Polaris by Maid of the Mist - OcCre - 1:50

[Maid of the Mist]

Hi all,

 

I thought I’d share a retrospective build log of my first ever model ship, completed over July 2025. I’m completely new to the world of model shipbuilding, though I’ve always enjoyed construction hobbies:  Lego, model railways and book nooks have all featured in my spare time. 

 

After a bit of research, I settled on the OcCre Polaris, often recommended as a solid beginner kit from a reputable manufacturer. Alongside the kit, I picked up a basic toolset, plus some paints, wood dyes and varnish. One of the first things I learnt? Tools marketed outside the hobby world are often much better value, something I’ll definitely keep in mind for future builds.

 

The kit arrived on-time from OcCre, but I got caught out with a 20% import tax since the order value was well over £135. Ouch. Lesson learned: I’ll be avoiding direct orders from OcCre from now on.

 

I kicked things off with the false keel and bulkheads, using Lego bricks to help get those bulkheads aligned at a precise 90 degrees, a tip I picked up from MSW that worked quite well.

[Maid of the Mist]

One of the first issues I ran into was a slight warp in the false keel. From what I’ve read, this seems to be a fairly common problem with the Polaris kit, but I wasn’t too concerned.  Plenty of other builders have managed solid results despite it.

 

You might also notice in the photos that a few of my bulkheads aren’t completely level. Looking back, I’m not quite sure how I could have prevented that—maybe using a small spirit level would have helped?

 

I carried on and moved on to the deck. For the plank layout, I followed the pattern used by ibozev in his 2021 build log.  I just thought it looked more interesting than the one suggested by OcCre, and it was a simple adjustment to make. To simulate caulking, I used a standard HB pencil between the planks. It worked well enough, but I’ve seen cleaner, darker results from people using softer pencils.  Next time I’ll probably go with a 6B or similar.

 

I also ignored OcCre’s recommendation to use contact glue at this stage. Honestly, I was pretty sure I’d end up with a sticky mess, so I stuck with good old white glue and had no regrets.

[Maid of the Mist]

It’s not very clear from the photos, but this was the first point where I started to run into some real trouble. The deck isn’t supposed to lie completely flat, it should slope gently downward toward the centre of the ship and then rise slightly again. The deck piece itself, however, is entirely flat. So unless it’s clamped tightly to the frame while the glue sets, you won’t get perfect contact across the curve.

 

Unfortunately, I didn’t have the right clamps to do this properly, so I decided to just make do and press on. I figured it looked decent enough in the end.

The next challenge was bending and fitting the gunwales. I got this wrong. I didn’t spend enough time soaking and shaping them properly, and as a result, I never managed to get them to sit flush with the bow. I settled for something that seemed “good enough” at the time, but it left a visible gap. Now that the build is finished, I know the gap doesn’t jump out unless you’re really looking for it, but I know it’s there, and I know it had knock-on effects later in the build. Lesson learned: on future kits, I’ll spend far more time getting the early structural elements just right. They matter more than I realised at the time.

 

Anyway, I pressed on and began the hull planking. For this part, I followed OcCre’s guide, although I know a lot of experienced builders consider their approach a bit unconventional. Rather than tapering the planks, OcCre’s method involves using as many full-width planks as possible and then filling in the gaps with stealers. It worked well enough, but for my next build I plan to try the traditional tapering method instead, it just seems to produce a cleaner, more even finish.

 

In one of the photos, you can also see I made a start on the companionway. I really enjoyed these little deck details, they were a welcome change of pace while waiting for glue to dry on the main structure. The miniature builds added a lot of charm and gave a nice sense of progress between the more structural stages.

[Maid of the Mist]

I should say at this point, despite the mistakes and rough edges, I was absolutely loving the build. Planking was one of the most satisfying stages for me. It was the first time it really started to feel like I was building a proper ship.

 

I experimented with a few different plank-bending techniques. Most of the time, soaking the wood in water for about five minutes followed by ironing gave me an okay curve. For planks that needed a lateral bend, I made a simple jig using three nails and wedged the damp plank between them, leaving it to dry in shape. I also tried twisting damp planks by hand and using a hairdryer set on hot (clamped upright on my desk) to set the curve while I worked the wood in front of the heat. That method actually worked surprisingly well.

 

Still, one clear takeaway for future builds: I’ll be buying a proper plank-bending tool next time. From what I’ve seen, people who use them get more consistent results, quicker curves, and a much easier time when fitting everything neatly.

 

You can probably tell from the photos that both the bow and stern ended up ragged. I didn’t realise at the time just how much material I should have removed from the bulkheads and reinforcements, and I may also have placed the hull reinforcements incorrectly. As a result, when I laid the planks over the top, they bulged.  I also didn’t give much thought at this stage to where the keel would be!

 

Still, even with the imperfections, I was chuffed to see it all coming together. Slowly but surely, I was building a ship and even better, it was actually starting to look like one!

[JacquesCousteau]

Off to a nice start! I'm curious to follow along and see how the model turned out.

[Maid of the Mist]

Thanks JacquesCousteau!

 

I’m enjoying writing this log.  It’s a useful reminder of the steps that went well, or not so well!  Even though it's too late to change anything, I would love to have some tips and tricks for MSW members.  "Did you consider this..."  "Next time, try this..."

