Nautical Research Journal
by Conway Maritime Press in 2001. It seems that the model developers at Artesania Latina did not even try to check sources—or otherwise they would have discovered the discrepancies easily.
T e kit was a welcome fi nd when perusing some shelves in a well-stocked model shop some years ago, before I started looking into the voyage - it transpires that one should have been more quizzical when looking at the box instead of trusting the description. On its package, the model is shown fully built and rigged but unpainted; additional photographs show details of the fi nished build. T e boat is placed in front of some old sea charts, creating a period maritime setting. But the charts show parts of the French coast close to St Malo and Mont St Michel, waters that are in no way associated with Bounty or its boats.
But let us look at the model kit itself: false keel, frames and many parts of the hull come pre-cut and are assembled quickly. T e model itself is easy to build, once one has fi gured out that the transom needs some re-shaping. But even if one follows both the heavily photoshopped pictures and the written instructions, the model will never look like the boat on the package. T at one is built from two layers of wood—one light inner layer and one dark outer shell—that is not even included in the kit.
T e instructions insist on pinning the strakes to the frames. T e frames are made of three-layer plywood, their ends split on insertion of the small nails provided. T e model shown on the box is not sporting any nails at all—there the strakes are kept in place by glue. T e instruction booklet, as opposed to the package, shows the model fully painted, which would allow for generous application of putty covered with paint. A distinctly diff erent appearance from the bare wood described above.
If you know about woodworking in thin wood and small
scales, the general instructions serve
as reminders of the methods necessary to get this boat built. If you are a true beginner, these general instructions are too short and enforce learning model
building by doing it. T e materials supplied make this diffi cult; while a few reserve strakes are included, the fl oor boarding material permits no waste. Much later in the process, this is taken further: two pieces of 3-millimeter diameter dowel have to be joined to make all the oar-shaſt s the correct length from the pre-cut material supplied (pre-cut, in this instance, means cut to fi t the dimensions of the box, meaning each piece only allows making 2¾ oar-shaſt s from each). Perhaps their plan is to challenge the beginning builder early on in preparation for serious building from sub-par materials in future projects. A model kit like this does not encourage precise building or appreciation of materials. Without application of putty and paint, the weaknesses of the model and its execution will be very visible, not necessarily encouraging the model builder.
T e pre-sewn main sail is too big for the boom and gaff , the jib has a bent luff that mis-shapes the silhouette of the rig, the staysail is too long to fi t. While it is not diffi cult to re-sew them, the problem is to fi nd thread that matches to keep as much as possible of the remaining seams. T e instructions and the model itself lack all details on fastening the loose ends of running rigging. T e builder is implicitly invited to improvise; or one could research historical precedence.
More than a year ago, I contacted Artesania Latina with a scan of the drawings from Bligh’s journal, asking about the discrepancy between their description of the boat’s use for the journey and historic facts to the contrary. Being a teacher, I asked in a kind way, but answer came there none. Selling lies to people who can check facts is a danger, but they seem to not care; not even the description on their website has been modifi ed.
Now the boat dangles over my desk at work—a model of a worm-eaten jolly boat not seen fi t to carry unwanted people. It fi ts our open-plan offi ces nicely, but it means something completely diff erent than the launch would. Ahoy!
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