Sure, I only play the timpani these days, no set work anymore but I do have arthritis in my hands and can’t always play as well as yesteryear.

Nice one Dave 👍

Bob.

I haven't taken anything out of the box yet, and doubt that I would be able to fit it back in if I did! When I make a start on it, I will post plenty of photographs.

Meanwhile, here is a picture of the full size boat.

Interesting to see your take on a drumbeat, I played bass in various rock & blues bands for 50 years until arthritis forced me to stop.

Please post photos of your Drumbeat model and its plans. My only knowledge of drumbeat is this.

Ian L1 - there are very few model shops that still have proper shops to visit and browse through, and staff that know what their customers want.
I am fortunate to live less than 30 minutes drive from Howes models in Kidlington, and as a regular customer the owner lets me know if he has something he thinks I would like. Most are finished and ready to go, but some poor chap had died and left a loft full of unstarted models, his widow sold them to Howes and I happened to drop by at the shop soon after they had arrived. Nick knows what sort of models I like, and he was spot-on with the Drumbeat.
I am also very fortunate to have a wife who puts up my boats around the house (her dad was an aeromodeller, so she's used to it!), and far from saying 'oh no, not another one' she told me to go back in and buy it. I had to admit to her that I had already done so!
The kit is exactly as it left the factory, a real time capsule from the 90s, when the Drumbeat was the pinnacle of Model Slipway's range.
I also have two other MS models, a Sentinel and a Tsekoa - both bought second hand and in need of restoration. The Tsekoa was built by David Metcalf himself, so is definitely worth getting it back on the water.

I have a source for spare parts for Drumbeat - I have just had a new mast assembly made
Please DM me for details

Thank you for your kind comments. My wife is very supportive of my hobbies (she wasn't too unhappy when I had to give up riding motor bikes, though!) and said exactly what I was thinking about the Drumbeat - might be the only untouched example left. I would have kicked myself severely had I let that slip through my hands.

I'm currently building a Billing's Emil Robin, but that shouldn't take too long, though I have 'several' unstarted kits in the loft (and a few in the model room, three under the bed…), but the Drumbeat will be built slowly and carefully - no spare parts available!

You are so lucky to have a decent model shop that covers marine models. Most of the few model shops we have in Auckland carry mainly plane and car models. Enjoy you new purchase and look forward to viewing some photos. Cheers Ian New Zealand

I have built Drumbeat and can say its a lovely model. I enjoyed it for many years before I actually (stupid me) sold it. Yet another model I regret getting rid of to make more space

Brilliant Dave. You have to take your opportunities when you can otherwise you can regret it later. Full marks to your wife.

Chris