Model Boat Mayhem

The Shipyard ( Dry Dock ): Builds & Questions => Yachts and Sail => Topic started by: Lothar on July 15, 2011, 08:35:01 am

Title: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on July 15, 2011, 08:35:01 am
Hello fellow modellers,

first of all I want to introduce myself a little bit:

I am Lothar from Bremen/Germany. My "modelling life" began 38 years ago at the age of 10 with building an easy motorboat from balsa as explained in a book. Over the years I learned to build boats with plank on frames and trained my modelling skills more and more.

At the age of 18 the hobby interests changed to cars...

Well, after marrying my beloved wife Heidi I went back to modelling because a few weeks later I lost the driver's license for a year and my wife told me to do something else than repairing old cars.

I tried life boats and tugs, but changed after a while under the surface with submarines. Subs were a passion to me for more than 20 years and I believe, I made some innovations to this part of the hobby, which made model-subs more reliable than before.


...and now I am back to the roots and started building sail boats. In my opinion the Swedish skerry cruisers are the most elegant small sailboats. They are fast and mostly built from wood. In the last Year I built two of the. The 22 sqm boat Malin, which is my own design after the rules of the class and the 15 sqm Sonja -an Estlander-design from 1928 - are the results until now.

If there is any interest I would post the build of my newest design here. It will be the 15 sqm Svea in scale 1:5. This boat is designed by myself  after the rules of the SSKF in scale of course.

Regards

Lothar
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: pugwash on July 15, 2011, 09:18:16 am
Lothar welcome to mayhem - though a lot of us on here don't model in wood we enjoy watching a build blog
for a wooden boat so please put your build on the forum.  Especially interesting if it is a type of boat we have
not seen before

Geoff
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: rob1962 on July 15, 2011, 09:26:30 am
Welcome from Scotland, Lothar.
I presume your boats, with a scale of 1:5, are for radio control- please post a few pictures for us, they sound very interesting.
I am in the early stages of my first ever radio control sailboat.
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Netleyned on July 15, 2011, 09:50:45 am
Welcome Lothar

We would love to see the build

Geoff (Pugwash)

Did you do any sailing on the RN Windfall yachts back in the sixties?
The Fleet air arm had a couple and General Service had a few more.
These were War reparations from Germany and were Square Metre  Yachts AKA SkerryCruisers
They were quite good seaboats.
I did a lot of seamiles in 'Merlin' a 60 footer.

Ned
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: pugwash on July 15, 2011, 10:19:59 am
Ned my memory isnt so good but after being introduced to sailing with whalers and some type of dinghy at Ganges
I did a couple of cross channel trips on I think it was called Meon Maid - about 10m sloop belonging to HMS Mercury
after that the only sailing I did was on whatever dinghies we had onboard - usually Mirrors or GP 14.
Never went near a sailing boat till I bought my own Hunter 27 back in 1990 (great wee boat) which we kept at Amble
and sailed up the east coast of Scotland and England.
Finally got a Hunter 32 which we used to take to Holland and finally sailed to Greece.
Got most of my sailing experience doing Yacht deliveries when I retired. Best trip Hawaii to Vancouver in a Luxury 42 ft cat.
Now I'm not safe on a boat because of my arthritis in my hip
Happy days though

Geoff
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on July 15, 2011, 10:43:56 am
Thanks for all Your kind words!

Yes, it will be a wooden boat. it will be a mahagony planked hull with teak-deck. My boats are all radio-controlled. The skerries or squaremeter boats are really fast in real life as in models, but not able to surf.

The picture shows Malin (in front) and Sonja (background at a lake in northern germany.


(http://s3.postimage.org/2fii82fno/12072011_093.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/2fii82fno/)

Tonight I will start with pictures of the design and the building start.

May be I find over here some more friends of scale model yacht.


Regards


Lothar
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on July 15, 2011, 02:39:59 pm
So here we are.

about 3 months ago, when Sonja made her maiden voyage I searched for a new challenge. While looking at Sonja I found out, she could be a bit slimmer for a better speed. Also a little less weight could be great. So back to the CAD and working on drawings. The result looked nice to me and the rules.

(http://s3.postimage.org/2i8g5uchw/Riss.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/2i8g5uchw/)

Another new thing to me will be the whip-mast.

