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As a teenager, Roger Berry took a keen interest in building model ships. Having never undergone any formal training, he experimented using various woods and planks and, fast-forward to today, he has produced and sold about 30 ships.
The 76-year-old resident of Neighbourhood Old Age Homes (Noah) in Woodstock, takes great pride and spends hours, sometimes up to a year, carefully crafting model ships from scratch.
“At age 16, I had the inclination to build model ships. When I started, I got plans and photos of the vessels from the naval dockyard. And I went into the scale drawings and brought the scale down to something like a metre long.
“This was all self-thought. Now, I do them out of my head. I have built between 25 and 30 ships over the years. They have all been sold or gone on auction.”
Berry spoke about his replicas of schooners, battleships and command vessels. “Our grandparents and great-grandparents came to the country aboard these vessels.”
Currently, he is adding the finishing touches to a replica of an 1820 Privateer, a task he started about eight months ago.
“My great-grandfather arrived in the country in 1823 on a ship like this. I started with the keel. And then I cut the hull. This is plank-on-frame construction.
“Then I cut the various frames. I used mahogany planks. I have a friend who has a sawmill and he cuts the planks for me according to the size I want. This is built on a 1:72 scale, which is the most popular.”
Berry explained that attention to detail is crucial.
“For this one, I plated the hull with copper because all the ships were copper-plated to stop sea growth. I am busy with the running rigging, and I have to attach the sails. And that is the difficult part.”
He added that this particular model had already been sold to the owner of an antique shop.
“I will be done with this in about a month’s time. I still need to put it on a wooden base.”
According to Berry, the prices of these model ships range between R4 000 and R4 500.
“It depends on the finer details you add to the ship. If you add things such as cannons and lifeboats, the more detail you add the more expensive it becomes.”
He explained he uses wood, copper and brass, which he purchases locally. However, some of the items he needs are imports from England.
“I get a lot of good comments about the models I build. Stanley Dorman of Dorman Long Fishing Company bought four ships from me to display in his offices.”
The senior said once he finishes this privateer he’s currently working on, he will move on to his next project.
“People are showing interest in me making fishing boats. So, when I am done here I will look into that.”
Berry explained that as long as he is in “good health”, he will continue his passion.
“I am healthy, praise the Lord. I only take tablets for high blood pressure. I get a great kick from this. I can still produce them, and people still want these ships. So, I am grateful.”
