Bespoke Models

A bespoke model is built for one vessel and one customer. The hull is shaped for that boat, the fittings are made for her deck layout, and the paint matches the colours she actually carried. If you would rather buy something from stock, our ready made display models cover a wide range of subjects.

How to commission a model ship

1. Send what you have. Photographs, drawings, the make and model, a registration number, or simply the vessel’s name. Use the enquiry form or email us.
2. We confirm what is achievable. Scale, hull type, level of detail and finish, and whether your reference material supports the accuracy you want.
3. You receive a quote. Fixed against that specification.
4. Build and delivery. Production time is confirmed after the order is placed, so it reflects the actual work rather than a generic estimate.

Can you build from photographs alone?

Usually, yes. A spread of images covering bow, stern, beam and deck is enough for most subjects. Drawings give a better result and are worth sending if you have them, but their absence is not a blocker. Where reference is thin we will tell you before you commit which areas will be interpreted rather than measured.

What a custom ship model costs

There is no single figure, because the model is priced against the vessel, the scale and the detail agreed. Two things drive it more than anything else. Size, because a longer hull means more of everything. And rigging, because rigging is hand work that cannot be shortened. A small motor yacht and a fully rigged tall ship of the same length are very different jobs.

The first build of any vessel is the master model, and it carries the research and pattern making that later copies do not, so it costs more than subsequent examples of the same ship. If you are considering more than one, say so at enquiry stage.

Materials and construction

Hulls are carved or plank built in timber and faired by hand. Fittings are made in brass, cast metal, resin and photo etched sheet, with 3D printing, CNC and laser cutting used where a part is too fine or too repetitive to make individually. Glazing is cut and set rather than painted, and paint is matched to the real vessel including livery, boot topping, draught marks and name boards.

Browse by vessel type

Use the categories below to see examples of what we have built: historical ships, classic yachts and boats, modern luxury yachts, modern sailing yachts, fishing boats, barges, trawlers and tugs, naval vessels and more. A display case can be made to the finished dimensions and shipped with the model.

Common questions

Can you make a model of my boat?

Yes. Owners’ own boats are the most common commission we take, from dinghies to superyachts.

Can you build a ship that no longer exists?

Yes. Many commissions are for vessels long out of service, worked up from archive plans, class records and old photographs.

How long does a bespoke model take?

It depends entirely on the subject and detail agreed, and is confirmed after the order is placed. If you have a fixed date, raise it at enquiry stage and we will tell you honestly whether it is achievable.

Do you deliver worldwide?

Yes, to over 75 countries, with packing designed around fragile masts and rigging. See delivery and packaging.