After making drawings of all frames, I started to work on my milling machine. This is really helpfull, because it saves time for the modeller, works more exact than any modeller can cut the frames and it's possible to make very thin frames, which saves a lot of weight. All those frames were glued to the building slip.

(http://s3.postimage.org/2i9yqkssk/12062011_001.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/2i9yqkssk/)

Deckstringerslats were glued and than everything needed a bit to be sanded. The keel-slat was made from Mahagony, because this one will be seen, when the boat is painted. Afterwards I started planking.
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on July 15, 2011, 03:01:48 pm
The next job was to put the plank on the frames. well, this needs some days and weeks, because I am only able to glue 3 slats on both sides at one evening. One after the job, one after the dinner and one before sleeping. The rest of the time the white glue needs to get dry.

(http://s3.postimage.org/2igri45vo/17062011_002.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/2igri45vo/)

The great deal on this lines is, that I can start planking from the deck and go to the keel without woring on any slat. Only at the ends the have to be adapted to the keel slat. After a while the whole hull was done (puuhhh). So the hull was taken way from the building slip and the feet were cut away from the frames.

(http://s3.postimage.org/2iiqm8344/20062011_002.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/2iiqm8344/)

The little test sanding was just to see how it comes out. But before I sanded the complete hull, I glued the rest of the planned slats in the frames at Deck-side. Also the reinforcing at the mast-position was fixed.

(http://s3.postimage.org/2ij8t4wjo/20062011_001.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/2ij8t4wjo/)
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on July 15, 2011, 03:16:59 pm
Well and than followed the hardest job of all. Sanding the whole hull was quite a good piece of work...... But with different kind of sanding machines it's done in 6 hours or so... The pic shows Svea together with Sonja, to show the difference.

(http://s2.postimage.org/137yu1u04/02072011_002.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/137yu1u04/)

Right after the sanding I put a layer of 168g/m2 Glass with epoxy on the keel. This area has to be as strong as possible, because it's the first part of the boat, which hits the stone at the bottom of the shore.

(http://s2.postimage.org/1343wwois/04072011.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/1343wwois/)

After filling and priming the keel, It was time to put the first two layers of fine spar varnish on the hull.

(http://s2.postimage.org/139e3plb8/06072011_001.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/139e3plb8/)

We  are comming closer to the point of today...
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on July 15, 2011, 03:41:35 pm
So it was time to find out, if my calculations for the weight are correct. I drove to the next lake and made the first swimming test. Everything fitted to my Ideas. the weight of the boat will be at about 11 kg. Not really heavy for a scale sailboat of 1,8 m. But this is one of the great advantages of those "underrigged" squaremeter boats. Big hull, less sails, so the keel can be kept small.

(http://s2.postimage.org/13ecpr2n8/10072011_001.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/13ecpr2n8/)

Isn't it a beauty?

So all was OK to put lead into the keel. For this I put the keel into a big bucket filled with water. Now it's time to melt some lead. 5,3 kg were casted into the keel. I do this in parts of about 0,5kg. The hot lead isn't a problem for the wood, because the wood is perfect cooled by the water outside the keel.

(http://s2.postimage.org/13iptt1k4/12072011_001.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/13iptt1k4/)

(http://s2.postimage.org/13it4vqjo/12072011_002.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/13it4vqjo/)

That's the point I am today. It all sounds very easy. It is easy, it's just a question of time you invest in the hobby and sometimes hard work.

Actually I built a display stand and I am working on the rudder.

If there are any questions so far, pleas don't hesitate to ask. I like to explain and to communicate.

Regards

Lothar

PS: Did I say, I like this  spell check? It makes my english much better than it is....
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: pugwash on July 15, 2011, 04:26:44 pm
Your english is fine Lothar but your woodworking skills are better.  Like the idea of cooling the keel to cast the lead.
I hope you are leaving it varnished - it would be a shame to cover the wood in paint.
 :-)) :-)) :-))

Geoff
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: destroyer42 on July 15, 2011, 07:43:05 pm
Hi Lothar,
Welcome to Mayhem, Excellent wood working skills and a beautiful yacht.

Regards
Destroyer42
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on July 15, 2011, 08:04:03 pm
Thank You all for this great welcome :-))

Seems to me, we will have a great time over here together.

