United Kingdom

Scale Models Weston

Creating something as intricate as a superyacht at scale requires a unique set of machinery, materials, and expertise. It is a role that demands a deep understanding of engineering, physics, and mathematics, balanced with meticulous attention to detail and a steady hand.The scale model industry blends precision with creativity, serving sectors as diverse as military, scientific, commercial, and leisure. Based in Colchester, UK, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7126" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Scale Models Weston (Company)">Scale Models Weston</a> has earned a sterling reputation over the past 40 years for its expertise in marine and architectural model-making. With a diverse portfolio that includes military vessels, commercial ships, and leisure yachts, bespoke superyacht models are at the heart of the company’s offerings.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/345978/image/large-658b32a11942533868658c73390a5eb2.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/345978" style="box-sizing: inherit; border: 0px; font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, sans-serif; position: relative; max-width: 100%; margin: 1rem 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 13.6px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"> "A superyacht model provides a visual impact that photographs can’t match,” explains <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7126" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Scale Models Weston (Company)">Scale Models Weston</a> Director Jason Shearman. “It becomes the focal point at exhibitions or onboard yachts, igniting the imagination and showcasing the lifestyle the real yacht represents.” This impact is achieved through intricate details, high specifications, and the integration of mechanics and electronics, incorporating features like miniature scent diffusers, retractable televisions, fibre optic lighting, and more.Almost three years ago, Ruth and Jason Shearman took over <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7126" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Scale Models Weston (Company)">Scale Models Weston</a>, becoming the third generation of owners. With Jason’s 12 years of technical experience, the duo has steered the company towards a modern focus on science and engineering, embracing digital technologies to streamline production. In an industry increasingly dominated by advanced technology, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7126" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Scale Models Weston (Company)">Scale Models Weston</a> stands apart by blending technical precision with creativity and bespoke customisation.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/345974/image/large-02eb24a1a9c51e1fce4e39e389481e05.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/345974">Bespoke and tailored modelsAt <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7126" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Scale Models Weston (Company)">Scale Models Weston</a>, each model is tailored to the client’s specifications, with an emphasis on one-off creations rather than mass production. “Many model makers produce multiple replicas of the same boat, but we focus on unique, bespoke models,” Ruth Shearman explains. “More frequently, we are being asked to create small series, but we approach these in the same way, with each project given the care and detail it deserves.”Working closely with clients, they can request specific features, from custom interiors to interactive elements. “Because we work with bespoke models, clients can ask us to showcase particular internal areas or even create cutaways to highlight a space,” Ruth adds. “There’s a hidden complexity in every model that blends artistry with engineering, where precision and adaptability are paramount.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/345979/image/large-c6015f878fc7de8925ddfad8768bcc15.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/345979">The team is also on hand to advise or suggest additional features or talking points that clients may not yet have considered. Jason’s dedication to durability and reliability is evident in his approach to model upkeep. “If needed, I’ll jump on an overnight ferry to make alterations or repairs,” Jason says. This hands-on commitment is invaluable to clients, who appreciate knowing they can rely on Jason for ongoing support. For models that require extensive work or need to be updated in line with the real vessel, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7126" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Scale Models Weston (Company)">Scale Models Weston</a> can organise transport to return models to their workshop.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/345969/image/large-ebef5dcb5a8b75af2840feba6f97e141.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/345969">A diverse portfolio<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7126" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Scale Models Weston (Company)">Scale Models Weston</a>’s versatility is evident in the wide range of models they produce. Conceptual models, based on 3D renderings and plans often showcased at exhibitions, offer more creative freedom. In contrast, precise replicas of real vessels, commissioned by owners or shipyards, demand exceptional accuracy, sometimes requiring site visits for verification.The company’s clientele spans private owners, shipyards, museums, and scientific institutions. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7126" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Scale Models Weston (Company)">Scale Models Weston</a> frequently collaborates with shipyards and designers to produce accurate models. Notably, the team worked with the National Maritime Museum on a model of the RSS Sir David Attenborough. Every project enhances their expertise, as each model presents unique challenges that refine their technical skills.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/345980/image/large-2b6847738b5feb4a60a6bd313d3eda4c.