Sovereign of the Seas - Sergal - Vintage kit (1974)

[Rmazdra]

Hi--I just finished this ship in May and wish you lots of fun and interesting challenges. Just be aware that the plan book is totally useless and if you follow it you will have huge issues. I ignored it. Also, the plans are pretty bad and inconsistent from sheet to sheet so you really have to do some out of the box thinking and planning (which clearly you are doing with the cool lighting work).

A couple of other thoughts:

1. Yes, definitely do your own stern windows and the lighting will make things amazing.
2. When you do the mast work, be aware that the lubber hole openings in the little discs they provide are way too small and unless you enlarge them you can't get lines through them.
3. The kinds of things you have to check that you never thought you did--the flags are bigger than the dimensions of the top masts they provide so check all that before you make the masts.
4. I'm sure I'll think of other things and let you know!

Overall warning--I've done the Mantua Sergal Victory, Soleiel Royal and Sovereign of the Seas and thought the SoS was the worst in terms of plans, materials and concept, so it definitely deserves a good bashing because there are lots of ways you can make it better!

View attachment 528896

Thomas, you're SOS build is very nice. Did you post a build log here or elsewhere? I'd like to go review how things went. It's really helpful for me to see and read how others have resolved some of the issues I'm sure I'll be facing.

 

[Rmazdra]

I'm enjoying your build very much Ron and I love the idea of the coins on display! You never explained who signed the frames and why you posted scripture on the interior frames? I look forward to following your progress all the way to the end. Magic Mike

Mike, if Father Mark is watching this thread, I'll let him comment on signatures and Scripture verses on the frames. I took over his build after all that "extra content" was already added to the frames. I know he's got a great story behind all that.

 

[Rmazdra]

Hi again--As I mentioned, I went back to have a look and came up with a few more caveats about things to be aware of when you tackle the kit. I've also attached some pictures of some of the things I'm referring to. Let me know if you need any clarifications. Here goes:

• For the curved bulkheads the kit provides little cutouts to put down on the deck to secure the lower part of the bulkhead walls. Unfortunately, they don’t correspond to the curves of the plywood decking, so before you secure anything, make a template from the deck edge and make your own cutouts or guides. Otherwise you will have a huge problem getting the walls straight and even.
• Be creative with the front of the fo’c’sle. The plans just have an opening but you could build steps down to the platform over the bowsprit or some other arrangement. I made a little door inside the opening as well.
• Unlike the newer kits, this one provides nothing for the tops of the curved bulkheads other than the brass strips. I found them impossible to bend and miter in order to position them the way I wanted to and ended up making them out of quarter round timber that I could bend.
• I didn’t like the Jacobs ladder the plans showed so I made mine using smaller timber. I also made a door that looked sort of 16th century. I also glued some netting inside the plywood stern windows to make it look like diamond window panes. Not sure how historically accurate that is, but I think it dresses things up.
• Because the ship has royals as well as topgallants and the crows nests are not to scale (too large) the masts can look as if they are pitched forward, especially when the upper shrouds are in place. You might want to rake the masts back a bit more than usual to compensate for this or tilt the top masts back a bit when you assemble them.
• Because you are doing sails it may not be as important, but there is no logic to the running rigging plan. Especially for the bowsprit and foremast where they have most of the lines going to one belaying pin and some going only to one. Also, if you try to run them to where the plan says you’ll get some illogical line crossings. Plan the whole thing out and make your fife rails a bit bigger than normal to take all the lines and to have a bit more room to work.
• Good luck!

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Thomas, thanks for the tips. I think making the fife rails longer will help. I didn't have enough of the belaying pins in certain areas when I did the rigging on Victory. There's so many things I'll have to work out, that I'll come back to these posts again and again and probably ask more questions.

 

[Rmazdra]

In the Sovereign, much of the running rigging was tied to cleats that were attached to the shrouds by lashing.
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Here is one person's belaying plan interpretation. It seems consistent and proper. With it, you can figure out the running rigging.
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Below is an attached article which points out many important and unique details on how HMS Sovereign of the Seas was rigged.

Kurt, thank you very much for this info. It will be hugely helpful. And the sooner I have the info, the sooner I start thinking and planning.

 

[Rmazdra]

Planking
Started the first layer of planking. Got far enough to put in the gunports for the lower gun deck and the 2nd gun deck.