The woodworking skills are nothing special. The milling machine makes the frames, and the planking of such a yacht is not very difficult. This depends on the great lines of the skerries, and those are not innovated by me but by men like Erik Salander, Thore Holm, Gustav Estlander, Nathaniel Heereshof, Knud Reimers or Henry Rasmussen. Those are the guys who made those boats so great to build and nice to sail. I only "adjusted and adopted" their design for my hobby.

Regards

Lothar
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: rob1962 on July 15, 2011, 08:34:07 pm
Beautiful boats, Lothar!
By chance, in the harbour here today is a 1938  square metre German boat, "Hildegund", that I have been drooling over. I don't know how much her rebuild cost, but it must have been a small fortune- the hull finish is like glass. I  did not have a camera with me, I'm afraid.
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: dreadnought72 on July 16, 2011, 10:25:44 am
Awesome! The woodwork is beyond lovely.

...I'd never have the guts to pour molten lead into such a work of art...  :o

Andy
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on July 16, 2011, 04:31:50 pm
I did not have a camera with me, I'm afraid.

Some things should be forbidden. I believe to go to the harbour without a camera is something that must be punished :}

Good luck, I have some pics of those beauties on my computer, but Hildegund would be great....

and Andy....

If You know, that nothing can happen, it's easy. It did this some more times at my subs and sometimes in my planes too. The cooling from outside is the secret.

Back to the building:

I made a rudder from 6 Layers of 1mm plywood. The layers help while profiling the blade. The shaft is 4 mm stainless steel.

(http://s2.postimage.org/1gdyx4pb8/16072011_003.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/1gdyx4pb8/)

Also one of the frames was closed with some 1 mm ply, to protect the servo from water, which will be sometimes in the cockpit.

In the future a cable has to go from the cabin to the stern for the servo. So I built a pipe for the cable into the cockpit. When the side plates of the cockpit are fixed, the pipe is well cached.

(http://s2.postimage.org/1gg2zuo10/16072011_001.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/1gg2zuo10/)

Afterwards I build a fastener for the servo and reinforced the slats in the deck, where the  eye-bolts on deck will be mounted later.

(http://s2.postimage.org/1ggmuatyc/16072011_002.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/1ggmuatyc/)

So when tommorrow the glue is hardened I can paint the inside of the boat with some epoxyresin to protect it from water forever.

Regards

Lothar
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on July 20, 2011, 10:01:36 pm
Hi out there,

before we fall asleep, we go on building, I believe.

I fixed the rods for the servo and the servo itself:


(http://s2.postimage.org/2xyn4jxno/20072011_001.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/2xyn4jxno/)

And before closing the deck, I screw two eye-bolts in the frame at the bow. In those eyes later the blocks for the sheet-ropes from the winches.

(http://s2.postimage.org/2xyypbd44/20072011_002.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/2xyypbd44/)

Afterwards I glued the deck from 1 mm ply with epoxy on the frames. Of course the deck was painted from the bottom side with epoxy too.

(http://s2.postimage.org/2xzijrj1g/20072011_003.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/2xzijrj1g/)

That's all for today.

Regards


Lothar
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on July 30, 2011, 04:03:06 pm
No,

I didn't fall asleep. There were just to much other important things in my life.

I started planking the deck. The frames around the cabin and the outside of the hull are made from 2 mm mahagoni slats. The deck-planks themselves are teak-slats. I want to try a "real not varnished teak deck". I like this old fashioned style of silver shining decks. Cross Your fingers for me, that it works.

(http://s2.postimage.org/2zmn10m78/30072011.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/2zmn10m78/)


Regards

Lothar
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on August 01, 2011, 07:55:06 pm
Well,

it's growing.... This work needs a lot of passion.

(http://s4.postimage.org/12amm2v50/01082011.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/12amm2v50/)

I hope to end the aft-deck untill next weekend.

Regards

Lothar
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on August 03, 2011, 09:21:14 pm
All Planks on the deck are done.

So it's time to fill the room between the planks. I use Epoxy with colour paste and Microballons for this job. When this is hardened, it's tim to sand again. The sanding of the deck will be no problem, becaus there is now vertikal part of the cabin or the aft hatch mounted till now.

(http://s4.postimage.org/208zdp6w4/03082011.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/208zdp6w4/)

Regards

Lothar
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on August 05, 2011, 10:18:04 pm
Hi,

today I sanded th deck. To my surprising this was easier than on the last modells. I do not really know, what has changed. But this all was done after just 50 minutes and looks fine. I hope You like it too.


