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[gregk9]

Following on from me, er "recent success" with building  the myhobbystore "Egrete" pusher tug, Ive decided to have a go at another from the same store. RMAS Moorhen.

If any of you have built or have any details or even better, some decent picture images of this vessel, id greatly appreciate them.

if interested, I will put a build blog on here, but kindly let me know by a reply, otherwise I may not bother to do so, if no one is interested, Don't want to waste my time so to speak.

[Shipmate60]

Don't Myhobbystore produce the hull for the modern Moorhen?.
If it is the modern one "Old Dodes" is her ex Skipper and has lots of photographs of her.

Bob

[gregk9]

YES, they still have the hull and plans available, thats what is says in my mesage above. I so much enjoyed the Egrete build, have decided to buy another from same store!.

i will contact "old dodes" and see if he will be kind enough to divulge some info on the vessel.

many thanks.

[Shipmate60]

He has just been round here so will post a bit later.

Bob

[DickyD]

Comes across a bit abrupt Bob, but I wouldn't mind seeing his build.

[farrow]

Hi Gregg,
Have already sent you a PM on this, I take it you are after the deatails of the late 1980's build not the steamer you have shown. I have about 30 photo's of details I took for someone else to build this craft, plus a short video I took of a buoy change in the Portsmouth channel. Just remember her working decks were rust coloured not painted she was a working craft not a dadies yacht. Also any questions about her be free to ask, because if I cannot answer them, I know those that can.
David

[gregk9]

Hi David,  yes, it is the pater version i will be building, my appoligies but at the time i did my first web search for images, the picture at the top of this list was the only one that came to light, since then, obviously I have managed to find a few more, but not many I will add.
its like the actual "tech spec", all i could find was this on a link:-

Moorhen class lifting craft

Displacement: 600 tons full load
Dimensions: 106 x 38 x 6.5 feet
Propulsion: 2 diesels, 2 shafts, 730 bhp, 8 knots
Crew: 10 + 5 divers/salvage crew
   Mooring tenders, salvage lift craft and experiment support craft.

Number  Name                    Year    Homeport        Notes
Y32     Moorhen                 1989    Portsmouth
Y33     Moorfowl                1989    Devonport
A72     Cameron                 1991    Rosyth

[gregk9]

I have been studying the pictures I have, but am trying to decide on the most accurate colour for the upperworks and the closest one I can think of at the moment is it "looks" the same sort of yellowy/orange as that used by caterpillar on their plant stuff. I know I can get this in Humbrol range, or was it paler in shade?

[longshanks]

I seem to recall that Paul Freshney built the original mould and did a build review in 'model boats' magazine.

Could be a good place to start.

[gregk9]

yes, you're right, and i have managed to order  a copy of that too, from same source as the rest, especially as it was only £3 inc postage.

[farrow]

Yeah her upperworks was standard RN buff, hull black, guardrails white (working deck, battered and rust stained but with large amounts of heavy rust, decks olive green as used on RN decks but main working deck mainly rust and bright steel were the chain etc has scrapped). Load line not applied until about 2005. Was used for moorings in shallow water, any 2nd and 1st class moorings would require a sal class to loosen the mooring centre and anchors first. The crane was 10t swl, the main winchs would pull 15t each, only 2 forward, the other two operated the stern anchors. Starboard anchor was subsitted by a 3t clump for working in moorings etc. The propulsion was twin aquamasters with a 1t thrust standard bowthruster to assist berthing etc. The two winchs aft operated a working main and a anchor wire each, which was an absolute pain when operating the boat as you had to ignore all safety operating procedures when laying back on a mooring leg and laying the anchor. The clutches on the anchor/mains wire drums where electronically operated not direct electric type, so if you accidentally overloaded too much they would release and everyone then have to change thier underpants. The working main wire's were specials and had a breaking strain of 120t's, no danger ever of breaking them, except the crews balls when pulling them about by hand. The other main work was light bouy maintenance and putting vessels into and out of chains(i.e. ships laid up in moorings. Salvage she was never designed for and was not equipped for in any way.

[farrow]

Have posted a picture of the crocodile jaws and rollers, as far as I know, the jaws were never used, the port post was the only one used as the other one was usually siezed up. The post was used as a lead for wires and keeping a main wire to one side of the apron for crew safety.

