I lucked out at the flea market last weekend.

[Charlie Cheetah]

SWMBO and myself attended the Sussex NB giant outdoor flea market over the weekend. I brought along some cash, hoping to find some deals on some kits, I found a few kits here and there, nothing that really interested me though. Now this outdoor flea market covered quite a large area, we were there for over 5 hours and I don't think we got to see everything. Anyways, we finally get to the last few sections and I see a long white box on a vendors table amongst some antiques and knick-knacks. It was a Model Shipways 1/64 Bluenose Schooner wooden model. I rushed right over to it, and open the box, everything inside was still bundled up tight, even the container of wood and white metal fittings was still sealed. I look at the box top again, it was priced at $65!!! Now this kit has a MSRP of $299... The vendor walks over and says that the receipt is still in the box, I looked for it but it was missing. They say they paid about $175 for it from a hobby shop in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia a while back. There was a new sealed bottle of super glue in the box that was hard as a rock. so they must have had it a while. The kit was originally released in 1996 and the plans were derived from the plans of the original Bluenose built in 1921. I offered her $50, she thought about it, then looked at her husband and he nods yes.

She explains to me that he was a model boat builder but never got around to building this kit. Now at his advanced age, his hands are not steady enough to take on such a project. I felt bad after she told me that, but the gentleman looks at me and says, hes very happy to have sold it to someone that knows the kit's value and has the desire and skills to build it.

I built the Billing Boats kit a few years back for a family friend and it was a 2 year project. This will probably take me just as long if not longer, since this kit has better detail and a higher level of difficulty. I need to clear my backlog of started kits first before I begin it though.

Model Expo listing

Edited August 25, 2010 by Charlie Cheetah

[geedubelyer]

Congrats Charlie, sounds like a great deal

Did you get the old fellahs address? It would have been neat to show him the completed build in the future....

I can appreciate what it takes to build and rig a model ship like this. My dad has the Bounty but he's only got as far as constructing the hull structure and baulks at fitting the boarding.

Good luck with your build. It should make a nice diversion when the plastic loses its' appeal.

[Charlie Cheetah]

Congrats Charlie, sounds like a great deal

Did you get the old fellahs address? It would have been neat to show him the completed build in the future....

I can appreciate what it takes to build and rig a model ship like this. My dad has the Bounty but he's only got as far as constructing the hull structure and baulks at fitting the boarding.

Good luck with your build. It should make a nice diversion when the plastic loses its' appeal.

I thought of that afterwards, we were on our way home though by then. I wish I would have gotten his name at least.

The last one I built I really enjoyed, and I learned a lot from it too. What I plan on doing is to have one plastic kit on go while I do the schooner. That way when I need a break from the wood modeling I can do so. Besides, I have way too many plastic kits that I want built by the spring. I figure this boat kit will take at least 2 years to complete. Somneday, Id like to do some othder tall ship models, I wouldnt mind doing something like the Bounty or Queen Ann's Revenge (BLackbeard's boat).

[Don]

Great buy! Wooden sailing ship kits are REALLY expensive...both in price and in the time it takes to construct one. I've got the US Brig Niagara (used in the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812) up at my cottage that I work on throughout the summer months while staring at the Lake (it's good motivation). Two years and counting! Enjoy the build. I've always wanted to get the Bluenose II kit.

Regards.