Model Boat Mayhem
Mess Deck: General Section => Model Boating => Topic started by: SunnyBob on June 15, 2014, 01:25:39 pm
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After almost two years in the garage, the refurb is finally done.
Some may remember the problems I had with this boat. originally built by my dad in the late 50's (with me as a nipper passing the tools).
It never got commissioned until 2008 (that story can be found here if you look up "gwen eagle. When I moved to Cyprus in 08 I bought the boat with me, but then the problems started.
The high summer temps here expanded the mahogany planking and split the paint between every plank. There are no boating lakes or rivers here (or even streams come to that) so the only place it could be used was my pool, which is only 9 x 5 metres. The turning circle was so bad I had to do a 5 point turn in the 5 metre width!
So, I fibreglased the hull inside and out, and then had to wait for a full year to be sure it wouldnt split again when the temps went up to 40c plus.
With advice from here I relocated the engines to the rear, built much shorter prop shafts and bought the props up much closer so they just clear the hull, and increased the rudder size by 50%.
The paint also suffers in this heat, you have to be very careful when buying paint that its new. over 2 years on the shelf and its rubbish. I found that out the long, hard, costly way!
I added some electronic wizardry from ACTion electronics, and finally, its finished.
I can now turn the boat (ship? sorry, uncertain of terminology on model craft) in its own length. Only trouble now is I cant get up to full speed and stop again[size=78%] in 9 metres.
Im thinking of using it in the sea, there are some very sheltered bays here, would there be any problems with that?
[/size](http://i637.photobucket.com/albums/uu99/sunnybob_photo/ba1acd41-fcf1-4168-a9d1-85a299363eac_zpsae9a2617.jpg)