Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Haven't built a model in a long time, but I have pretty good construction and assembly skills, and know how to use all kinds of tools.
This Dumas kit is nothing short of atrocious. The instructions are poor to useless. The manufacturer put next to no effort at creating a readable document. The instructions consist of one paragraph on one side of a sheet of paper with no illustrations. There is a full size construction plan, but with scant details. It was a chore to have to decipher how to put this thing together.
The wood parts were poorly die cut. The notches did not properly match the profiles of the stringers, leaving gaps. There is no excuse for this with any decent manufacturing equipment.
The mix of soft woods with the hard woods was dubious, there should have been no soft balsa in this kit at all. The mahogany planking for the sides, top and bottom, however, were very good and ample in size and cut to get a good fit to the hull frame. It will look good when stained and varnished.
The keel is well made of galvanized sheet and lead ballast. The rudder is cheap in comparison, made of soft tin bent around a stiff wire. The mast is of hard birch dowel stock, with mini screw eyes to guide the stays.
The sails are just two triangular pieces of nylon cut exactly to size. Here it would have been better to have had them cut oversize, like the hull planks, so one can better finish the edges, if desired.
This kit is definitely not for the inexperienced, mostly because the kit is poorly designed and the parts just thrown together with very little thought. Upon reflection, this kit looks like it was produced for 1907, not 2007.
All in all, the boat is coming together, but it could have been so much easier.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Ace Sloop,17"
A free sailing model for small lakes or swimming pools. Built from die-cut mahogany with 21 inch birch mast and cloth sails. All rigging and fittings are included. Length: 17 inches Beam: - 5-1/4 inches Mast: 21 inches Sail Control Unit Not design for radio control
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