• 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.
  • PRE-ORDER 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 FIRST ISSUE WILL BE JAN/FEB 2026

Santa Maria1:48 (Pavel Nikitin)

Hi Rob, the graphic on the bottom of the image above (Pack 8) shows the bumpers are already notched??? I doubt the manufacturer would do that since wale locations could vary between builders...but it might give you a clue on how to proceed?
 
Thanks doc.

The pieces are not notched for the reason you mentioned. I glued together the left and right #1 bumpers. When you put the numbers on the inside when gluing together, there is quite a groove between outside edges due to the angle cut of the laser. Quite a bit of sanding to make them level. I'm not sure I have the skill to either cut the wale or bumper correctly. The hull looks good the way it is. I might just leave the bupers off.

1.jpg

I just decided I'm definitely not cutting the wale. Just incase I can't cut the bumpers so they look good. I'm not getting a good feeling about this. So, guess I'll try cutting notches in the #1 pieces to see if I can do this. Bumper #1 goes all the way up into the 'paneled' area of the forecastle. Since I didn't put vertical boards in this area, and left it open, I will have to shorten the #1 bumpers.
1.jpg
 
Question doc. Here is a photo of the hull...
Link to SOS images

Screenshot 2026-01-05 at 10.12.02 AM.png
It looks to me that "starting at about the center" (maybe 1 bumper in front of the main mast) the bumper is vertical. As one moves fore/aft, it looks like the bumpers start tilting 'outwards' at the top. Is that the way you see it?

Another question... The last bumper at the stern 'butts' up against a decorative piece. Were would you suggest I start with the first bumper so I can get this last bumper in the correct position?

Looking at the drawings that come with the kit, I measured between the bumpers. They tend to get a litte further apart as one moves fore/aft of center. Don't know if this is an illusion from looking at a flat drawing.

I just wrote to Pavel asking about the distance bewteen bumpers.

Guess the logical thing to do is put tape on the hull and "mark" where the bumpers should go. What ya think?
 
Guess the logical thing to do is put tape on the hull and "mark" where the bumpers should go.
For sure you need to do this.

I agree that from the side view it appears they start to tip fore and aft - but I wonder if that's just parallax looking at a curved object. Can you measure between the top and bottom of the bumpers on a drawing or the above image? In any case - what Pavel is showing looks GREAT so I would try to replicate that!
 
Per Pavel (he calls them bumpers) this is what I need to do...

First I must install the decorative piece on the stern. This must go on 1st as bumper #12 fits against the angle on fhe front edge of the decorative piece. This gives the bumper the correct fitment angle.
3.jpg

Next I must temporarily place the chainplate board in the correct position. It has 4 notches that fit across the bumpers. So placing the chainplate board in the correct position gives correct reference to where bumpers 7 throujgh 10 are positioned.
4.jpg
 
But... before I can install the decorative pieces on the stern I must correct a made.
1.jpg

This is how it's suppose to be. A short wale installed here. I placed a full length wale, which now must be removed.2.jpg
 
This wale had 6 pieces. 4 full length pieces and 2 short pieces. I didn't see this on the instruction sheet. All the wales previous were 4 pieces (2 for each side) with one glued on top of the other. So I put in the 4 full length pieces without looking at the instructions.

Here is what I should have done.
3.jpg4.jpg
6.jpg
 
Back
Top