New Prospective Modeler

[SaltyNinja]

Hello Salts and Bilge Rats,

 

My name is Ian. I reside in the beautiful dust bowl that is the Central Valley of California. I grew up in Santa Cruz, California and spent a formidable amount of time in my youth and early 20's  on the ocean commercial fishing. I started at the age of 12 with my dad and moved on to other boats that traveled further rather quickly. Back then, the further traveled, the better.

 

I've worked on the on the Pacific from San Diego to Alaska, and off shore up to 2600 miles on boats from 37 feet to 70 feet. Fished Salmon, Tuna, Sword Fish, and Herring, on seiners, gill netters, and trollers.  I've worked for unbelievably awesome Norwegian, Italian, and Portuguese fishermen. I have a love for the romance of the sea, but learned that the days, months, and years spent in relative isolation and loneliness was too much for me. When the  fishing was good, the mind was occupied, but if it was slow fishing or we were laid up due to weather for any stretch of time...well it drove me nuts!

 

I have no scale modeling skills or experience. I'm here to learn about it and give it a try. I am going to try the hull planking project for my first attempt. I'm hoping that the build thread for that construction endeavor helps to guide me. My ultimate goal is to learn to build by scratch so that I can build a class Monk Designed West Coast Salmon Troller. I think I saw original plans once while surfing the internet that you can buy from builders that own the plans now. I don't have any idea what I'm doing, so we'll see.  Westward we go, easy by easy!

Edited December 5, 2021 by SaltyNinja
grammar

[James H]

Vanguard Models have some lovely 1:64 Scottish and English fishing boats with gorgeous detail. 

 

You can look at the manuals on their site. All are aimed at the total beginner but with details that would look perfect on something more complex. 

 

Check out Erycina, Nisha, Fifie and Zulu on this page:

https://vanguardmodels.co.uk/product-category/vanguard-model-kits/

 

Also, you can look at the build logs in my signature. 

 

All kits are planked in pear wood, as well as other details in it, plus have maple, laser-engraved decks.

[Jim Lad]

Hello Ian, and a warm welcome to MSW from 'Down Under'.

 

if you're feeling a bit intimidated by the thought of building a model, just keep in mind that none of us had a clue what we were doing when we started! 

 

John

[Cathead]

Welcome! I just finished that half-hull kit and found it very useful. I'd strongly recommend going back and forth between the instructions and the official build log, as each have details and insights lacking in the other. Have fun!

[Ryland Craze]

Hi Ian and welcome to Model Ship World. You will find plenty of support on this forum for whatever project you decide to do.

[Keith Black]

 Ian, welcome to MSW. Did you ever driftnet in the Bearing Sea along the Alaska peninsula for salmon? I fished one season out of Egegik, July 4th was always fast and furious. 

[mtaylor]

Welcome to MSW, Ian.  There's some pinned topics at the top of this sub-forum that might help.  You're doing the smart thing by starting simple.   There's too many folks who decided to start modeling and bought a Victory model.  Probably most of those are now gathering dust in their basements.

 

There are a couple of builds by members for that half-hull project.  It's a good starter.   

[Moonbug]

  Welcome aboard - along with the build logs and things others have mentioned, there's not shortage of tutorials as well - especially as it relates to planking.,  Have fun, and ask a lot of questions!  

[Jaager]

Welcome Ian,

 

A bit that may help you avoid becoming frustrated and quitting when you get into a build -  Try to avoid having any expectations about how wooden ship models are built based on any previous experience with plastic kits.   This is a different world.  It predated plastic kits and has different traditions.  Tis not  patience that you'll be wanting, it is perseverance  and a willingness to do research -  on a multitude of skill techniques, and on appropriate materials,  as well as on vessel specific factors.  The lack of stand alone completeness in a wooden ship  model kit  can be surprise hurdle  that few who enter this on a whim manage to surmount.

[SaltyNinja]

3 hours ago, Keith Black said:

 Ian, welcome to MSW. Did you ever driftnet in the Bearing Sea along the Alaska peninsula for salmon? I fished one season out of Egegik, July 4th was always fast and furious. 

No, I was in the South East and Prince William Sound areas seining for salmon. Never got up to the Bering Sea. The derby days for me was involved in herring fishing in San Francisco Bay. The herring row was highly valuable to the Japanese and the fishery was big money for a while. It was the best money I ever made quickly, and was crazy, if not fun! This fishery took place in my backyard too. That was comparatively easy duty.

