George W. Washburn

The George W. Washburn is typical of steam powered tugboats of the late 19th century. It's clean lines and high stacks give it a very nostalgic appeal for those looking for a boat that brings back memories of a time long gone. Dumas have done well with this kit. The instructions are clear, precise'and surprisingly full of humor! (Whoever wrote the instructions, I salute you) The hull is plank on frame, and for a first timer (like me) can be a little daunting when one sees the curves and contours one has to cut and splice the wood stringers too. However once one gets a few stringers under his/her belt, it's a synch. Just take your time, and don't worry about snapping a rib or stringer. I snapped two for whatever reasons. The hull's lines are very good looking, and are easy to fiberglass/paint. The superstructure is easy to put together and the all the detail parts are either cast metal, brass, plastic or wood. The only downside is that while the doors are wood with pin head doorknobs, the windows and panels come as a peel and stick plastic veneer. Which looks somewhat odd alongside the three dimensional doors/stairs/railings. This is a real disappointment as the rest of the kit looks good and has a real wooden steamship feel. If Dumas has supplied laser cut panels and windows this would be a class act model. Also the injection plastic lifeboat looks a little clunky on its own. However once rigged with rope and painted/weather it loses the clunky look. This kit took me a little under a year to finish working on and off around a real life. Once completed it's a great kit to have as a static display, or if one has RC'ed, to run on the local pond. It looks good, and with it's wood decks, wooded hull, and lovely proportions has captured the look of a steam tug well.