thanks for the links about the containers Sharky1dk. things are on hold for a few weeks while i shift house. hope to be back up as building her soon now that winter is almost here. subsinker i could hardly tell its the same kit. you have done a fantastic job, i just hope i can do it the same sort of justice

Thank you for the compliment. I really like these kits and with just a bit of modifications they are excellent sailing vessels. One modification I may suggest is to add bilge keels to both sides. It will add to the stability of the ship in waves.

Good luck with you build, Sir!

Another source of card containers ukdigcomuk@gmail.com I stick them onto white polystyrene foam for a bit of extra rigidity without much extra weight.

How is the progress coming?haven't seen anything

Well I have shifted house but I don't have a works shop at all. I've had to setup a table in our lounge to build her on. I pulled her out a couple of days ago ready to start again so watch this space. I'm just remembering there is quite a bit if work to be done on the superstructure. 1/200 scale is a challange

Looking forward to seeing this build for real.

Not quite the sydney star build but just to let you know things haven't stopped. i purchased a deans marine police launch on the local Trade Me site. it was very badly put together by the previous owner even though it was a pre made kit. so i have set about in the last month giving it a good make over to represent a fictional pilot launch for our local harbour board. i still have a few fittings to put back on still. i am giving it a run at the model engineers pond this afternoon.

here are a few pics

hi all i have resumed work on the sydney star. i have been trying to work on the working radar, not an easy task when at 1:200 scale. also i have been working on my running lights for her. i am using 3mm leds for the running lights and just a bog standard lamp for interior light. next is painting the entire bridge.

this is mine, the celestia.

I recommend you fill the superstructure and container blocks with a styrene block and plate it in at the base of the superstructure. invariably they will get knocked into the lake by someone

Well for the first time in months I have done some work during the week. I have been working on painting the main super structure and putting together the main structures for the containers. I have filled these with polystyrene as suggested by Ghost. I won’t be adding polystyrene to the main super structure as I won’t have room for it by the time I have finished installing lighting and working radar and smoke system to the funnel.

The kit has been great so far as for components and parts fitting together without little adjustment other than filing off the tabs holding them to the sheets. As for the structures for the containers there is at least 13 parts to each of these. So it’s time to sand and fill these now.

I have one more coat of spray paint to go on the main super structure before I start adding lighting permanently etc. imp going to give the 1st coat a good week to harden up before lightly sanding back for its final coat. I have a bad habit of rushing the painting sequence and never being quite happy with the final result.

On the subject of battery:
My sydney star once had a SINGLE 6v 12ah battery in it, now has a 4.5ah battery in it and lead plate to make up the rest. with the weight sat in the bottom of the hull, you will actually find she is MORE STABLE with the 4.5ah battery and the lead sheet for ballast. Waterline should be 2inches (50mm) from the keel. also of you break the rudder ROBBE PART 1481 is a perfect replacement. (thats what i use on my neptun's, sydney star and southampton).

When I did the lights on Nord Icelandia (now sadly unseaworthy), I used servo leads. this will allow you to have the white mast head, red and green nav lights on one circuit, (white wire), with 6 mast mounted reds (restricted by draught), these 6 lights can use the red wire of the servo lead and the ground wire being common to both, it will also provide you with a convenient break point should you need to completely remove the superstructure.

It does however look a great model. (id also consider knocking up some flat hatches for when its too windy to sail her with a container load on)

May also be worth however putting SOME floatation in the main superstructure incase some berk tips it in the water

ps...

when it comes to a propeller, a nice 5 legged prop in brass will suit her just lovelly

hi ghost, i have already got a 5 bladed brass prop for her. it was one of the first mods i did. it definately makes a difference in appearence. i also have started making those flat hatches out of 2mm ply you suggest. pics to follow.
however i wont be going as far as putting restricted by draught lights on her. im just going to keep it simple with port, starboard, mast head and fwd mast head light. that will be enough of a challange for me. with working radar and smoke generator going in the funnel its getting tight squeeze in the bridge

been doing quite a bit of work the past couple of weeks. working on completing the accomodation block, forward mast, tidying up all the auxillary wiring and new hatches.

the accomodation block has been completed with working radar, working internal lights/navigation lights and smoke unit. only decals on the funnel are needed to complete it to a standard i am happy with.

i have made new hatches out of 2mm ply for my containers to sit on as i was unhappy with the kit provided container stacks.

i spent 4 hours solid last weekend making 40 or so containers from the files sharky1dk supplied. very frustrating at times making these as they only measure 60x10x10mm for a 40' container and 30x10x10mm for a 20'. but i think it is worth the time and paitence for the result. these have been glued togeather on the new hatch cover once sprayed serveral times with a clear coat lacquer to hopefully seal against water damage.

work will now begin on the deck fittings and pool area while also making around 150 more containers inbetween times

Looks really good,nice work .