Model Boat Mayhem

The Shipyard ( Dry Dock ): Builds & Questions => Working Vessels => Topic started by: Hurric123 on March 25, 2018, 10:11:55 pm

Title: Narrow Boat ballast and artificial coal
Post by: Hurric123 on March 25, 2018, 10:11:55 pm
Hi all. What is the method for ballasting a flat bottomed narrow boat. I have one that has never been on the water. Do you just put it in the bath and add lead sheet to get it riding at the correct height and level? Do these flat bottom boats have a tendency to flip over?
Is there any merit it screwing on some sort of hidden keel, or lead under the hull as I don't for-see any possibility of it grounding?
My second question is what to use to make fake coal to be used as lift out cargo?


Thanks
Title: Re: Narrow Boat ballast and artificial coal
Post by: Stavros on March 25, 2018, 10:22:08 pm
Ans to your second question is simple either look on ebay in the train section for a bag of artificial coal or go to any model shop that sells railway stuff.


Yes you can put your narrow boat in the bath and ballast it with flat lead sheet




Dave
Title: Re: Narrow Boat ballast and artificial coal
Post by: Neil on March 25, 2018, 11:13:41 pm
get it down to the waterline and it should be as stable as the real thing.........and my 56 footer was very stable even with me sat on one side all the time. {-) :-))
Title: Re: Narrow Boat ballast and artificial coal
Post by: mark w on March 26, 2018, 02:49:14 pm
Howdy,


I used small black aquarium gravel for my coal load in the Orion Mouldings 59" narrow boat hull. I placed a piece of foam, then poured in the gravel to cover the foam. Finished model weight is around 15lbs.


Mark
Title: Re: Narrow Boat ballast and artificial coal
Post by: Hurric123 on March 26, 2018, 07:02:08 pm
Hi ,thanks for the info. So is the coal loose ? I had thought it was molded into resin or something similar.
If I want to have the coal in 3 lift out sections would it be better if it was a solid mound of coal ?
Title: Re: Narrow Boat ballast and artificial coal
Post by: dougal99 on March 26, 2018, 07:21:23 pm
A thin layer of 'coal' over a black base can be bonded by spraying it with a waterproof glue or cheap hairspray. A final coat of matt varnish should finish the job. Lift out sections are entirely possible. Look at how railway modellers build wagon loads. YouTube would be a good place to start.
Title: Re: Narrow Boat ballast and artificial coal
Post by: mark w on March 26, 2018, 08:47:45 pm
The coal in my boat is loose (got lazy), didn't have any problems with it coming out, in the back of my truck, as long as I traveled with the main power battery in the hull, and the model was in it's wooden stand. I built mine with 3 removable sections; take a look at my build log on rc groups here,  www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2492522 (http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2492522)


Mark
Title: Re: Narrow Boat ballast and artificial coal
Post by: Ianlind on March 28, 2018, 02:01:35 am
What's wrong with using real coal?
Title: Re: Narrow Boat ballast and artificial coal
Post by: dougal99 on March 28, 2018, 11:18:26 am
Nothing if you can get hold of some. Central heating means the 'coal house' went in most houses years ago. Well, certainly where I have lived. (That's all over the UK).
Title: Re: Narrow Boat ballast and artificial coal
Post by: mark w on March 28, 2018, 03:07:58 pm
Not a lot of real coal, here in SoCal  :} .


Mark
Title: Re: Narrow Boat ballast and artificial coal
Post by: Plastic - RIP on March 28, 2018, 03:53:43 pm
Model railways use crumbed cork sprayed black as fake coal - it's very light so won't affect the stability.
Title: Re: Narrow Boat ballast and artificial coal
Post by: missyd on March 28, 2018, 04:45:54 pm
Small quantities of crushed coal can be bought on ebay.de for ACCUCRAFT live steam railway locomotives ....
https://www.ebay.de/itm/Accucraft-feinste-Anthrazit-Kohle-fur-Echtdampf-Lokomotiven-Live-Steam-Coal/263523058597?hash=item3d5b32c3a5:g:5BwAAOSwmrlU0Tf2 (https://www.ebay.de/itm/Accucraft-feinste-Anthrazit-Kohle-fur-Echtdampf-Lokomotiven-Live-Steam-Coal/263523058597?hash=item3d5b32c3a5:g:5BwAAOSwmrlU0Tf2)