Coastline Treasures

With both parents working, spending time with the children can be a struggle. That means that parents must make time for their kids. Kids who get more attention at home are more likely to become successful and productive adults.

There are many activities that parents can do to increase the bonding time they have with their children. One way to do this is to build model sailboats together. Building a wooden model ship takes an extended period of time and concentration. Working so closely with your child on such a project will bring the two of you closer together.

I love ships and the open sea; the sky that goes forever, the smells of salt water, the spray of the ocean, and the sounds of the lapping water along its edge.  Ships have been a part of history since time began and a recent trip introduced me to the schooner.  This multi-masted sailing vessel has two of more sails that are parallel to the body of the ship.  They were popular with trades that required speed; slaving, privateering, blockade running, fishing and pirating.

Schooners were most popular in the United States and Essex, Massachusetts was their most significant shipbuilding center.  Essex built more than 4,000 schooners and most were used for the fishing industry along the Massachusetts coast.  These fabulous ships of the 1800’s can be preserved as a wooden model ship; I brought one home and enjoy it every day.

I remember our trip to San Francisco when my children were young.  The sounds, smells, street entertainers, the sea lions, China Town; there was so much to see and do in this beautiful hillside city.  Trying to decide what to see first, we walked along Fisherman’s Wharf.  To my surprise, there they were; huge ships from the 1800’s on their own pier.  As we got closer, I discovered that it was the San Francisco Maritime National Park.

Here there were a half dozen or so ships from yesteryear.  Dating from 1886 to 1914 were real ships that had been used and restored.  There was a square-rigger, schooners, steam ferryboat, steam tug, and a paddlewheel tug.  We had a blast as the kids went running from ship to ship to walk aboard and explore.  The seaman that sailed these vessels had to have been brave to cross the seas in them.  Seeing these wooden model ships was such a wonderful surprise. 

We all know that a wood model ship is a replica of some of the fascinating wood ships of the past, but do you know anything about the greats of these ships?  These magnificent ships date back to the 1400’s when the age of exploration began.  Since then, the ships have become much grander.

When wood ships were first being built, the grandest of the ships measured 167.3 feet.  Seeming small to us now, a ship of this size was huge back then.  Since their original creation, wood ships have grown to very large sizes for wooden ships.  In the early 1900’s, a wood ship was created that measured in at 450 feet in length.  Some of these great old wooden ships have even been retired into different roles.  For example, Caligula’s Giant Ship is now the foundation of a lighthouse.  Next time you buy or make a wood model ship, try to determine what ship it is replicating.

If somebody asked you a question about the wooden model ship on your mantel, would you know the answer?  Because these ships are replicas of real ships, knowing nautical terminology will make you sound real savvy when talking about your décor to a guest.  Besides port, starboard, forward, and aft (that’s left, right, front, and back respectively), what other nautical terms are important to know?

Some nautical terminology is very technical.  For example, do you know what a binnacle is?  My guess is that unless you are a full time sailor, you did not know that a binnacle is the stand on which the ship’s compass is mounted.  But other terms are much more common.  If you hear the captain say the ship is floating at 100 fathoms above Davy Jones’ Locker then you know that there is six hundred feet from water level to the bottom of the ocean.  The fathom is the most common form of measure of depth in nautical terms.  So, next time you are sitting around with company and someone asks about your ship, be sure to amaze them with your nautical knowledge.   You may even be able to point to the binnacle on your model.

A wood model ship makes a great decoration on any mantel piece. But knowing what type of wood the ship is made of makes the beauty of the ship even greater.  The three most common woods used in a model ship are walnut, boxwood, and pear.  But many ships are a combination of different types of woods.  Pine is often used for masts and planks.

When trying to determine what wood was used to make your ship, or if you desire to build your own, look at the color and grain of the wood.  Walnut is a moderately coarse-grain wood that comes in a variety of brown ranges.  Boxwood is a softer wood that can bend and comes is yellow.  Pear is has a very uniform grain and is found in a pink-brown color.  Finally, pine is found in colors from white to yellow.  With all the different colors of wood, your ship may look a little disjointed.  To give your ship a uniform look, use a wood stain to transform your ship into your desired color.

There have been some pretty fantastic ships in world history.  Some of them are old, giant sail boats, like the Mayflower.  Others are fully furnished leisure vessels, like the Titanic.  But no matter the type or era of the ship, each is equally as magnificent.

Because of their magnificence, hobby shop keepers and toy makers have created replicas of many of these ships.  These wooden model ships have brought joy and bonding time to children and families everywhere.  There are even ships that are sea worthy.  If you enjoy sailing, find a model ship you can take to a pool or lake and sail around.  Wooden model ships are a great way to make play time learning time.

I remember our trip to San Francisco when my children were young.  The sounds, smells, street entertainers, the sea lions, China Town; there was so much to see and do in this beautiful hillside city.  Trying to decide what to see first, we walked along Fisherman’s Wharf.  To my surprise, there they were; huge ships from the 1800’s on their own pier.  As we got closer, I discovered that it was the San Francisco Maritime National Park.

 Here there were a half dozen or so ships from yesteryear.  Dating from 1886 to 1914 were real ships that had been used and restored.  There was a square-rigger, schooners, steam ferryboat, steam tug, and a paddlewheel tug.  We had a blast as the kids went running from ship to ship to walk aboard and explore.  The seaman that sailed these vessels had to have been brave to cross the seas in them.  Seeing these wooden model ships was such a wonderful surprise.