Model Boat Mayhem
The Shipyard ( Dry Dock ): Builds & Questions => Lifeboats => Topic started by: furball on December 28, 2011, 01:44:25 pm
-
Well, here we go again, another (probably) mega length build started {-)
The boat this time is a 51' Barnett lifeboat, "The Rankin" which served at Aith in the Shetlands from 1935 to 1961.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-M3ptso-OUIM/TvruNWXjc2I/AAAAAAAAAKo/coPcXK8oPSI/s912/rankin.jpg)
(c) CJ Williamson
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-yTbC9ACKu0U/TvscLvV8zxI/AAAAAAAAAMM/MybWe0a32f8/s912/rankin3.jpg)
In 1999 at Poole in the 175th anniversary flotilla
Background
It was inspired by my mother, who back in the early 1950's was a professional modelmaker, and one of the things she and her then husband built was a model of this boat, at 1/12 scale, built as per full size practice, double diagonal, plank on frame.
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-wmIwJR5UuvA/TvruLlR_ssI/AAAAAAAAAKk/0g-73aS38EU/s912/frame.jpg)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-fLDkf-aHqqY/TvruHczlY6I/AAAAAAAAAKY/hbE5nBmIAbQ/s912/water_2.jpg)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-y1IbkTVz7x8/TvruFdmqiTI/AAAAAAAAAKU/AUw-Qt1OqMo/s912/deck_2.jpg)
After her husband's death however, she lost track of the boat... if anybody's seen it, let me know!
Fast forward to 1990, and there was an article in Model Boats by Brian King about the refurbishment of one of the models owned by the RNLI. This was also a 51' Barnett built by CJ Cavell, one time mechanic of Walmer station. This was misidentified as the Stromness lifeboat 'J.J.K.S.W', but is actually 'The Rankin', as there are some unique features that are only applicable to this boat. I believe that this model is now in the lifeboat museum in Eastbourne.
I hope this is what mine will look line when it's finished!
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ni1Xrbp9gYQ/Tvr-XaePBgI/AAAAAAAAAL4/EAXr-BjdBaA/s912/rankin2.jpg)
(c) Model Boats
Lance
-
OK, here's some more.
About 10 or so years ago, my father decided to have a go building a model as well. Whereas previously the plans had been obtained from Groves & Guttridge directly, we had to get the plans from the NMM - unfortunately, they didn't supply any lines with these, but from the half dozen sections and the lines of a 52' Barnett (not too different...), the hull shape was worked out, and he came up with this :
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--jPDVOgit5g/TvsahvQVCkI/AAAAAAAAAMI/qRudefjLFZI/s912/hull_1.jpg)
Again, double diagonal, plank on frame - mostly from scrap lying around in his shed - all the blue painted ply in there is from the remains of our old Mirror dinghy, and the keel is a lump of oak from a wardrobe.
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-X0IzTkri2hA/Tvsaeyf5fLI/AAAAAAAAAMA/Ca-ShzhaJQc/s912/hull_3.jpg)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-8XNMuxJePB0/TvsadO9V82I/AAAAAAAAAL8/lMB7rFP4mqc/s640/hull_4.jpg)
And that's how it stayed.
After Dad died about 5 years ago, the hull went into my loft, and there it stayed until Neil started posting about his 3 model kit development. As I'd finished the 41' Duke of York, I thought I'd drag the hull out and see if I could finish it.
The hull wasn't too bad, although the curve of the bow was a bit strange, so some laminated ply was built up to the correct profile, and faired in, and the whole boat sealed and rubbed down. It needs a fair bit of filling to get the hull absolutely smooth, and that's where we are at the moment (as you really shouldn't try to use constant width planks on a hull this curved - some will twist in weird and wonderful ways and you can end up with a rippled surface ok2).
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-bGO146fYCCg/Tvsj-pztMVI/AAAAAAAAAMY/POUFzo2gKAg/s576/DSC_0346.JPG)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-FBtcxWyET3k/Tvsj86MztUI/AAAAAAAAAMU/uJG8KW1_jS0/s912/DSC_0347.JPG)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-bZVqBuJcsTQ/Tvsj7jb3ojI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/_Hsj-htLY0k/s912/DSC_0348.JPG)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-LahJF95D_z8/Tvsj_11aqjI/AAAAAAAAAMc/yPbhEtBpi7k/s912/DSC_0345.JPG)
THe grey part of the keel is the shape of the iron keel on the real boat and is currently removable. The idea is to cast this large lump in lead, to avoid putting all the ballast inside the hull. Whether this will work or not I don't know. It'll need to go into water first to determine how much weight is going to be needed in the first place.
The rudder shroud will have to be replaced, as it's currently quite flimsy - Notice the difference between Neil's 'Mary Stanford' and this one, that we have an internal rudder, not an external one hung on the sternpost - makes connecting a rudder servo much easier!
That's where we are at the moment. I'll post updates as and when they happen, but as my boats seem to take about three years each to build don't expect rapid posts!
Lance
P.S. Note the motors (if you can see them) in the previous post - they were electric, but from the outside looked like scale petrol engines - well, she did work in a professional modellers workshop!
-
Lance....I'm going back a while now, and with my memory I loose track of what's what.but was it you who sent me some photo's of the professionally built hull, that I have on record....it looks the same, but can't remember you sending it to me.
neil...great looking boats these......look forward to yours, and picking your brains.
neil.
-
Looks like it will be a nice one Lance!! Your mother had a great talent.
By the way do you know anybody with the lines for the Nelson 40 prototype lifeboat 0N 1017 ??
Mike
-
Yep, that was the one Neil.
She still does Mike :-)
Lance
-
By the way do you know anybody with the lines for the Nelson 40 prototype lifeboat 0N 1017
No, sorry Mike, I've never seen any.
Have you tried asking Nelsons themselves if they've got them - as far as I know, it was a standard hull from them.
http://www.nelsonboats.co.uk/ (http://www.nelsonboats.co.uk/)
Lance
-
No, sorry Mike, I've never seen any.
Have you tried asking Nelsons themselves if they've got them - as far as I know, it was a standard hull from them.
http://www.nelsonboats.co.uk/ (http://www.nelsonboats.co.uk/)
Lance
Didn't realise that Nelson Boats were the same as TT Boat designs! I will drop them an email and see what happens. Thanks Lance. :-))
Mike