Galkar Posted October 22 #1 Posted October 22 (edited) Hello everyone! 6 months ago I didn't know anything about sailing ships (and still largely know very little). I have been reading Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series though and thoroughly enjoying it. I started looking around to see if there was a model of the Sophie from the first book and quickly learned that while there is not, that ship was essentially the Speedy with a quarter deck added. So after looking a bit more for Speedy models I found Vane's build log and decided I wanted to try it, but reading through that log made it clear that I would be out of my depth if I tried to start with that straight away. I have a decent amount of modeling experience, but it is all in the realm of miniature wargaming, and even then is mostly limited to painting. Certainly nothing that would prepare me for something like planking a hull. So after some more research I purchased the Model Shipways Shipwright 3 kit as a way to hopefully build up to Speedy. I'm hoping to be able to start on the Dory later today, and I will be adding my build to the large existing pile of build logs for that kit 😁. The Speedy kit looks like it'll still be a pretty big jump up in complexity from the Lobster Smack, but hopefully it will still be doable for someone with otherwise no shipbuilding or woodworking experience. Lastly I just want to say this seems like a great forum! Before I even really had a good sense of what this place was, just in my blind scattershot googling of various model ship related terms I kept seeing results from here pop up near the top of the results, almost always with some helpful info. I remember when I was in high school and this style of forum dominated special interest interaction over the internet, and I think the shift away from forums towards things like Discord has been a big loss for the internet generally, so it's great to come across one of these that's still thriving! Edited October 22 by Galkar typo AJohnson, druxey, Stuka and 10 others 13 Quote
Dan Poirier Posted October 22 #2 Posted October 22 Welcome! I read the O'Brian series years ago, and now that I'm building model ships, I keep thinking I should read them again. Keith Black and mtaylor 2 Quote Current projects: HM Armed Cutter Sherbourne, NRG's 18th-Century Merchantman Half-Hull Planking Kit Completed projects: Lowell Grand Banks Dory, Norwegian Sailing Pram, Muscongus Bay Lobster Smack
GrandpaPhil Posted October 22 #3 Posted October 22 Welcome! Keith Black and mtaylor 2 Quote Building: 1:200 Russian Battleship Oryol (Orel card kit) 1:64 HMS Revenge (Victory Models plans) 1:64 Cat Esther (17th Century Dutch Merchant Ships)
chris watton Posted October 22 #4 Posted October 22 The Speedy has actually been updated a lot since Vane's version, making it a little easier to build - but you are quite correct in looking for something simpler before building this. Ronald-V, Keith Black, druxey and 2 others 5 Quote Vanguard Models on Facebook
Ronald-V Posted October 22 #5 Posted October 22 mtaylor and Keith Black 2 Quote Currently working on the HMS Sphinx from Vanguard Models
Thukydides Posted October 22 #6 Posted October 22 Welcome, I also came from miniature wargaming painting. Take your time and do lots of reading. Even though it is a huge learning curve, you may find that more skills from miniature painting transfer over than you might have originally thought. druxey, mtaylor and Keith Black 3 Quote Current Builds: HMS Perseus (Scratch) Completed Builds: Type VII C U Boat (HobbyBoss); HM Cutter Alert (Vanguard Models)
Knocklouder Posted October 22 #7 Posted October 22 Hello, MSW/NRG is place to be. . Welcome aboard!! Bob M mtaylor and Keith Black 2 Quote Start so you can Finish !! Finished: The Sea of Galilee Boat-Scott Miller-1:20 , Amati } Hannah Ship in a Bottle:Santa Maria : LA Pinta : La Nana : The Mayflower : Viking Ship Drakkar The King Of the Mississippi Artesania Latina 1:80 Current Build: Royal Yacht, Duchess of Kingston-Vanguard Models
