Let's get more people into wooden ship building!

Model Shipways said:
Rob, great to hear you took advantage of the promotion. We did place an ad on Fine Scale Modeler and AARP is on our radar - even though their rates are very, very high. Hope to see your next build soon. What are you up to? Regards!
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Working on my Norwegian sailing pram and trying to figure out which model I want to work on next!
 
I started building model ships about a year before I retired, and now I continue full-time with the same enthusiasm as the first day and I consider myself very lucky to have been introduced to this hobby.

This service of Model Shipways is very valuable for those who are interested in this hobby but do not have the courage to start.
 
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Quint said:
Mystic Seaport Ship Modelers, Mystic Seaport Museum, Mystic, Ct. (https://mysticseaport.org) hosts an annual exhibit, May - October, where Club Members display their projects. The Exhibit is held in The John Gardner Boathouse located between the Shipyard and Charles W. Morgan and is open to all Museum Visitors. Daily, the Exhibit is staffed by Club Members who interact with the Visitors, literally thousands visit this Exhibit. The Seaport is considering making this a year-round Exhibit.

Many Visitors have questions regarding getting into the hobby and we will answer as best we can and provide a photocopy handout of Ship Modeling websites and resources. We do our best to promote the Hobby and oftentimes are providing a free marketing resource by recommending specific distributors, manufactures and kits. It would be naive to think a Visitor takes our advice and orders a kit as soon as they get home. They may at some future date.

I believe the Hobby will grow. Demographically growth will generate from the 55+ age group. This is the group that asks questions and joins our Club. A 15-16-year-old likely does not have the mindset, patience and or resources to drop +$100 on a kit and tools. However, adults 55+, in or approaching retirement have more disposable income and leisure time to devote to a new Hobby. This age group is consistently growing and living longer.

Perhaps manufacturers and distributors could reach out to some 55+ organizations for Marketing feedback? Should this be the target market? Looking at the pictures posted of those holding a newly completed Dory above, it doesn't appear any are in their teen's.
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Attention model ship retailers
How about contacting the AARP organization about doing an article on model ship building as a hobby?
They have a great monthly magazine helping 55+ citizens
 
Model Shipways said:
It's one of the oldest and most rewarding hobbies in the world. Used to be huge. But then came plastic kits, then video games, internet, smart phones... and our world got smaller.

Some people think "I'll never be able to build something like that". Well, we don't believe in it. And we put our money where our mouth is.

Here is the deal: You buy the Dory - with or without tools - build it and send us a picture of you with your masterpiece. We will GIVE YOU BACK everything you spent in store credit.
Chances are you will build wooden ships for the rest of your life.

If you build plastic kits, now it's the opportunity to give it a try. And if you already are a wood modeler, help us spread the word.

Let's make wooden ship building great again ;)!

Buy The Dory Here



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I have just recently purchased a 48" USS Constitution. Am waiting to find out if it has shipped. It's all wood and I'm going to have a blast building it. Will need many tips and advice for this is the first I will be doing. I also have a F4U Corsair Balsa I will be putting together. Have started this on in the past but on of my children sat on it and i have just recently purchased it again. will be a later project as will the Constitution
 
lobo said:
Hate to rain on anyone's optimistic view on reviving wood ship modelling. Todays youth are not building models. They do not fly R/C airplanes, (those that do are flying mostly prebuilt out of the box) and they most certainly are not driving R/C submarines. The "Tri State" R/C shows are dwindling, as well as the clubs! Even the heyday of R/C cars has come and gone!
I ask...how old is the youngest wood ship builder on this forum? I was modelling plastic kits since 4 years old, attempted my first Guillows balsa plane kit at 6!
Back in 1983 bought my first boat wood kit (dory) from a Model Expo add in Smithsonian via mail order. Yes, it hooked me! a few more builds along the years, and today I have 6 wood kits in the box, yet to be started, with a Mamoli Alabama on the workbench, hull planking & deck completed. At 67 now, will I ever get to the remaining boxed kits yet to be built? I think not!
Back in 1984 or so I visited Model Expo to buy my second kit after the dory build. Mr. Frank Mastini was behind a counter across the opposite side of the service counter. He was building a Bluenose as a demo. At the service counter, (I believe it was Marc), I was directed to Mr. Mastini for coaching on my second kit! Even back then, I was not waiting on line in the subsequent Saturdays I spent driving to NJ for Mr. Mastini's build coaching. I pretty much had his lessons all to myself!
Now, to be fair Model Expo was in a corporate park, and they were doing largely mail order, but the premise was easy to access with little effort and very well set up as a point of sale retail shop within the warehouse. Still, all that being said, I was surprised at how few people were taking advantage of Mr. Mastini's coaching!
All here will agree...this hobby consumes much time, yielding great rewards for the effort. How does one find the time in youth between work, social life & family? I largely put this hobby on the backburner until I was in my late 40's re-start...and that was slow going!
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Well Lobo maybe more of us should sit down with our kids and Grandkids and revitalize the hobby. all three of my sons are into modeling and i have had family members show an interest as well. I believe if we older generation try to show the younger generation how rewarding it can be from completing a model and the satisfaction from a job accomplished it could bring more people into the craft.
 