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/345980" style="box-sizing: inherit; border: 0px; font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, sans-serif; position: relative; max-width: 100%; margin: 1rem 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 13.6px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“The diversity of our work not only broadens our portfolio but also enhances our expertise,” Ruth says. “Every model presents new challenges, from detailed yacht interiors to conceptual exhibition pieces. We continuously refine our techniques to ensure each model is as well-crafted as the vessel it represents.”A unique process“We receive full yacht drawings from designers or shipyards and create scale versions of components, such as the hull, decks, tender boats, and wheelhouse, all the way down to furniture, bars, and pools,” Jason explains. “For larger models, we CNC mill the main hull and use 3D printers and laser cutters for the rest of the parts. Every component is meticulously fettled, sanded, painted, and assembled by hand. It’s a painstaking process, but one we love.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/345976/image/large-cb8e2fd6cb086550e180d9784830a774.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/345976">Jason oversees all projects, ensuring that nothing leaves the workshop without thorough testing, detail checks, and polishing. “The timescales of building a model depend on the complexity of the specifications and whether the design is finalised. If we’re working on a concept, designs often evolve during production, so communication with the design team is key,” he explains. “A typical superyacht build usually takes in excess of 1,000 hours to complete.”<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7126" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Scale Models Weston (Company)">Scale Models Weston</a> uses a range of materials, and each model is built to the client’s requirements. Jason says, “We work closely with clients to match the model’s expected lifespan and budget. Some models travel globally, so they must withstand varying temperatures and humidity, and weight is always a consideration. We’re also exploring sustainable materials, though the limited colour range and added cost are factors to consider.”<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7126" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Scale Models Weston (Company)"><img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/345975/image/large-c87a891a8341926916e2513f4d6f7707.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/345975"></a>Innovation in model-making with technology“When I started over 12 years ago, everything was produced by hand, but now we incorporate a lot more technology,” Jason says. “The advent of 3D printing, CNC milling, and laser cutting has greatly expanded our ability to create accurate replicas, opening up new possibilities for detailing and precision.” Recent technological advances, including lighting, sound, and augmented reality (AR), have also enhanced the realism of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7126" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Scale Models Weston (Company)">Scale Models Weston</a>’s models. “These technologies allow us to create fully immersive experiences that bring models to life in ways previously unimaginable,” Ruth says.While high-tech tools like 3D printers and laser cutters are used in the initial stages, the majority of the finishing is done by hand using scalpels, sandpaper, and other precision tools. “There’s a unique juxtaposition between the cutting-edge technology used to start each project and the hours of meticulous hand-finishing required for each part,” Jason reflects.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/345982/image/large-da16445f21c5ae33cd5f12b0ccb94488.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/345982" style="box-sizing: inherit; border: 0px; font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, sans-serif; position: relative; max-width: 100%; margin: 1rem 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 13.6px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7126" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Scale Models Weston (Company)">Scale Models Weston</a>’s commitment to structural integrity and functionality extends to models that scale up to nearly three metres in length. “We carefully manage weight and durability to ensure the models can travel and function flawlessly,” Ruth says. “Each model is a labour of love, and our team’s talent is exceptional. Whether it’s creating a suspended model or incorporating advanced technology, no challenge is too great.”Looking to the future of model-makingJason hints at several exciting new designs in the works for a 2025 launch, though the details remain under wraps. “Some of our models are created up to six years before the real vessel is completed,” he says. This forward-thinking approach allows <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7126" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Scale Models Weston (Company)">Scale Models Weston</a> to design with flexibility, accommodating changes as the yacht evolves. “The trust between superyacht companies and model makers is immense,” Jason continues. “We’re honoured to be trusted partners in these long-term collaborations.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/345972/image/large-967ade522340e1374918e913ecd64be5.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/345972">Looking ahead, Jason sees augmented reality (AR) as an exciting development in the future of model-making. “We recently produced a model that incorporates AR, and I believe this technology will continue to be adapted into designs,” he says. By merging physical models with virtual elements, clients can explore intricate details like interiors and décor in the virtual world.As <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7126" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Scale Models Weston (Company)">Scale Models Weston</a> continues to innovate, the company remains dedicated to delivering bespoke models that combine artistry with engineering, offering clients a truly unique representation of their visions.

