Ship Modeler Clare Hess reports that his 1/24-scale model of a traditional Japanese fishing boat called a Hacchoro (Hot-Cho-Ro) is complete. The model, started in December of last year, is built from a Japanese kit with a few modifications. The boat carries the “Mon” or crest of the Tokugawa shogunate. History says that 24 of these boats were commissioned to provide escort for the Shogun’s boat. Due to restrictions on the number of oars that could be employed by the boats, they had a difficult time keeping up. So, special permission was given to increase the number of oars to 8. Thus, the name Hacchoro, which translates to “8 oars.”