(http://s3.postimage.org/vcavnh38/05082011_001.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/vcavnh38/)


(http://s3.postimage.org/vcrf0y10/05082011_003.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/vcrf0y10/)

Now I will order Mahagoni for the cabin. May be I make the mast next.


Lothar
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: CF-FZG on August 05, 2011, 11:11:19 pm
The deck looks fantastic Lothar :-)) :-))


Mark
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: derekwarner on August 06, 2011, 12:58:33 am
Yes Lothar...as others have said  :P.....the decking is beautiful  O0 & the build lines so sharp & smooth :-))  ...................looking forward to more images of the build.........Derek
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Peter Fitness on August 06, 2011, 01:08:05 am
I agree, Lothar, a magnificent model :-))

Peter.
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on August 07, 2011, 01:17:52 pm
Hi,

as mentioned before, I decided to build the mast as long as I wait for the delivery of wood for the cabin.

The mast will be made from different slats as shown in the sketch:

(http://s1.postimage.org/2ipuz00xw/Mast.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/2ipuz00xw/)

Firts of all I had to make some long slats by connecting meter parts. Those are glued and connected by a way, which is called "schäften" in German.
I don't know the right translation for this, but the system is, that the slats are sanded diagonal of about 5 cm on their ends and glued there together. It's the same as used in beams for wooden airplanes. So I was able to make 3m slats. I need the 3 m to keep the mast in position, when it will be shaped and sanded in the oval form.

Then the mast will be bended in it's upper half to get the form of a "whipmast". For this I glue two long slats in the shown template.

(http://s1.postimage.org/2is8yy2mc/Mast_001.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/2is8yy2mc/)

So I get something like a "laminated" layer of the mast.

(http://s1.postimage.org/2isnus72c/Mast_002.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/2isnus72c/)

When I have all three layers, they will be glued together. This will be a very stiff construction.

Regards

Lothar
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: dreadnought72 on August 07, 2011, 01:43:47 pm
Firts of all I had to make some long slats by connecting meter parts. Those are glued and connected by a way, which is called "schäften" in German.

It's called a scarph joint in English, Lothar.

This is utterly stunning work - that deck is phenomenal. That's phänomenal in German!  :}

Andy
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on August 11, 2011, 09:20:49 pm
Hey Andy,

thanks a lot for this translation. This helps to rise my vocabulary :-))

At least I glued all three layers together and started the hardest job of the whole project: Forming the mast... This is a job of more than 5 hours planing the Mast with a plough and sanding. Again and again I found some swellings or other points which didn't look really good. But now the final sanding is done.

Roger and over!

Well, and tonight I mashined the side walls of the cabin and glued them in the hull.

(http://s1.postimage.org/w1c68gp0/11082011_005.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/w1c68gp0/)

Regards

Lothar
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on August 17, 2011, 08:40:43 pm
The last days I worked on the cabin.

In the back wall I integrated my logo. The contrast is mahagoni/oak.

(http://s2.postimage.org/2xem40x5w/17082011.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/2xem40x5w/)

Regards

Lothar
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on September 04, 2011, 02:06:48 pm
Hi out there,

the last weeks were a bit stressfull. Well, the real job can catch a lot of time...

So I was only able to glue planks on the roof of the cabin. But today I took Svea to the lake to make some beauty-shots of her in the water. I also wanted to see, if the waterline is still okay. This was a bit motivation for the next week.

Here are the pictures, please enjoy:

The silhouette:

(http://s3.postimage.org/2f8ct9wjo/04092011_001.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/2f8ct9wjo/)

Seen from the bow:

(http://s3.postimage.org/2f8zysrgk/04092011_006.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/2f8zysrgk/)


Regards

Lothar
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: dreadnought72 on September 05, 2011, 12:21:26 am
Lovely - and she so suits her natural element!

Andy
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: pugwash on September 05, 2011, 07:11:52 am
Beautifiul build - and as Andy says, she looks perfect on the water.

Geoff
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Patternmaker on September 07, 2011, 12:09:41 pm
Superb workmanship Lothar, a credit to your skills.

Regards Mick
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on September 21, 2011, 04:55:09 pm
Hello everybody,

the last weeks were filled with work on my little milling machine. There are some people here in Germany, who want frames for their Skerries from me. So I took the rest of the time to build some small parts like the aft hatch, the traveller and some more. I only need a Mastfoot, and a Flagpole, before I can start the painting.