[gregk9]

The plans arrived this morning from myhobbystore, so only took 48hrs from purchase to arrival, so not bad going. The hull bits are on back order however, so wont be shipped untill at least the 19th of the month.
So after unfolding the plans and actually looking at the beast, "live" so to speak, it gives me a better impression now of actual size and scope, especially for my lighting rigs and my interest in getting that crane arm doing some movement, hopefully i can get it to both rotate and lift/lower, but we'll have to wait and see.  but, being as im waiting on the hull, I may well start the crane first.

I have spoken to Steve at modelboatbits [www.modelboatbits,com]  and have placed an order for the drive components, namely: 40mm korts with 4 blade props, huco couplings and a pair of 180mm stainless steel propeller shafts. Incidentally, Steve not only stocks run of the mill propeller sizes, he can and will make up any you need to order, as he has his own workshop , so rather than you having to compromise of this sort of thing, Steve will make you an exact length one to suit your build.
I already have a pair of drive motors in stock, which I believe should be suitable to push this boat along, a pair of Deans marine "Kondor's", courtesey of ebay at a meagre £6 the pair. I had to get a pair of bushes for the one motor, but deans marine willingly replaced as the brush arm had broke, and they wanted to see whay it had done so, causing the brush to fall out.


Ive not yet decided on the hull construction, dont know if to go with the recommended ply wood construction or to follow my egrete design and go for a full plastic build, as there are not that many radii to form, but I dare say I could simply insert some wooden blocks and shape those to suit at those points. Lets just say "the jury's still out" on this one as yet.

[farrow]

I do not know if it is on your plans, but shortly after build she was fitted with Dyn-ommeters for the working mains, the mains I believed where altered soon after build to special wires and could not have spliced eyes fitted to the working ends but had special connectors sweated on the wire ends. I have burnt the pics on to a disc for you, but had a problem with my PC which wiped out the DVD writer. I will get the video burnt off though with another system.

[gregk9]

Thanks for the pics so far on this site, they are really useful. Looking at the plans, the plans basically only cover the rough outline of the vessel, specific details are "not there", same goes for the rear main winches, they are pictured, but not detailled, that, like a lot of other things is down to the actual model builder it seems.
I see what you means about deck condition, all the plans say is "green - non slip - ha ha.
I think if i skin the deck with a sheet of plastic, but sand the plastic sheet first, to roughen up and then pain "rusted", it will be of better effect, just leave the odd touch of  "deck green" right along the edges where no work boot or cable would of dragged would be more accurate than the deck plan.
I shall definately remember about the single post use, again, plans show both, but due to the side elevation on the plans, there is no details "shown through" the side deck plating or railings.
Incidentally, the main mast looks a work of art, was it  circular tube all over or square tube main and smaller round tube for the upperworks, where the lighting rigs are.
I presume the double arrangement of "red/green" lanterns on the lower level of the mast were for navigation lighst when going astern, show show "correct" when going in opposite direction. [Please forgive me, but Im no sailor- just trying to get accurate info].

many thanks for your perseverence with the pic disc and video clip, it will be greatly appreciated.
The plans do show the hull fitted out with 2  "marx" drive units, but my funds wont run to them, so am having to fit with korts instead, but should still look ok once in the water.

[gregk9]

Ive had the info/build pack arrive this morning from myhobbystore. This contains the writeup which was printed in their magazine back in March 1995.
it contains a lot of info about how they actually made a pattern to cast glass fibre moulds off the hull former that made. but then goes on th o the actual model they build, which was using a styrene hull, made oiff the original lgass fibre one and a styrene pack for all the upperworks, so my decision has been made for my construction.
these pages of the original build fill a few gaps in as far as its build goes, plus a single picture shot of the internal bridge layout which will save me from leaving it totally bare, especially with all the windows it has.

i can now also see I will need to build/construct a buoy to sit on the forward deck, give the crane something to hand on to!

So , yes, whilst waiting for the styrene pack and hull to arrive, I will begin with construction of the main crane and then start seeing how I can get it to work too, with the assistance of a couple of servo's [hopefully].

[farrow]

Hi Gregg,
When you are ready give me a nod, I have all the info required to make standard MoD light and mooring buoys. Also all mooring chain used on buoys in the Portsmouth area was 38mm open link, which had a diameter of 42mm for the links.

[farrow]

Have pot up two pics one shows the dynommeters just forward of the working winch and the other shows a fairlead in the Burma way through which each individual working main pass's.

