I (probably like most other ship modelers) want to build a crab boat. but I’m not very up on ship models. What would be the best ship model to convert to the Cornelia Marie, Wizard, or the Northwestern, in that order. I know the Northwestern is entirely different than the first two. I’ve seen a tug boat that might convert pretty easily into the Northwestern.
But I don’t know what models would convert fairly easily into the Cornelia Marie or the Wizard?
Suggestions Please???
PS are any model companies going to build the crab boats? Anyone know?
I can’t tell you much, but I believe that the Wizard was once a US Navy fuel oil barge and was built in 1945. You might be able to find plans for the YO class somewhere. I might suggest that you learn how to do some plank on frame building.
Here is a link to some ready built model fishing boats. On the side bar to the right are additional boats. If nothing else, the photos seem to be reasonable reference sources.
If you want to go that route, Iron Shipwright makes a YO in 1:350 scale.
Strip off the deck fittings and rebuild the deckhouse aft with some sheet styrene. Deck fittings & crane will also need to be scratchbuilt. Good luck in finding PE crab pots in that scale. Loose Cannon may make a YO in 1:700 scale (wish you even better luck on that).
Your other option might be to obtain a set of plans for the USCG 133’ buoy tender from the Library of Congress’ historic architecture site (yes they have ships). They were originally WWII powered barges. Use the lines as the basis for scratchbuilding a hull
I will never say never, but I’ve heard that the Discovery Channel & the crabbers want licensing fees for the likeness and names and that it may be prohibitive for model production
And at the risk of some people here thinking I’m dumb, I need to ask what is a “YO”.
Personally, I don’t think it’s a dumb question, it’s an uneducated question.
Also, I beleive that copywright laws prohibit one from making money from copying something like the crab boats. If I manage to do this, it would be for my own personal collection. and the only way Captain’s Keith, Sig, or the current captain / owners of the Cornelia Marie to find out about this is for them to run across this thread.
Now that I think about it, I’m betting that “Hand Crafted Model Ships” has the exclusive rights to this. my problem(s) with their boats are they are not kits, & they aren’t build correctly (the cornelia marie wheel house structure at the rear looks hollowed out) , & they look stunted or shorter than they should be.
**“**Your other option might be to obtain a set of plans for the USCG 133’ buoy tender from the Library of Congress’ historic architecture site (yes they have ships). They were originally WWII powered barges. Use the lines as the basis for scratchbuilding a hull”
Those plans are for a 180-foot Cactus/Mesquite-class buoy tender. They were purpose built buoy tenders with an icebreaker type hull. This type of hull configuration is not correct for the Wizard/Cornelia/Time Bandit and even more incorrect for a Northwestern.
The Library of Congress Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) page for the USCG White Holly 133-foot buoy tender is here. The 133 foot boats have a more representative configuration
