AlbZtt

It’s my first Billing Boats kit. I’m aware the instructions aren’t particularly clear and that the quality isn’t on the same level as other manufacturers, but I found it at a good price as well. I already finished the Virginia from Artesania Latina; everything was fairly straightforward, even if I would have changed the order of certain steps. Most of the issues I had were simply due to my own inexperience. I’m hoping I’ll manage to work my way through the build despite gaps in the instructions. Thank you for the offer, Bill. If I run into issues along the way, I may take you up on your help, of course only if it’s no bother.

Thanks everyone for the replies! Bill, that’s a very nice build. I see you upgraded the companionway—if that’s the correct term in English. I’m planning to do the same on mine. Any recommendations before I start this kit? Thank you as well, Old N Salty, for the advice. Red cedar planking might be hard to find here in Italy, so I was considering mahogany; its reddish tone should imitate antifouling quite well. I’ve read that basswood isn’t ideal if the hull is left unpainted. Is that accurate? Thanks.

Hello everyone, I’m new to this forum and relatively new to ship modeling. I'm now working on my second project and I deliberately chose a simpler kit with the intention of upgrading it where possible. I chose the Henriette-Marie by Billing Boats as I am particularly interested in small working boats and pilot cutters, so the Henriette-Marie seemed like a suitable subject. Also I was greatly inspired by Gaffrig's work, which built a wonderful model out of this kit. During the planning phase, I started evaluating different hull color schemes. My initial idea was a classic configuration: black topsides with a white sheer stripe and red antifouling on the bottom, similar to the Marie-Fernand pilot cutter. I also prepared a few visual mock-ups to evaluate the schemes. Since the hull lines and the plumb bow are, in my opinion, a strong feature of this model, I am now considering applying a second planking and limiting the paintwork to the upper part of the hull only. Do you think this approach makes sense for this specific model? In addition, I would appreciate your advice on the following points: Which wood would be most suitable for the second planking in this context (fine grain, stable, suitable for partial painting)? Would it be advisable to replace the kit keel and remake it entirely in solid wood, or is it visually sufficient to veneer the existing plywood keel? Any technical feedback is very welcome. Thank you!

Hello everyone, I’m new here and I’m from Italy. I work as a interior designer in the naval field. I recently completed my first model, the Virginia by Artesania Latina. It was a great learning experience. I’m now about to start my second build, the Henriette-Marie by Billing Boats, and I’m looking forward to improving my skills with this project. Nice to meet you all and glad to join the community.