Sovereign of the Seas magazine warship takes almost three years to build

A NEW mag is helping keen model makers craft their very own mini warship – but with 135 issues it will take LONGER to build than the real thing.

Not only will Sovereign of the Seas take two years and seven months to build, but model kit will cost more than a whopping £800 to buy.
After a cheap introductory offer of £1.99 for the first issue, each copy then costs £5.99.
The weekly magazine shows how to create a replica model of the wooden Navy ship, launched in 1637.
The original ship took 22 months to build — nine months LESS than the 110cm-long model.
The launch issue is promoted by a slick television advert which promises a “high quality replica” of “one the most famous ships in British history”.
But a spokesman for pressure group Consumer Focus said: “The cost of these magazines can really mount up.

Finished ship … the final result is a replica of the 1637 model
Solent News & Photo Agency

“Publishers need to be upfront from the start about the number of issues people will have to buy, so the total cost is clear.
“Before taking on a long running subscription to make a ship or anything else, people should work out the final cost and decide whether they feel that is worth paying.”
The magazine series includes detailed images showing how to put together the masts, rigging, guns and anchors.
The finished model measures 110cm long, 90cm high and 40cm wide.
Rashid Lalloo, who has run a model ship making website for ten years, said you could buy a similar model ready-made for around £300.

Expensive hobby … collecting all 135 editions of the magazine will cost more than £800
Solent News & Photo Agency

The 42-year-old, from Barnet, North London, said: “I imagine people will grow frustrated waiting so long to collect the parts and build it.
“Enthusiasts can buy a complete Sovereign of the Seas kit from a shop and complete it in a few months.”
A spokesman for DeAgostini, the firm behind the magazine, said: “It is a tried and tested formula much appreciated by our loyal modelling fans.”
Sovereign of the Seas was commissioned by King Charles I and launched in 1637.
She was known by the Dutch as the “golden devil” because of her stunning black and gold colouring.
Her career came to an end when she accidentally caught fire in January 1696.