I called the order in yesterday. I will be taking many pictures and making many posts about it. It is my 4th kit (AS Scottish Maid under work as well, awaiting parts) and seems to have a fair number of pics on the web to help some.

One question...is this the Pride or the Pride II? The Pride II website indicates a length overall of 170 feet, which scales almost exactly to the kit. (then shows 157' elsewhere in the site). The white stripe paint scheme was on the original Pride. There appear to be subtle differences in the deck furniture between the model and the Pride II photos I've found, but basically cosmetic stuff. Ratlines are evident on the fore and main-stays in the pictures. Quite likely changes have been made over the years. Apparently, the original was tiller steered, while the "II" uses a ship's wheel. Finding photos of the old Pride to compare with is a challenge.

So, evidence says it's the bigger Pride II. The white stripe will be yellow. The pictures from France of the sparless ship really shows a lot of deck furniture to good advantage.

This should be a very interesting project...just waiting on UPS for a box.

Dave

Hi Dave, I have ordered this kit also (Model Shipways). This will be my third model, I hope it is truer to scale then the A.L Bluenose I,m about to finish. Chris.

That is a real beautiful job on the Bluenose there Chris...scale or not.
From the ModelExpo website, my kit should arrive on the 10th...then I'll spend a week looking at it! Maybe we can do a shared build forum report?
(I really gotta get my digital camera back from my son...)

Dave

Thanks for the complement Dave.You must check out flywater's efforts on the Balitmore, it is first rate.He has set a precedence for this build.Chris.

.........You must check out flywater's efforts on the Balitmore, it is first rate. He has set a precedence for this build. Chris.Here's some of his photos - Pride of Baltimore II (http://shipmodeling.net/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/691/cat/522)

I'm speechless with humility...the photo galleries are full of such incredible works...

Absolutely beautiful, that Bluenose is a gorgeous ship!

Dave (son is bringing digicam home tonite, will post some Clara May and unfinished Maid pix soon)

If you really want to feel humbled (I always feel that way when I view this mans' work), visit Mr Kazunobu Shirai's (http://homepage3.nifty.com/shiphome/sakuhin.htm) site. It's in Japanese, but the photos are worth more than a thousand words.

This is his scratch built Victory (http://homepage3.nifty.com/shiphome/victory-page.htm) (ten years to complete).

And his La Renommee (http://homepage3.nifty.com/shiphome/renommee-page.htm). Scroll down to see his hand carvings, scroll work and hand made canons.

This guy gives new meaning to the word, 'scratchbuilt'.

See the two attachments (awesome work!)

Pat

After i looked at those pictures of the Victory (By the way his work is amazing), i when't back to my project and it looked so bleak.It took awhile for my eyes to adjust to my Bluenose.That Victory is eye candy, WOW!

The kit was waiting for me when I got home last night...being strictly an "AL" builder, this kit is a whole new world.
Lots of basswood, and I'm guessing some hardwood dowels for the masts. Lots of plans (3 sheets, double sided), and a huge assembly manual. In browsing through this book, I see there is indeed some "scratch work" ahead.
I spent last night marking on the one piece false keel (no warps...excellent!), getting the waterline reference marked and doing some initial measuring for the bearding line. There will be a lot of transferring of measurements from plans to the wood parts.
I can already see some places where pre-painting may be needed, the red planksheer/waterway comes to mind.
This will be a very different build...no thin plywood sheets for false deck or bulwarks, everything is "structural". It promises to be a challenging and interesting build.
Between the plans and instruction book, it seems most everything is covered, it just takes some reading and thinking to understand some of the new building concepts.
Another 2 hour school delay today, more thing to get aquainted with this project...

Dave

Sounds good to me Dave.Should have my kit in by the end of the week.

This is an interesting build...I am still in the slow process of shaping the bulkheads and getting bearding lines drawn...lots of measuring!

I am finding a couple of issues. My reference lines on the bulkhead and keel are generally within a quarter mm, most spot on, some maybe a touch more...how much leeway is allowable here? Also, a couple of my bulkheads come up short of the bearding line (mm or less) when slid into place, how would I fair this into the carved part of the keel below the bearding line? All bulkheads are flush with the top of the false keel.

In the photos I have, there is clearly a white plank along the top of the bulwark stanchions and below the caprail, but not reflected in the kit. I'm mulling this one over. I am planning on pre-painting the planksheer/waterways red before I install the stanchions etc...just to avoid too much masking, and probable paint slop.

The burned edges of the bulkheads make sanding the bevels easier, it's very easy to see when you are approaching the finish before taking off too much. I'm going to get some thin (1/16") masking tape to put down the middle of the false keel edge to help keep track as I cut the rabbet.

Still no glueing or cutting as yet...still marking, and measuring....and reading.

Dave

Hi Dave ,Seems like your getting a head start on me.Good luck.I wont be starting on mine any time soon as i still have to rig the sails on the Bluenose.If your looking for the proper colors on the Baltimore, i found many photos by doing a search on Goggle.Click on Images and then do your search, you will find models and pictures of the real ship.Also i found using black electricians tape will give you very crisp paint lines .If your are using a water based paint make sure you seal it with some Varnish and then mask.Electrician's tape works wanders, you can stretch it into circles or any shape you want and its edges seal out paint easily.Keep us posted on your build, you'll probably save me from some headaches .Chris.