Mart, again, thanks for your compliment.
It is nice that there have been quite a few similar remarks but this is not about putting anyone to shame. I just feel that sharing what I am doing with others is so beneficial to all concerned including myself. I have had such informative and
immediate feedback on questions – something that you don’t get writing for a magazine for instance (no, obviously haven’t done it for boats but yes, you probably guessed it, on the odd occasion for control line aircraft!) – that that is what makes the ‘forum’ such a modelling asset.
Enough, he said – the model………
At about the stage of the pic above I posted on the R/C universe forum and received some timely advice. This was with regard to the C/G position which I was informed should be no more than 2” aft of the sponson transom. The advice was to lighten the boat aft of this point and move the fuel tanks forward. The mass of fuel is now over the C/G point but obviously as it drains it will load toward the rear ends but the C/G shift should be minimal due to fuel usage.
I had intended to make each side from the transom to the sponson a water tight compartment but was assured that no matter how water tight I thought it would be water would eventually get in. On the basis that if it did it probably would not get out as quick a decision was made to cut out holes in between the formers to not only to aid lightening but also to allow the air to circulate after a dunking! Holes were cut in the bottom of each former to allow water to drain through to the sponsons and two suction baler tubes were later fitted to allow water removal using a syringe.
The engine is hard mounted on ally plates let into very hard Beech bearers. The engine was bolted to the bearers and then the whole was epoxied in place. This ensures the crankcase is not distorted by pulling down onto misaligned bearers. The rails were a bit two narrow to get in a normal ally mount, the width dictated by the width of the tunnel sump. I don’t think this will be a major limitation, all my previous boats had hard mounts and I can’t remember any problems as a result – any thoughts anyone?
I have offset the engine slightly – all my previous boats showed a torque induced ‘twist’ or ‘list’ to the right and this may, hopefully, help eliminate or reduce that tendency. Besides the plan shows it but agreed it is the other side of the centreline! but it
is electric!!
Stringers were added to the outer edges to give the 'non trip' sides a better gluing area
With the 1/16 ply non trips added it began to look a bit more like it should
.
That's about it for now, still quite a bit to go before catching up to it's current stage.
Regards for now - all comments welcome - good or bad - Ramon