Scale Pleasure Craft! Where are they?

[Jordan White]

When I was looking at built examples of the Revell Bass Boat the other day, I was wondering why there weren't more modern pleasure boat kits? I think the most recent was the jetski found with the custom Silverado kit, and it was a nicely detailed piece (the trailer on the other hand left something to be desired!) They don't even need to go with the larger cabin cruisers either, there are plenty of smaller boats that would only need maybe 50 parts (including trailer) max, many less than that. Plus, like the car kits, if they are desperate they can easily re-release the kits with new decals and maybe a few different parts/accessories.

[Tom Geiger]

Look on eBay for the kit manufacturer Dumas.  They make boats, mostly wood, in several scales.  A bunch of theirs are in 1/24. Have always meant to pick one up!

[Jordan White]

Interesting stuff, though very pricey! 

[Art Anderson]

When I was looking at built examples of the Revell Bass Boat the other day, I was wondering why there weren't more modern pleasure boat kits? I think the most recent was the jetski found with the custom Silverado kit, and it was a nicely detailed piece (the trailer on the other hand left something to be desired!) They don't even need to go with the larger cabin cruisers either, there are plenty of smaller boats that would only need maybe 50 parts (including trailer) max, many less than that. Plus, like the car kits, if they are desperate they can easily re-release the kits with new decals and maybe a few different parts/accessories.

I think the answer is quite simple, frankly:  Over the years, there have been several plastic kits of pleasure boats, most recently the reissued Lindberg boat kits that came out in the very early 60's---they NEVER sold at all well.

 

Art

[oldcarfan]

I can't imagine that we will see any new boats anytime soon, but I would love to have a few. I built model boats for a few years for a display company, so I can still build any boat I need if I could ever get the attention span to do it.

[espo]

I would also like to build a few boat models. I think it all boils down to the economics of it all. First the model companies would have to make a profit. There are almost as many different boat companies as auto, well maybe a quarter, but each offers many different hull sizes and power plants. Now how do you figure out which ones to offer that will sell at a profit ??  

[thatz4u]

Isn't Round2 reissuing the Cris Craft 3n1 kit soon? one version is stock, & the kit comes with trailer...

[Eshaver]

Al, yes , the AMT 3 in one boat is coming back. It's based LOOSELY around a 1952 Chris Craft speed boat with the Packard Flat head in it .

[Rob Hall]

Al, yes , the AMT 3 in one boat is coming back. It's based LOOSELY around a 1952 Chris Craft speed boat with the Packard Flat head in i, yes , the AMT 3 in one boat is coming back. It's based LOOSELY around a 1952 Chris Craft speed boat with the Packard Flat head in it .

That's a neat kit, but it is very old.  It would be nice to have some boat models of subjects from this decade or at least this century..

[unclescott58]

I've been building models of the Titanic lately. 3 of them! I doubt one can consider the Titanic a "Pleasure Craft" after what happen to the real one.

I had been eyeing Academy's 1/700th Scale Multi Colored Parts (MCP) Titanic kit at Hobby Lobby for quite sometime now. A few weeks back I was looking at them on eBay, and they have a version of the exact same kit, but with LED lights. So I took the plunge and bought one. With no painting, it took me only two days to build. I had a lot of fun and it looked great when it was done. So next I decided I needed their 1/1000th scale MCP Titanic. Since I've have Round 2's predecorated Star Ship Enterprise and Kingon Battle Cruisers in that same scale. Again, another fun and nice model to build. That one took less than one day to build. So..... I decided to buy Academy's 1:400th scale MCP Titanic. This one is going to take a while to build. A lot of little parts. Things like the ship's railings. And all sorts of pipes, vents, winches, and things like that. Then there is the rigging. Even though the Titanic was not a sailing ship, there is still a lot of rigging need to be added. And I've never rigged anything before this.

So far, the 1/400th scale Titanic is coming together beautifully. Again, because of the Multi Colored Parts feature, it really need no paint. Other than the cargo covers. They are molded in clear plastic. Why they did that, I don't know? So I had to paint those flat white. The rest of the parts are looking great just as they are. And I love the way the parts fit and go together so nicely. I'm very impressed with this kit. In fact I'm impressed with all three Academy MCP Titanics I purchased so far. They are great kits.

Scott

 

[Eshaver]

Rob , just before I retired in 1998, I had a third interest in a boat repair shop . I can think of countless Sea Rays and a couple of Bayliners out there sill headed to the local Boat landings that deserve a kit . While "Inboards"  were the thing of the 1940's and 50's I-O setups with Mercruiser drives are the way to go today . I would see one Ford engine for about every thirty Chevrolet powered boats . Oh , I should have said Mercury ......

[SSNJim]

No one has mentioned this, but Revell of Germany has a 108' modern yacht. Somebody did a build on this forum; great looking model. If you're interested in pleasure craft, it fits. If you're interested in only 1/24 or 1/25 pleasure craft, sorry. The only "drawback" is it is 1/72 scale, and 17.5 inches long. It would go well with my 52" long Gato submarine.... I've recently become more interested in 1/72 scale - lots of neat stuff in that scale.

http://www.revell.com/germany/ships/80-5145.html#.WVrkUZdK11Q

 

Edited July 4, 2017 by SSNJim

[disabled modeler]

Id love to see more 1/25th or 1/24rth scale pleasure boats with trailers kits out there in plastic....anything from the 60s and up would be cool.  I have a few already but would be interested in others if they made them for us.

[tim boyd]

Knowing that many of you do not look at the magazine...still wanted to mention (for those of you that do) that there was a fairly extensive 1/25th scale boat kit history article in MCM back around 2007 or so....I'm pretty sure it's still available via the back issue department.....TIM 

[Matt Bacon]

I'd be on for any kind of a Riva in 1/24... can't even find a paper model. Though I guess I could just scale down some R/C model boat plans and  build it from scratch...

best,

M.