 

To continue…

 

As I was closing up the hull, I came across a thread on MSW warning how tricky it can be to sand a hull that’s full of nails. OcCre, as usual, seemed to think this wouldn’t be a problem, they suggest you can just file the nails down. I didn’t quite trust that advice, so I went ahead and removed every single nail I’d used up to that point. Thankfully, I’d been using white glue and the planks held firm without them.

 

For future builds, I’ll be taking another tip I picked up from MSW: using one and a half bulldog clips per bulkhead to hold planks in place while the glue dries. It’s a simple, cheap and elegant solution. I’m also considering trying CA glue at the bow and stern to help lock those trickier curves in place but ideally, if I get the shaping right, I won’t need to rely on that.

 

I took the sanding stage seriously. I set up outside with several grades of sandpaper and spent about two hours working my way around the hull, trying to get it as smooth as I could. I managed to slim down the stern a lot.  As for the rest, in hindsight, I really should’ve used wood filler to even things out more cleanly.  I've seen some beautiful smooth results from other builders, but honestly, I thought even without it the result I got was not bad for a first build.

[Maid of the Mist]

The veneer strips that go over the planking are one of my favourite parts of OcCre kits, they give such a warm finish. Not every manufacturer uses them.  Just my personal take, but I think it’s a shame to cover wood up. I know ships from this period were usually copper-bottomed or coated in a toxic white gunk, but I don’t have the skill to do the copper properly and I think a gleaming white hull on an 18th/19th century ship just looks… odd. If you're going to the effort of building a wooden ship, it feels right to show off the wood!

 

Anyway, I stuck with white glue for the veneer too, I didn’t trust myself with contact adhesive and wanted the option to reposition if needed. The most difficult area, by far, was the stem. Whether it was a sanding issue or a problem with how I laid the original planks, I couldn’t get things to sit flush or even close.  If I tried to bend the strips inwards the angle was too sharp and they simply broke. From certain angles, it looks rough.  Too rough to ignore, but too late to fix. In the end, I consoled myself with the fact that the model will usually be viewed in profile and no-one will be examining the bow up close.  Likewise, the veneer didn’t sit totally flush with the keel or sternpost, but it’s not visible when the ship is upright. Still, this is something I got quite wrong and I’m determined to improve next time around.

 

And, despite the missteps, once I put a coat of varnish on the fully veneered hull, I was feeling pretty happy!  I could finally turn the ship the right way up and start work on the deck.

 

 

 

Where did I go wrong here please?  And what could I have done different?

 

 

 

 

[RVB]

21 hours ago, Maid of the Mist said:

Thanks JacquesCousteau!

 

I’m enjoying writing this log.  It’s a useful reminder of the steps that went well, or not so well!  Even though it's too late to change anything, I would love to have some tips and tricks for MSW members.  "Did you consider this..."  "Next time, try this..."

 

To continue…

 

As I was closing up the hull, I came across a thread on MSW warning how tricky it can be to sand a hull that’s full of nails. OcCre, as usual, seemed to think this wouldn’t be a problem, they suggest you can just file the nails down. I didn’t quite trust that advice, so I went ahead and removed every single nail I’d used up to that point. Thankfully, I’d been using white glue and the planks held firm without them.

 

For future builds, I’ll be taking another tip I picked up from MSW: using one and a half bulldog clips per bulkhead to hold planks in place while the glue dries. It’s a simple, cheap and elegant solution. I’m also considering trying CA glue at the bow and stern to help lock those trickier curves in place but ideally, if I get the shaping right, I won’t need to rely on that.

 

I took the sanding stage seriously. I set up outside with several grades of sandpaper and spent about two hours working my way around the hull, trying to get it as smooth as I could. I managed to slim down the stern a lot.  As for the rest, in hindsight, I really should’ve used wood filler to even things out more cleanly.  I've seen some beautiful smooth results from other builders, but honestly, I thought even without it the result I got was not bad for a first build.

Remember:

You never learn from your successes but but learn from your mistakes!!!!

Best RVB

 

[Maid of the Mist]

When I started work on the deck, one of the first tasks was cutting, shaping, staining and gluing over 50 wooden posts around the inner edge. Honestly, this was probably my least favourite part of the build. It was fiddly, repetitive and to make matters worse, the white glue caused the wood stain to bleed out and spoil the pristine white background I'd already given three coats to. I’m still not quite sure how I could’ve prevented that, maybe just using a lot less glue would’ve helped!

 

 

 

Once that was done, I moved on to the rudder, which I really enjoyed. A lot of the detailing at this stage involved brass fittings. I know a ship from this period would’ve had very little brass (maybe just a bell) but I really liked the way the shiny details popped. I wasn’t trying to build a historically faithful prototype, I was going for an idealised version of a ship, where the wood is clean and the metal is polished!

 

 

 

The black paint detailing at the stern was done using OcCre’s acrylics and following their instructions to the letter. Masking tape helped keep everything clean and sharp, and I was fairly pleased with how the lines turned out.  The brass ornamentation was quite fiddly at first, but things improved dramatically once I got hold of a pair of jeweller’s pliers. That made shaping the wire much easier. I actually learned how to bend wire by watching a dentistry video from the University of Michigan, turns out orthodontists know a thing or two about precise bends!

 

In the same photo, you can also see some of the deck details. To simulate the metal bands around the barrels, I followed OcCre’s recommendation and used a permanent marker. It worked surprisingly well, though it definitely demanded a steady hand.