Scale Models Weston: A Legacy in Miniatures

Scale Models Weston combines 40 years of expertise in crafting bespoke superyacht models with precision and innovation.

Scale Models Weston: A legacy in miniatures

In recent years, the consensus within the superyacht industry has been that ‘biggest is best’, yachts are getting larger every year and superyacht news is dominated by the biggest names on the water. The tiny (by comparison) stars of the yacht construction industry, however, are the yacht’s model counterparts that take pride of place among their paramours and whose builders can hold their own against any of the yachting giants. Take a short walk along the dock at the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Event/122" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Monaco Yacht Show - 2022">Monaco Yacht Show</a>, step into the studio of any designer or yacht club, and it is not only the on-water vessels that steal the limelight, it is also the models that represent them. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/267544/image/large-04b01483d98697bc4faddb35c1eb3895.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/267544">Historically, yacht hull models were used to help owners select their next vessel, and then they were used to commemorate the yacht on the water, displayed in pride of place within the homes of the owner or the club they raced with. While these uses still abound, today shipyards and designers use superyacht models to display their work, unveil new superyacht designs and to record previous models in perpetuity. We spoke with a few of the companies that pioneer within the yacht model industry, and experts shared their thoughts on the value and importance that the models represent.One company whose models become talking points of their own and which never fail to attract the crowds at any yacht show are <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/64" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Oceanco (Company)">Oceanco</a>’s. The shipyard is known worldwide for its work on future yacht concepts, designed in collaboration with <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5009" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Lateral Naval Architects (Company)">Lateral Naval Architects</a> and the craftsmen behind these extraordinary models are <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7126" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Scale Models Weston (Company)">Scale Models Weston</a>. Based in Colchester, England, the model makers have been collaborating with the shipyard that is at the forefront of cutting-edge yacht design for years. Jason Shearman, Director of the company explained “The details and technology that we incorporate into the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/64" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Oceanco (Company)">Oceanco</a> models always make for an interesting project and the models produced are a stunning replica of their design flair and showcase our skilled craftsmanship to its full extent.” <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/267556/image/large-25ce98ba119ff6169fdeac1b30f6c52f.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/267556"><a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7126" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Scale Models Weston (Company)">Weston</a> are a boutique organisation, with a permanent four man team, the craftsmen's ranks are bolstered during busy show seasons with freelance model craftsmen. One of the larger fish in the model-making industry is the Italian company <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4884" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Model Maker Group (Company)">ModelMakerGroup</a>, and with over 30 craftsmen, the company builds nearly 400 models a year for top industry names across the globe. The sentiment shared by all of the experts that we spoke to is that yacht models have a vital role to play within the wider industry, bringing drawings to life and giving designers, owners and shipyards the opportunity to touch, feel and investigate a design before metal is cut. Giuseppe Capobianco of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4884" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Model Maker Group (Company)">ModelMakerGroup</a> explains, “Most of the yacht’s we model are yet to be presented to the market, meaning that confidentiality is a must. It also means that our workshops are filled with the vessels of the future, and a tour of our studios would give you a real sense of how the industry develops every year.” <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/267545/image/large-12594031a04e3e845fa0752cd34d87d0.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/267545">While an onlooker may see yacht models as a toy, like a model car, yacht model construction is a painstaking process that takes months to complete and, as Jason touched on, can feature complex technology. Many of the models we see at yacht shows today are malleable, with parts that can be moved, removed, added to, some even including hydraulic features.Jason Shearman of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7126" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Scale Models Weston (Company)">Weston</a> added, “Our models provide a focal point for a marketing stand at an exhibition, board room, or as pride of place on the actual vessel. I believe a model superyacht helps to ignite the imagination of the viewer and creates a visual representation of the lifestyle a real yacht could offer. The features included on some recent superyachts that we have produced have really helped to bring the space to life, from a spa with scent diffuser triggered when the door is opened, to a tiny HDTV installed in the seating area for movie nights under the stars, there is a huge scope in utilising technology to showcase what life aboard could really be like.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/267546/image/large-3b111e9247cecc105e79f435223c370f.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/267546">Brian Klassen, who builds yacht models at his studio in Canada for the yachting and commercial ship building industries believes that models have a vital role to play in the wider industry, despite the improvement in rendering technology. “Models are extremely valuable because not everyone can understand drawings or visualize a new concept. Renderings and videos provide good presentations, but a scale model can be viewed from all angles by a single viewer or multiple viewers gathered around a real, tangible representation, not a screen.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/267559/image/large-324a04fe016e2e09313dc7dc9ad5cba4.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/267559">It's not only within the models themselves that technology comes into play. Like the shipyards themselves, automation and advancing tech is shaping the way models are produced. Guiseppe Capobianco explains, “In almost 20 years of model making we have tested different techniques, invested in technology and researched new production practices. We introduced 3D printing 18 years ago and recently we introduced a new innovative 3D printer to reproduce more realistic details. This machine completely changes the way of designing intricate details within the models and enables us to go deeper into the superyacht design.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/267558/image/large-9d1fbce5de10595a6b9481420b9f9723.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/267558">The technology within the sector is increasing every year, and AR is becoming more commonplace both on superyachts, and their models. With the demographic of superyacht owners shifting to the next generation, the tech industry is melding with yachting and owner’s expectations for interactivity are changing. “The idea that we can seamlessly connect the real world with the virtual is intriguing and an area that I believe will enhance the model making industry,” explained Jason, “with the overall look and feel of the yacht to be found on the model and the finer details such as the cabins and décor to be overlayed in the virtual world, offering a fully immersive experience.”This article was originally published in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.superyachttimes.com/newspaper/newspaper-issue-44" target="_blank">Issue 44 of SuperYacht Times newspaper</a>.&nbsp;To read more stories like this one and to never again miss another issue of the SuperYacht Times newspaper,&nbsp;<a href="https://shop.superyachttimes.com/report/the-superyacht-times-subscription" target="_blank">subscribe here</a>.

Scale superyacht models and their makers

Scale models may be small, but they have a hugely important role in the yachting industry. We found out more.