I've been thinking about getting a boat kit to build. I dont have tons of money on hand and wanted a kit that woud take awhile for me to build and keep me busy. the USS Crocket by Dumas seems to be a pretty extensive build from what ive read on the forums here, which means I could get the kit for 130 and be occupyed for quite awhile =). But the question is this. Would it be wise to buy that kit with no experience in building boats? Im pretty handy and have done woodwork and other things of the sort, but nothing quite like this. should I go for this one, go for a smaller kit , or what?

pearljam11,
Since you're 'handy' and have done wood working before, why not? Just keep in mind that patience(sp) is a virtue and you want to be very virtuous.
There are several things you might want to do before starting whatever your first boat project turns out to be.
Tools. It's much easier to gather them before hand than after. At least the basic ones!
Do all the things under deck before putting on the deck, if possible. Not a major consideration but one certainly which makes things easier.
Sand paper is cheaper by the ton.
Expect the unexpected, it ~will~ happen. 'Dumas' will never win the 'Best Manual' award, but the old "R.T.F.M." thingy "Read The Furnished Manual" really means what it implies (other 'F' words sometimes substituted for 'Furnished'). And not just once!
You should build by ~thinking~ at least one or two steps ahead. That 'think' word should be practiced very often.
While it's not absolutely mandatory, having all the assorted 'other' parts on hand before starting makes things easier. You will find that no matter how well thought out, you've sort of forgotten something, half way through the build.
And while it sounds like one of those 'no brainer' kinda things, build the stand before ever starting on the boat.
And lastly, this whole thing is to have fun. Fun can mean several different things to people. All of those meanings will apply at some point in the build. Years from now, even the 'fun' things will turn out to have been fun. Enjoy it!
- 'Doc

PS - Ready for some philosophy/sophistry? You can do anything you want to do, if you want to bad enough, and will just do it. And 'dats 'da truth!

Do NOT subscribe to what WAS the rule 0nce --"When all else fails, read the instructions". LTDoc said it perfectly....! I've built all kinds of models--cars, boats, planes, you name it, in plastic/'glass/wood and the Old Doc is absolutely right.

And, by all means --- if you can, build your boat stand first. This will give you a "stable" surface and you won't be chasing your boat all over the work area. And if you don't know, or aren't sure what to do, do what I was taught in the Navy --"Ask!" (Voice of Experience)

All the Dumas boats I built were a TON of small pieces that had to be sanded to some degree to fit right.

DRY FIT-- NO glueing-- the the frames ,transom and keel together, to see if they really fit as nicely as YOU WANT.
Be confident of the fits BEFORE gluing.
Get into a problem?
Post again.

Rich

Are there any smaller kits similiar too the crocket in terms of building IE you have to build the hull yourself?

51" is quite large! Thats really the only thing I don't like about the crocket kit. I definatly want to build it all myself though. something 2-3 feet perhaps? any suggestions? If not , Im going for the crocket.. because it looks awesome

Id really like a tugboat too, so if you know of a good beginner tug, that would be great.

Ive been looking at billing boats and other boats at harbormodels.com , I like the Rainbow, St. Canute, Banckert, and both the Smits
But I figured itd be wise to start with a smaller beginner boat - Why do some of the billing boats have the inability for RC?
Where else sells Billing Boats? Are there any other brands I should look at ? Before I was just looking at Dumas but Ive been looking around more

Hi

I am a beginner in RC and I recently chose the "Al Khubar" tug from http://www.modelslipway.com/ . Before buying the kit I got a lot of extra info from the modelshop and from Modelslipways owners. I am extremely hapy with the kit; it has very high detail and high quality materials and plans. Although it may look a bit simple, the kit guarantees days/months of fun, if you want to do it right. Their "Aziz" is also beautiful, but a bit more advanced with a bowpropellor.

I can really recommend this brand!! Many kits of it have online reviews with detail pictures by the way.

Artesania Latinia has very nice quality tugs and others that are stunning and very RC adaptable.

They come complete, right to the propellor. You can not do better.

I built the Amsterdam. Excellent. Fully moulded black tug hull.

Deck and stucture are easy but loads of parts to get hand, eye and confidence up.

Definately make you proud when finished.

