AboveTheWaterLine

I have been retired for almost 3 years now. I am an ex software developer and I had a lot of software projects that I wanted to explore once retired. What I did not expect is an almost total lack of "will" to do more software development in front of a computer. Then my kids bought me a few ROKR wood kits to assemble. WOW, I found myself very interested in this type activity. Then at XMAS, my son bought me the Polaris (kit 12007 from OCCRE) to build. I did some research about model ships and it lead me to this site. I concluded that the Polaris may be too much for me as a first ship kit. So I decided to learn to walk before running ... I am retired so plenty of time on my hands. I ordered the Lowell Grand Banks Dory (skill level 1), Norwegian Sailing Pram (skill level 2) and Muscongus Lobster Smack (skill level 3) from Model Expo. I started to work on the Lowell Grand Banks Dory but hit a snag when I started to work on the second garboard plank. The kit from Model Expo has a defect and 2 planks are unusable because the laser cut through the planks instead of slightly burning the wood to make a guideline for sanding/beveling. I sent two emails with pictures of the defects to Model Expo and still await a reply from them. I also ordered the "18th-Century Merchantman Half-Hull Planking Kit" which I should receive any day now. USPS/Canada Post are not exactly leaders in parcel delivery speed (it has been 2+ weeks now). So far with the little amount of work I did on the Lowell Grand Banks Dory, I think I will like this hobby.