Hello everyone,

I’d like to share a project I completed some time ago—a Galilee boat from around 40–50 BC, built at 1:24 scale. It was a very enjoyable build, mainly because of its historical background and straightforward construction.

I think it’s always important to mention the story behind a model, and this kit comes from SE Miller Guitars, owned by Scott Miller:
http://www.semillerguitars.com/sea-of-galilee-boats/

He originally developed this model after researching the Kinneret boat discovery, using plans published by Shelly Wachsmann.
Starting from a small 16" scratch-built version, his work gained recognition after winning Gold Awards at a model competition, which eventually led him to produce these kits for others to build.

What I liked most about this model is how it combines history with a simple, hands-on building approach—something different from more complex ships.
I hope you find it interesting, and I’ll be glad to share more details of the build.

Julian 😎

This boat is currently preserved and displayed at the Yigal Allon Museum.
In the last picture, I noticed a mosaic artwork in the background that appears to depict a Phoenician-style vessel, which I found quite interesting.

Since there is limited detailed information available about the Galilee boat itself, I based much of my research on similar vessels from the Phoenician, Greek, and Roman periods to better understand construction methods and overall design.

While there is no evidence that this was the exact boat used by Jesus and his disciples, it dates to the same time period—around the 1st century AD—and closely matches the type of working boats used in that region.
😎

Without further ado—and humbly tipping my hat to LyleK1—here is the start of my building log.

I’ll begin with the kit contents.

This is a strongback-style kit, with the base provided in two sections. As you can see in the photos, Scott has meticulously marked all the parts, making identification very straightforward.

The step-by-step instructions come on a CD. I printed all 54 pages so I could have them handy at the bench.

When I first opened the kit, I was really impressed to see that all of the hull planks were already tapered. That detail truly blew my mind. After so much experimentation, Scott clearly arrived at the perfect tapering for this build.
So, as I mentioned before, this is a very approachable kit—as long as you follow his instructions carefully.
😎

This is the strongback mounted on its base.
You really have to read the instructions carefully, because there’s only one correct way to assemble it.

The last two pictures show an idea I came up with after I had to remove the hull due to not following the instructions properly.
I ended up asking Scott for more planks, and he kindly supplied them for a few extra dollars.
What I did was add wax paper over the frame forms so the glue wouldn’t stick to them. That way, if I ever want to reuse the strongback for another model, it will stay intact—and it worked perfectly.
😎

These are just a few of the many images that helped me decide how to approach building the model. Besides that, they all gave me a bit of inspiration along the way.

The first one is, of course, The Storm on the Sea of Galilee by Rembrandt van Rijn. It’s a powerful scene, but you can notice that the artist took some liberties—like adding a flag to the boat. As far as historians can tell, fishing boats of that time didn’t carry flags.

Still, these images capture something deeper than just historical detail. They reflect moments like those described in the Gospels, when Jesus calmed the storm and strengthened the faith of his disciples (Mark 4:39). That sense of struggle, trust, and calm after the storm is what I tried to keep in mind while working on the model.
😎

After making a jig to help shape the parts, I decided to experiment with a darker wood for the stern and keel. In theory it sounded like a good idea… in practice, not so much. It just didn’t look right, so I went back to the original mahogany pieces that came with the kit.

Lesson learned—sometimes the kit designers knew exactly what they were doing from the start.

😎

And no… don’t try this at home, kids 😄

Unfortunately, I don’t have photos of how I first started the planking, so I’m including a few reference images from the manual to show the initial steps.

After the hull was fully planked, I started the long process of fairing and smoothing everything out.
At that stage, the overall shape of the boat really began to come alive, and I could finally appreciate those beautiful Galilee boat lines.

The bow and stern needed a bit more careful attention to get both sides looking even and balanced. That was probably the trickiest part, but little by little it all came together.

Looking at these photos now, I still think the designer did an excellent job with the plank layout.
Once sanded, the hull flows very naturally from end to end, and the shape looks just right to my eye.

At this point, the model was still on the strongback, but it was already giving a very good idea of how elegant the finished boat would look.

😎

At this point, I went ahead and coated the entire outside of the hull with CA glue, following the instructions from the manufacturer. I know—it might sound a little crazy, but I figured I’d give it a try and see how it turns out.

They mention that the CA will soak into all the joints and seams, helping to strengthen the hull and also even out the color of the wood. With all the planking lines, that actually makes a lot of sense.

To apply it, I wrapped a small disposable brush with wax paper and used that to spread the glue around—just like they suggested. Surprisingly, it works pretty well and gives decent control.

We all have our own ways of doing things, but every now and then it’s fun to try something different from one build to another.
😎

Next step—time for a very tedious job: adding the 34 partial frames.

To keep everything evenly spaced, I made a styrene strip that works as a guide, which really helps with consistency.

During the process, and because of the hull curvature, I noticed the hull wanted to pull out of shape, so I added a temporary center brace to keep everything aligned.

You can also see in one of the pictures that I installed the davits as a single piece running through the hull, instead of two separate pieces on each side like the manual suggests.
I think this gives it a much stronger and more reliable setup.

The last pictures show the framing for the stern platform starting to take shape.
Slow work, but it’s coming together.

😎

Next I added the platform base between the partial frames. I used scrap planking pieces fitted between the frames to create a solid foundation for the platform.

To finish the edges cleanly, I added strips of the same partial frame material along the inside, then ran an outer strip to cover any remaining gaps. This really helps give the decking a much more refined, finished look.

NOTE:
This type of construction is believed to be very similar to ancient vessels like the Greek merchant ship from around 900 BCE discovered off the north coast of Crete, known as the Kyrenia boat, as well as earlier Phoenician trading vessels dating back to around 1400 BCE.

A great reference on this topic is Wooden Ship Building and the Interpretation of Shipwrecks by J. Richard Steffy—an excellent resource if you’re diving into research on these early vessels.

😎