Model Boat Mayhem
The Shipyard ( Dry Dock ): Builds & Questions => Yachts and Sail => Topic started by: Brooks on August 27, 2009, 11:17:16 am
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RC 1832 topsail schooner build and maiden (with a short video)
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1096365
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Very nice. :-))
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A very interesting read too! :-))
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Thanks, guys :-). We are just lucky that the Royal Navy was so concientious in taking off lines. American naval historians bemoan the lack of lines and other information for American ships, many local types are poorly documented. Howard Chapelle's book "The Baltimore Clipper," 1930, uses information from a French designer's contemporary survey of US types, along with British information eg. Basil Lubbock. For a watery guy in dry Montana, the Internet has been a Resource, both for info and for acquiring nautical books not found on the local bookstore shelves.
In Chapelle's book he talks about how "only 30 years ago" schooners were still being constructed as work boats in Bermuda, Bahamas, West Indies. Alas, that would now read "only 109 years ago" :-)
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Some more videos posted, short ones for those with dialup, like me, and longer ones for those with faster connections (or more patience).
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1101680
Well, I've foundered twice, recovered the boat both times. Both occurred due to squalls hitting too much sail, the usual way topsail schooners went down (including the replica, "Pride of Baltimore"). Topsail schooners were always at risk for capsize, and mine is no different. Actually, a lot of the fun of square-riggers, to me, is adjusting the sail to match the conditions. I don't deliberately set out with too much sail; the winds can come up quick in Montana. I've choosen the right sails for 8 out of 10 cruises :-).
This afternoon's cruise was 20 minutes of light wind (5mph) (all sails set, nice tacks and wears), followed by 5 minutes of joystick clenching heavy weather tension (15 gust to 17mph). I could not tack (knocked down, could not spill enough wind off the forward sails to get her to headup). But I got her to wear in a lull, and headed back to my side of the pond. She never went down, but was full of water. I'm not sure if she would float as a waterlogged hulk, or not. Both founderings reached shore w/o the hull disappearing, but I don't know if there was an air bubble keeping her afloat. There is very little room below decks for foam, what with the servo arms and running rigging needing clear space. But I will see if I can stuff in some foam for insurance. I'm drying out the RC gear now, just like last time, *grin*.
The whaleboat deployed it's 20' of line, just like last time, so I'd have had a buoy to the wreck, if she had gone down.
I never can find the first mate when the wind picks up, so the videos are all of light wind action.
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For fun, I've tried 2 different rigs on the hull, a brigantine and a brig. Photos and movies on the rcgroups threads. I don't have a movie of the brig on the water; the first voyage suffered from camera problems, and subsequent voyages have been curtailed until my bad back recovers. The darn thing always goes out at the most inconvenient times, sigh.
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Brig thread:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1109292
Movies (mix of topsail schooner, brigantine, and brig):
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1101680
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Photos of the 3 rigs. The discerning skipper will notice that the topsail schooner squares are not filled for the same tack as the fore&aft sails. Photo taken in the midst of a wind switch :-). There are more photos on the rcgroups.com threads.