(http://s3.postimage.org/33a313xxg/21092011_002.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/33a313xxg/)

While looking over Svea, I couldn't resits to add Sonja and Malin and make a picture of all my skerrycruisers in the garden.

(http://s3.postimage.org/33acyc0w4/21092011_011.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/33acyc0w4/)


Regards

Lothar
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: pugwash on September 21, 2011, 05:25:53 pm
definitely ten out of ten - I take it by painting your mean varnishing - that woodwork is far to nice to hide behind paint?

Geoff
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on September 21, 2011, 05:29:52 pm
Sorry Geoff,

of course the mahagony will be varnished and the teak will be oiled. I love wood to much at this boats, that I would cover anything with colour.

Regards

Lothar
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Boomer on September 22, 2011, 04:46:37 pm
I just have to say thank you for sharing this build! These yachts are magnificent and should be considered as fine art!
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on October 11, 2011, 09:43:58 pm
Hello,

I didn't fall asleep, but I was at regattas with my other two boats on the last weekends.

http://www.igminisail.de/br/br-11-10/br-11-10.htm (http://www.igminisail.de/br/br-11-10/br-11-10.htm)

This regatta is graet organized, and is real fun. The participants are all very friendly and open. The races can be a hard ride.

Beside this I grinded the hull again down to the wood, becaus I wasn't happy with the varnish. It had a yellow touch, which doesn't really look nice.

Now there are 6 layers of the clou yachtvarnish on the hull and the mahagoni looks great. I believe tommorrow another layer and I can start with the deck. The mahagony parts will be varnished and the teak oiled.

 
(http://s2.postimage.org/206cttr50/11102011_001.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/206cttr50/)

Regards

Lothar
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on October 16, 2011, 01:24:12 pm
Well,

the deck is done. enaugh varnished and oiled. At the beginning varnish smells fine, but after weeks the smell is bad and I am happy to take the boat outside and to get fresh air in my basement.

Here we are:

(http://s4.postimage.org/33iycnj8k/16102011_001.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/33iycnj8k/)


(http://s4.postimage.org/33jn5pqn8/16102011_002.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/33jn5pqn8/)

Now I will start building the rigg.

Regards

Lothar
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Peter Fitness on October 16, 2011, 09:46:10 pm
Beautiful work, Lothar :-))

Peter.
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: pugwash on October 16, 2011, 10:58:43 pm
A real work of art Lothar. Looks more like french polish than varnish.  Excellent.

Geoff
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on October 20, 2011, 08:12:10 pm
Thanks friends,

Today I found the time to control the waterline. nearly 2 kg of Ballast were in the boat at this test. This is the weight of the two winches, batterie and receiver and the pump for the cockpit and the whole rigg.

I put the boat in the water, made some pictures and marked the waterline at both ends of the boat. Tomorrow I will take a laser pointer from the company I am working and mark the whole waterline to paint red colour on the submerged part of the hull.

That's how she will lay in the water:


(http://s4.postimage.org/1junz8hno/20102011_002.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/1junz8hno/)


(http://s4.postimage.org/1jv7tonl0/20102011_005.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/1jv7tonl0/)

Regards

Lothar
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: rob1962 on October 22, 2011, 09:25:41 pm
Thanks, lothar- a beautiful model of a beautiful boat!
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on October 24, 2011, 07:09:36 pm
Hi,

and on this picture is shown, how I marked the waterline with the help of a laser and some old books. Now I know, where the bible is made for ;)
The two strips were set, when the boat was in zhe water. They show the ends of the waterline.

(http://s3.postimage.org/i8gcwal27/23102011_001.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/i8gcwal27/)

and than I painted the hull in red. This was made with a foam roller, that the surface isn't perfect afterwards, to keep the boat in a used shape.

(http://s2.postimage.org/7i1goohbd/23102011_002.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/7i1goohbd/)

The waterline itself will be painted with white colour later.

Regards

Lothar

Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: rob1962 on October 25, 2011, 03:15:53 pm
Lothar- I see you make flying models too! What is the wing and fuselage for? looks very much like one of the Horten flying wings?
I have been making flying models for 60 years- I still have the Mills 0.75 engine that I had when I was 11.
Incidentally, Horten was not the first with that layout- I don't know who the guy was flying this  model in 1928, but he was way ahead of his time!
see:
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MO-QZzJPGcI
Phil
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on October 25, 2011, 08:50:51 pm
Hi Phil,

those are parts of a Horten flying wing. The big center section is for a 5 m bird and the small is the schape of a Schapel.

