I would google for "BaD ship model kit" first to find past comments about them. As a first boat, I think a destroyer would be tricky. If you like detail, at 1:96 there is plenty to add, and for a first try, it could be overwhelming, especially when you consider that as a type, they are very sensitive to ballasting correctly. A launch might be a better starter proposition - there tends to be more scope for getting away with mistakes and still getting a good result in a sensible timescale. Don't overlook the possibilities of plastic kits like the Revell corvette - doing something like that helps give you a feel for boats to ease the learning curve into scratch building, which a full wood kit often comes very near to being, with a very good chance of getting it right.
If you really want to go scratch, look out for the small warship plans by Glynn Guest. They are intended for beginners, but there is usually no limit to the level of detail that the builder can add having done his own research into the particular subject.
