Jeff G did a nice little post on Great Lake Ships! Jeffs Post. Aerominded suggested someone starting a post on building these "boats". Ships on the Lakes are called boats or Lakers. Anyone interset may visit our website at Great Lakes Modeling Association

Now that I'm back in gear with finally finishing my Edmund Fitzgerald and 1000 Footer Belle River this winter, I thought I'd take Aerominded suggestoin and start a post on Great Lake Models! Hope you folks enjoy it

Latest update: Finishing hull detail for painting.
Edmund Fitzgerald



Latest update: Finishing hull detail for painting.
1000 Footer Belle River

11.5 feet! Oh I love it!!

WOW! Really impressive Jeff C! I'm looking forward to watching your progress! Might have been on the Great Lakes Modeling site where I saw your Lindberg tugs that are in these pictures? Very nice work!

Originally Posted by Kmot

11.5 feet! Oh I love it!!

Kmot, It may be cool to have a boat that big but it causes real problems. I'm building the 1,013'6" M/V Paul R. Tregurtha in HO scale. It comes out to 11.64 feet. You can also see it on the Great Lakes Modeling site, but i've progressed since the pictures there. Need to give Jeff some new pics.

Anyway, with hulls that size it takes forever to accomplish anything. Be it painting, sanding, fiberglass, whatever you have so much surface area to cover that it takes the fun right out of hull building. Next is just moving it around. I am dreading the day that she's finally done and I have the spar deck fence rail up. I have no doubt that i'll be laying it over when moving the boat around in the house at some point.

I'd never tackle something so large, they are so impressive in person!

Thanks for starting the thread Jeff, I plan to add more pics to mine as I take more that I'd like to share.

Anybody thought of doing them just that little bit bigger ? see www.warsashcentre.co.uk/c-ship.shtml Look at the thumbs down the page on right.

Yeah, come on now! Those "Lakers" are puny! Quit your whining! j/k



Thanks for that link arrow5. Those manned models are very awesome!!

Originally Posted by arrow5

Anybody thought of doing them just that little bit bigger ? see www.warsashcentre.co.uk/c-ship.shtml Look at the thumbs down the page on right.

I was trying to get the contract to build the tugboats for a local training center. However, after signing a lease on the pond, I think that the planners went into sticker shock over the cost of the tankers and freighters.

They were basing their layout on Warsash and Port Revel
http://www.portrevel.com/

Ok, that is crossing the line!!!

I want to rent one for a day and cruise L.A. Harbor!

Ok, that is crossing the line!!!

Very cool, crossing the line, maybe? I think the larger the model, the more realistic it is, you real learn to appreciate the pilots of these ships. Particularly the Great Lakes, no tugs needed. I would love to rent one of these model simulators also, that would be slick.

Hee hee, I agree, while it may be crossing the line, it is cool! I imagine the detail of these larger manned models and their handling is impressive! However, at some point, the state is going to want registration numbers displayed and taxes paid!!!

Edit: Ooops! followed the links given in this thread! These are real training aides! I was thinking they were just being built by people like us and run at the local pond!

[ However, at some point, the state is going to want registration numbers displayed and taxes paid!!! [/QUOTE]
That is the case in the State of Maine, the large Graf Spee model shown on page 13 of the Gallery in www.warshipmodelsunderway.com has the non-scale but approriate reg. no. Me 109 .

Jeff, Your models are fantastic! The huge size, and attention to minute detail put them in a league of their own.

Every time I see these models online I am tempted to build one, but fortunately so far reason has prevailed and I've stayed married .

Thanks RG I've learnd so much with these two boats, I'm glad I started our website just so I can remember it all.....LOL. I really enjoy building these boats, but their are times I don't. I hate rework, so much so I wouldn't touch my project because of it. I can finally say I'm on the home stetch with these two boats, and it's feeling good. I have already started planning my next project: The 1901 Algosoo. Just might make a mold of her hull??!!

Also my Edmund Fitzgerald is finally
Prepped for Paint!!