Model Boat Mayhem
Mess Deck: General Section => Beginners start here...! => Topic started by: DavidHughes on July 05, 2015, 10:07:04 pm
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My dad was a car mechanic, amateur engineer and a keen model boater. When I was very small he scratch built a R/C Perkasa, and when I was about seven or eight he scratch built me a R/C Vosper MTB - I loved it and still have it. He had many plans and ideas for his retirement but unfortunately died suddenly and unexpectedly in February this year, and left a Caldercraft Talacre just started and an Island Class OPV as little more than a marked out GRP hull.
I felt compelled to do something - despite my own model making experience being limited to Lego, a few balsa models and plastic kits as a teenager - over twenty years ago. I remembered pulling a set of Glynn Guest plans and a build article for "Arcady" out of Model Boats magazine with my Dad when I was about ten, with the idea that he would help me build it - sure enough I found them dated September 1985!
I had an unusually quiet day on Good Friday, with none of the usual DIY tasks seeming urgent, so I popped into the model shop in town and bought two sheets of balsa wood (1 x 3mm and 1 x 6mm), and started building. I followed Glynn's overall build approach, but decided to adapt the design slightly to resemble a UK harbour tug rather than a US river tug. There were an awful lot of learnings along the way, late night scouring this forum and others for tips and ideas, but I finished it in time for its maiden voyage on Fathers Day a couple of weeks ago.
The Little Boat is not perfect - the paintwork is a bit disappointing in places, and the soldered joints on the upper deck railings would have my dad shaking his head in despair, but overall I'm proud of it. I've now got the bug and am now planning the next one!
I've added a few pictures, but also wanted to say thanks to all the users here who's ideas and tips I read, to Glynn Guest for a brilliant 30 year old set of plans and to my dad for everything he taught me.
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I think she looks pretty good.
Bob
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That's great, a lot better than my first model. Every build is a learning curve and that is part of the fun.
Maybe a little more ballast will help, I hope you don't mind me saying that.
We look forward to seeing your next build.
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What a great tribute, and an excellent build as well.
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Well done Dave, your skills will improve with each model you make or refurbish. :-))
John
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Some lovely words and a very well built little model. You are right to be proud of her.
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Cracking little boat, well done sir.
(Barry (footski) shame Glynn Guest never designed a circular boat....) ;D
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I think you can be proud of your model. I'm fairly certain that Glynn Guest, himself, would tell you that he never intends for people to follow his designs slavishly. Could I ask how you sealed your balsa?
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Very nice looking boat and for a first build i would be proud of it :-)) :-))
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Thanks for the kind and encouraging words all
:-)
@chas: Agreed, I ballasted her with the SLA battery on one side, and a stack of self-adhesive wheel balancing weights on the other (plus a little right at the bow and stern in an attempt to reduce pitching as she's only 15" long) - I think she needs a little more on the starboard side to balance her out a little?
@TailUK: I researched sealing the balsa across a number of forums, and spoke to the guys at my local model shop. Given it was my first model, and I was nervous of trying to use glass cloth or tissue, I ended up sealing the balsa (after sanding and filling) with a few coats of eze-dope - until the wood felt "hard" to the touch (the "fingernail test"). I then coated the whole thing with several coats of eze-coat (sanding in between coats) to create a "plastic" shell coat. Obviously its then been painted with several coats of acrylic. She'll likely only sail occasionally...I guess if I intended to use her more frequently I would've used something else to give a tougher finish...?
For the next one, I quite like the look of Glynn's Vosper MTB - thought I might use the available CNC wood pack for the hull, scratch build the superstructure, and then try to detail it up a bit - or convert it to an MTB 102 look alike or something similar?
Would also like to try and see if its possible to do a twin screw version - although not sure if there's room?
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Hi David
I think you can be proud of your model. your dad will be '
have a look at
http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,31199.0.html
for the MTB
aye
john
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Very impressive David, well done sir!
Model of the month for that is! :-))
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@Bluebird: It was finding your article a few days ago (and memories of my own childhood Vosper - now decommissioned) that gave me the idea! Will be reading through in lots more detail in due course...
Thanks for the tip off
:-))
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Hi Dave
Well done for a first build.
Glynn Guest is our guest of honour at this year's Model Boat Convention see our website. A lot of Glynns designs will be on show.
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Sorry to hear about your father passing, I'm sure he'd be proud of you and your first model, you've achieved more in that one model than I have in the last five.
Certainly makes me think about cracking on rather than save everything until I retire....
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Lovely Model!.
Len.
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hi again David, I've a tiny tug myself, I found that putting the extra ballast in the bow and stern reduced the pitching.
Re sealing balsa, you will find many good methods on here, epoxy is rightly favoured by many. Because I'm old school, I favour a simple method not often seen, I seal the balsa sheets before building, it makes it easy to get crisp lines and edges on this soft wood. I use 3 coats of dilute varnish on each side, rubbing down between each.This is cheap and available where I live.
When the wooden parts are assembled, a last coat and rub down before painting and you're finished.
The varnish soaks right through the wood, and the model will last for decades.
I hope you're planning another model, we'll all look forward to seeing it.
Congrads again,
Chas.
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I fogot to mention, have a look at this great website run by one of our regular contributers on here. I think it will help and give you some ideas, especialy the 50+ section and build logs
http://eezebilt.co.vu/index.html
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Tidy looking Tug, she does you and yur dad justice.
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That little tug looks bigger than the MotorFlote...
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Very nice little boat. :-)
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Your dad would be proud nice to see you took the time and trouble to do something so touching mike :-))
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Once again - thanks for all your kind comments. Really am getting the bug now to do another one! An MTB would be fun and different, but there is something appealing about another tug...
@U-33: Perhaps a Motorflote (now I've looked up what one actually is ok2)
Perhaps once summer is done and the evenings are less busy with family stuff...
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Hi again all
I have to ask - are any/some of you affiliated/part of to the Wicksteed Park MBC?
I'm looking for somewhere to sail the little boat (or "Bob" as the kids have christened it) regularly, ideally in the company of like-minded sorts!
Thanks!
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Go to the Mayhem at Wckstead thread in the section on shows,Nick or Paul should sort you out as they are members of the Club.....oh and of course our illustrious leader Martin is as well
Davr
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hi david
I am a member of the wicksteed club recently joined up.
sail on Thursdays and Sundays but also do night sails every now and again.
From corby myself , I have talked to a few and can tell you very knowledgeable and friendly guys.
if you want to go sailing anytime drop me a pm and we can arrange to meet,
I became a member and also got a years pass for wicksteed which saves you a lot in parking.
you get a pass for your car which allows you to park quite close to the lake
drop me a pm if you want any more info
mike
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Thanks to the Wicksteed Park MBC guys for welcoming me and the little boat yesterday morning...was nice to chat to you all and see the collection of various model boats in the sunshine!
Was a useful run and helped me establish that its needs a bit of re-ballasting - its currently a bit bows-down!