Model Boat Mayhem

The Shipyard ( Dry Dock ): Builds & Questions => Working Vessels => Topic started by: Cragrat on August 21, 2015, 03:10:15 pm

Title: Caldercraft Northlight Puffer build (oh no, yet another!)
Post by: Cragrat on August 21, 2015, 03:10:15 pm

Hi All,

I purchased an old Caldercraft "Northlight" from Fleabay recently and have started to have a rummage around and see what I have let myself in for!  Although box a bit battered the contents appear to be all there, but most of the casting bags appear to be jumbled up a bit.  Got myself the small volume by Guthrie Hutton on Puffers as it has a few good pictures to reference, I have also been trawling the internet for Puffer sites and the many builds on here that I can shamelessly copy/pinch ideas from!

First problem I have come across is the bottom of the hull was distorted inwards; I have come across posts on Mayhem and this appear to be a common problem with the Northlight?  Anyway as I wanted to try and get it to look okay and to help the seating/fit of the ply bulkheads I heated the hull with a hair drier and gently pushed back into shape resting the hull on books placed either side of the keel.  This is done now so bottom of hull is flatter than it was, though not perfect and has had the added benefit of removing the sag in the hull sides that were a bit "bellied out" and made the hull look very wide in the middle.

This brings me to my first plea for advise!  I noticed doing the above that the hull and keel is very thin in places and indeed if you hold it up to the light it appears paper thin with a few tiny holes in it; see pictures.  I obviously need to sort that.  Can any =one recommend what materials to fix this with, a fibre glass repair kit (but think the matting will be too thick.)

All for now...

Title: Re: Caldercraft Northlight Puffer build (oh no, yet another!)
Post by: Martin (Admin) on August 21, 2015, 04:34:53 pm

Hey Cragrat,

You can use resin and any type of cloth really to strengthen the hull.
Another option is to make a wooden base plate for the batteries then you might not need to strengthen the hull.

My Puffer build:  must finish the write up one day....
  http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,242.0.html

Title: Re: Caldercraft Northlight Puffer build (oh no, yet another!)
Post by: Cragrat on August 21, 2015, 09:26:04 pm

Hi Martin,


That is a lovely looking puffer, mine won't be to that standard, but hope it will be be water tight!  What weight fibre do people recommend?  I see some tape and pad kits of around 20g or so, should be enough for a little boat like this?