State of the Hobby

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

When I started this thread, I actually meant model SHIP kits, for static models, not model boats. I am talking about ships like Victory, Bounty etc, and these models seem to cost hundreds of pounds. These are NOT boats. The Victory was NOT a 100-gun Boat of the Line, was it?

I believe anyone can scratch build if they actually make the effort, but so many have the attitude of "I could never do that" and there the matter rests.

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Bob,

To be fair to most of the comments on this thread so far are from modellers who build a variety of types of vessels, but the price of the ship kits circa £500 – 600 you mention are produced for the dreamers market who think the purchase will automatically produce the model on the box art work ! I think we modellers know that this is a commercial unit put together to make a retail profit , I would imagine many purchases would never be built !! I know this would appear to be a cynical view , but not far from the truth

Regards Ray

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

I think there is also the issue of biting off more than one can chew,

Those with the inclination and cash often dive in with a kit of HMS Victory without realising just how much work is involved even with a quality kit and rapidly beome discouraged.

Colin

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

All very true, and that is why I was wondering if those expensive kit producers were beginning to have a hard time. Probably not many are actually completed.

Bob

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

John Cundell, the Editor before Paul Freshney, once remarked to me that many Victories are started but few are completed!

Colin

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hi All

Another part of the problem, is people selling boats on E Bay with only Pick up or postage in England.

The E Bay International Postage is fairly priced for models to Australia.

Given that Australian Postage from Sydney to Hobart is nearly $300au for a model e.g. Precedent Perkasa .

A 39" Javelin which is a bit bigger from the UK about 50 pounds and about 10 pounds import duty with tracking.

This opens the market to the world and using Pay Pal is no problems for the seller or buyer.

Harry

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Hi Harry,

I am afraid it is not as simple as that. The Distance Selling Rules in the UK state that the seller is responsible 100% for the safe arrival of any items sent by any means to anywhere in the world! If the item gets lost or damaged, it is up to the seller to foot the bill.

I sent this to Belgium and the courier dropped it. They returned it to me, and dropped it again on the way back. I was required to refund the buyer in full, including delivery charges.

This put me back by £775. The insurance declared, "damage confined to the rigging, and will only need a bit of re-threading," and therefore did not pay out the full amount that it was in insured for.   They would not even refund the amount I paid to send it!

Repairing it was mental torture, re-doing all that work, as I had to remove 90% of the rigging that I had only completed a week before. From that time on, I have made it "collection only," and that is how things will remain.

I recommend that you all think twice about sending delicate models out by any means. Personal collection is the only safe method!

The second photograph is after I repaired it, but I would not send it out again after having lost several hundred pounds on the deal!

Bob

Edited By Bob Wilson on 12/04/2022 08:21:40

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

As they say "Ship happens!"

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hi Bob

I would not have sent a boat that fragile, but, the type of boats I like are a bit more solid.

Old newspaper and bubble wrap works well !!!

Harry

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

My model ships are not fragile at all. The problem comes if they drop them. It is the jolt that does the damage. I have actually sent about 200 of them all over the world in the past 30 years, and the majority got through OK. But lately, they have been more careless with them. Insurance's favorite "get out" clause is "Inadequately packed."

Or "we only pay out on cost of materials!" Couriers are free to put in their terms and conditions "We accept no responsibility for damage, blah blah blah!" But it is illegal for the poor seller to do that!

I suppose model boats are a lot stronger, but I would still not trust them to couriers if they have any real value.

Bob

https://youtu.be/jF_w7uSnOj0

 

 

Edited By Bob Wilson on 12/04/2022 11:19:49

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

23rd April, 2022

I went to the North West Model Shipwrights meeting at Grimsargh, Lancs this morning, and only 7 were at the meeting – I am more than ever convinced that the hobby is in decline. The only models there were an aeroplane and an army tank! Only a few years ago, the room would be full of members and models –

[Andrew BiggsParticipant @andrewbiggs29914]

Hi bob

i didn’t know such as an organisation such as the model shipwrights existing and living near Preston, sounds quite interesting

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Here is the link to their website: **LINK** There is plenty of free parking. Disabled access, toilet, coffee and tea facilities. Ground floor. See above website for contacts and further details. Guests are welcome with wives/partners, accompanied children.

It has been running since the early 1980s, maybe even before. I first went as a guest in 1982, but was still at sea then, so didn't join until after I had left the sea in late 1992.

Bob

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Bob,

Certain parts of model making will come and go as a natural process of the demography and interests of the modellers, but new interests spring up to take their place all the time, model boating is still alive and kicking around the country have no fear, regularly 50 – 60 boaters at our lake, it's a great social scene also

Regards Ray

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

It doesn't make much difference to me, because I have always preferred the type of model that very few modellers are interested in – static models of merchant ships built between about 1850 and 1965. Even at the model club, there were very few of this type, it was mainly warships, but even they have now trailed off. I have scratch-built since the 1950s and am completely self-contained as far as plans go, having literally thousands of them in old technical journals. Materials are whatever comes to hand, so I am not dependent on model shops either. I would have built R/C, but there is no convenient water near us (Preston), and Fleetwood is rather too far away to just "pop down to the lake!" I also enjoy quite a lot of simple drawings of obscure ships –

[Andrew BiggsParticipant @andrewbiggs29914]

Thanks Bob

some very impressive models on the nwms website. I’ve only been making model RC sailing boats for a little over a year but sail at Fleetwood, which I’ve come to realise is an excellent facility and joined the club there. Although I’ve tried to make the models reasonably realistic, the first priority is that they sail well. With Fleetwood lake being right on the coast I’ve learnt there is a need for a degree of robustness in the models. It can get quite windy with waves, it’s also salt water.

I’ll keep an eye on the website and see if there is something interesting coming up.

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

There are one or two R/C members. The website hardly ever changes. I did bring this up at the meeting yesterday, but no-one said much about it. I did once build a radio-controlled steamer – see below. The SS Mandalay, that I intended to sail at Fleetwood, but never got round to going, and finally gave it away. It had two speeds ahead, and one astern, and, of course, rudder control. The paving slabs that it is stood on are two feet squares that will give you some idea of the size. I did build and sail a three-masted schooner, and enjoyed it, but only once. After that, I found they had stopped people parking on the grass next to the lake, and as we had nowhere to park, didn't go again. The contact details for the secretary are on the website, but as I said, guests are welcome free of charge in order to decide whether or not to join. We would really like to get more members as our ranks are falling due to old age –

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