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[Solitary Sailor]

Hi Guys

Just finished ... well not quite...but almost. She has been in the water, but I'm having a few stability problems, probably due to her length to beam ratio as much as balance...being 78" long, with a beam of just 7.75" at the max, with most of it actually about 6", makes her easy to role.

Anyway, do you think she might be up to taking on that big fat monster of "P & O's" in the neighboring thread     Nah... most probably just get swamped knowing my luck  

[Solitary Sailor]

Here's a few more views

[Solitary Sailor]

Last ones 'cause I know how you all like pictures

[Solitary Sailor]

The truly observant will notice that these photos were taken at various stages of completion. No flags or decals installed as yet ... that's on my "to do list" 

[DickyD]

Nice looking model, you have done an excellent job but as my mate Bluebird would say, you just gotta paint those anchors. Mind you he would say it with a Geordie accent so you probably wouldn't understand him.

[Solitary Sailor]

Hi Richard

I know what you mean. I have an Irish friend and I only understand every third word or so, and I'm a Brit, but thoroughly Americanized now.   

Oh, and thanks for the compliment. I'm not up to museum standard, but I do have a lot of fun building them, far more than sailing them actually, if you know what I mean   

[madrob]

Looks great to me 

[John W E]

Wey wey aye blurk richard

 ah am usin me best possible geordie in the hope that wor canny marra can understand wot those muckle breet shiny things at the front iv the boo are - divenee nee't tuh be painted a dark culor.

is this canny enough fo' yee wor marra richard - or wud yee leek wor tuh translate it fo' yee? why ah blurk 

but good canny model like man 

aye man
john bluebird

[Solitary Sailor]

  sigh!!!!!  OK ... I guess I'd better put those shinny anchors on my "list of things to do" ... So, message understood Bluebird. The good part is that it will be easy to do, as they are actually hanging by the anchor chains, so all I have to do is un-loose the chains off of the capstan and out they come 

[Shipmate60]

How are you getting on with her stability?

Bob

[Solitary Sailor]

Bob     

As it's all about lowering the center of gravity, I'm going to attack the problem from underneath... not exactly scale I guess, but what's a modeler to do, let her sit on the shelf, or brave the perils of the high seas, hanging on a wing and a prayer 
 
 Given that the interior of the hull where extra ballast would normally go, is absolutely full of the running gear, I shall have to attach something on the underside of the hull...something not too obtrusive. I have cast a lead weight of 3 lbs approx. about 12" long, and 3/4" wide,  which I can fix on with some fiberglass; I just have to figure out at what point along the length of the hull to attach it, so as to keep her on an even keel. However, I also need to make sure that that weight is not too much, as I don't want her to settle below the water line at one end or the other ,  As long as I get the balance right I can of course, make that black waterline mark a little wider. 

She sits very nice and square on the present waterline mark when stopped or even when sailing in a straight line, but put the helm over and I'm one very nervous 'Master and Commander' ... especially as the lake where I sail her, is quite deep and dark in some places

[Shipmate60]

That seems such a shame.
What batteries are you using?
For scale appearance would you consider removing as much as possible and laying some lead flashing on the inside of the hull?

Bob

[Solitary Sailor]

Hi Bob

I have considered that, However 3 lbs of lead is quite a lot, so I'd have some considerable removal work to do. Maybe if I made a series of castings, thereby making them much smaller, I may be able to accommodate them in some form of satisfactory manner. Since nothing other than the actual lead casting has been done so far, I can always try that first.

Part of the problem is that by just placing extra weights into the interior bottom of the hull, leaves them liable to shift while on trials, which makes for some very hairy experiences ... fortunately I don't have any hair, so that's a weight off my shoulders 

As you may be able to tell, I am a little frustrated with this problem now. I've tried a few things already...with NO success. 

[Shipmate60]

What batteries are you using?

Bob

[Solitary Sailor]

As to the batteries. I am using a pair of NiHm 3300  7.2 volt, wired in series to give 14 volts, which give a reasonable run time with the pair of "Beuhler LP800 motors now installed. I originally had a pair of "MFA Torpedo 850"s installed, wired to a 12 volt Gel cell...much too fast, and with too much mass above the waterline.

Here are a couple of photos of the interior. As can be seen, there's room towards the sides, just not much along the centerline.