I recently joined this forum and have found this conversation interesting. I scratch built a banks dory 40+ years ago using John Gardner’s “The Dory Book”. It was in 1/24 scale. I recently built another in 1/48 for my O scale model railroad. I have found building boat models very achievable. They can be completed in weeks, not months or years. I have others on my list to build. This type of Promotion from Model Shipways is a great idea to promote the hobby with an achievable kit build.
My 10 year old grandson is finishing up a plastic model of the USS Texas in 1/350 and has a CVL (Light Aircraft Carrier) in the same scale waiting in the wings. He is a much better modeler than I was at that age! There is still hope!
Pete
 
Pete Leach said:
I recently joined this forum and have found this conversation interesting. I scratch built a banks dory 40+ years ago using John Gardner’s “The Dory Book”. It was in 1/24 scale. I recently built another in 1/48 for my O scale model railroad. I have found building boat models very achievable. They can be completed in weeks, not months or years. I have others on my list to build. This type of Promotion from Model Shipways is a great idea to promote the hobby with an achievable kit build.
My 10 year old grandson is finishing up a plastic model of the USS Texas in 1/350 and has a CVL (Light Aircraft Carrier) in the same scale waiting in the wings. He is a much better modeler than I was at that age! There is still hope!
Pete
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I do not agree with you. I would like you to build a 74 gunner in 6 months- at least tell me what type of boat .ship, as some newcomers much get it wrong- I have 60 Years of building on my back with more than 30 models built- for it took 3-4 years for 74 gunner.
 
El Capi said:
I do not agree with you. I would like you to build a 74 gunner in 6 months- at least tell me what type of boat .ship, as some newcomers much get it wrong- I have 60 Years of building on my back with more than 30 models built- for it took 3-4 years for 74 gunner.
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Sorry El Capi, but Pete is talking in his post about building boat models, f.e the Dory in some weeks
- he did not mention any 74-gun ship of the line, which of course for everybody clear needs much more time like you mentioned.
BOATS versus SHIPS
 
I am in no way trying to say scratch building a ship can be done in weeks or months. I am talking about starting with a boat, such as a dory or dinghy. The last ship I scratch built over 30 years ago took well over a year and a half. It was a 2 masted fishing schooner I built for a friend.
I think folks just starting out may be a little leery committing to that much time.
BTW, I am working on a 21’ Beachcomber Alpha in 1/24 scale, also from John Gardner’ book.
Pete
 
Hello all I’m new to the forum thanks for approving my application. I have bought about a year ago a Corel Sloup to build thinking hey it’s a good deal and I have built model cars planes and even Mecha’s so how hard could this be. Upon receiving my precious new model and opening it up only to see (as so many who just jumped the gun buying a wooden model ship) all the sticks and slabs of wood metal and cloth and says hey this is not so bad. Then when you open up the huge sheets of schematics with no apparent begging or end and are like where do I even start. So now 4 boats in (unbuilt -new) I finally get a beginners model the Lowell Grand Banks Dory to start my journey which I’m sure won’t end till I get a stash of wooden ships comparable to my plastic models stash . Thanks again for accepting my application SOS.

FFAC5950-29D5-4276-BA0D-44443CD6B315.jpeg
 
Bu66l3s said:
Hello all I’m new to the forum thanks for approving my application. I have bought about a year ago a Corel Sloup to build thinking hey it’s a good deal and I have built model cars planes and even Mecha’s so how hard could this be. Upon receiving my precious new model and opening it up only to see (as so many who just jumped the gun buying a wooden model ship) all the sticks and slabs of wood metal and cloth and says hey this is not so bad. Then when you open up the huge sheets of schematics with no apparent begging or end and are like where do I even start. So now 4 boats in (unbuilt -new) I finally get a beginners model the Lowell Grand Banks Dory to start my journey which I’m sure won’t end till I get a stash of wooden ships comparable to my plastic models stash . Thanks again for accepting my application SOS.

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a warm welcome on board of our forum
have fun with the hobby and also here in the forum
 
Model Shipways said:
It's one of the oldest and most rewarding hobbies in the world. Used to be huge. But then came plastic kits, then video games, internet, smart phones... and our world got smaller.

Some people think "I'll never be able to build something like that". Well, we don't believe in it. And we put our money where our mouth is.

Here is the deal: You buy the Dory - with or without tools - build it and send us a picture of you with your masterpiece. We will GIVE YOU BACK everything you spent in store credit.
Chances are you will build wooden ships for the rest of your life.

If you build plastic kits, now it's the opportunity to give it a try. And if you already are a wood modeler, help us spread the word.

Let's make wooden ship building great again ;)!

Buy The Dory Here



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I suggest targeting retired dentists, as the skill set is right up their alley.
 
Jimsky said:
Anyone interested in seeing my Dory completed, link below

Lowell Grand Banks Dory, Scale 1:24

Here are the images of the completed model of Lowell Grand Banks Dory. The link to the actual build log is below. https://shipsofscale.com/sosforums/threads/lowell-grand-banks-dory-scale-1-24-by-model-shipways-beginners-kit-completed.13403/#post-351922 Thank you all! Happy Modeling!
shipsofscale.com
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Your build is awesome, you really took the Dory to the next level!!! May I use your pictures on our website?
 
juansystem05 said:
That is great!
I thank you for your effort
Do you have an offer for intermediate modelers? I have built a lot of old midwest kits, I am thinking about something like the pinky schooner
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This should be a good choice. We have a couple of build logs to help you in your decision.
 
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