Gunports/Cannons
The gunport positions were all taken from the plans. And since the plans are at a 1:1 scale with the model, it made it a lot easier. All the gunports are framed which will eventually be painted red. You can see that I added false gun carriages on both gun decks. I think these will provide a little bit of detail when lit up.

I've started looking at some of the cannons themselves. Although they are all brass, they are going to need a fair amount of cleanup. That's going to likely be the case for all the ornamentation.

One point I struggled with was test fitting the cannons on the 2 decks. The false back that each cannon plugs into are at different lengths from the planking. Some of the guns stick way too far out (my opinion). My probable solution is to shorten any cannon barrel that sticks out too far by cutting out a mid-section by the needed amount and then using epoxy to glue the remaining front barrel to the back-end portion that plugs into the false back. I tried this technique on one cannon that looked unsalvageable and the epoxy was very strong, so I think that's the way forward.

 

[Rmazdra]

Lower Stern
Nothing too difficult here. Decided to not have the squared off lower stern as that's not how I've seen most SotS pictures show her. Using the plank bender really helps with these bits. Also need to sometimes twist the planks.

Still have to decide details about the 2nd layer of planking. I'll use the mahagony strips provided with the kit. All the wood with the kit has held up very good so far given that they are 50+ years old.

 

[Rmazdra]

One last post for the day....

Upper Stern
I decided to pause on the planking for a while and focus on the upper stern. I had a lot of questions about how the infrastructure of the upper stern should be built based on deciphering the kit plans/sheets and what I've seen others do. And I'd like to get that infrastructure in place before continuing the plank upwards.

I decide to use the kit's layout of inner windows and doors and build frames. I need to be sure that everything is open enough to see the light coming from inside.

So far, my test fitting looks like the pre-cut pieces from the kit are pretty accurate.

 

[Thomas]

Thomas, you're SOS build is very nice. Did you post a build log here or elsewhere? I'd like to go review how things went. It's really helpful for me to see and read how others have resolved some of the issues I'm sure I'll be facing.

Hi--I confess I didn't do a build log, but if you come up against anything you want to discuss let me know.

 

[Jacapa412]

Hi--I just finished this ship in May and wish you lots of fun and interesting challenges. Just be aware that the plan book is totally useless and if you follow it you will have huge issues. I ignored it. Also, the plans are pretty bad and inconsistent from sheet to sheet so you really have to do some out of the box thinking and planning (which clearly you are doing with the cool lighting work).

A couple of other thoughts:

1. Yes, definitely do your own stern windows and the lighting will make things amazing.
2. When you do the mast work, be aware that the lubber hole openings in the little discs they provide are way too small and unless you enlarge them you can't get lines through them.
3. The kinds of things you have to check that you never thought you did--the flags are bigger than the dimensions of the top masts they provide so check all that before you make the masts.
4. I'm sure I'll think of other things and let you know!

Overall warning--I've done the Mantua Sergal Victory, Soleiel Royal and Sovereign of the Seas and thought the SoS was the worst in terms of plans, materials and concept, so it definitely deserves a good bashing because there are lots of ways you can make it better!

View attachment 528896

Hi--I just finished this ship in May and wish you lots of fun and interesting challenges. Just be aware that the plan book is totally useless and if you follow it you will have huge issues. I ignored it. Also, the plans are pretty bad and inconsistent from sheet to sheet so you really have to do some out of the box thinking and planning (which clearly you are doing with the cool lighting work).

A couple of other thoughts:

1. Yes, definitely do your own stern windows and the lighting will make things amazing.
2. When you do the mast work, be aware that the lubber hole openings in the little discs they provide are way too small and unless you enlarge them you can't get lines through them.
3. The kinds of things you have to check that you never thought you did--the flags are bigger than the dimensions of the top masts they provide so check all that before you make the masts.
4. I'm sure I'll think of other things and let you know!

Overall warning--I've done the Mantua Sergal Victory, Soleiel Royal and Sovereign of the Seas and thought the SoS was the worst in terms of plans, materials and concept, so it definitely deserves a good bashing because there are lots of ways you can make it better!

