News

Local Ship Model Club at the Fair

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The South Bay Model Shipwrights, a group that has a long history of being an active part of the ship modeling community has recently worked with the organizers of the San Mateo County Fair to bring wooden ship models back on display. The club’s membership, lead by president Jim Rhetta, put together quite a collection of kit built and scratch built ship models, with the idea of getting models out in the public where people can see and appreciate them.

Hopefully, these will inspire new ship modelers to build models and possibly join the club’s ranks, and also to create some interest among the younger audience. Model building is a hobby that’s less popular with the lure of Internet and video games, but there are certain to be those that will still look upon models like these with a certain amount of awe, and will hopefully develop their creative drives.

 

 

Now Shipping: Amati Revenge, 1577

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NOW SHIPPING!

The long anticipated Amati kit of the English Race-built Galleon, Revenge, 1577, is now in stock and our first orders for the kit have been filled are on their way to their lucky owners.

These kits are BIG, and going through the contents, they look AWESOME. We had special pre-order pricing on these kits, but we’re going to keep to the special pricing as an intro price on the kit while we can. This is a very good deal on an incredible new kit.

Get yours while supplies last!

Get Amati Revenge on Ages of Sail

Amati Revenge, 1577 – New Kit Now Listed on Ages of Sail

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Finally! The Revenge kits are on their way. This is a long anticipated kit designed by the very talented ship modeler Chris Watton. We’ve been waiting for the release of this kit for nearly a year, and we’ve finally gotten the word they are shipping and we should have them in just over a week.

This kit is part of Amati’s highly regarded Victory Models line. As with all models in the line (except for the HMS Vanguard) the model is 1:64-scale, and features a double-planked plank-on-bulkhead hull and highly detailed parts.

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We’ve officially listed the kit on the Ages of Sail website and have opened up pre-orders with special pricing now until quantities last. Regular pricing is $549 for this kit, which we’re listing now for $499. This is a limited time offer, so make sure to take advantage of it while supplies last.

Pre-orders are now being accepted, and the kits will ship as soon as they come in, which should be approximately June 5th.

 

Check out the details of the kit on our website.

Amati’s Revenge, 1577 on Ages of Sail

Lighthouse card model kits listed

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We just started updating our listings for card model lighthouse kits from Shipyard of Poland. It’s been long overdue and we’re just started to get a handle on it. Shipyard produces about two dozen different lighthouse kits in both 1:72 scale and 1:87 (HO) scale and we have nearly all of them in stock now from their Laser Cut Models series as well as their boxed edition Laser Cardboard series.

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Cape Bowling Green Lighthouse, built in Australia in 1874.

 

These are NEAT kits! All the lighthouse kits we carry are the laser cut kits that Shipyard produces. They also have cut-out kits, where the parts are printed and you have to cut them all out. But, for now, we’ve decided to focus on carrying just the ones where the parts are all pre-cut for you. You just need to cut off the tiny tabs that hold the pieces to the laser cut sheets to release them. You just need to glue, assemble and paint.

The kits are available in either HO scale 1:87, or 1:72 scale. They vary in size from the short Crowdy Head Lighthouse, which is just about 3-3/4″ tall at HO scale, to the towering Pellworm Lighthouse, which at 1:72 scale is just under 23-1/2″ tall.

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Los Morillos Lighthouse built in Puerto Rico in 1882.

 

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Pellworm Lighthouse built in Germany in 1906

 

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The laser cutting allows for intricate details which are hard to get when cutting with scissor or knife as can be seen in the above close-up of the 1:72-scale Pellworm Lighthouse.

If you’ve never built a paper model, the lighthouses make a great introduction. For a more advanced model, check out the ship model kits from Shipyard. We have those in both regular Paper Model kits, which you cut out yourself, and Laser Cardboard Kits, which are larger scale boxed sets that include laser cut parts, metal cannons, rigging material, wooden dowels for the masts and yards, plus paints, brushes and fittings.

I know the Shipyard product line may seem a bit confusing at first, so if you have any questions, just feel free to email us or call us at 510-889-6000.

Keep in mind that we have close to 150 Shipyard products, with only a fraction of those listed on our website at this time, so if you’re looking for something, let us know, as we may have it, even if you don’t see it on our website. We’ll be working to get everything on line in the coming weeks.

 

 

 

New! Live Steam Products from Saito Manufacturing

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We’ve just put up our newest line of products on our website, Live Steam kits from Saito Manufacturing of Japan. Ages of Sail signed an agreement to distribute Saito steam engines and RC boat kits in the US and we got our initial shipment in recently. We’re really excited about the new line and how beautifully made the steam engines are.

The RC boat kits are all designed especially for steam operation using their recommended engines and boilers and burners. We carry the Boiler and Burner combinations to make purchases a bit easier. The RC boat kits (except the T-1 Steam Boat) do not include the engines, so if you want to build them as static models, you can. You might also be able to adapt most to electric operation. But, we’re sure you’re going to want to try out the live steam operation.

