Iron barque

[Shipbuilder]

25 feet to 1 inch scratchbuilt. Masts, spars and rigging, 100% metal. Completed a few days ago. This is a merchant ship. The ports are just decoration, they do not open, they do not conceal guns. This type of model is extremly sought after by collectors, but for some reason, they are rarely modelled!
Bob

[wefalck]

Good to see something from your yard here again !

Yes, these bands of gun-port came into fashion again in the 1880s or so, after the warships switched to gun-turrets. Not my favourite ... ehhm 'fake'

[Shipbuilder]

Painted ports in merchant ships came into fashion in the Napoleonic wars. They were intended to make enemy warships think they were armed naval vessels. After the war ended, they carried on as decoration, even into the iron and steel sailing ships that were produced in ever-increasing numbers from the 1850s onwards. The last new built painted port ship as far as I know was the four-masted barque Arcibald Russell of 1905. All a matter of taste really, I think they look great, but unfortunately, a lot of sailing ship owners of later years, dispensed with them on economic grounds in favour of the dreadful slate grey that I think looks awful. Here is the collier brig Sicily of 1809. I don't normally build ships of that era, but felt like something simple at the time I started it a few weeks ago! Merchant ships have always been extremely unpopular amongst model shipbuilders, but collectors love them.
Bob

[ModelMonkey]

Brilliant!

[Chris Meddings]

that is very very nice. Bravo

[JIM BAUMANN]

Good to see you active at the Bench again!



JIm Baumann

[Shipbuilder]

The iron barque Gulf Stream, probably the best sailing ship I ever built, was severely damaged en route to Belgium two days ago. Looks like a write off! - Bob

[JIM BAUMANN]

Commiserations on the catastrophe-- my heart goes out to you :, being a veteran of a written off model or two

( cats and clumsy judges ) I know the pain and frustration!!

Has the expectant owner recommissioned you ?

best wishes

JIM Baumann

[Shipbuilder]

Thanks. It was not a commission in the first place. I stopped doing commissions years ago, and only build what I feel like these days. I had it insured for transit for up to �500, but sold it for considerabley more than that. The courier seems to feel that the insurance firm is unlikely to pay out much, but will expect me to repair it for a few pounds! Apart from that, it has not been collected from Belgium yet for return to me via the insurance assessors. In fact, everytone has now gone "silent" on the matter. I have already refunded the boyer in full. I think it unlikely that I will ever send any more out by courier. If anyone wants them, they will have to collect. Haven't done a thing in the last week, as it is too hot to move up here. Expect you are getting the same!
Bob

[Shipbuilder]

Damge assessment by UPS. "Packing case and carrying case undamaged. Damage confined to sails on the model" - They have no idea! Quote from a model ship repair firm - about �1,000!
Bob

[JIM BAUMANN]

Idiots!

they indeed have no idea at all...-

sails indeed -- and virtually all rigging!!!!

- looks to me like a complete rig strip down , fwd ratlines bent et al

...arghh--- heartbreaking .


what happens now?-- does UPS commission someone else top fix ?

or is the model returned to you ?


you have my utmost sympathy.

Best wishes

JB

[wefalck]

How could this actually happen with the packaging intact ? Must have been thrown around or something ...

[Shipbuilder]

I sent it via the franchise Mailboxes, who then sent it via UPS who have safely delivered 49 models all over the world over the past 9 or 10 years without damage, so my packing can hardly be questioned. The buyer initially sent me photographs of the damage where the mizzen mast alone seemed intact. It was returned to Mailboxes and when I went to pick it up I told them to open it there and then. The damage had by this time increased, the mizzen mast losing its two sails, boom and gaff. Two days later, I rceived the UPS assssment stating "just the sails!" and asking for my version, which I sent them. They have not replied yet, but I don't expect they will want to pay out. I believe it was dropped from a great height, maybe a conveyour belt or fork-lift truck, and the jolt when it hit the floor did the damage.
I will let you know how I get on.
Bob

[Shipbuilder]

They paid out �400, but that is not as good as it sounds. I have found that I will have to pay income tax on the payment, that reduces it to �380! From that, deduct the �70 that I paid for delivery, and they will not refund, so the actual payout was �250. The damage was more extensive than I thought, and I had to remove all the sails and spars, and most of the standing rigging. So far, I have not been able to move myself to re-rig it - maybe a job for the winter.
Bob