navy - Mark Lardas
Shipbuilding in Colonial America - Joseph A. Goldenberg
The Schooner its Design and Development from 1600 to the Present - David Macgregor
Architectura Navalis Mercatoria. The Classic 18th Century Naval Architecture - Fredrik Henrik af Chapman
Ship Modeler’s Shop Notes - Nautical Research Guild
American Sailing Craft - Howard Chapelle
The visual Encyclopedia Nautical Terms Under Sail - Crown Publishers Inc.
A Sea of Words - Dean King
The Young Sea Officers Anchor or a Key to the Leading of Rigging and Practical Seamanship - Darcy Lever
Ornamental Borders, Scrolls and Cartouches in Historic Decorative Styles - Syracuse Ornamental Company
Heraldic Crests A Pictorial Archive of 4,424 Designs - James Fairbairn
Flags at Sea - Timothy Wilson
American Small Sailing Craft. The Design, Development, and Construction- Howard Chapell
The History of American Sailing Ships - Howard Chapelle
The Marlinspike Sailor - Harvey Garrett Smith
Modeling the Brig-of-War Irene - E. W. Petrejus
Scale Model Sailing Ships - Mayflower Books
Ship Models. How to Build Them - Charles Davis
The Built-Up Ship Model- Charles Davis
The Ship Model Builder’s Assistant- Charles Davis
The Rigging of Ships in the Days of the Spritsail and Topmast 1600-1720 - R. C. Anderson
American Sailing Ships. Their Plans and History - Charles Davis
Historic Ship Models - Wolfram zu Mondfeld
Ship Modeling Simplified - Frank Mastini
Ship Modeling from Scratch - Edwin Leaf
Ships and Seamen of the American Revolution. Vessels,Crews, Weapons, Gear, and Naval Tactics - Jack Coggins
Rigging Period Ship Models - Lennarth Peterson
Ship Modeling from Stem to Stern - Milton Roth
Model Open Boats - Ewart Freeston
The Shipcarver’s Handbook. How to design and Execute Traditional Marine Carvings - Jay S. Hanna
Carving Ornamentation for Ship Models - Bill Short
Rigging Period Fore and Aft Craft - Lennarth Peterson
32 Gun Frigate Essex. Building a POF Model - Portia Takakjian
The Neophyte Shipmodeler’s Jackstay - George Campbell
Elements of Mastmaking, Sailmaking and Rigging (reprint) - David Steel
The Illustrated Guide for Modeling HMS Warrior (74) 1781 (Volumes 1,2,3,4,5 pt 1 and 2) -
Reverend William J. Romero.
Seamanship in the Age of Sail: An Account of Shiphandling of the Sailing Man-O-War 1600-1860 - John Harland