Model Boat Mayhem

The Shipyard ( Dry Dock ): Builds & Questions => Yachts and Sail => Topic started by: Andy M on March 25, 2020, 08:47:59 pm

Title: Vic Smeed Starlet
Post by: Andy M on March 25, 2020, 08:47:59 pm
Here is my starlet, built a good few years ago.
Title: Re: Vic Smeed Starlet
Post by: tr7v8 on March 25, 2020, 09:14:12 pm
I love the big one. more details please
Title: Re: Vic Smeed Starlet
Post by: Andy M on March 25, 2020, 10:24:51 pm
Hi Jim, the big one is 7ft 4 inches long and stands 15 feet tall from the bottom of the keel weights to the tip of the mast. It was entirely built in the attic of my old flat. Quite a struggle to get it out, the hatch was only an inch wider than the hull. I modified it from the model plan so I could fit in it, lying down. The keel is removable for transport.
Title: Re: Vic Smeed Starlet
Post by: Andy M on March 25, 2020, 10:30:30 pm
Some photos
Title: Re: Vic Smeed Starlet
Post by: Andy M on March 25, 2020, 10:33:13 pm
A few more photos
Title: Re: Vic Smeed Starlet
Post by: Andy M on March 25, 2020, 10:36:37 pm
More photos
Title: Re: Vic Smeed Starlet
Post by: Andy M on March 25, 2020, 10:41:02 pm
I built the big starlet after building my mary jane cruiser, it was 4 1/2 feet long and I figured that building something not much bigger would let me fit in it.
Title: Re: Vic Smeed Starlet
Post by: JayDee on March 25, 2020, 11:17:44 pm
Hello,


I thought my Yachts were big !!!!.
I was VERY, VERY WRONG !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
Fantastic !!.


John.  :-)) :-)) :-))
Title: Re: Vic Smeed Starlet
Post by: RST on March 26, 2020, 02:29:55 am
You're showing you're roots there with Tenents on tap, two of them even! LoL
Title: Re: Vic Smeed Starlet
Post by: Andy M on March 26, 2020, 12:02:16 pm
One is supposed to be Guinness but I couldnt paint the logo that small (1/16 scale).
 My wife said I should have kept the mary jane...... after I sold it!  Ah well.
 I still have the yacht though, it needs the brass polished now but its still impressive. On its maiden voyage, I was becalmed right in front of a 2 storey cabin cruiser that was coming straight at me with no signs of slowing down! A wisp of wind came at the last moment and I was gently drifted out of its path, whew!
 I built my viper mini speedboat after that (based loosely on a lesro javelin side view) , initially powered by a seagull engine, bought as a non runner from a neighbour, within the hour I had it running again, the neighbour wasnt impressed! Lol.
 The Viper was later powered by a 1985 evinrude 9.9, which I rebuilt from 2 very dead engines, one of which I am sure had been used as an anchor. I didnt realise that it had a thermostat till I cleaned some of the 'seacrust' out of it. The other engine had been half ripped off its transom clamp and seized rock solid. The thermostat was submerged for 2 days in a jar of malt vinegar left after the pickled onions were eaten. It came out looking like new. Amazing. Anyway, 3 months of cleaning and painting later, I had to buy £30 worth of spares to get the outboard running. It never missed a beat in all the time I ran it.
Title: Re: Vic Smeed Starlet
Post by: Andy M on March 26, 2020, 12:55:28 pm
Some pics showing the size of the giant starlet. The keel is shown beside the yacht in one of the photos. The keel and lead half bulbs weighs 108 pounds! (heavier than the rest of the yacht) it could probably have been made lighter, but was scaled up exactly from vics model.
Title: Re: Vic Smeed Starlet
Post by: Andy M on March 26, 2020, 12:59:04 pm
The hatch in front of the cabin was my own addition, so I could get in to varnish in that area, I couldnt fit in there to finish my varnishing. I did lie in the cabin upside down with my legs hanging out to varnish as much as I could. Lol.