• SUBSCRIBE TO SHIPS IN SCALE TODAY!

    The beloved Ships in Scale Magazine is back and charting a new course for 2026!
    Discover new skills, new techniques, and new inspirations in every issue.

    NOTE THAT OUR NEXT ISSUE WILL BE MARCH/APRIL 2026
  • Win a Free Custom Engraved Brass Coin!!!
    As a way to introduce our brass coins to the community, we will raffle off a free coin during the month of August. Follow link ABOVE for instructions for entering.

I let my Admiral choose my new kit !

It think like your Admiral made a thoughtful choice and added a fun surprise element to your first wooden ship build. Given her interest in a rugged warship and classy design, my guess is she picked the San Felipe, which balances both her excitement and a display-worthy look. Either way, it’s clear you both share the same passion for ships and the build will be an enjoyable project.
 
Last edited:
Corsair said:
Just a quick FYI. Went and saw Brit Floyd last night and they were fantastic! If you enjoy Pink Floyd music, I strongly encourage you to go see them if you have the chance!
Click to expand...
Where are they touring now? I know, from the past, they are usually in April in New York. I saw them already more than 5 times. What album are they touring with?
 
Excellent! I was thinking about you recently as I knew BF was in Florida. I saw them 3 times in Ft Myers. Each show is different, so, go again next year.
 
Mike-H2O said:
Greetings Folks,

My Admiral was my grade school & high school sweetheart. She used to help me build plastic model kits when we were kids. She knew back then that a scale wooden ship was on my bucket list.

I have been doing extensive research for about 6 months & have watched countless YouTube build logs & read hundreds of posts & build logs on SOS.

This will be my first wooden model ship build.
Here is my resume:

- Advanced wood worker with a specialty in scroll sawing & fretwork
- 35 yrs residential construction, drafting, blueprint reading & take-off experience
- Built over 150 new homes, including one that was $1 Million
- College degree with a minor in mathematics
- I measure 3 times & cut once
- Extremely Patient & strong attention to detail

With my resume, I "think" I would put my starting skill level as intermediate? My thought was that if I can build a $1M house, surely I can build a $500 ship model.
(I might change my tune once I start) !
My confidence level is extremely high except for the planking & rigging. I'm ready for a 3+ year build. I plan on messing up & having to purchase replacement materials. PLUS... the knowledge & willingness to help new builders on this site is my "Ace in the hole". This forum is amazing.

I picked an Occre kit, due to the 1:1 plans, build videos & recommendations from SOS. Last week, I informed my Admiral that I was ready to purchase & I wanted her to pick out the ship. She was extremely excited to pick the one to display in our home.

I gave her 4 choices from Occre. She watched every presentation video of each ship several times & every picture of each ship on their website. She was definitely "On Board".
Here were my choices:
- Endeavour
- Diana
- San Felipe
- Belle Poule

She really liked the rugged war ship San Felipe & thought the Belle Poule was very classy. For some reason she wasn't fond of the Endeavour. So, the choice was quickly narrowed down to 3.
Out of curiosity, She then spent parts of 2 days looking at ALL the choices from Occre & loved the Santisima Trinidad, Montanes & the new limited HMS Victory. I politely told her "I like them as well, but, NO", (a word she doesn't like to hear) and that those kits were not a first time build & the fact that the Victory was $1800 & already sold out, so... maybe one of those for my next build. She agreed.

3 days later... the Admiral informed me that the kit was purchased from Amazon, but wouldn't tell me which one ! I had to promise her that I would not get on our Amazon account & see the order status. Hmm... I don't care, as I love all 3. I am like a kid waiting for Christmas !

Kit should arrive in a few days. Stay tuned. I'll report back & then start a build log.
Which one did she choose ?:
- Diana
- San Felipe
- Belle Poule

Mike
Click to expand...
With your background, I honestly think you picked the right hobby. The patience and precision matter way more than people think. Planking and rigging will probably test you a bit at first, but your woodworking experience is going to help a ton.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top