Model Boat Mayhem

The Shipyard ( Dry Dock ): Builds & Questions => Yachts and Sail => Topic started by: thomas on March 07, 2007, 11:06:31 pm

Title: Billings 'Dragen' yacht.
Post by: thomas on March 07, 2007, 11:06:31 pm

Has anyone built this and sailed her?   I bought a part completed hull on e-bay which I hope to sail but am not sure if she might need a false keel, or is the present keel deep enough ?    Any advise will be appreciated.

Title: Re: Billings 'Dragen' yacht.
Post by: roycv on March 15, 2007, 10:31:27 pm

Hi Thomas, It is on the borderline for working as a sailing model.  There is a lot of sail for a small displacement.
You can gain displacement without compromising the waterline by.

1 additional layer of planking, say 3mm or 1/8th inch. on the underwater section faired up to the main hull.

2 Make the keel thicker by almost double its width.  The side view of the model stays true.  The underwater part is not obvious.

Doing the above will give about 20 - 25% more displacement.  This will give you the extra displacement to carry enough lead in the keel.
I suspect if it were easy to convert we should be seeing more of them on the water.
Most of all build as light as possible and use lightweight RC.
You might find that a cheap and light option for sail winch is to buy a 5kgm pull standard size servo from Howes of Oxford.
The mast weight will have a big effect on stability, you might like to try an aluminium groovy mast.
However you may find that she is only suitable for light breezes.

I have converted a larger static model than this to work and did all of the above but had to fit an extra keel.  I think you may not have to do this as you are building to 1:10 or 12 scale and I was building to 1 : 35, so the scale effect is with you..

Good luck, Roy

Title: Re: Billings 'Dragen' yacht.
Post by: thomas on March 19, 2007, 01:29:15 pm

Thanks for the advice Roy.  Unfortunately I bought the hull complete on e-bay ( and very nicely built too) so modifications are a bit restricted.  But I will change the rig to aluminium with light sails from spinnaker cloth and possibly cut down by about 1/3.  And then have rudder control only.  And possibly change the cabin/cockpit arrangement to save a bit of top weight.  She might not be a Dragen any more, but she might sail!
Regards, Tom

Title: Re: Billings 'Dragen' yacht.
Post by: romainpek on April 16, 2007, 11:05:32 am

Possibly you can check this site http://perso.wanadoo.fr/zlika/dragen

I could not surf it myself, as it seems that the whole server is censored in China... check it and tell me if it works

Title: Re: Billings 'Dragen' yacht.
Post by: tigertiger on April 16, 2007, 11:29:40 am

Quote from: romainpek on April 16, 2007, 11:05:32 am

Possibly you can check this site http://perso.wanadoo.fr/zlika/dragen

I could not surf it myself, as it seems that the whole server is censored in China... check it and tell me if it works

You need to use a proxy server.
Then you can get wikipedia as well. Good for boat stuff

Title: Re: Billings 'Dragen' yacht.
Post by: romainpek on April 16, 2007, 12:01:09 pm

I usually use anonymouse but on this address it doesn't work... could you click it ? which proxy do you use ?

Title: Re: Billings 'Dragen' yacht.
Post by: tigertiger on April 16, 2007, 12:33:00 pm

Quote from: romainpek on April 16, 2007, 12:01:09 pm

I usually use anonymouse but on this address it doesn't work... could you click it ? which proxy do you use ?

pm'd you

Title: Re: Billings 'Dragen' yacht.
Post by: thomas on April 25, 2007, 12:13:47 am

Quote from: romainpek on April 16, 2007, 11:05:32 am

Possibly you can check this site http://perso.wanadoo.fr/zlika/dragen

I could not surf it myself, as it seems that the whole server is censored in China... check it and tell me if it works
/quote]

Thanks for the link.  Just what I needed, even though I don't speak very good French.   My thanks to all who helped with my origonal question.  There are always some people on the Forum  who can help!
Tom