A LIFELONG seafaring career for Bob Evans, president of the Canberra Model Shipwrights Society, has become a model ship-building hobby in his retirement.

Bob says that while living on 1.2 hectares in Murrumbateman also keeps him occupied, he loves building model ships in his spare time.

“I had a seafaring career and I suppose that has had an effect on my interests at this stage in my life,” says Bob.

“When I was a child my elder brother was into Airfix models and I think it probably rubbed off on me – I remember being about seven years old, and making my first aircraft model with about 20-30 bagged parts, creating a bit of a mess and thinking, ‘gee this is good’.”

Bob says he likes the satisfaction in seeing something through, and that he enjoys the results.

“There are lots of things you can build… my kids call it the inheritance,” he jokes.

“At any one time I’ve got about half a dozen models on the go, and when one of them starts to bore me I’ll set it aside and pick up another one. I’m not at all keen on rigging so sometimes that’s a reason to move along.

“I’m by no means a professional, but I’m happy with what I do.”

Bob estimates it can take around a year to 18 months to build a ship, but says he’s got one at home that took him 27 years to complete.

“I kept putting it away until my wife said that she wanted it finished,” he says. “Eventually, they all get done.”

Bob says he sailed merchant ships in the 1950s and 1960s, and became the master of a gas tanker during that time. He came ashore to work in the mid 1980s, though he stayed within the maritime industry.

“My career has definitely had an influence on what I choose to make now, though I do have some aircraft, trams and buses, I’m probably more attracted to ships,” he says.

“I’m doing a series of ships I’ve sailed on, about 20 or so, some are kits or modified kids and others are entirely scratch built.

“Building something when you create all the parts yourself gives you more freedom, but of course it’s more time-consuming.”

Having been a member of the Canberra Model Shipwrights Society since 2000 when he moved to the Canberra region, Bob says he likes being involved.

“I’ve been president now for about six years, and I enjoy the expo, which will run this year on September 17-18, with a display of various types, eras and sizes of ship models, generally around 120, and this year we will also have a small display of maritime art and artefacts,” he says.

“We also regularly go out to Mount Rogers Primary School on a Tuesday morning for a couple of hours, it’s enjoyable to have a chat to the kids about what we do and maybe even get some new members out of it.”

The Canberra Model Shipwrights Society Expo, September 17-18 (10am-5pm Saturday, 10am-3.30pm Sunday), Mount Rogers Primary School, Alfred Hill Drive, Melba. Cost $3 adults, $7 family.