Build your first model ship
Build a wooden sailing ship plank by plank, then give it masts, sails and rigging. Start with a small boat kit and learn the basics in a few weekends. Here's the video that hooks everyone, and everything you need for your first hull.
Space neededA desk or a kitchen table
First projectA small boat over a few weekends
Skill levelPatient beginners
Good forAny age, sitting down
The video that hooks everyone
How to build a wooden ship model from start to finish
A wooden ship kit goes from loose parts to a finished two-masted sailing ship with a planked wooden hull, white sails and full rigging, all in one video. Press play and see why it hooks people.
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Tool list
What you need to start
Everything you need for your first project, and nothing you don't. A beginner boat kit and a few hand tools are all you need.
Starter kit
01A beginner boat kitA small plank-on-bulkhead boat with laser-cut parts and a clear manual.
02Hobby knife + spare bladesCuts parts free and trims planks.
03Self-healing cutting matProtects the table and the blade.
04Wood glueYellow or white wood glue for the hull and planks.
05Small clamps and clothespinsHold parts while the glue sets.
06Modeling pinsPin planks to the bulkheads while they dry.
07Sanding block + sandpaperFairs the bulkheads and smooths the hull. 120 to 320 grit.
08Small squareKeeps bulkheads at right angles to the keel.
09Fine tweezersFor small fittings.
The manual tells you what to look for when you buy each one.
- 1Starting with a big shipA huge kit with hundreds of parts stalls fast. Build a small boat first and learn planking on it.
- 2Skipping the fairingIf the bulkhead edges aren't sanded to the hull's curve, planks bump and gap. Run a plank across them to check.
- 3Rushing the gluePlanks pulled off too soon spring back. Let every plank dry before you bend the next one against it.
