Cardboard ships.

Cardstock models, especially ships, have a long, long history. 

Preprinted cardstock dates back to the 40s, easiy.  Die-cut cardboard "kits" to around the 50s, with some prewar ones available (much like die-cut jigsaw puzzles were).

Usually the largest limitation to cardstock kits is in small-diameter round things--gun barrels, masts, ventilators and the like.

I vividly remember the cardboard model my fifth-grade daughter and I built for extra credit - the large flat pieces were dead easy, but rolling up card stock to make all the the columns (50 as I recall) took several days and frequent breaks so I didn't go crazy.

But she got an A+ so it was worth it.

Hello!

By now probably everybody knows I like paper models, right?

I've seen some really good sailing ships made with paper hulls. But since you won't make the lines out of paper it's not going to be 100% paper. Once we're OK with that, it should be easy to go with wood for masts, spars and so on and that's what I would do and that's what I recommend.

While we're talking 'bout it, you might wnt to check this link:

https://shop.model-vessel.com/en/135-paper-models

Those are the best I know.

Good luck with your builds and have a nice day!

Paweł

Pawel is Right!

      Now, I have done four to date. All Waterline and pretty fair looking if I say so meself! The round or tapered parts can be made of cardboard or cardstock. The thing is, If you've never built in this medium, it takes a learning curve and some experimenting. Also , remember this! In the U.K they have used Large paper or Cardboard models to teach mariners what goes into a ship hUll. From keels and frames all the way to double bottoms and Chain lockers!

    It's a new genre for the first timer, and yes, sadly for car modelers I havent seen not much to crow about! But ships, there's an outfit out that seems to have a lot of higher priced models made out of compressed cardboard that emulates Plank on Frame ship Models.They guide you through the build with Text and Photos.

     If you've ever scratchbuilt as I have done, and shown way back when, in plastic, you might try one. I think you will be surprised at how well you can make one look!

Cap'n Mac82:

       Remember the ones on cereal boxes? Now for the really dedicated modelers they may look like junk, All flat planes and profile parts. They were done for kids remember!

 Some of those were done later by the European Market Paper Model market. Yes! They are very detailed! Enough so I have displayed some at shows, complete with P.E. railings and stair details as well as masts etc.

         Silly to think of now, How many of you Guys and some Girls too, Do you remember doing Spitballs to irritate your fellow classmatesG Oh, C'mon you won't have to got to the Principals office Now either!

    This is the method I use for rounded parts. Spritzing the paper, or cardstock, and doing so lightly. then carefully roling it up on a glass or any smooth surface will give you some fairly sturdy parts,or as Pawel and I would do round toothpicks and skewers will work on them.

 For the larger ones Small Wood dowels will work. I have built masts with Top Platforms this way. The platforms I did in Plastic and once painted look the part and add strength there! 

CapnMac82

Cardstock models, especially ships, have a long, long history. 

Preprinted cardstock dates back to the 40s, easiy.  Die-cut cardboard "kits" to around the 50s, with some prewar ones available (much like die-cut jigsaw puzzles were).

Usually the largest limitation to cardstock kits is in small-diameter round things--gun barrels, masts, ventilators and the like.

 

No, these are not card stock.  The stuff is much thicker.  It may even be foamcore- no narration,  It is plank on bulkhead, with the planks from same material, colored with brown marking pens.  With no naration I don't know what material but it looked like dowel.  The untapered spars spoiled the look of everything above deck, but the hull was nice.

There's something of a semi-new cottage industry in creating the cut files as pdf the modeler downloads. 

These can be "translated" to styrene rather than cardstock to really bend the medium around.

Now that home cutters like the Cricket exist, a person can cut their own card or styrene versions.  (And the pdf prints are typically already optimised to fully use a given sheet of stock.)