 

The opposite was Albacore fishing offshore on 65 foot Martin Allen designed steel troller. We would generally unload to tender ships that came out of Samoa and wouldn't touch shore for more than three months at a time.  On the Albacore trollers it's a two or three man crew, which includes the skipper. The boat I always worked on was always the skipper and I. It was more work, but I got better crew share that way.

 

I had a lot of adventures, dangers, and life experiences that I cherish.

Edited December 6, 2021 by SaltyNinja
grammar

[Keith Black]

 Herring is big deal in Bristol Bay. Crazy times, at least one mid air every year as each boat had a spotter overhead. I wonder what impact drones may have added in that fishery? 

[ccoyle]

Hi, Ian. I'm a California ex-pat living in SC. Grew up and went to college in Humboldt County (fisheries major), and my adult children lived in Morro Bay for a time, so I'm very familiar with the type of boat you're wishing to model. They have a lot of character. Before we moved to SC, we lived in Mariposa for 12 years; we playfully referred to you Valley dwellers as "flatlanders." The kits that James H referred to are "hot off the press," so to speak, and they are cutting-edge kits of stylish working boats, even if they are not West Coast types.

 

Cheers!

[SaltyNinja]

20 minutes ago, Keith Black said:

 Herring is big deal in Bristol Bay. Crazy times, at least one mid air every year as each boat had a spotter overhead. I wonder what impact drones may have added in that fishery? 

Yeah, the fishery in the SF Bay collapsed unfortunately. Too much pressure and poor environmental conditions I think?

[SaltyNinja]

6 minutes ago, ccoyle said:

Hi, Ian. I'm a California ex-pat living in SC. Grew up and went to college in Humboldt County (fisheries major), and my adult children lived in Morro Bay for a time, so I'm very familiar with the type of boat you're wishing to model. They have a lot of character. Before we moved to SC, we lived in Mariposa for 12 years; we playfully referred to you Valley dwellers as "flatlanders." The kits that James H referred to are "hot off the press," so to speak, and they are cutting-edge kits of stylish working boats, even if they are not West Coast types.

 

Cheers!

Sounds good Chris.

 

I worked on the Autumn Star from Morrow Bay. That boat fished salmon, albacore, and sword fish. It spent time docked in Moss Landing too. Moss Landing used to be a powerful fishing harbor. 

 

Yeah, I moved out here about 4 years ago from Santa Cruz after completing a third (and mid-life) career change. I could have found work in the Monterey Bay Area, but the economics out here allow me to pack more towards retirement at a faster rate, and have a home. 

 

I ride my motorcycle up to Mariposa and Hwy 49 etc. quite a bit. 

[Harvey Golden]

Welcome!  I'm a big fan of West Coast fish boats, and have scratch-modeled a few (mostly Columbia River types).  Look forward to seeing your projects!

Best, 

Harvey

[SaltyNinja]

On 12/5/2021 at 1:31 PM, James H said:

Vanguard Models have some lovely 1:64 Scottish and English fishing boats with gorgeous detail. 

 

You can look at the manuals on their site. All are aimed at the total beginner but with details that would look perfect on something more complex. 

 

Check out Erycina, Nisha, Fifie and Zulu on this page:

https://vanguardmodels.co.uk/product-category/vanguard-model-kits/

 

Also, you can look at the build logs in my signature. 

 

All kits are planked in pear wood, as well as other details in it, plus have maple, laser-engraved decks.

Yeah, I'll be checking the Vanguard Kits for a beginner one. I looked at them and I think I can try a simple one. Thanks for the heading and coordinates James.

[SaltyNinja]

19 hours ago, Harvey Golden said:

Welcome!  I'm a big fan of West Coast fish boats, and have scratch-modeled a few (mostly Columbia River types).  Look forward to seeing your projects!

Best, 

Harvey

Thanks Harvey. I would love to see your efforts. Have you seen the book "Drawing on Our History: Fishing Vessels of the Pacific North West" by James A. Cole? It's got Columbia River boat history and drawings/pictures in it.

[Harvey Golden]

8 minutes ago, SaltyNinja said:

Thanks Harvey. I would love to see your efforts. Have you seen the book "Drawing on Our History: Fishing Vessels of the Pacific North West" by James A. Cole? It's got Columbia River boat history and drawings/pictures in it.

Hello Ian, 

Yes, Cole's book is on the shelf here, thank you!  I'm sort of new 'round these parts, but if you click on my name, it might lead to pics of my models. . . . they're a very random assortment(!)  All the best, Harvey