[farrow]

Sorry pushed the wrong button but here is the pic of the fairlead

[gregk9]

I have commenced construction, but whilst awaiting delivery of the hull and styrene pack from the suppliers, ive decided to start with the crane assembly.
I am hoping to add a couple of servos below deck to enable the crane to swivel and raise/lower, but that may be another story a little later, but the construction of the crane will still be the same no matter what the outcome.
I copied the dimensions on to some plain paper from which the plastic patterns were cut out and joined together to build up the crane boom. this was built in 2 sections, the forward section being smaller and slotted inside the bigger rear section and glued in place at the length directed by the plans.
Ive made up the swivel base with support uprights and strengtheners and build 1 hydraulic cylinder, to check the lift height out. I have added the lift winch base and the hook pulley pivots to the end of the boom and left all to dry before moving on.

[Jimmy James]

Looking Forward to seeing your write up and model. I spent a few days on the old Laymore (She was Steam with a derrick) and on the Salmaster after she was sold out of service.
Jimmy

[gregk9]

The styrene hull and flat pack arrived this morning.  The hull looks like it has alrweady been through several "wars" and is not a good mould at all. I can see I will have some difficulty with it, as even marking the hul to cut the deck line is not easy as both hul sides appear different in the moulding process, So I will be measuring at least 4 times to cut once on this one.

The flat pack is also another laugh, as the sheets have all been roughly cut the same size, normally not a problem, but all of them are too small for any of them to act as the main deck.
the hull is roughly  740mm x 280mm. the sheets supplied being 660mm x 230, so no matter which way i position the sheets, there are going to be joins where I dont really need them.

[gregk9]

I have managed to do a little more work on the hull. I have now made the major cuts and removed the excess material, to get the front down to deck level and the stern down to the top of the stern railing height. I have added a 10mm wide 0.5mm thick flat strengthener strip around the inside of the hull, just below the deck level, to support the deck once its time to fit. I have also added a vertical support in the stern and a double brace in the bows, but this will have a further strengthener installed, to help support the lifting horns later.
You will also notice that I have strengthened the keel. I have bonded in a 12mm [1/2 inch] wooden dowel rod, the full length, making a "vee" cut towards the bows, to take in the forward rake angle, but not completely severing the dowel in half, bonding back in, the triangular cutout piece afterwards as the epoxy  was poured in to form a stronger bond.  This has helped to stiffen the hull and give it some rigidity.
Due to the  very vague definitions on the hull sides I am also having to transfer all the cutout details by hand to the hull, for carefull removal of all the open ports and openings. I have managed to do one side for now, stern and port side to do next.

[farrow]

I remember one sort of salvage/rescue job this vessel had by chance with the R Y Brittania, it happen when she was poodling down to work on the Norris buoy. The Britannia coming the other way suffered her usual power failure and her wheel stuck at hard to starboard, she slewed in towards the Norris bank and did a emergency anchor in very very shallow water, any way the Moorhen put a connection into the yachts stern and used her engines to keep the yachts stern in deeper water until tugs arrived to take over. I was working in Portsmouth Harbour Contyrol at the time and although the RN did it's best to keep it very hush, the general public was ringing my office within 15 minutes to tell me that the yacht was in trouble and aground by the Norris buoy. Needless to say the Royal Party was put ashore in Portsmouth by the Yachts royal barge from the Norris, the greatest concern by the Naval Base was to find the cleanest steps for them to alight.

[gregk9]

I have managed to measure, mark and cut out all the stern openings today. I still have a few hours of careful filing work now, to finish them off, down to their actual lines, preferring not to cut the plastic direct to line, especially when using a drill to give radii on all the corners.
The inner bracing fitted yesterday has now fully dried and has took most of the flexibility out of the hull, so much better to work on now.
Ive also been informed from "www.modelboatbits.com"  that my  order of 40mm diameter korts, with 4 blade handed props, stainless steel propeller shafts and huco couplings are ready fro supply, so they will be arriving soon, so i can measure up and align the drive train before I set to fitting further internal bracing beams.

the bracing beams fitted so far are "flat" and have no deck slope, this was done on purpose, so it makes aligning everything else "to square" easier. the deck slope will be added later, with the addition of a correctly angles wedge piece on top of the fitted cross beams/supports.