If you’re someone that enjoys puzzles, sudoku, or even Tetris, then you’ll love making your own ship in a bottle. As long as you have a great kit, making a ship in a bottle can be a fun, engaging, and challenging activity.
So, what is the best ship in a bottle kit? The best ship in a bottle kit includes the perfect size bottle, detailed instructions, is easy to put together, and has a system for getting the ship smoothly into the bottle without damage or tangles.
Making a ship in a bottle will take a lot of time and meticulous work, but it’s worth it to see it all come together. If this is a new hobby that may sound interesting to you, read on to find out more about ship in a bottle kits and see a list of recommended products.
Basics About Ship In A Bottle Kits
Before you dive in with your very first ship in a bottle, it’s important to remember not to give up! You may lose your patience with certain difficult parts, but it will come together if you keep trying.
Many people who just start out making ship in a bottle crafts may not realize that although the kits come with all the basic materials you need, you’ll still have to pick up a few things on your own.
It’s normal for kits to advise you to collect your own sandpaper, scissors, rubber bands, tweezers, glue, and other normal materials that many people have lying around their homes already.
If ship in a bottle kits truly came with every single supply necessary to make the ship, they would cost too much for the average hobbyist to get. They’d be full of tools that you really only need one of around the house, such as a #60 drill bit.
Ship in a bottle kits also leave out the stain or paint for your ship sometimes, but that works to your advantage by giving you the freedom to choose what you think looks good.
It makes sense for companies that make ship in a bottle kits to only provide the bare bones to save you, and them, money on a surplus of supplies. The important thing is that they include the necessary supplies, especially the most vital piece of all: the bottle.
The bottle for a ship in a bottle kit is the most important part. It’s the piece that the entire ship is built to fit through. If you have a bottle that’s too small to fit your ship, then you’ve wasted a lot of time and energy for nothing.
The kit will still come with the other supplies as well, such as all the wood pieces you need to construct the ship, the rigging, and even the display base to rest your bottle when you’re done.
Once you have everything you need from the kit and your own tools, ship in a bottle kits can be fairly straightforward to put together! As long as you follow the instructions, you’ll be all set.
The instructions may be confusing at first for someone who’s never built one before, but try your best and move forward. Look up your own kit online to see if there are any videos or helpful tips for your specific ship.
You can even watch videos like the one below to help you see how the ship will fit into the bottle once you’re done.
How To Choose The Best Ship In A Bottle Kits
If you’re ready to take the next step and buy your own ship in a bottle kit, check out our recommended features below.
1. Perfect Size Bottle
We mentioned above how important the perfect size bottle is for a ship in a bottle. Some people create their own ship in a bottle displays from scratch, without the help of a kit. They choose the bottle, design the ship, and build the whole thing on their own.
Regardless of whether you choose from one of the kits we list below or make your own, the bottle is the single most important component of the whole operation.
You can make the ship from a few different types of wood, and you can use whatever stain you want, and you can fill the side of the bottle with blue clay, sand, or other decorative elements, but none of this will matter if the bottle isn’t the right size.
Ship in a bottle kits should be designed so that the pieces they provide to make the ship are sized perfectly to fold down and fit smoothly through the neck of the bottle.
If the bottle isn’t the right size, or if they don’t include a bottle at all, then you’ll be stuck in a predicament finding yourself a suitable bottle.
2. Detailed Instructions
The best ship in a bottle kits will also come with detailed instructions. This should go without saying, since most building or crafting kits are expected to come with instructions, but you’d be surprised.
Anyone who’s ever tried to put together their own furniture knows the pains of unclear instructions with missing steps or vague symbols.
Your ship in a bottle kit should come with detailed instructions that show you easily how to move through the building process step-by-step. Some companies will even link helpful videos for each kit on their website, though this isn’t always the case.
Whether you can find a video or not, you should be able to get all you need to know simply from the instructional pamphlet included with the ship in a bottle kit.
3. Easy To Put Together
Ship in a bottle kits should be challenging, but for the right person, they can be easy to put together. By easy, we don’t mean simple. We mean that by following the instructions, you can combine part A to part B with little confusion or frustration.
