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[Edward Pinniger]

I've recently acquired a large wooden model of a cutter-rigged yacht. It's either a free-sailing or static model - I'd like to convert it to R/C some time in the future when I've gained some experience with R/C sailing with a basic non-scale model. As it's virtually devoid of deck fittings and details, I'm also thinking of rebuilding it as either a 1900s/early 20th century cruising yacht (similar in style to the Metcalf Models "Moonbeam") or as a pilot cutter (the hull form is quite suitable for either).

I haven't managed to locate any decent plans of either type of vessel in my collection of reference books or magazine; does anyone know of any good commercial plans, or books/websites with suitable plans? As I already have a hull and rigging layout, I'm looking for plans showing the deck, superstructure and fittings in detail.

[tigertiger]

Hi Edward

Have a look at the Traplet Publications website for commerical plans.

There was also a post here recently for free plans on a French webiste. Only pdf files, but gives the sail plan and hull lines.

[KEMO]

Hiya Edward,
                 have a look here, maybe of interest
         
                 http://www.betty-ck145.de/docueng/classic_boats/cruise_boats.html
 
                 in particular the  Dyarchy, Restive and Wanderer III, I want a sailing pilot cutter and may get Agnes some time this year, but I think if I was going to build a yacht I would quite like a go at Dyarchy.

Keith.

[roycv]

Hi Edward, have you looked at the Vintage model yacht group web site?  If you have something that old Russell Potts, their chairman, will be interested.  Perhaps send him a photo or two?
regards Roy

[vintagent]

I have a book called Traditions and Memories of American Yachting, which despite its title has a lot of lines drawings of British yachts of that period. 
Indeed I am using one set of lines photocopied to the right size for the build of my old Cutter (on which I once lived) Vanity, ex Mary, a plumb stemmed, counter sterned beauty of 1886, by Dan Hatcher.
I intend doing her to 1/12th scale, my favourite, so she'll be a big boat, over five feet long!

Regards,
Vintagent

[Edward Pinniger]

It's interesting that this thread from last year "resurfaced" as I was just recently thinking about getting round to making a start on this project. I have to admit that when I originally posted the thread I knew virtually nothing about sailing a R/C yacht, let alone building/converting one! I'm still a novice but now I've completed my first R/C yacht (a rebuilt RTR model, with standard Bermuda sloop rig) I'd like to try something a bit more complex.


This is the boat in question, it's a typical mass-produced display model which seems to have been intended to look like a vintage toy "pond yacht" complete with (dummy) vane steering gear -  but could be made to sail with some work (lead keel, rudder, Cascamite or similar sealant/waterproofing glue on the hull planks, proper rigging)

One thing I didn't really appreciate last year is that the model isn't really very big by R/C yacht standards, even if it looks huge on the shelf. It's not actually much bigger, in terms of hull size, than the RTR "Sea Lite" I rebuilt. I don't think it's big enough to do justice to a large-ish scale subject like a pilot cutter, and I don't think the hull shape is right either. So, if I do attempt converting it to R/C, I'm going to convert it to a typical 1900s cutter-rigged yacht, like this one http://www.sandemanyachtcompany.co.uk/details/?id=79 . I still need to find some suitable plans, though (lines alone aren't much use, as I already have a hull)

[vintagent]

Edward, lines are pretty much all you're going to get for a boat that age.
It looks a little tubby, and the spoon bow makes it more yacht than working boat even though the tubbiness is more working boat than yacht.  I would suggest you get honest with it and sail it purely as a vintage-style pond yacht, albeit with R/C.

Have you checked the Vintage Model yacht Club?  They have a lot of this sort of thing. Under the aegis of their boss, Russel Potts, they seem to have blossomed into a very active group.

BTW, that's Braine steering, not vane. Vane has a big blade sticking up which wouldn't work with that gaff boom.  Braine was essentially an anchor shaped bit of brass or copper which worked between boom and rudder.

I'll have a look and see if there's anything in the book I mentioned, because American yachts did tend towards broad beamedness, if not actual tubbiness of section.  The old "skimming dish versus plank on edge" argument.

Regards,
Vintagent

[Edward Pinniger]

Thanks again for the help (and correction on steering system naming - I'm not very knowledgeable in the area of vintage sailing models as you can guess).
Just to clarify things, the boat in question isn't a genuine vintage pond yacht, but a modern mass-produced replica (intended for static display), found at a car boot last year for a few pounds - though it's quite convincingly done other than the synthetic rigging and lack of rudder. (I'd definitely never consider cutting up a genuine antique model in this condition for R/C installation, let alone repainting and converting it!)

One of the big (some are 1m+ long) J-class yacht models  which often turn up on eBay might be a better option for R/C conversion - reference material + plans are definitely easier to find.

I've already spoken to Russell Potts (via e-mail) a while ago regarding some genuinely old pond yacht models, one of which was a 1960s plastic-hulled toy (since sold), the other is a large solid hull, gaff ketch-rigged yacht originally belonging to my grandfather. Unfortunately I can't find all of the spars/sails for the latter (they're probably in the attic somewhere) otherwise I'd have had a try at free-sailing it.

[vintagent]

Hi Edward,sorry to have seemed to have missed that part of your post about the yacht being new.  I was on a bit of a type and run errand at the time!

I shall be taking my Traditions and Memories of American Yachting to bed tonight for a late flick through, so if I see anything I'll let you know.

Regards,
Vintagent