Artesania Latina - Soleil Royal

  • Thread starter Thread starter shelk
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@Uwek @Heinrich, I think AL always has been using single planking so it doesn't suprise me. Looking at the kit it is to my opinion still the best SR in the market at the moment. Especially if you do some kit bashing on it it can become a really nice model.

In respect to double planking a lot of large ships in the 17th century had double planking for multiple reasons. Most vessels sailing globally had on top of their oak planking a second layer of softer wood which was used as a sacraficial layer against toredo worm. This layer was nailed on top of the oak below the main wales.

A second reason for a second planking was to change the shape of the under water hull.
In water stability of a ships hull could not be calculated yet and therefore after launching the vessel they did stability testing. If a ship had insufficient stability after ballasting a thick belt of wood was nailed on the bilge to increase the stability. A wider ship has a higher stability.

Actually on the Vasa this was the case, she had poor stability after ballasting and testing. She actually did not receive this doubling as the Swedish king needed the ship urgently in his battles against Poland. We all know where that ended. In a beautiful museum luckily for us :-).
 
Interesting to see the content partly.
I was in the beginning surprised how small the box is (compared to the hand opening the box)
- still there is the wrong scale written on the box with 1:65
- when I recognize it correctly, most of the laser cut wooden sheets are mainly plywood
- the rigging material are no ropes, but threads
- the cast material is looking very good - I hope they maintain the casting forms with the years, otherwise after 1000 times used the results is getting worse)
So I have personally ambivalent opinion about this kit. I guess with the very good castings and a change of some timber it could get a really good model, but there could and maybe should several things bashed....
 
In the model group of Russian social networks, they are firmly trying to convince me of 100 percent copyability with the DEA partwork. There is no way to convince that this is a new re-earned set.
 
Its $899 US whilst the ZHL kit is $468 Big diff in price. They are both made in China. Also the stern is completely different. Which is more accurate?

I have read/looked the pic-structions on AL site ( hopefully not as painfull as the Camel set was). There is no walnut/ mahogany etc. You have to stain / paint the parts. Sustainable wood suggest chinese palowina wood( okay wood). For the price it seems the quality comparison between the two ships is at odds.

Looks like AL has gone for profit over quality in a huge way. The balustrades look terrible in pre cut ply

No sure who this is aimed at. Pricing is not beginner, but quality is!.
It is closer to a $300 kit. Very disappointing.
Who ships instructions on CD!- PC's dont come with them these days. No printed 1:1 Plans is a big issue for masting etc.
 
Uwek said:
Interesting to see the content partly.
I was in the beginning surprised how small the box is (compared to the hand opening the box)
- still there is the wrong scale written on the box with 1:65
- when I recognize it correctly, most of the laser cut wooden sheets are mainly plywood
- the rigging material are no ropes, but threads
- the cast material is looking very good - I hope they maintain the casting forms with the years, otherwise after 1000 times used the results is getting worse)
So I have personally ambivalent opinion about this kit. I guess with the very good castings and a change of some timber it could get a really good model, but there could and maybe should several things bashed....
Click to expand...
About the rigging the material, it would seem that most kits do not contain rope, other than maybe the one for the anchor. For this reason I did buy a rope making machine.
paulv1958 said:
Its $899 US whilst the ZHL kit is $468 Big diff in price. They are both made in China. Also the stern is completely different. Which is more accurate?

I have read/looked the pic-structions on AL site ( hopefully not as painfull as the Camel set was). There is no walnut/ mahogany etc. You have to stain / paint the parts. Sustainable wood suggest chinese palowina wood( okay wood). For the price it seems the quality comparison between the two ships is at odds.

Looks like AL has gone for profit over quality in a huge way. The balustrades look terrible in pre cut ply

No sure who this is aimed at. Pricing is not beginner, but quality is!.
It is closer to a $300 kit. Very disappointing.
Who ships instructions on CD!- PC's dont come with them these days. No printed 1:1 Plans is a big issue for masting etc.
Click to expand...
Well, call me a traitor but I opted for the less expensive option. I looked through the parts and wood of that option, and I have no complaints, so I am not clear as to why one would charge almost double the cost and expect the public to spend that much.
 
Hi All

I have just received this kit direct from AL in Spain.There is quite a bit wrong with this kit in terms of hull length etc.but there is also quite a lot right with this kit.I will do a review fairly soon and post what is and what isn't right IMHO in my conclusion along with my intentions which will be the most complex kit bash I have done to date but also probably the cheapest

As a side note, the hull IS double planked.I would stress though,I really like the blue and it is a definite possibility.

Kind Regards

Nigel
 
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