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Author Topic: Traplet "Pilot Boat" Build - from the wood pack.  (Read 8054 times)

rmaddock

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Traplet "Pilot Boat" Build - from the wood pack.
« on: July 30, 2013, 11:52:58 am »

I'm hoping, come September, to be running an adult education class in model boat building.  It was decided that the best way to start was by offering a couple of "kit" options.  I'd already built a "Wee Nip" sailing boat from Traplet's wood pack (see HERE) but thought that one of their "Pilot Boats" would offer a nice alternative.


[NB This is Traplet's picture. I've had their permission to use it for evening class publicity so I hope they don't mind me using it here too.]

Click HERE for the the details on Traplet's web pages.

It occurred to me that I should spend some of the summer holidays building one for myself - I hope to know what I'm talking about by September  :embarrassed:   So, I mentioned it to my wife as quickly as I could in passing - which passed for permission - and ordered a box of bits.

I've also acquired a copy of the Model Boats magazine which covers this build HOWEVER I wouldn't recommend anyone else bothering.  The original plans, and article, are based around a styrene sheet build.  It talks about cutting the hull panels out and fixing them edge to edge to form a monocoque hull.  All well and good, but they've modified the design for the plywood, laser cut version.  It now includes a thin keel piece and a couple of interior bulkheads.  This means that the hull panels have to be fitted to these, rather than each other.

Anyway, I'm going to document the build here for sanity check purposes and in case anybody else fancies building one....or already has done and can offer advice.

NB: I'm making the build process up as I go along so excuse me if it seems a little random at times.



And this is the progress as of this morning.

I began by glueing the bulkheads to the keel piece.  I used wood glue but would use thick cyano to tack it together next time - I couldn't find it that day.

I parallel to this, I glued the two halves of the deck together along the precut wobbly line - pinning them to a nice flat piece of wood with clingfilm between (to stop it sticking to the board).



Then, I glued the deck onto the keel and bulkheads.  The precut slots and tabs fit very nicely and give a good, positive position.

I've been holding everything together with either tape of clothes pegs as I've gone along.

Next to go on was the transom.  This is made from quite thin ply and bends without too much trouble; again tabs and slots give good location.  The transom is rather a pleasing shape and also helps to pull the corners of the deck down into a good curve.

I spent some time trying to hold everything together in the right places before deciding what to do next.  As mentioned above, the pieces were designed to go edge to edge but won't fit the bulkheads that way.  It may be the wrong decision, but I chose to fix the bottom two panels first....tacking them with cyano.



I made a token effort towards shaping the keel edge and the sheet edges, and then glued the two sheets; first to the keel, and then along the bulkheads.  I shoe these pieces first as they're oversized and the sheets above will sit quite nicely on top of them.

Once these were set, I taped and glued the transom.

Finally, for now, came the upper chine panels.



These were slightly tricky.  Trying them in place showed that the lower, rear edges seemed to curve down too far to fit.  However, a little fiddling showed that I could push those corners in a little until the edges would fit square to the lower chines.  I could have trimmed them but, because I want to come up with a build suitable for beginners, I wanted a more straight forward fix.  As it happens, I think that this will give quite a nice curve to the back of the hull...maybe it was intended by the designer?
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davidjt

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Re: Traplet "Pilot Boat" Build - from the wood pack.
« Reply #1 on: July 30, 2013, 02:56:50 pm »

hi,
this is my first ever build of this :-) boat in 2003-4 I think it was. this is the best boat I built, I put water cannon on so that the kids could have some fun when I went close in and sprayed them with water. brilliant boat built from plans with 1.5 ply have never had any problems with it when building, and that was my first ever build from scratch no kit then :D . if you need any help let me no.
by the way use some lecky bands and pins for  holding joints.
 
david
 
 
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rmaddock

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Re: Traplet "Pilot Boat" Build - from the wood pack.
« Reply #2 on: July 30, 2013, 03:58:43 pm »

Thanks for the pictures David. Nice boat  :-))
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Peter Fitness

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Re: Traplet "Pilot Boat" Build - from the wood pack.
« Reply #3 on: July 30, 2013, 11:06:43 pm »

I built two of these, one in 2004 and the other in 2006, from the magazine plans. The first, James Cook, was also my first ever scratch build. I gave it to my grandsons in Sydney, who sail it on the Lane Cove River. The other, Henry Rous, I still have, and it is sailed regularly on our club lake.


