Here's the N scale version of a party ship! She is perfect for small harbors, as similar party ships sailed from docks at small coves, on rivers, and on lakes. The Port Welcome sailed Baltimore's inner and outer harbors for nearly 30 years (1960—1989), carrying up to 400 partiers at a time. Since then it's had a rather checkered history as a restaurant in Detroit, a casino cruise in Massachusetts, and today is at pier in Florida. The N Scale version here is priced at $135 plus shipping for a complete kit, including custom railings and fittings, and $550 plus shipping for a built up. The main and second (01) decks are see-through, as is the pilot house! Add your own interior details, from tables and chairs, to the concession stand, to lots of people. I'm proud of the techniques I've developed to be able to do this. Yes, those are custom N scale railings, stairways, life rafts and life boats, along with custom built davits, and a cast resin stack—all designed for this N scale ship. Other details such as anchors, bitts and life rings are from the finest suppliers of pewter or brass castings. There's also the wrap-around seating on the top deck, storage lockers, masts and flag staffs. Those are custom lifeboats and dinghy, hot out of my molds. Notice the stack has a hollow shield on the top, which I manufactured from many layers of styrene, each reduced incrementally by the computer. The anchor windlass is custom built from eleven separate parts. Here's a head-on view. There's plenty of space to add a polaris (compass stand), engine room telegraph, steering gear, chart tables, etc. The Port Welcome had radar, and a 24" searchlight, each modeled on the pilot house roof. Another view from the stern, showing the rear verandas, and my new N scale dinghy. I built this from pictures and diagrams from one of her captains, Fred Ladd. One more view, from the 3/4 stern. While not the sleekest party boat that ever sailed, I think it's rather handsome in its own way. I'll produce only 20 kits for this Fall, and my schedule for built ups is filling up quickly, so order now if you'd like one for Christmas! Order cut-off for guaranteed delivery in 2013 is October 15. I can accept Paypal and credit card orders. Best to contact me at peterknolan@gmail.com.
Looks really nice! If I had a water area on my layout I would get one, but I think it would look out of place on the Colorado River, the rest of the layout is all desert and mountains...........
Most of the instructions for this kit are up on my website. I'll finish the pilot house instructions over the weekend. These will give you an idea of what it takes to build the kit.
Pete- I love your ships! I plan to get a 2-3 small vessels for my wharf. Still probably smaller than this, but I'd be interested in talking to you about making something work. Also, do you ever make any piers/wharfs?
I have a 108' tug coming soon. This is the first prototype, with many inaccuracies that have been corrected. And I will build anything on commission. As for piers/wharfs, I do build the docking bridge that mates with my 263' three-track ATSF car float for San Francisco Bay operations. My own layout had many harbor structures, so I can build them, and will on commission. If I build the large PRR car floats, I will offer mating docks, but I have no plans for other structures right now, as my shipbuilding list is getting long.
I meant to mention, before brain fade set in, that the tug and the 125' USCG cutter are visually much smaller ships than the Port Welcome, which is rather hefty and tall for its length. I also have a modern tug coming, based on these models of quite a few years ago: I haven't gotten these drawn on the computer yet, and I've forgotten the length (oh, they are 109' long, but low to the water). If there is any interest in them, I'll move them up to this Winter for drawing. I've always liked these, but I built the hulls out of foamboard as a quick experiment. While I covered the foamboard with a styrene wrapper, solvents still seeped in during painting, so they are rather flimsy today. I'll build them with cast resin hulls today, and they'd be fun ships to build, with their roller buffers (instead of tires) and collapsible masts.
Ahh-mazing!! So Pete, If I sketched something up (I've had a few years of Drafting, so I can draw something that you could easily interpret), could you give me a quote? I might also consult on what vessels you have that would work/fit in my inlet. Thinking small-ish fishing vessels mostly. This is what I've got going so far (my first layout as adult). I'm just starting to prepare for landscaping, but it'll be very much like Sonoma County, CA. It's meant to be a small river mouth, feeding into a delta/inlet in the ocean. The wharf will be on the shoreline all along the ocean-side of the truss bridge. I have the Micro-Trains Cannery, and the MTL Waterfront Hotel kits (still unbuilt), that I plan on mounting on the wharf structure. Additional things I desire for the wharf are: a small bait shop and/or a small cafe, and functional lamp posts. Keep up the great work! Noah
If you could build a 2" or 3" wide shelf out the front a little longer than the bay, you'd increase your possibilities at least 100%. The shelf doesn't have to be the entire length of the table, and could be tapered at the ends to blend in. I can't find the dimensions of the kits you mentioned, but one or both could be up on the bluff to the right, with an interesting conveyor line to the cannery from the wharfs. Be glad to work with you. I'm just building the parts page on my website, and have gotten up to 28' hulls. I have a few larger ones coming, but never hold your breath as I am basically a one-man show. it's at http://nscaleships.com/n-scale-parts/. There are already quite a few smaller boats, barges, and small fishing and cargo vessels being made for N scale, so I'm tending to stay away from that market. What I'm building is of a different nature in terms of detail and fidelity, and I am always more than willing to give a quote, if I think it's a reasonable job. That spur off to the right could always be loaded with boats built by a firm on the waterfront, as well as a lot of reefers for the cannery. Ever think of doing some partially-built boats on the ways as one industry for your wharf? Now that would be fun!
Stunning! Sadly, my ♥Love♥ said, "no" which equals: NO and is very akin to: NO. Soo I guess that means I don't get one.
Well, when my love says that to me, I just say, "Please, love, put it on my Christmas list!" It worked for things like the latest Trumpeter model of a WWII Liberty Ship (as long as I give her a URL to buy it); it didn't work for the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta. I wish I could say that she just couldn't get me on the waiting list, but I know it was something else.
The Port Welcome brings back some memories. In my younger days I got inebriated on more then one company party on that boat.
Pete, Good luck with the Ferrari. Argggg. Anyway, maybe if I take her on a Boston Harbor Cruise she will be able to relate to it better. It's too late to do a Bday / Christmas present, (she just gave me a white Samsung NX300 for my 59th bday). Hmmmm, Maybe I can play the local history angle or maybe I can re-propose to her on a romantic cruse? Or, Maybe I'm stretching. In any case, very nice model. BTW: The backdrops you did for me still grace my dining room.
Or take her on the ferry up to Salem, sightsee and shop for a few hours, then ferry back. Last cruise of Boston Harbor I took back in the early 90s was on a ship similar to the Port Welcome. Just took a few hour cruise on the Ohio River on a fake rear paddlewheeler--the paddlewheel turned, but the real propulsion came from propellers under the wheel. Loved that the paddlewheel was turned by an electric motor. Food was mediocre at best, beer was about $7 a bottle, but it was relaxing, and I saw Cincinnati from a new perspective.