Most anything that I cant find at Tower or HarborModels seems virtually unattainabe.. I couldn't find an amsterdam anywhere even just to see how much it costs.. but a 400 dollar plus kit is way too much , I want to start out with something cheaper for the kit ( not counting the running gear and radio and what not ).

So far that includes the following choices
Billing: Hoga MAYBE a smit rodderdam or banckert
Graupner Pollux
Dumas Shelley Foss
and the Robbe Nuptun

If anyone knows any other places to purchase besides harbormodels.com, that would probally widen my horizons a bit

Too bad it took you this long to want an Amsterdam tug. A few years ago Model Expo was selling them for $99.

I'm slogging my way through a DUMAS 44' USCG Motor Lifeboat right now. This kit is about the same vintage as the Crockett. There is no nice way to put it......it stinks. Parts fit is horrible. Plans are vague. But it is better than a scratch build....possibly. But hey it's a DUMAS...I knew that going in...and with enough Kentucky Windage you get a pretty nice looking model after it all. Perhaps I've been spoiled by my planes I have built. But if it were'nt for the experience from them I would have given up after planking the hull. I would really steer you away from the Crockett. She's a bit big and involved. Pick something from Midwest to start. Get some momentum before tackling the older full planked hulls. With the advent of eBay there's no reason you could'nt build up a lobster boat for practice then sell it if it does'nt turn your crank. Would'nt even have to sink money into powering the thing just build it with the INCLUDED running gear installed.

Pearljam.

Get this fact very clear.

1--ONLY select a particular shape and model of a boat.
2---Only get it in a size you want.

1 & 2 guarentee you will finish it.

Sources--Do a web search of the make and model on the web. Better yet, get the model # and search.
It is out there.


EDIT----------DO NOT BUY A DUMAS AS A FIRST THRU 10th boat.

YOU can scratch build better right now !!!!

Actually are there any plans with step by step instructions, or books, that would let me build from scratch? id actually really like that

I believe plans and a book of step by step instructions is called a kit. A set of plans by themselves is scratchbuilding and you figure things out for yourself.

Are you thinking of a particular boat ? Your favorite ?



I must have built every plastic PT boat up to the Lindburgh PT 109, before I started the 8' PTB.

I really want to make a Smit Tug

You can look to Graupner Neptun . It is available in Hobby Lobby .

pearljam11,
It will probably be a bit more difficult to find, and priced higher than you'd like, but if you like the "Smits", then get one.
Since it'll be the 'first', then count on it being more difficult than you expected. That does NOT mean that you can't do it! It's the normal thing that happens when you're 'new' to something. Having some experience with that line of boats, and being 'new' at the time, I can say that from experience - LOL! There's a lot of, "Why did they do it that way?", "Aww S_ _ _!", "I can do it this way instead of that way.", and "Uh-oh."s envolved, expect them. When you age a bit and look back on them, those things usually turn out to be some of the really fun parts.
And a repeat of some suggestions. Get everything you need before getting started, parts, tools clear spaces, etc. It really does pay off in the long run. The first part of that is a 'joke' though, you'll never know all of what you need before you start, but get close! And the absolutly most important thing is to 'think'...
- 'Doc

Do it! Do it!

On this topic group is 1 listed as---- Amsterdam builders.
last page is a boat for sale .. check it out. -----pay by credit card only, since the kit may not be complete. Or ever delivered.

On your own.

I started on my first wooden boat about, oh... 4 years ago? Then I lost interest and recently I got back into it. I'm building the tiny, USCG 41' utility boat. It's, eh, 17" long I think? Really small, pretty easy to build though if you ask me. The only hurdle I'm having is painting it.... My airbrush is broke down! My own fault though, I bent the needle, and the bent needle messed up the nozzle (tiny little thing) coated with teflon... about $60-80 worth of replacements. Then I'll get back to painting, and I'll finish it. I'm expecting it to be done over the summer. No idea if it's going to be R/C though, I know with certainty that it'll be mostly used as a display piece. I cant say for sure it'd be a wonderful R/C boat (darned easy to do), but, you never know. After all, it was actually my dad's boat, he probably wouldn't have built it on his own though! Might make a nice B-day gift. Hmm, well, ok, I'll do it!