But nowadays I prefer sailingboats. In the background You can also see parts of my other hobby in the water.

And sorry, I cannot watch Your video on Youtube.

Lothar
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: rob1962 on October 26, 2011, 07:55:05 pm
Hi Lothar: if you try "bomberguy 1928 models" on Youtube it might just connect. Some fascinating early aviation films on his site.
Phil
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on November 03, 2011, 11:20:48 am
Well,

I found the video. But this modell is with vertikal stabilizers (Winglets). Those Layouts were well known in 1928. But this isn't the right forum to discuss flying wings. Here we are for sailboats.

The painting job is done.

(http://s7.postimage.org/hkrmqs4on/03112011_001.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/hkrmqs4on/)

I got some beautifull bulleyes made from aluminum and polished. They are varnished and glued in the cabin wall.

(http://s7.postimage.org/bub3nwsdz/03112011_002.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/bub3nwsdz/)

And (very important) I added the name on the stern.

(http://s7.postimage.org/6ryd6v8hj/03112011_004.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/6ryd6v8hj/)


The eye-bolts on Deck are fixed, so I will start building the rigg in the next days.

Regards

Lothar
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: pugwash on November 03, 2011, 11:46:30 am
beautiful work Lothar - I'm very jealous of your skill with wood.
 :-)) :-)) :-))

Geoff
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on November 26, 2011, 02:08:49 pm
Thanks for Your compliments, but You know, everything always looks better on pictures, than in real life :embarrassed:

I made a last swimming test. The waterline is perfect now:

(http://s10.postimage.org/o2hvwcayt/12112011_001.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/o2hvwcayt/)

Over the last weeks I was on a scale-sail-regatta and an exhibition, so I was not very busy building on Svea.

Please enjoy the video on Youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoO-Gty0vvw (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoO-Gty0vvw)

but I started building the rigg. Some pieces of thin brass were taken to reinforce the mast, where the salings will be. A Masthead was built. I hope to be done with this in some days, that I can rigg her up next weekend for the first time.

Enjoy the pictures:

(http://s12.postimage.org/ffb41kiah/22112011_002.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/ffb41kiah/)

(http://s7.postimage.org/vbjlyycrr/22112011_006.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/vbjlyycrr/)

(http://s7.postimage.org/94pkf8kyv/26112011.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/94pkf8kyv/)


Regards

Lothar
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: pugwash on November 26, 2011, 02:27:12 pm
Very neat brasswork Lothar

Geoff
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on November 29, 2011, 08:03:48 pm
Well,

I believe some parts could have been made better, but it works for me. Today I fixed the mast. See attached pictures:

(http://s12.postimage.org/hocl0eimx/29112011_003.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/hocl0eimx/)

(http://s11.postimage.org/nn8rtlv4f/29112011_005.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/nn8rtlv4f/)

I hope, I can make better pics outside next weekend. Over here it's dark, when I come home from work.

The whipped Mast looks great.

Regards

Lothar
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on December 03, 2011, 09:51:19 pm
Hi,

I hope You all have better weather, than over here. Most of the day it's late evening, stormy and rainy. So the motivation to build anything isn't very good.

But yesterday after work there were some minutes of sun between the clouds. So I put the boat again in the water.


(http://s12.postimage.org/sx50ctcex/02122011_004.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/sx50ctcex/)

Doesn't she look racy with this mast?

Lothar
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: dreadnought72 on December 04, 2011, 02:32:55 pm
Lothar, you mention using machined aluminium for the ports - how did you glaze these?

(I'm in need of four elliptical ones requiring "curved" glass and many round ones for Racundra, and hadn't thought of using metal for the surrounds.)

Best wishes,

Andy
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on December 05, 2011, 08:22:59 pm
Hi Andy,

I am not sure, if I understood Your question right... but these bulleyes are made from Aluminium on a CNC-milling machine and polished afterwards. I painted them with "Zaponlack". It's a special varnish for metal here in Germany.

Is Your question answered?

Regards

Lothar
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: dlancast on December 06, 2011, 02:25:23 am
You are a skilled craftsman Lother.  Really enjoying your thread here.

