Bluenose II Artesania Latina or Model Shipways

[guycnicholas]

I am hoping Santa will bring me my first ship kit for Christmas this year, and so I have been reading up on the subject a bit in an effort to help him bring me just the right kit.  I have the book, Ship Modelling simplified, and it states the AL Bluenose II as a good first build.  Other places on the web suggest the Model Shipways version.

Are there any opinions out there as to which would be a better starting kit for an English speaking beginner?

 

I do have modeling experience, RC airplanes back in the day as well as RC sailboats, but I have never done any sort of planking type thing before, and that has really been the part that I always thought would be really fun.

 

Regards, Guy

[markjay]

Hi,

I've built the MS version of the kit... the finished product came out OK. i was not pleasedwith the quality of the wood supplied and the instructions (in English) left alot to be desired. Yes, it is recommended as a starter kit and there are plently of challenges to learn from. You may want to consider the MS Virginia Sloop as an alternative.

I believe there are Utube clips on both the kits. I have no experience with the AL version.

 

Welcome to the world of shipbuilding.

 

Mark

Edited December 1, 2014 by markjay

[Neal McCoy]

Guy

Go on www.lauckstreetshipyard.com and look for your model. Some of his planking methods I question. But over all it is a good course on c d. The pictures of work in progress have been helpful with clearing up ??? in the book and plans I am doing the Blue Nose Canada. The optional third c d ( all photos ) not needed up to you. Good Luck>

Neal

[jhearl]

I built the AL version of the kit back in 2003 and wrote a series of articles for Ships in Scale Magazine. These articles are available to download on my site for free - http://modelboatyard.com/bluenose2.html  The AL kit has lots of problems but in a sense, it's an OK first-time kit because you can make your inevitable beginner mistakes with it and not really lose anything.

[irishjohnny98]

jhearl, Thank you sir. No doubt, I will thank you many times mentally during my experience building Bluenose ii...

[catopower]

In general, I've found that Artesania Latina kits are simpler by design. The problem usually encountered with their kits are ones of accuracy, rather than construction difficulties. They are intended to be more decorative as opposed to accurate. The planking methods expected on the AL kits are simplified. I generally recommend first timers not to worry about trying to follow actual planking practice as it's a bit complicated when you're still trying to find your way around the ship model kit. There's plenty to learn already.

 

Ship Modeling Simplified is a great book and a particularly good guide for the AL Bluenose II kit. Enjoy your first build. And, when you have a nicely built model sitting on your shelf, you can spend more time advancing specific skills on a more complicated build.

 

Hope Santa is good to you and you get what you want!

 

Clare

[guycnicholas]

Thanks for the replies!

jhearl, the article looks great, thanks for sharing it.

Neal, thanks for the link to the CD's, they look like they could be helpful regardless the direction I end up going.

 

Regards, Guy