Hello from the Sonoran Desert

[R Mark]

Hello all. Thanks for allowing me to hang around. I’m one of those people who despite having years of wood working experience, built plastic models since childhood and spent my entire professional career fabricating exhibits for museums and the like (banner image) am still vexed by wooden ship builds. I have always been interested in tall ships, and decades ago a well-meaning relative bought me Corel’s Flying Fish kit 1:50 but when I looked in the box, I didn’t see anything resembling a ship, it was a box of sticks and completely took the wind out of my sails as they say. After reading an article on model ship building, I purchased Model Shipways Kate Cory, 3/16” = 1’, having read that solid hull models are much easier for beginners…not me. I put both kits in a closet and left them there for years untouched. Recently I was thinking of an indoor hobby for summer as I live in Tucson, AZ. Completely humbled by my previous model ship experiences I bought Model Shipways Shipwright combo and am nearing completion of the Lowell Grand Banks Dory. I have already learned so much in the couple weeks I have been visiting MSW, the resources are invaluable and my enthusiasm for model building has returned. I look forward to enjoying and learning from your knowledge, frustrations, and successes. I have attached my current build, warts and all.

See you out there!

[Dave_E]

Welcome to the forum! What do we call you? You’re at the right address for anything wooden ship (really anything else as well). 👍😀

[R Mark]

Mark, please!

[mtaylor]

Welcome to MSW, Mark.  The dory looks great.  Give some though to opening a build log on you next project.

[allanyed]

Welcome to MSW.  You made a very wise decision in your first projects.   

 

Allan

[Keith Black]

 Mark, welcome to MSW. Glad to have you aboard. 

[Jim Lad]

Hello Mark, and a warm welcome to the forum from 'Down Under'.

 

John

[ccoyle]

Welcome, Mark!

 

I have both of the kits you mentioned. The FF kit is a real stinker -- I took a lot of liberties with bashing it into a more typical West Coast schooner (you can see it in the gallery under 'Ghost'). Straight from the box that kit is a mess of terse, badly translated instructions and a plethora of ill-suited off-the-shelf fittings. The KC is a fine kit, but beyond the means of a beginner. Sadly, mine is still in the box after many years and is far down the queue of potential projects. The beginner's combo from Model Shipways has been very popular around here and should set you up well for your new indoor hobby.

 

Cheers!