Best,

Dennis
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: pugwash on December 06, 2011, 07:44:21 am
Lothar she looks perfect of the water but you do have a lot of tension on that backstay??
Will you be making a set of sails for her or is that something you can get commercially

Geoff
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on December 06, 2011, 08:37:00 am
Hi Geoff,

there is not much tension on the backstay. This is the the form of the whipped mast. Have a look at this little sketch of the old rig of a skerrycruiser:

(http://s10.postimage.org/a86z6h92d/30er.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/a86z6h92d/)

This picture shows a 30 sqm, but this whipped mast was very popular in the 1920's and 30's.

This mast is also the reason, why I make the sails on this model by myself. On the boats i built before, the sails were made by a commercial sailmaker here in germany. The Latsch sailmaker company has some good craftsmen for this job.

http://www.latsch-segel.de/public/show.php?page_index=38

from their design of sails for my boats I learned a lot for the sails I am building now for Svea.


Regards

Lothar
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: dreadnought72 on December 06, 2011, 08:45:49 am
I am not sure, if I understood Your question right...

Hi Lothar - I was wondering what the "glass" is, that you've used in the ports, and how have you assembled this between the cabin wall and the aluminium surrounds?

Best,

Andy
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on December 06, 2011, 08:54:31 am
Sorry,

the glass is just some clear plastic (Vivak), which is glued into the alu frames with some 5 min Epoxy. The glas is about 1,5 mm.

It's all nothing special.

Question answered?

Lothar
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on December 06, 2011, 08:50:51 pm
Hi,

I started making the sails. First of all I designed them in Sailcut. Afterwards I made templates of paper from al parts and cutted the cloth. Those pieces were glued together with some special tape. This was a job of at least 6 hours, so I decided to put the sails to the mast. This was just a test:

(http://s9.postimage.org/vrmg2ghaz/06122011_002.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/vrmg2ghaz/)

Now I know, everything fits perfect and I can start the sewing-machine tomorrow night.

I love this old racing rig.

Lothar
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on December 14, 2011, 01:49:46 pm
Well,

sewing can be a hard job. It's more difficult to work wit a sewing machine, than it looks like. It took me 5 evenings to do this.

But the result is ok for me and I am nearly satisfied. I believe I have to change the bow at the forward end of the mainsail some millimetres.

(http://s10.postimage.org/rbgos6u1x/14122011_004.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/rbgos6u1x/)

After correcting the sail, I can start to install the winches and electronics.

Regards

Lothar
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on December 24, 2011, 11:33:06 pm
Merry christmas to all of You.

The last days I was busy to install the mechanical parts of the sail winches.

Here we are:

(http://s15.postimage.org/eh775tjmv/24122011_001.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/eh775tjmv/)

and here the points, where the ropes will penetrate the aft wall of the cabin.

(http://s17.postimage.org/aj9d2t397/24122011_003.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/aj9d2t397/)

Regards

Lothar
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on December 30, 2011, 06:51:50 pm
Everything is done.

The electronics are mounted and connectected. For the cockpit water pump I installed an electronic water sensor.

(http://s7.postimage.org/9j2dve6vb/31122011_002.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/9j2dve6vb/)

All ropes are fixed, so that I can make tommorrow the maiden voyage.

(http://s14.postimage.org/otvp5qb5p/31122011_001.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/otvp5qb5p/)

Keep Your fingers crossed for me.

Regards

Lothar

Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on December 31, 2011, 04:01:36 pm
Hi,

this was a great day. She sails very good and is fast. The best for her is light brise.

Enjoy the video:

http://vimeo.com/34404733

Sometimes it looks a bit bad, but it was very cold at the lake.


(http://s15.postimage.org/gy45u2ujb/31122011_034.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/gy45u2ujb/)

Regards and a happy new Year to everybody!


Lothar
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: rmaddock on December 31, 2011, 04:05:25 pm
Very, very lovely Lothar. I hope you're pleased with her.
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on December 31, 2011, 04:19:10 pm
Hi Maddock,

it's a pleasure to sail her. The nicest feeling is, when she's a bit faster than those fantastic-plastic-bombers :D

Thanks

Lothar
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: rmaddock on December 31, 2011, 04:20:54 pm
The nicest feeling is, when she's a bit faster than those fantastic-plastic-bombers :D

Good for you! Yes, my wooden marblehead's no slouch either.
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Netleyned on December 31, 2011, 04:41:26 pm
I must admit that your Svea is one of the finest models sailing that I have ever seen.
She looks so good in the breeze.  Better than the Plastics!
I thought my Marblehead looked good but I have seen the best now.