View attachment 528896

I hope those comments refer to the Sergal vintage from 1974 version, because I just bought the Mantua *SOTS* kit and haven't even opened it yet! I hope I don't run into any problems when I finally decide to tackle it. By the way, did you install lights on yours? They look really beautiful when lit up; I saw a *Victory* model somewhere that had blinking LEDs—it created a sort of flickering candlelight effect. Cheers

 

[Thomas]

I hope those comments refer to the Sergal vintage from 1974 version, because I just bought the Mantua *SOTS* kit and haven't even opened it yet! I hope I don't run into any problems when I finally decide to tackle it. By the way, did you install lights on yours? They look really beautiful when lit up; I saw a *Victory* model somewhere that had blinking LEDs—it created a sort of flickering candlelight effect. Cheers

Hi Jack--

Yes, my comments refer to the older SOS kit. There is a newer one which I can't really say anything about, but from the build logs I've seen here it does look like they addressed some of the issues with the older kit.

I didn't put lights in my SoS. You're right it would add a lot and I did that with the Soleiel Royal.

Good luck with your project. If you do decide to put lights, I'd recommend Evan Designs (they are in the US). They are based in Colorado and provide a variety of mini LEDs for hobby projects. I used them to get lights and wiring and power supply for the Soleiel Royal project. Not only was their stuff good, they provide great service and advice.

 

[Jacapa412]

Hi Jack--

Yes, my comments refer to the older SOS kit. There is a newer one which I can't really say anything about, but from the build logs I've seen here it does look like they addressed some of the issues with the older kit.

I didn't put lights in my SoS. You're right it would add a lot and I did that with the Soleiel Royal.

Good luck with your project. If you do decide to put lights, I'd recommend Evan Designs (they are in the US). They are based in Colorado and provide a variety of mini LEDs for hobby projects. I used them to get lights and wiring and power supply for the Soleiel Royal project. Not only was their stuff good, they provide great service and advice.

Thanks Thomas for the tip! It's always good to know that they have good customer service. I actually have that company bookmarked already, just in case I decide to go for it—haha! So now I know exactly where to buy them. Also I read on another forum about someone who got them cheaper on AliExpress or Temu. In any case, I haven't actually started yet, so I still have plenty of time to make up my mind; I need to finish the HMS Terror first. Cheers!

 

[Thomas]

Thanks Thomas for the tip! It's always good to know that they have good customer service. I actually have that company bookmarked already, just in case I decide to go for it—haha! So now I know exactly where to buy them. Also I read on another forum about someone who got them cheaper on AliExpress or Temu. In any case, I haven't actually started yet, so I still have plenty of time to make up my mind; I need to finish the HMS Terror first. Cheers!

Hi Jack--

It will be worth having a look at the Evan Design web site to get a good idea of the options available. Check out the pico LEDs that could be used in lanterns, etc.

 

[Mike Dowling]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I have been working on same model for over a year now and can only say that all the problems others have come up against are right. The instructions such as they are are useless. The plan sheets are not 1;1 and you constantly swap between them trying to find the right way for things. The castings are far from brilliant and oversized which means a great deal of filing/grinding to get the to fit. etc etc. The list goes on I'm afraid so if you still plan to make something out of the kit I wish you the best of luck!!

 

[DARIVS ARCHITECTVS]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I have been working on same model for over a year now and can only say that all the problems others have come up against are right. The instructions such as they are are useless. The plan sheets are not 1;1 and you constantly swap between them trying to find the right way for things. The castings are far from brilliant and oversized which means a great deal of filing/grinding to get the to fit. etc etc. The list goes on I'm afraid so if you still plan to make something out of the kit I wish you the best of luck!!

Even having to take measurements, make corrections on the drawings, and custom fit the decorations, the model is still much easier than scratch building, especially for a beginner who wants a three decker to learn on. The older versions of the kit had better castings.

 

[Jacapa412]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I have been working on same model for over a year now and can only say that all the problems others have come up against are right. The instructions such as they are are useless. The plan sheets are not 1;1 and you constantly swap between them trying to find the right way for things. The castings are far from brilliant and oversized which means a great deal of filing/grinding to get the to fit. etc etc. The list goes on I'm afraid so if you still plan to make something out of the kit I wish you the best of luck!!