Ship in a bottle kits can vary in difficulty, ranging from beginner or easy level to a more advanced or challenging level. Of course, those at the advanced or challenging level won’t be “easy.” They’ll take a lot of time, effort, and meticulous attention by the builder.
But by following the directions and using your own skill and knowledge, you should be able to put together the ship without a lot of headache.
The ship components should be manufactured in a way that they fit together easily and well, and they work well together to fold down and slide into the bottle, then pop back up once they’re inside the bottle.
This system is part of the ease of the best ship in a bottle kits, and we’ll dive more in with that system below.
4. Built-In System For Smoothly Inserting Ship
No matter what ship in a bottle kit you purchase, it should have its pieces be designed to fold and smoothly move through the neck of the bottle.
Ship in a bottle crafts are not built inside of the bottle. Instead, they’re built outside of the bottle, then folded down to fit in through the neck of the bottle.
But folding down all the different masts isn’t as easy as it sounds. Many ship in a bottle kits have a system where the masts are on a hinge to fold down, but you also have to secure a cable to it so you can pull them back up again once they’re inside.
This system can be difficult if you’re building a ship in a bottle for the first time, which is why it’s important to have a system that works well.
The system in place should not be hard to operate. Even for a first timer, as long as you follow the instructions, you should be able to finesse everything in place.
The hinges should be designed to go up and down smoothly, and the cables should be designed to line up in a way that prevents too many tangles.
Even though the system can seem complicated at first, it should be easy enough to smoothly fold down the masts, glide the ship through the neck of the bottle and into place, then pull the cables back up to raise the masts.
The Best Ship In A Bottle Kits
If all of this information has you ready to make your own ship in a bottle, then look no further! We’ve put together a list of the top ship in a bottle kits available today.
Some are through Amazon and some are through an online retailer called seagifts.com, but they’re all stellar products that we recommend for nautical enthusiasts.
Your options have been broken down by difficulty, so you’ll be able to look through kits best for beginners, intermediate/advanced, advanced, and for kids.
| Rank | Product | Skill Level |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Titanic Micro Building Kit | Kids |
| 2. | LEGO Ideas Ship in a Bottle Building Kit | Kids |
| 3. | Authentic Models Boat in A Bottle Kit | Beginner |
| 4. | Ship in a Bottle Kit | Beginner |
| 5. | USS Constitution Ship Build Your Own Boat Kit | Intermediate |
| 6. | Ship in a Bottle Kit - Bounty | Intermediate |
| 7. | Ship in a Bottle Kit - America | Intermediate |
| 8. | Ship in a Bottle Kit - Cutty Sark | Intermediate |
| 9. | Pirate Ship in a Bottle Kit | Advanced |
| 10. | Ship in a Bottle Kit -Golden Yacht | Advanced |
| 11. | Ship in a Bottle Ki: -Hannah (1775) | Advanced |
For Kids
Titanic Micro Building Kit
If your kids are too young to get involved with real ship in a bottle kits, then you can try introducing them to the idea with a fun building set like this one.
The Titanic Micro Building Kit is not only fun to build, but can be a great way to teach your child the history of the Titanic.
The ship is constructed entirely from micro building blocks instead of wood, cables, and glue, but that’s what makes it so kid friendly.
LEGO Ideas Ship In A Bottle Kit
Another idea for kids, especially those who are big LEGO fans, is to buy the LEGO Ship in a Bottle set.
This building kit will require a parent’s help, but will be great fun for kids who are looking to get into ship in a bottle building.
You’ll be able to put the ship together with LEGOs, then seal it in with a plastic bottle that comes in pieces you have to put together.
LEGOs are a fun introduction to building and engineering, and this set is no exception.
Beginners
Authentic Models, Boat In A Bottle Kit
Our first option is an easy introduction into ship in a bottle kits, aptly named Boat in a Bottle!
The Authentic Models Boat in a Bottle kit is perfect for someone who’s never done a ship in a bottle kit before and wants to get a feel for how it works.
Rather than making an intricate ship with several masts and lots of cables, you’ll be making a simple boat that’s easier to put together and fold through the neck of the bottle.
While it may not have a sophisticated aesthetic, it is an ideal choice to grab before you decide to purchase more difficult ship in a bottle kits.
This will give you an idea of whether you enjoy the process of building your own ship in a bottle or if you’d prefer to buy one already put together instead.