Ned
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: pugwash on December 31, 2011, 04:53:31 pm
Now it is complete and sailing beautifully it is a model to be really proud of - well done Lothar a real star

Geoff
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on January 15, 2012, 01:42:14 pm
Since Yesterday she is not alone.

A friend of mine built a very similar boat parallel with my built. The design and the frames are from my workshop. but something is different from Svea. His "Holzwurm" has a centimetre more freeboard. His sails are made from some classic-style-dacron-sail-cloth. His boat is built in much higher quality than my Svea.

Yesterday we sailed together. Another friend took the TX of my Sonja and so we had three 15 sqm skerrys in the water. It was cold, but we had a wonderfull time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4UmyjZ52HY&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

Lothar
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: rmaddock on January 15, 2012, 01:53:22 pm
Wow Lothar! They are so manoeuvrable! Very impressive. And fast too. Lovely.
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: oldflyer2 on January 15, 2012, 02:08:52 pm
Absolutely gorgeous ... all three! They are very nimble and seem to handle very well. You have reminded me of days gone by when I sailed Marbleheads.  I want another sailboat!

Where would one find plans for this kind of sailboat?

Cheers

Tom
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on January 15, 2012, 02:36:13 pm
Hi Tom,

I believe, serious kind of modelplans for such a sailboat is not available anywhere. Those You see in my vids are made from scratch from my drawings and frames. I could offer a set of frames and printed plans as for my SK's. Please contact me via e-mail.

Regards

Lothar
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: oldflyer2 on January 15, 2012, 04:15:02 pm
Thank You for your kind offer Lothar, but after re reading the whole thread, I now realize how big this beauty is. I would not be able to handle it I am afraid. I will look for something in the Marblehead range I think.

Cheers,

Tom
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on March 20, 2012, 11:18:17 pm
Great, that the forum is running again.

Thanks to the guys behind the szene.

I added another sail winch for the Genoa fore sail. So there is used now one for each side. The Result can be seen here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otHBXMuPbxQ&context=C4ca3bbdADvjVQa1PpcFP26kqy3rhDF9mFZHQMWfKSqhgAFdIIdyc

The turns through the wind are getting more realistic now. I just need more training.

With the third set of sails she's now very fast. It took a lot of time to find out, how and from wich cloth the sails have to made.

Regards

Lothar

Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: pugwash on March 20, 2012, 11:59:41 pm
Excellent Lothar - she tacks beautifully and seems to have a fair turn of speed and I think you are getting more used to the controls.
What next now?

Geoff
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on March 21, 2012, 12:15:24 pm
Well Geoff,

on the worbench is a 30 sqm skerry cruiser. This one will be a lot bigger with 2,35 m in length and more than 2,4 m Mast.

(http://s8.postimage.org/q5wfytlwh/20120310_001.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/q5wfytlwh/)

For my wife Heidi I made the drawings for a 1940's plywoodnoat design from Jac Iversen. This boat is not so long, but a bit more wide. So it could be perfect for a beginner. And it shall be easy to build:

(http://s18.postimage.org/tj0leooqt/Entwurf.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/tj0leooqt/)

Think we will start the building in some days.

Regards

Lothar

Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: Lothar on April 24, 2012, 09:07:06 pm
Hi Friends,

a little update:

I reduced a little bit of the sail area, because she was a bit to much on the side at a bit more wind. The mast is now 10cm shorter and the Genua 15cm lower. This makes the boat better to sail and more seaworthy. Now Svea is a true sailboat and not anymore a diva ok2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5AJ9__k3so&context=C45ef627ADvjVQa1PpcFPUsL795KLzg6ZeDlbKa4HW9jeYRkn4F58=

enjoy!

Sorry for some bad szenes, but it's difficult to sail and to make a movie at the same time.

Regards

Lothar
Title: Re: Build log of a skerry cruiser
Post by: rmaddock on April 25, 2012, 11:37:54 am
She looks lovely Lothar. And not a hit of diving that I saw even running on what looked like a blustery day.

I hope you're feeling very proud of yourself!  :-))