Hi Mike,
Which model and from which manufacturer are you referring to? I bought the SOTS kit by Sergal, as it’s currently the only one widely available for sale across the entire web. I’m certain that errors are inevitable in these kits, after all, we have to remember they are designed merely for display in an office, at home, or similar settings. However, if one wishes to create something more refined though I’m not necessarily talking about museum-level exhibition pieces, I am fully aware that a much more detailed study is required to implement all the necessary modifications without compromising the ship's historical accuracy. For instance, I dislike the truncated cannons and the "blind" gunports; I feel these features strip away the beauty and majesty inherent to this vessel. I also dislike all the blocks; they are rendered far too simplistically, whereas I prefer those that are more crafted and look more realistic. Another aspect that will take me a considerable amount of time to correct is the ornamentation; I found the included pieces to be very crude. I’ll either have to sand them down myself or wait for Kurt to finish modeling them in 3D so I can print them out using the spectacular 3D printing quality currently available. In any case, that is precisely why I am poring over every comment and photo found in every thread related to the SOTS; and, naturally, I am extremely grateful for your feedback, I always learn something new from every contribution, and I certainly take notes!

 

[Mike Dowling]

Mine is a Sergal kit same as yours. Maybe I should explain a bit more. I love the building part of kit ships almost in preference to the finished article which I am happy to sell off cheaply or even in some cases give away. I am no expert but have enjoyed progressing and getting better with the help of this and another well site and building logs and very helpful folk out there. I am not interested in always trying to build an exact replica but just a nice looking model. If I was over negative with my fist comment I apologise but I would hate to see a beginner put off the hobby by a not very good kit which in my humble opinion this is. There are some super kits out there with much better instructions, castings etc etc so please don't be put off by this one or my previous comments.

 

[Jacapa412]

Mine is a Sergal kit same as yours. Maybe I should explain a bit more. I love the building part of kit ships almost in preference to the finished article which I am happy to sell off cheaply or even in some cases give away. I am no expert but have enjoyed progressing and getting better with the help of this and another well site and building logs and very helpful folk out there. I am not interested in always trying to build an exact replica but just a nice looking model. If I was over negative with my fist comment I apologise but I would hate to see a beginner put off the hobby by a not very good kit which in my humble opinion this is. There are some super kits out there with much better instructions, castings etc etc so please don't be put off by this one or my previous comments.

You weren't rude at all, my friend!! far from it! And I certainly won't be getting discouraged. As you rightly point out, I’m new to building wooden galleons, but model-making runs in my blood. My Polish grandfather used to build World War II aircraft models completely from scratch; for that very reason, I’ve loved plastic WWII aircraft kits ever since I was a child. I was also a member of an aero-modeling club for a long time, where we built everything from scratch using very limited resources. Furthermore, during my five years of architecture studies, I constructed countless scale models of houses, buildings, and architectural historical structures, some of which involved laser-cutting the individual pieces before assembling the final projects.
For years now, I’ve been following this particular model, first, because of its stunning appearance, and second, because of its rich history. To kick things off in the world of ship modeling, I chose the "HMS Terror" back in 2020 not only for its price point and difficulty level, but also because of the fascinating story behind it. I haven't been able to finish it yet because, unfortunately, I don't have much free time, and retirement is still quite a ways off for me. For the moment, I also lack a dedicated space where I can set up my "shipyard" and hook up all the tools and machinery I’ve been slowly acquiring over time; I certainly don't want working on my models in the bedroom to end up costing me my marriage! ahahaha I was definitely surprised, and pleased at how well I fared, considering it was my very first wooden model. That’s precisely why I decided to buy the Sovereign of the Seas (SOTS) a model I’ve had my eye on for over 15 years! Believe it or not, my eldest daughter is now 20 years old, and when I first saw the magazine subscription featuring the build-along parts in an advertisement, she was only two or three years old. At the time, I was still living in Germany; I wanted to sign up for the monthly subscription, but as happens in life, I never went through with it. Still, the idea remained there, etched into my mind! As you could tell from my previous reply, I like to build my models as close to the original as possible. For that reason, I’m thoroughly researching and studying everything before I begin after all, I have a thousand questions and a million ideas! For now, I’ll keep reading and learning from those who are already retired or who have spent years immersed in this beautiful world of model-making! If you know of any kits that could be described as high-quality and relatively error-free, let me know so I can make a note of them for the future, for when I finish the SOTS! Hahahaha. The next ones I have in mind are the "The Soleil Royal" and the "San Felipe", for now.
Cheers

 

[oldflyer]

Hi Jack--

It will be worth having a look at the Evan Design web site to get a good idea of the options available. Check out the pico LEDs that could be used in lanterns, etc.

INDEED Evans lighting are the Best.

Scroll down six rows my Sergal Sovereign with 50+ flickering Picos., on the right edge. I spoke with them several times such nice people...

https://evandesigns.com/pages/ship-models-and-rc-boats-with-leds-gallery-10

Regards,