Yacht " America "

Tank Builder-Thanks for the comments and starting the thread.  I will try to respond to some of the good points you have made.

>First of all, as noted further down in the thread I did do a detailed progress build of this model posted on this website, at hobbytalk.com and modelwarships,com.  There are a lot of photos and a good bit of text you may enjoy.  There is a very simple reason why my article in the latest issue is so short-FSM likes them like this!  Both Aaron Skinner and Mark Hembree have told me that very short articles are considered "gold" because they are easier to work on and can fill gaps where a long "manifesto" will not.  I have been a regular FSM contributor for about eleven years and many times I submitted a long story, but I know the shorter ones are in greater demand.

>I am NOT a very knowledgeable sailing ship modeler, so it does not surprise me (or hurt my feelings) if someone points out basic mistakes.  The "waterline parallel to the horizon" is a new one on me.  I knew the ship was angling down when mounted on the brass pedestals, but after a while I kinda liked the way that looked.

>I bought my model on ebay (after searching for a couple of years).  I paid $50.00 for it and felt I got a bargin.  They do pop up frequently, but you have to look for it on a regular basis.  It is a great model and from what I have read it is an accurate representation of America.

>Hopefully the build log will help you, but I will be glad to answer any questions you have (i.e. techniques/tools, etc.) but my knowledge of sailing ships is limited.  I certainly hope you post photos of your build.

1943Mike-Thanks for the compliments.  They are greatly appreciated.  Sorry about the "waterline"...

Phillip1

i have one in my stash i got from a guy who now does wood ships. at the same time got a PEDRO NUNES and THE GENERAL locomotive and found a KEARSARGE.

I bought two of these kits on eBay. Looking at the pictures on eBay I must have missed the fact that it didn't have the deck!!!

I then worried that I'd never find another at a reasonable price but I lucked out with one that is complete as a "Civil War Blockader". I could use its deck to build it as the yacht America or go ahead and build it as a Civil War Blockader. Either way I'm delighted to have it in my stash.

BTW, Phillip1's build log was of enough interest to me to get me to buy the above mentioned kits. I thought he did a superlative job on the kit. I did, however, question - at least in my mind - why he did not take the time to make the forward support for his model longer than the aft one. It just doesn't look right to me, and I imagine to most people, not to have the ship's water line parallel to the water or horizon.   Phillip1 posted his WIP on at least two modeling sites that I know of. The work he posted here on FineScale Modeler is here:

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/7/t/150136.aspx?sort=ASC&pi240=1

Mike

Tanks find one on eBay and label it"watch this item".

I bought mine several years ago for cheap and I get a notification every so often that ones up.

$ 30 plus a fair amount for shipping because it's a big box on account of the big vac sails.

It was a bit unusual but not unheard of for a ship to have drag, a keel not parallel to waterline, especially in 19th century.  Many of the so-called Baltimore Clippers did, so one should never assume keel should be level.

These are exactly the points I tried to make in the thread headed "Displaying ship models," several threads down from this one.

Building even the simplest sailing ship model takes considerable time, and it's easy to lose sight of the forest for the trees. For what it's worth, my Heller Soleil Royal (a model I fervently wish I'd never built) was almost finished when a fresh-eyed visitor noticed that the waterline wasn't horizontal. That model's keel is, as I remember, about a quarter of an inch deeper at the stern than at the bow. I solved the problem by stacking up a couple of thick, laquered brass washers under the forward pedestal. I was lucky the goof could be fixed so easily. The episode made me feel pretty stupid. Live and learn.