[Shipmate60]

There does seem to be a lot in her all sitting on wooden bearers above the keel.
I ask the questions as I had a mate who built one of these and after a bit of different ballasting had a stable (relatively) model.
The solution we came to was to line the hull with lead. In this hull 3 lbs isn't much on her draught.
To keep from putting an external keel on her all I can suggest is to do as he did but she will sit deeper in the water if you are only 3 lbs away from her draught.
Warships do have quite a variable draught from peacetime to war load and on sailing were usually far deeper than the waterline.
I am pretty sure his had a deeper boot topping too.

Bob

[Solitary Sailor]

Hi Bob

Thanks for the info.

She already has 8.5 lbs of lead ballast, all mounted below the waterline and along the centerline...just not visible in those photos. I guess I'll just have to get the pot out and cast some smaller lead weights

[Shipmate60]

Please don't put an external keel on such a nice model.
Even if she sails a bit deep it would (in my opinion) be a better option than a keel.
Where are you BTW and will you be sailing in fresh or salt water?

Bob

[Solitary Sailor]

Sunny South Florida... where it's hot and sweaty

Fresh water...there's a lake right outside my back door...complete with Imported palm trees

[Solitary Sailor]

Whoops ... just noticed embarrassing missprunt in subject header...

Should read - (Wair conversion)

I know it was a warship, but....   

[Shipmate60]

Yes nice and warm,
I am just back from Pensacola where we sat alongside for 3 weeks then Panama City Beach for a few days!!

Bob

[John W E]

Hi ya there Solitary Sailor

Looking at your pics of the internals on your model, I notice you have what look like 2 speakers mounted on the side of the vessel - I am wondering, is there any way you could mount these speakers at the bottom of the hull, facing up over???

If you could do that it may/should improve your buoyancy - this is because no double you will have had to add weight to counteract the weight of the speakers on the side.  Also, underneath your speed controllers, do you have any room there to add 2 blocks of lead for ballast?  If you remove the timber support that the speed controllers are mounted on and mount them directly on top of the lead weight, this will also give a better heat sink for the speed controllers.   Remember though, do not let the two heat sinks of the speed controllers come into contact with one another, as it sometimes interferes with the operation of the speed controller - i.e it causes an 'earth loop'.

As Bob has mentioned, the boot topping around your model, although it looks excellent does look to be on the thin side - this is not a criticism, but, if we increase the width of the boot topping - say double - it gives us that bit extra height where we can play with for ballast.  As Bob also says, if you look at some of the waretime Naval vessels, you will see that the water line is quite high up towards the top of the boot line.

Last, but not least, when you sail a destroyer or a frigate, it proves you are a 'real' sailor - because they do roll, it doesnt matter how you ballast them.  As a friend of mine, Jim Berwick used to say - you are not a true skipper until you can get the bridge wings wet.

aye

[Admhawk]

I'm not sure you understand what Bob is suggesting. Over on the MWuk site, some of the guys use Lead Sheet laid flat on the bottom, instead of bulky weights.

This seems to spread the weight more evenly on the bottom of the model, making it less tippy.

I'm not sure on thickness, but say a 4" x 4" sheet, 1/8" or 3/16" thick laying flat across the bottom in several places would spread the weight around instead of having it in one spot.

I haven't tried this myself, but intend to if I ever get somewhere to build again!

Beautiful model btw! 

Darren

[Solitary Sailor]

Hi Bluebird

Surprisingly those speakers don't affect the balance overly much. I think you and Bob  may be right about the boot topping, so it will be time to get out the masking tape and spray gun again,  and just when I thought I was all done painting my fingers 

I have just corresponded with Paul Simpson of Sirmar, who seconds your recommendations, although he does say, if I absolutely must put an external keel on her, to make it detachable, so as to preserve the correct outline while sitting on display. I'll try more of the internal ballasting before resorting to any outboard monstrosity. I'll just have to put up with her sitting a little deep in the water

[Solitary Sailor]

Hi Darren

Yes, I understand what they are saying. However, given the spaces which I have to work with, I am better off, casting new, thinner weights, and placing them strategically along the centerline, especially given the extreme narrowness of the beam of the ship, she's like a long thin pencil.

Thanks for the compliment