Model Boat Mayhem
The Shipyard ( Dry Dock ): Builds & Questions => Yachts and Sail => Topic started by: inertia on August 14, 2014, 09:42:11 am
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I had an E-Mail from an old school mate this morning:
Some 25 years ago I built an RC model yacht for my children to play with using the Smeed plans for a Starlet. I rediscovered this a few months ago and have refurbished it for my nephew’s son who is 8. I guess at that age he is likely to find it difficult to sail the yacht against the wind so I decided that I would look into adding an electric motor and a propeller. So far I have not been able to find anything that would help in this conversion. Have you come across any models using both sail and propeller power? I guess the obvious problems are fitting the prop shaft and motor to an existing boat and needing a 3 channel RC system? I’m pretty sure I could overcome the first problem but I don’t have a clue about the second!
I've no experience at all of things with rags and sticks, let alone those which have motors to assist. What would you guys suggest as a suitable model for Peter's nephew?
Dave M
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I have searched for this very set up and there is just about nothing ,the only thing that comes up is an Inchcape there was one to sell on here a few weeks back .
I was looking for info on a Nauticat 331 motor sailer ,plenty info but hull lines,nothing.
David
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Hi Inertia, a little while ago I restored a sailing fishing boat about 30 inches loa. I put a prop and shaft in on' the wing'. Just off centre of the centre line about an inch out. If you do not want to cut into the keel put the prop shaft along side it no one will notice!
Starlet would only need a very small motor a 545 at most. Perhaps use an old Rx battery holder for the power for the drive motor. with a 1 inch prop, if possible a 2 bladed with small areas. This will reduce the drag when sailing.
I would use a servo with a micro switch to turn it on and off. Reverse is an option but probably not needed.
All yachts have easily driven hulls and very little power is needed to get them going.
Hope this helps
Roy
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i have two such models , one which was built from a grp hull the second is called arden of woodspring , and was a feature in one of the magazines some years ago . the boat itself is around 36 inches long , and of hard chine construction . the auxillary motor was a 385 brushed motor , directly driving an m4 propshaft and a three bladed brass prop , speed control was originally via a hitec 610 esc , which ive upgraded to an mtroniks equivilent ,the 7.2 v battery now feeds both the motor and the servos to control the model . jon
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Hi Inertia.
The idea of the aux motor is not for sailing into the wind but for when there is no wind or when coming up a narrow river to berth.
At eight I would have thought the lad old enough to have the idea of sailing into the wind shown to him in an easy to understand diagram.
IE: using the clock face, if the wind is blowing in a line from 12 to 6 you have to sail in a zig zag across that line say you start at 7 you would head right across to 4 then tack (turn) left from 4 across to 9 then from 9 tack right across to 2 then tac left acrosss to 11.
All the time you are you are working your way up zig zaging across the line from 12 to 6 the direction the wind is blowing from.
When sailing into the wind the sail should just have a little slack on it
When you have tacked along the line as far as possible you come about ( turn around ).
Frank.
(http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj138/farticus1/tacking-into-the-wind_zps2c30c06f.jpg)
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Hi Inertia. Previous contribution is good.
My solution for a small motor is for lunch time when the wind has dropped.
You would need much more power to head towards the wind, which when you think about it is pointless. You might as well sail sorry motor, to where you want and ignore the wind.
regards Roy
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Luv to see any photos of Motor Sailor models!
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Hi Boomer.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=&oq=hegi+inga&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GUEA_enGB581GB581&q=hegi+modellbau+inga+iv+&gs_l=hp..1.0i22i30l2.0.0.0.12628...........0.DyGvSjeoE3U (https://www.google.co.uk/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=&oq=hegi+inga&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GUEA_enGB581GB581&q=hegi+modellbau+inga+iv+&gs_l=hp..1.0i22i30l2.0.0.0.12628...........0.DyGvSjeoE3U)
frank.
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Frank
That is an amazing yacht to be sure. Love to have a boat like that some day!
Thanks for sharing it with us.
Boomer
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Hi Boomer, FYI the hull and drawings for the Inga IV are available from kingston mouldings http://www.kingstonmouldings.co.uk/products.html. There was a smaller ketch rigged motor sailer called "Maid of Styrene" available from the scale model boatyard a while back. But after the owners demise the site closed. Maybe some of the drawings are still about. I'm not sure my set is complete. Hope that is helpful.
Cheers Chris M