One kit in particular, the T-1 Steam Boat, is designed to get you into steam operation right away as it DOES include the steam engine and boiler. All burners run on methanol. Optional accessories haven’t been listed on the website yet, but include pressure gauges, smoke tank and smoke oil, and optional drain tanks.

The RC boat kits feature fiberglass hulls, wooden structural parts, brass, aluminum and cast fittings as well as some plastic fittings for some items. Instruction in English

And YES, we have them in stock now! Check them out: Live Steam at Ages of Sail

Ages of Sail at the IPMS Show in San Jose April 11

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Ages of Sail will be attending it’s first IPMS event, coming up on April 11th in San Jose. While it’s not a ship modeling event, and the modelers attending will likely not be working in wood, this competition and show of the local chapter of the International Plastic Modelers Society should be a fun and interesting event.

Entries are not restricted by material or subject, so wood ship modelers can enter their models. In addition to Ages of Sail, the South Bay Model Shipwrights club that meets monthly at the Los Altos Library will have a table and will be showing off the joys of ship modeling to visitors.

The event is hosted by the Silicon Valley Scale Modelers, the local IPMS chapter, and details of the event and entry information can be found on their website.

We’ll be there, so please come and visit our table!

Amati’s Nave Egizia (Egytian Boat) by Ship Modeler Dan Drum

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Just added some photos to our slowly growing gallery of customer builds. The latest photos of an Amati kit that I’ve seen on the shelves, but had never seen built, Amati’s Nave Egizia (Egyptian Boat). Dan Drum of New Auburn, Wisconsin does a fantastic job, even adding some Egyptian soldier figures he modified for the occasion. Note the lashed together planking of these ancient ships.

This is a beautifully done example of a unique subject, and shows what can be done with a relatively inexpensive kit.

 

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Amati’s Nave Egizia built by Dan Drum of Auburn, WI

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Amati’s Nave Egizia built by Dan Drum of Auburn, WI

 

Amati's Nave Egizia built by Dan Drum of Auburn, WI

Amati’s Nave Egizia built by Dan Drum of Auburn, WI

Amati's Nave Egizia built by Dan Drum of Auburn, WI

Amati’s Nave Egizia built by Dan Drum of Auburn, WI

 

 

Amati's Nave Egizia built by Dan Drum of Auburn, WI

Amati’s Nave Egizia built by Dan Drum of Auburn, WI

 

Oseberg Kits from Billing Boats are In Stock!

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After trying to get these kits back in stock for months, we’ve finally gotten a nice shipment of 23 Oseberg kit in from Billing Boats. These have been really difficult to get, but we got ’em just this week. Get yours now, while they last!

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You can order yours through either Ages of Sail or our Billing Boats USA site or by calling us directly at (510) 889-6000.

Build Log of the s/s Mariefred from Nordic Class Boats

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s/s MarieFred from Nordic Class Boats

s/s MarieFred from Nordic Class Boats

We recently discovered a build log by one of our customers, Bob Burnside, who is building the Swedish coastal steamer Mariefred kit. This is one of the kits we introduced last year. This is one of 6 kits in the Nordic Class Boats line from Sweden. All of their kits are based on currently operating vessels. The Mariefred kit, at a scale of 1:35, comes out to just over 3 feet in length and is suitable for R/C operation.

Bob was kind enough to give us permission to post a link to his build log, which you can visit on MSW here: Bob’s Mariefred build log

The kit is a product of Nordic Atlast AB, but they are actually manufactured by Turk Model. The Turk Model website has a nice gallery of photos that you can see on their site here: Mariefred Gallery

And of course, you can buy yours now at Ages of Sail!

Ship Model Kits for Kids

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Ship modeler Clare Hess shares some thoughts on two kid oriented kits produced by Billing Boats. While they aren’t listed on our website yet, we do have them in stock. Give us a call if you’re interested, (510) 889-6000, or stop by our shop in San Lorenzo. We have lots of these two kits available, especially the Mini Osebergs. These would be great for class or other group projects. Also, a great way for a kid and parent to spend some time together.

catopower's avatarShip Modeler

One topic I see pop up from time to time in online ship model forums and in ship model club meetings is how to get kids involved in ship modeling. There is a lot of lamenting about how kids today aren’t interested at all and how that paints a bleak future for ship modeling.

I personally am not too worried about getting kids building ship models because, as a kid, I was never interested in ship models. I liked tanks, modern ships, aircraft and rockets. My own dad tried to get me into his area of interest, wooden airplanes. I tried building one on one or two occasions, but it never stuck with me, as much as he tried. Plastic kits were in my blood.

My interest in wooden ship models didn’t take hold until I was in my 30s and was as much a surprise to me as anyone…

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