Good Evening ''plastic''.
I too have become interested in manned model boats, but only since seeing them on Youtube over this last year or so. You are quite correct in saying. ''At 17 feet long, it's huge and it's going to literally weigh a ton'' but this is not a difficult project for me, for I was a wooden boat builder for much of my working life.
I ran my own small yard for quite a few years (Fisher & Son, Master Boatbuilders) and I see this project as being very therapeutic now that I am retired and having sold my 25Ton TSMY a couple of years ago.
There are several models in my home plus several large paintings of various sailing ships on the walls, but building something like this is, for me, very enjoyable, for I have no pressure from customers, no apprentices to teach and at this size I have no worries about moorings or yard bills, so as an ex sailorman this is very enjoyable and the physical exercise is good for me.
But to answer your questions! You are right to be concerned about the strength in a small vessel that may be asked to carry 4 people, but I have no doubts on that score for I have always built strong vessels and I have sailed them for thousands of miles at sea in all weathers. When you are 500 miles from land with a gale brewing and night fast approaching, then you appreciate a strongly built vessel.
So, to the project. I have always liked these Dutch Coasters for a great variety of reasons. The hulls are inherently strong, for they were load carriers (general cargo) thus box like amidships but very shapely at the ends.
Without giving you a list of all the scantlings, suffice to say that I am building with clean dry pine with 5/8 good quality ply for the main bulkheads. Deck will be 1/4 ply
Hull skin (various possibilities ) but I am thinking I might use strip planking, because there is available locally a good supply of excellent square section timber that will take the curves without problems and likely without steaming.
The hull will be epoxy sheathed and all timber soaked in epoxy prior to painting.
There are two Hold (cargo) areas both aprox. 4ft x 3 ft with a bridge deck amidships and 6ft legroom and these are the seating areas.
Both holds to have hatch covers as per original ship, thus no working parts ( for the crew) on show.
When I get around to replacing my broken camera I will post some pics.
Both hold areas likely to be timber lined on the inside of the 2ins deep framing right up to deck level for this gives strength and also covers the ballast that will be secured between the frames. This is the time honoured way that the old sailing ships were built. Although I am building in timber, the original vessels were always built of steel, so one challenge for me is to make my model look like a steel vessel from the outside.
I do not envisage the possibility that this model will not be finished, Full Stop.
However, should I expire before/after completion then my wife will have instructions on selling the vessel.
Oh yes! I have decided to build her in 2 halves and the join will be amidships at the bridge deck where there is maximum strength. Needless to say both halves to be completely watertight.
The reason for this is because her first outing will be to travel around to the other side of our house before being launched in our swimming pool and there is an awkward corner to negotiate, if I build her in one piece! but no trouble if she is in 2 halves.
Furthermore, in 2 halves she will be easier to load on a purpose built trailer that I will definitely need if I should take her to the coast.
Motor. Not decided at this point because I want if possible to replicate the wonderful sound of the original type of engine often fitted to these ships.
I know what I would like to fit, but my wife has vetoed that option on cost grounds.
I do have a suitcase generator that is quiet and just powerful enough and that would be a good choice, easy to arrange the drive and easy to have forward and reverse controls.
Legislation: Before I retired, I was a Senior Small Ship Surveyor and on the YDSA general Committee for several years, so I can speak with some authority.
In England, you can build whatever you like and sail wherever you wish (around the coast) with complete freedom, however, if you use the Inland Waterways, legislation applies. If you carry passengers for gain, legislation applies.
If you go outside UK territorial waters, legislation applies.
For a manned model in UK to be used on say a large boating lake or river, you need no pieces of paper but you might consider Insurance if there is any chance at all of injuring anyone.
I live in Spain, where the Authorities just might get awkward but if they do, I already have an International Certificate of Competence for power and sail up to 80ft or 80 Tons.
I have had an enjoyable day today cutting out and jointing the various sections of the curved sternpost and propellor aperture and securing same to the keel. All of the centreline is being cut from 2'' x 3'' clean dry pine, much easier to work than the really heavy oak or iroko timbers I used to work with.
Watch this space
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Topic: Dutch Coaster (of the 1950's) to 1/8 scale (Read 3400 times)