Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length.

[Dave_S.]

I bought a complete Model Slipway Sentinel on eBay a day or two ago, and as the seller lived only about ten miles away, collected it today. It seems to all be there, but he had packed it ready for posting, and when I got it home several smaller parts had been broken or dislodged. I hate to think what state it would have been in after a few days in the care of the post or courier service!


I don't think anything is actually missing, and with most of the loose parts it's fairly obvious where they came from.


My plan is to give it a functional overhaul and get it on the water, if I like the way it sails then I'll probably give it a more comprehensive tidy up. Mind you, I said that about the last two or three second hand models and they are still in regular use and haven't been restored yet several years after buying them.


If anyone here has any experience and advice on the model, I would be most grateful to hear (read) what you gave to say.


It's a shame these models are no longer available, but I will be collecting another Slipway model on Sunday, a Tsekoa II from the Southampton area.

[dougal99]

Mine sails really well with independent props. I made the stabilizers work in conjuction with the rudders but I'm not sure if they changed the handling of the boat. I changed several of the white metal mast fittings for balsa as i was worried the top weight would be a problem. Also I didn't add the white metal jet drive nozzles on the stern as I thought they might adversely affect the trim. As the build was 20 years ago (doesn't time fly  ) I can't recall any other problems. However, the model is still going strong.

[Dave_S.]

Thanks, looks great on the water. I use a transmitter mix to give independent motor steering and ahead/astern from one stick, with rudder on the other on a couple of boats, and will be using it on the Sentinel once I've given it a bit of a tidy up.

[KitS]

I've got one too, bought the same way you did, and mine sails a treat bar the fact that it's prone to leaning to port very easily.


I've moved things about inside the hull to try and balance it out, but it's very tender and leans off to starboard if I'm not careful. Perhaps it's the shape of the hull that makes it so tender as I'm not sure that the superstructure is all that heavy.

[Dave_S.]

Thanks, that confirms my expectations, the superstructure isn't light and it is quite tall. Definitely needs the weight concentrated fairly low in the hull.

[nemesis]

Its not the first time that I have had to dump all the white metal fittings because of the weight is in the wrong place. Replaced the lot with resin, plasticard and thin brass. Surprising how much weight saving there is, from ounces to a few grams. You have to keep the top hamper down. nemesis 

[mogurnda]

Would fitting bilge keels  or increasing the size of the fitted stabilisers not help stabilise the boat. Making her less prone to heeling over so badly when she turns.
David.

[Dave_S.]

Mine doesn't have the stabilisers fitted, but the tubes, etc. for them are in place in the hull, so wouldn't be hard to implement them. If anyone has a Sentinel with them fitting (or the building instructions) I would be very grateful for info about the size of them.

[dougal99]

Having finished the crossword early, I ventured out to the garage with a camera and a ruler. So happy christmas.
I arranged for the stabilisers to work with the rudder as you can see in photos one and two. The stabilisers rough dimensions are shown in photos 3, 4 & 5. Sorry they are not a bit more accurate but I found it difficult to hold the ruler and snap at the same time.
HTH

[KitS]

Veeeeery interesting. 


If I read the pics correctly, if you apply port rudder and the boat starts to heel outward in the turn, the stabilisers try to roll it back level again, and vice versa in a starboard turn?


Have I got that right?

[Dave_S.]

That's very helpful, thank you. I am sure those dimensioned pictures are more than enough to make a pair. The tubes for them are in place in my model, but either the hull end has been filled and painted over or they were never drilled through. Not a difficult fix either way.

[Dave_S.]

Veeeeery interesting. 


If I read the pics correctly, if you apply port rudder and the boat starts to heel outward in the turn, the stabilisers try to roll it back level again, and vice versa in a starboard turn?


Have I got that right?

That's how I understand it to work, but it must feel rather strange on the boat, like trying to turn a bike without leaning over to balance the forces acting on it.