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Author Topic: Off-the-shelf Keels  (Read 2993 times)

RickF

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Off-the-shelf Keels
« on: April 02, 2007, 11:53:31 am »

Hi guys,

Planning ahead to the next build but one, I have decided to resurrect an old vac-formed Thames sailing barge hull.
It will obviously need a keel if it is going to sail, so my question is this: does anyone supply ready-made bolt-on keels? Obviously the weight will have to be calculated/measured, but are these things generally available? I'm a complete novice when it comes to boats with rags attached!

Rick
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Daryl

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Re: Off-the-shelf Keels
« Reply #1 on: April 02, 2007, 12:47:17 pm »

In Yahoo/ groups there is an organisation called AMBO, ( Assosiation of Model Barge Owners) at one time they had a member Tony Williams who made fibreglas keel moulds, all you have to do is fill them with lead, melted or resin and a ready made keel. The keel is ideal for 1/24th scale buthe amy have other sizes.

Daryl
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tigertiger

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Re: Off-the-shelf Keels
« Reply #2 on: April 02, 2007, 01:09:52 pm »

I don't know of off the shelf keels but I know Sails Etc do ballast bulbs.

http://www.sailsetc.com/parbulb.htm#
These are mostly just bulbs but the winged ballast is much more.

However these will be overkill as you won't want to race IOM class.


Making the keel is easy, and so is attaching the bulb. Forgive me if I am teaching you how to suck eggs.
On my boat the keel bulb was hollow plastic filled with epoxy resin and lead shot. I have seen hollow plastic keel bulbs somewhere but  cannot remember where.

See fig for how my keel was constructed. I think you already know about keel trunks from your posting.
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The only stupid question is the one I didn't ask

romainpek

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Re: Off-the-shelf Keels
« Reply #3 on: April 02, 2007, 01:44:31 pm »

I think I already saw that drawing somewhere...  ;)
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RickF

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Re: Off-the-shelf Keels
« Reply #4 on: April 02, 2007, 07:55:33 pm »

Thanks for the info,

Rick
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farrow

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Re: Off-the-shelf Keels
« Reply #5 on: April 25, 2007, 05:08:36 pm »

Has anyone thought of making a scale model that sails like the original with leaboards, last time I saw a model that sailed in this manner was when I was a school boy. A school master was given an old model made by a sailorman of his barge, when scale size sails where fitted etc, it sailed like the original and looked brilliant because of it. Barge with a drop keel sits different in the water than with leeboards, also it makes you think what sails and how to set them like the original. I intend to rig an old HFM kit as a stumpy and sail it with leeboards.
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Daryl

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Re: Off-the-shelf Keels
« Reply #6 on: April 25, 2007, 09:28:57 pm »

I was told by the guiy who runs AMBO ( association of Model Barge Owners ) a couple of years ago that on a 1/24th scale barge the leeboards would not provide enough 'support' and the barge would end up 'crabbing' or capsize. I have heard this from seveal members of AMBO who make and sail these mostly at Maldon. Might be an interesting experiment, I have have yet to see one which does not have a keel. I think when we talk about scale models the action of the wind is squared but the action of the water is cubed or something along those lines.

When I start mine I'll use one of Tony Williams keels.

Gibberish over!
Daryl
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roycv

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Re: Off-the-shelf Keels
« Reply #7 on: May 06, 2007, 07:17:38 pm »

Hi all, I do remember seeing a Thames barge about 1/2 inch scale which just had lee boards.  This was in the 1960's at Hampstead.  It just about worked, there was no radio involved just a mercury switch which lowered the appropriate lee board depending on which tack she was on.
regards Roy
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