SiriusVoyager Posted October 22 #8 Posted October 22 Welcome to MSW! The amount to learn can be overwhelming. I find that the best bet is to learn as you go. I found that trying to learn too much too quickly just meant that I was taking in a lot of info that was meaningless to me at the time, and thus not retained. Keith Black and mtaylor 2 Quote - Eric Drafting: Sultan Arab Dhow Finished: Norwegian Sailing Pram, Lowell Grand Banks Dory, Muscongus bay lobster smack, OcCre Palamos, San Francisco Cross Section
AJohnson Posted October 22 #9 Posted October 22 Welcome to MSW! From another Aubrey/Maturin fan. You have a good plan for building up your skills. Keith Black and mtaylor 2 Quote Andrew Current builds:- HM Gun-brig Sparkler - Vanguard (1/64) , HMAV Bounty - Caldercraft (1/64) Completed (Kits):- Vanguard Models (1/64) :- HM Cutter Trial , Nisha - Brixham trawler Caldercraft (1/64) :- HMS Orestes(Mars), HM Cutter Sherbourne Paper Shipwright (1/250) :- TSS Earnslaw, Puffer Starlight
Baker Posted October 22 #10 Posted October 22 mtaylor and Keith Black 2 Quote Regards, Patrick Finished : Soleil Royal Heller 1/100 Wasa Billing Boats Bounty Revell 1/110 plastic (semi scratch) Pelican / Golden Hind 1/45 scratch Current build : Mary Rose 1/50 scratch große-jacht / Yacht D'Oro 1/50 Corel Gallery : Revell Bounty Pelican/Golden hind 1/45 scratch Shore leave, non ship models build logs : ADGZ M35 funkwagen 1/72 Einhets Pkw. Kfz.2 and 4 1/72 Autoblinda AB40 1/72 122mm A-19 & 152mm ML-20 & 12.8cm Pak.44 {K8 1/2} 1/72 10.5cm Howitzer 16 on Mark. VI(e) Centurion Mk.1 conversion M29 Weasel 1/72 SAM6 1/72 T26 Finland T26 TN 1/72 Autoprotetto S37 1/72 Opel Blitz buses 1/72 Boxer and MAN trucks 1/72 Hetzer38(t) Starr 1/72 Cleaning the 1/72 military collection Si vis pacem, para bellum
Galkar Posted October 22 Author #11 Posted October 22 Thank you everyone for the warm welcome! 1 hour ago, chris watton said: The Speedy has actually been updated a lot since Vane's version, making it a little easier to build That's nice to hear - and every discussion of the model I've seen seems to be very positive over its design, so I'm excited to get to it! I have a long way to go with these 3 models first though... chris watton, mtaylor and Keith Black 3 Quote
Keith Black Posted October 22 #12 Posted October 22 Galkar, welcome to MSW. Glad to have you aboard. mtaylor 1 Quote Current Builds: 1870's Sternwheeler, Lula Wood Hull Screw Frigate USS Tennessee Decorative Carrack Warship Restoration, the Amelia Completed: 1880s Floating Steam Donkey Pile Driver Early Swift 1805 Model Restoration
ccoyle Posted October 22 #13 Posted October 22 Welcome aboard! mtaylor and Keith Black 2 Quote Chris Coyle Greer, South Carolina When you have to shoot, shoot. Don't talk. - Tuco Current builds: Brigantine Phoenix, DS Børøysund
Jim Lad Posted October 22 #14 Posted October 22 Hello, and a warm welcome to the forum from 'Down Under'. John Keith Black and mtaylor 2 Quote
Louie da fly Posted October 22 #15 Posted October 22 (edited) Greetings from another Aubrey/Maturin fan. I have the whole series and currently re-reading for the umpteenth time. I love his humour and the relationship between Stephen and Jack, and of course the maritime stuff. Have fun with the dory, and make sure you start a build log. It's a great way to get help and advice, and if there's anything you don't understand or want help with, don't be afraid to ask. You WILL make mistakes - we all do - but that's part of the learning process. As you get more experience, your mistakes just get more interesting 😁 Steven Edited October 23 by Louie da fly druxey, Keith Black and mtaylor 3 Quote It's not really a ship model unless you've bled on it. CURRENT BUILDS Golden City - Ballarat paddlewheeler La Lomellina - Theoretical Reconstruction of a Genoese carrack sunk in 1516 FINISHED Venetian merchant Ship from Basilica of San Marco Australian couta boat RMS Titanic HMVS Cerberus 11th century Byzantine dromon Winchelsea Nef - Late 13th century Mediaeval ship Henry Grace a Dieu - Rebuild of 1:200 model I started in 1967 Mistydeefer - restoration of decor model yacht
