Model ship building does not have to be an expensive hobby. The author takes you by the hand on a journey through one of the oldest crafts - nowadays a hobby - and shows how you can build an end product of fascination, history, skill and value using low-cost materials and a minimum of tools - from 'scratch' in fact.

The book starts by explaining hull lines and hull construction methods, then moves on to masts, yards, booms and gaffs, deck equipment and furniture, anchors, rigging and blocks, armament and simple sail making. Finally instruction is given to painting, mounting and displaying the models.

The author's text is packed with useful hints and tips derived from his lifetime of modelling which, together with the large number of detailed drawings and photographs depicting many of the ship models in his collection, some showing useful close-ups on details and fittings, provides a very practical guide to the art and craft of model ship building.