What level of finishing are we looking for?

[Desertanimal]

My question has to do with joints mostly. How polished are we trying to make them? I have attached two example photos of the sheer plank, inwales and bump rails on my sailing pram model. On one side you can see I did a more complete job of filling the joints between those three pieces of wood. On the other side, not quite as good a job.

 

Is the more polished one preferred? Does the lesser show the observer that those used to be three separate pieces of wood so it shows our labor better?

 

What would a museum quality sailing pram upper edges look like? I would love to see examples of what is possible.

 

[Ronald-V]

Why do you ask someone else when you are the judge of it? You have to look at it...so you decide what's beautiful/good enough is?

[ubjs]

I think the question is interesting. Sometimes you see models of old boats that look as if they were built with fiberglass hulls without the slightest joint between the boards.
So it all depends on what the role model looks like, right?
So the advice is to try to look at real boats, preferably in real life, but you can find most things online.

If you now want to build a model of what a boat might look like in reality.
I have noticed that many build ships according to other criteria, and nothing wrong with that, of course everyone must be allowed to decide on their own model and build as they wish.

[Keith Black]

 It's a very simple answer. You do your best, whatever your level of modeling achievement, you always give it your best shot. You should strive for perfection but you'll never get there because no one does perfect work though some get mighty close. 

[paul ron]

its not a contest... its a craft and all you put into it is your very best. no one is judging anyone. step back and enjoy the fruits of your labor. im sure its a beautiful model and anyone looking at it will be impressed.

[davyboy]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,your model or what we can see of it looks very good indeed. It is after all a working model not an entry in a concours d'elegance competition. Don't worry about it.

 

Dave  

[Desertanimal]

Thank you all for the encouraging words! 
 

I guess it also begs the question of do I want to create a lobster smack (next build) that looks like it just rolled off the showroom floor or one that has put in 35 years of service to the lobsterman and his two sons?

 

 Would that be a difference in the two edges shown above? New boat vs. old? 
As they age do laminations begin to show? Do they get thick clumps of paint in the corners or is it common practice to strip off all old paint before repainting?

 

Thanks!

[Jim Lad]

Even new, A lobster smack wouldn't have looked too flash. A quote from Ted Frost's "From Tree to Sea", his very detailed book of the building of a wooden drifter on the east coast of England before the First World War - "These were pretty rough, as they were all drifter's fittings". In other words, it's a work boat, not a yacht!

 

John

[JacquesCousteau]

I'd suggest looking for as many photos as you can find of working vessels to get a sense of what wear and tear might look like. It's also worth noting that it's very easy for wear and tear to be overdone and turn out out of proportion. In my Canoa de Rancho build, for instance, I've decided to model a relatively new vessel because I think properly aging it would be tricky. That said, there are a number of builds on this site that do a great job of modeling highly realistic aging/wear and tear, like this one: https://modelshipworld.com/topic/20162-new-england-stonington-dragger-by-friedclams-finished-148-pob/ I've also seen plenty of photos of working vessels with highly idiosyncratic rigging (using, for instance, a mix of rope, wire, and chain held together with rather chaotic knots) that may be accurate but also might look very odd on a model. Ultimately it's up to you, but I think that finding historic photos of similar vessels is probably your best bet.

 

[Pirate adam]

I personally prefer the second picture for a model of a ship made from wood. The scale joint lines would be very thin, but I think it is a bit of a waste to try to remove them completely. 
 

Adam