Ship In A Bottle Kit: Easy
Check Current Price On Seagifts.com
Another option for you beginners out there is the Ship in a Bottle Kit: Easy from seagifts.com.
This is another perfect introductory ship in a bottle kit for you to decide whether you’re ready to dive into a new hobby.
This one will be a little more advanced and have a slightly nicer look than the previous listing, but it will still be a great easy kit to make.
It’s so easy, that you can even work on it with your teen to help them get into making their own ship in a bottle kits as well.
Seagifts.com is a great platform for ship in a bottle kits, as you’ll see from some of our other recommended products below, so you know you’re in good hands with an easy kit from them.
Intermediate
USS Constitution Ship Build Your Own Boat In A Bottle Model Kit
The USS Constitution Ship in a Bottle kit is another great intermediate choice, appropriate for any ages 12 and up.
You can work on building this ship with your child, or you can do it on your own as you learn the ins and outs of ship in a bottle kits.
It comes with all the basics you need, including the bottle and the detailed instructions, which we’ve mentioned are two vital components to building a ship in a bottle.
Ship In A Bottle Kit – Bounty
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If you’re ready to take a step up into the next level of difficulty, then the Ship in a Bottle Kit: Bounty is a great choice.
This one steps it up in challenge from the beginner kits we listed above. You’ll need a lot more tools to put together this ship in a bottle.
The great thing about this kit is that even though it’s more advanced, it’s still a straightforward ship construction.
This kit comes with detailed instructions, the bottle, and all the wood pieces you need to make your ship, as well as a display case for your bottle after you’re done.
Ship In A Bottle Kit – America
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The Ship in a Bottle Kit – America is another fantastic kit for those ready to take on a higher challenge.
It includes the wood pieces you need to build the boat, as well as the bottle, cork, display base, and detailed instructions.
This is still not as difficult as some of the more advanced kits because the kit is listed for ages 12 and up, so rest assured that you should still be able to put this kit together with some ease if you’re a beginner.
You’ll need to grab some other tools before you can get started, but most of them are common to have lying around the house, so you’ll be able to start building in no time.
Ship In A Bottle Kit – Cutty Sark
Check Current Price On Seagifts.com
Just like the other intermediate sets from seagifts.com, the Ship in a Bottle Kit – Cutty Sark is a great kit to choose while you’re building up your skills and knowledge.
It will be a simple construction for those who’ve made ship in a bottle kits before, but will still prove challenging for those who are still practicing their skills.
The Cutty Sark kit comes with all the wood pieces you need to construct your ship, as well as the bottle, display base, cork, and detailed instructions.
Like many of the seagifts.com sets, you’ll need to gather some supplemental supplies before you can get started.
Advanced
Pirate Ship In A Bottle Kit
For this kit, as opposed to building real ship replicas, you’ll be building a pirate ship.
This can be fun for anyone who’s a fan of pirates or the period of history when pirates roamed the seas.
It’s not as advanced as the others in the advanced section, but will still pose a bit of a challenge.
It comes with detailed instructions, the bottle, the wood for the ship construction, and the display base. Other tools will need to be supplied.
Ship In A Bottle Kit: Golden Yacht
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Moving into our more advanced choices, your first choice is the Ship in a Bottle Kit: Golden Yacht.
This golden yacht will be a lot more intricate to put together. It’s based off of a real yacht that was gifted to Charles II, King of England, back in 1660.
Of course, when you’re building a replica of a real life ship, it will be more intricate to put together.
The skill level listed is intermediate, but we’ve categorized it in our advanced section because we consider this one a bit above the capacity of a 12 year old, and many of our intermediate kits are for ages 12 and up.
Ship In A Bottle Kit: Hannah (1775)
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The Ship in a Bottle Kit: Hannah (1775) is another kit where you’ll be building a replica of a real life ship.
The Hannah was a fishing schooner originally bought by George Washington. Because of its owner, it’s considered one of the first ships in the US Navy. It sailed for the first time as a warship on September 5, 1775.
This ship in a bottle kit is another that’s listed as intermediate, but we consider it a little too advanced for children.
It’s a great step up for those looking for more of a challenge than the kits in our intermediate section.
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