Custom boats – The spirit of the chopper

Since I usually build on commission, you are free to get creative and let your own ideas flow into the design. I like to think of custom-built motor-cycles. In principle based on the builders style and design, but involving alterations according to the customer’s ideas. So think about how your own yacht would be named, what colour she would be painted in etc. to create your very personal, and truly unique model-boat.

The models shown on my page can be understood as suggestions, examples of what can be made based on the underlying concept. Your suggestions and ideas are very much encouraged. For more inspiration, I plan to upload sketches of possible modifications based on my prototypes, as well as more or less outrageous potential future projects which until now only exist on paper.

Since my hulls are hand-crafted, rather than moulded, the size of the boat is variable as well. It can be made to fit your bookshelf, or the back seat of your car. Or constructed around the old steam engine you’ve had sitting around for ages. 

Do you have a background in model-making or related arts and crafts? If you feel at home with making the details and paintwork, but daunt the task of constructing a three-dimensional, curved hull out of flat plywood and straight planks, I can also deliver a raw-built hull for you to finish.

I am also happy to construct a model-ship following a plan of your choice or maybe help you to turn your own design into a 3D object.

Your feedback, comments and suggestions are very welcome.

Victorian Speedboats

This series is based on a very long and lean hull design, which does not need much power to get going. It remains stable even at speeds exceeding scale speed by far and is quite some fun to sail. The superstructures are designed to capture the charms, overdrawn lines and deliberate simplification of vintage toy models. The models can be equipped with electric motors and radio control equipment to spend quality time at the lake.

Retro life-steam

The boats in this series combine my sleek, lightweight wooden hull with the lines of classic 1930’s and 40’s steam-models. Power comes from an actual life-steam engine, and versions with Sterling-Motors are in development.

Construction and Options

Portholes and windows can be simply drawn on with coloured pencils and sealed off with clear varnish, reminiscent of the shipyard models round the turn of the centuries (1800s to 1900s, that is). They can be cut out and glazed in plexiglass (if I can find someone to cut it to so small a shape, REAL glass will be a future option). Brass porthole-frames are also available in a wide range of sizes and square windows can be embellished by wooden frames.

Since we make the originals up as we go along, there is no need to stick to any particular colour theme, however one thing to bear in mind is this: not every colour of the rainbow was available as a weatherproof paint back in the days. Black, white, 50 shades of grey, as well as yellow, red and brown variations of ochre and green tones were widely seen. My decks are by default plywood, stained in a beautiful wood tone. Where the original deck would have been steel, it can of course be painted solid, but a deck stained with a nod to the steel’s colour, but still showing it grain also looks fantastic. I can further imagine a dramatic veneer to look stunning on a deck, but haven’t got round to try it out yet.

As for a name, found your own shipping line in your head and think about which names you would give your ships (why not go full-blown megalomaniac and call out your own nation and design its flag yourself). Maybe there is a special person in your life you would like to honour by naming a ship after her, or him.