Modeller of the Month - December 2008 - Bill Harvey

Bill Harvey a modeller from Kiama, who is 76 years old, has been fascinated by model boats from a very early age. Bill remembers that his family had a boatshed which housed his parents sailing dingy.

Bill began creating model ships in his childhood using scraps of pinewood and old bed sheets for sails. Bill used his own abstract techniques to create model ships which enabled him to develop sophisticated skills as he grew more experienced.

A huge influence on Bill’s model ship building in his teenage years was his grandfather.

“Under the tuition of my grandfather, we built a tin canoe, using tar from the road on a hot day, to make the stem and stern joins watertight, and an old sheet for a sail.” Bill recalls.

Bill remembers building a canvas canoe and a Vaucluse Junior an 11ft sailing boat with the guidance of his grandfather.

A modeller will always cherish the first ships they create and Bill has built a Blue Bird Yacht 22ft, a Contessa Yacht 25ft and his favourite a Joe Adams designed 34ft centre cockpit sloop.

“All these I raced offshore with the exception of the Bluebird. She was for inshore racing.” Bill said.

Modeller’s can often find that they experience peaks and troughs in their modelling hobby and Bill was no exception, he too found that there were periods when he was unable to work on his model ships. Bill recalls visiting a friend who was building the Flying Fish. Bill had not modelled for sometime and seeing a friend enjoying the hobby encouraged him to begin again.

“I was immediately hooked and over the next couple of days started into the wonderful world of model shipbuilding,” Bill said. “Within a week or two I had visited Modeller’s Shipyard and purchased the Port Jackson, which was a single planked simplified version of today’s model. My next model was the Dolphyn.”

Unfortunately Bill’s modelling had to stop for a few years due to a bad accident. At the beginning of this year Bill’s wife encouraged him to model again. He began again with the H.M.S. Bounty and then the Bounty Life Boat (Jolly Boat). Bill is currently working on Baltimore Clipper, Harvey and his next model on the list is the H.M.S Endeavour.

“I find complete peace and relaxation in model ship building and loose all track of time. It is a wonderful hobby.” Bill said.