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In my research over
the years I was true astonished with the ingenuity of ship builders
throughout the
Great Lakes. No where in the world will you find such a specialized
fleet of boats. That’s what I love about these
Great Lakes, how
unique they are to the rest of the World, also despite there size
what a close nit community it is. There are so many boats I would
like to build, everyone beautiful in its own way. So deciding what
to build next has been a big challenge, often changing my mind when
I stumble across something new.
So there are many
things to consider when starting your next project. Here’s a list to
help get you started.
1. Patients: Probably the most important tool to building these
boats, it’s takes lots of time, something that can not be rushed.
Have patients. A real sense of accomplishment when finishing a
project like this.
2. Skill level:
Determine your skill level. Do I want to scratch build, or build a
kit?
Kits
are very limited with Lake boat’s, so that will narrow things down a
lot when determining what you can build. Kits available are also in
the medium to hard skill level. Not to say they are of poor quality
by any means, but they do require so special attention and
experience in areas.
Kit bashing
is another good way to go, you can take a kit and add more detail or
even change internally to resemble a different boat. Example I’m
building an Arthur B. Homer using an Edmund Fitzgerald Kit. Even
build a different hull, and use the deckhouses from a kit. Example
using a Micro Glass tug hull, using Silvan waterline G tug
deckhouses. So many ways to go here to expand you skills.
Scratch building
is the best, and can be a real challenge, but this can be curved as
to how detailed you get with your model. I’ve seen some great
scratch built models that are pretty straight to build. The beauty
of scratch building is you can take it as far as you want, gearing
your project to your skill level. Also your scratch building, so you
can build anything that comes to mind!
3. Research:
Now I’ve found a boat to build, how much can I find out about her?
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Research can be
great fun and just as exciting as building itself. There is so
much information out there, visiting the places your boat has
been, research the many museums around the Lakes, rummage
through the many archives and collections.
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You might also
find a lack of information on particular vessels. Some cross
referencing may be required. Example lack of info on the Arthur
B. Homer, however the Edmund Fitzgerald was he sister ship!!??
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Model Detail
will also be determined on how much information and pictures you
can find. Example even with my Edmund Fitzgerald, I still had a
hard time finding some items.
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Accuracy is
another thing. You can have a nice looking inaccurate model, and
that’s perfectly fine, although you might have some credits.
Basically accuracy can further complicate things if you plan to
go all out with your project. Always cross reference when you
can. Bounce prints off of photos to insure accuracy, note time
tables as many ships have changes throughout the careers
4.
More to come ---------
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