They are good, simple models that perform well under most conditions. I had the original plan enlarged slightly to give a hull length of about 65cm. They are built of 1.5mm ply, on a 5mm ply keel. I reinforced the chine area with fibreglass for strength and waterproofed the hull inside and out with fibreglass resin.


Peter.
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rmaddock

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Re: Traplet "Pilot Boat" Build - from the wood pack.
« Reply #4 on: July 31, 2013, 12:36:57 pm »

 :-))
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Mad Scientist

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Re: Traplet "Pilot Boat" Build - from the wood pack.
« Reply #5 on: August 01, 2013, 01:44:51 am »

This thread came along at the perfect time, since I'm looking for a boat suitable for a 'beginner'!
Will get the order placed tomorrow (it's still Wednesday on my side of 'the pond'), assuming the computer will co-operate >:-o
Tom
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rmaddock

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Re: Traplet "Pilot Boat" Build - from the wood pack.
« Reply #6 on: August 01, 2013, 09:36:25 am »

This thread came along at the perfect time, since I'm looking for a boat suitable for a 'beginner'!
Will get the order placed tomorrow (it's still Wednesday on my side of 'the pond'), assuming the computer will co-operate >:-o
Tom

ARGH! I'm not sure I can stand the responsibility  %%

You do know I'm going away on holiday for several weeks VERY soon and won't make any progress, don't you?
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Mad Scientist

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Re: Traplet "Pilot Boat" Build - from the wood pack.
« Reply #7 on: August 04, 2013, 03:06:03 am »

Don't worry - I have already learned a lot from looking at your photos! O0
Tom
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Antipodes

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Re: Traplet "Pilot Boat" Build - from the wood pack.
« Reply #8 on: August 19, 2013, 11:50:12 pm »


Great timing indeed. I'm also building this from the wood pack.


I'm at the stage of deciding whether to put the sides on or the hull bottom. I'm planning to put twin motors and rudders so am thinking of putting the hull bottom on and then put the shafts and rudder in before closing up the sides.


I've also added additional ply to the deck, bulkhead and keel to provide additional surface area for when I get round to actually gluing.


Bruce

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rmaddock

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Re: Traplet "Pilot Boat" Build - from the wood pack.
« Reply #9 on: August 20, 2013, 05:10:07 pm »

I've also added additional ply to the deck, bulkhead and keel to provide additional surface area for when I get round to actually gluing.

Hello Bruce,

I know what you mean about adding additional area.  However, having built a Wee Nip from a wood pack I was going to use that construction method.  You "tack" everything with cyano and then run a bead of epoxy filler along all of the inside seams.  This glues, strengthens and waterproofs all in one.

By more traditional methods, you'd stick extra longerons into the build to provide good solid corners.

I must pull my finger out and get on with this build.....which means remembering to bring my epoxy back from where it's turning into a canoe.

Cheers!

R.
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Mad Scientist

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Re: Traplet "Pilot Boat" Build - from the wood pack.
« Reply #10 on: September 29, 2013, 03:55:33 am »

Well, this is a bit embarrassing...the more that I looked at R/C infop, the 'stooopider' I felt. Oh well, earlier today I ordered the Traplet 'Pilot Boat Set' - that's the 'woodcut' set and the plans, too! Also bought the 'RCNS Whistler' plans,  just because I spent my happiest year in the RCN aboard one of those...feeling that R/C model is mandatory!
Tom ;)
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Re: Traplet "Pilot Boat" Build - from the wood pack.
« Reply #11 on: October 16, 2013, 02:22:20 am »

Traplet order arrived today! :-)) :} %%
 
Tom
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rmaddock

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Re: Traplet "Pilot Boat" Build - from the wood pack.
« Reply #12 on: October 17, 2013, 06:16:40 pm »

Good stuff Tom :-))

I'm disappointed to say that, in the words of the adult education officer, "the people of South Cumbria have no imagination".  There is no demand for evening classes.

So I haven't got much further with this model.  Not that I won't, just that there isn't the urgency.

Enjoy your build though.

Robert.
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Mike0001

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Re: Traplet "Pilot Boat" Build - from the wood pack.
« Reply #13 on: November 24, 2014, 03:18:05 pm »

hi

was there any updates on this boat?, currently about to add bottom and sides to mine and would like to know best way to hold in position while glue sets

thanks
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Peter Fitness

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Re: Traplet "Pilot Boat" Build - from the wood pack.
« Reply #14 on: November 24, 2014, 09:58:34 pm »

I used clamps and tape, together with super glue to hold the parts in my two boats.


Peter.
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