I’ve never built a plank-on-bulkhead kit (POB). I just bought this from a private seller, and there’s a couple of layers to the onion. I like to tell stories, so bear with me.
First, the kit.
I am planning for a basically modest retirement, in a house thats paid for and serviced by a little Toyota same ways.
In that house about 1200 sf which we own, there will be a big room where my half has a little table saw, a bench and a place to build wood ship models. I plan to give away the plasic models I own and the N Scale railroad stuff which I can sell.
Next layer, no HECEPOB for me and no further dreams of big ship models. If Hellers Victory is finished to the main tops, I will be happy with that phase of planning big and being burdened.
Next layer, I have been a sailor since I was about 5. Sailboats. Sheet in one hand, tiller in the other, up and down chop. I plan to work from the base up. I want to rig a line only when I know why it is there.
So, I have a half finished racing schooner, a fishing schooner, a brigantine and a sloop.
Will be interesting to follow. I too have steered more and more away from plastics. I have been building wood small craft, boats and skiffs, and working coastal boats like the flattie and such. I have 4 larger wood kits in the stash but have so far avoided starting one for fear of screwing it up. They are assorted construction - POB, POF, Solid hull, Plank over solid hull. The small boats I’ve done are modified, kinda, POB/POF, some neither, just built over a form and holding it’s own shape after removal from the form, like building a canoe. I do like following your work and comments on all things nautical. Thanks for posting. EJ
This will be interesting to follow. I cannot remember if or when there was a wood ship model WIP. At least if there was, it was before my time on the forum.
i started sailing at the age of seven at NAS Alameda. I definitely miss sailing in the Bay.
Good luck with your retirement plans! They sure sound good! With the economy in my part of the world, I would be glad to be able to go on retirement before I die!
So far I’ve built one wooden model ship. I’d like to show it here, because it is related to your boat - it’s a Virginia pilot schooner. The kit was by Artist in the Latrine, but it is a ripoff of the Model Shipways Katy of Norfolk. I had to correct many things in it and do LOTS of research:
Now it seats in a custom built glass case in the house of my parents:
That sounds like a nice, thoroughly reasonable plan, GM. Much like mine. (I’m semi-retired right now; as of May I’m done completely. My wife is also retired from teaching, so two Social Security checks and two pension checks await.)
I did a bit of sailing when I was a lot younger, but an increasing tendency to seasickness has discouraged me for the past twenty-five years or so. (I once managed to get seasick lying on a waterbed in a furniture store.)
I haven’t seen the Model Shipways Virginia Sloop in the flesh, but I’m confident that it’s a good, well-designed kit. The designer was Ben Lankford, who knows his stuff.
I wish you a happy, long, and healthy retirement.
Pawel, I really like your pilot schooner. Including the case. That triangular design is one I hadn’t seen before.
Professor Tilley - thanks a lot. I designed the case myself and had it custom-built here in Poland. I’m proud about the Pilot, too - thanks a lot for your kind words. I wish you good luck on your retirement, too! Have a nice day - and Merry Christmas!
