Model Boat Mayhem
The Shipyard ( Dry Dock ): Builds & Questions => Working Vessels => Topic started by: GG on April 08, 2016, 11:21:46 am
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I wanted to build a model based on a merchant ship but, to be honest, many modern vessels looked rather brutally functional if not downright ugly. They may be attractive to anyone who gets turned on by a financial spreadsheet but I could not bring myself to build such a model.
Something built during the 1950/60's, when naval architects still seemed to allowed to use their aesthetic skills, seemed more promising. The pair of fast vessels (Southampton and Good Hope Castle) soon caught my eye. Designed for the UK-Capetown mail and limited passenger service, they were the fastest diesel powered merchant ships when built. The combination of a smart appearance and attractive colour scheme made them too tempting to miss.
The model was built using balsa, plywood and liteply with a some pine reinforcement. Construction was straightforward nut some of the hull curves demanded persuasion with quite a few clamps! The rather odd scale of 1inch = 13feet was used to keep the models size down to a handy 45 inches (116cm) and 12 pounds (5.3kg). Power by a single "crawler" type motor on 6 volts, its top speed is around 4 ft/sec (1.2 m/s).
The plans are now in the hands of the Editor of Model Boats magazine, which allows me to relax and enjoy sailing the model. It is in fact an amazingly smooth handling model with a nice balance of power, mass and stability, making all the aggravation of designing it very worthwhile.
Glynn Guest
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She looks beautiful! Maybe the Pendennis Castle next?!!! always thought she was a fine looking vessel!
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That's a nice looking model. :-))
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Very nice Mr Guest :-)) I have always admired the type of vessel your model portrays, finding them aesthetically pleasing, unlike some of the modern designs seen today.
Peter.
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Very nice, although making a modern cargo ship would be pretty easy – you only need a shoe box and it's half finished.
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Yes Robbe11, something like the Pendennis Castle is very tempting. It will be added to my building list BUT it's a very long list!
Glynn Guest
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Great model. Here we are smashing through bad weather at 23.5 knots, Good Hope Castle, 1973. I also spent a year in Pendennis Castle. I had a "room with a view." My cabin was the extreme port (left) one of the five that can been seen across the lower bridge front in the image above.
Bob
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Wonderful and distinctive, don't see enough merchant ships around!
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Merchant ships have not been very popular as models for many years! Most modellers seem to prefer warships for some reason as they are "supposed" to be "more romantic!" :o There are so many different sizes and types of merchant ships to choose from, ranging from a few tons to a few hundred thousand tons. All colours, shapes sizes and trades, yet they are very much neglected, apart from the ever popular tugs, ferries and of course a never-ending stream of Cutty Sarks and Titanics!
Bob
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Hi Glynn. What a beauty - you've really done justice to this handsome ship. I have an old Union-Castle calendar somewhere in my maritime collection that features good colour photographs of many of their vessels, including one of these two cargo ships (can't remember which one off-hand). On a personal note, I came to South Africa on the Capetown Castle, which then (1966) was nearing the end of her career. Sadly, the lavender-hulled liners have long since sailed into history, so it's really nice to at least see some models of them gracing the model boat ponds of the world! Regards, Glyn
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Glyn,
Looks like I made the right choice (for once). The idea of another similar vessel is moving up my "to do" list, but it's nowhere near the top yet.
Glynn Guest
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As previously mentioned, very pretty model. I hope to see more in the future once the plans are 'out there'.
As concerning the possible car transporter model, remember ballasting is not so critical with these, up top and free to move about should be fine! i could be chief engineer or captain or something on one of these, no problem :}