TBlack Posted October 23 #16 Posted October 23 Galkar, Your interest in the HM Sophie hits a soft spot for me. I, too, am a fan of the O'Brian books, and, as it turns out, my youngest daughter is Sophie. So there was nothing for it but to build a model of the HM Sophie. As you have discerned, a good starting point is with the Speedy from Chris Watton (I have a very early version; you should benefit from the up-dates). Check out my log (HMS Sophie). The interesting part is the back end that has to be bulked up to accommodate a quarter deck and captains cabin. Otherwise, the build is pretty straightforward according to the kit instructions. Tom Keith Black and mtaylor 2 Quote
mtaylor Posted October 23 #17 Posted October 23 Keith Black 1 Quote Mark "The shipwright is slow, but the wood is patient." - me Current Build: Past Builds: La Belle Poule 1765 - French Frigate from ANCRE plans - ON HOLD Triton Cross-Section NRG Hallf Hull Planking Kit HMS Sphinx 1775 - Vanguard Models - 1:64 Non-Ship Model: On hold, maybe forever: CH-53 Sikorsky - 1:48 - Revell - Completed Licorne - 1755 from Hahn Plans (Scratch) Version 2.0 (Abandoned)
Keith Black Posted October 23 #18 Posted October 23 2 hours ago, TBlack said: Check out my log (HMS Sophie) The link to Tom's Sophie build log. mtaylor 1 Quote Current Builds: 1870's Sternwheeler, Lula Wood Hull Screw Frigate USS Tennessee Decorative Carrack Warship Restoration, the Amelia Completed: 1880s Floating Steam Donkey Pile Driver Early Swift 1805 Model Restoration
Galkar Posted October 23 Author #19 Posted October 23 Last night I was able to reclaim the craft room from all the boxes that have somehow accumulated in there over the months, and I've started a build log for my Dory! I absolutely welcome any feedback as I'm sure I'll be making plenty of mistakes, plenty without realizing. 16 hours ago, TBlack said: Galkar, Your interest in the HM Sophie hits a soft spot for me. I, too, am a fan of the O'Brian books, and, as it turns out, my youngest daughter is Sophie. So there was nothing for it but to build a model of the HM Sophie. As you have discerned, a good starting point is with the Speedy from Chris Watton (I have a very early version; you should benefit from the up-dates). Check out my log (HMS Sophie). The interesting part is the back end that has to be bulked up to accommodate a quarter deck and captains cabin. Otherwise, the build is pretty straightforward according to the kit instructions. Tom I did indeed read your build log when I was first looking around for Sophie kits - it's extremely impressive! I did briefly consider trying to follow in your footsteps, but I dismissed that idea thinking that adding even a small amount of scratch-building into my first truly complex kit would be a recipe for disaster. Since you're here, though, I'd be curious to hear your thoughts. How hard was it to do the modifications you made, and did they make other parts of the build appreciably harder? Part of what scared me off was looking at your drawings since I know I would need to do something similar but I have no knowledge of or experience with any kind of technical drawing. Really, I'm curious to hear if you think that what you did would be achievable by someone with no drafting or woodworking experience who has only build the kits from the Model Shipways Shipwright 3 set. (Even just typing it out it sounds ridiculous, but hey, maybe I'm overestimating the difficulty!) Ondras71, mtaylor and Keith Black 3 Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.