Model Boat Mayhem

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length.
Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Restoration of MFV Eileen (Original kit version of the now Billings Evelyn Rose  (Read 14530 times)

Artistmike

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,016
  • North Devon
  • Location: North Devon

This is in the way of introducing myself as a new member here but as a modeller from way back ! I'm semi-retired now and for the last few years have mainly been involved with G Scale Model Railways and 1M yachting but my first and true love has always been scale and semi-scale working models.

Anyway with some time on my hands now as my first venture back into boating, I've decided to restore back to full working condition the model below that I built way back in 1985 from a wooden kit, Billings I think it was, as now they have re-issued it as the "Evelyn Rose."

I sailed it many times back in Kent when I lived there but since I've been down here in Devon it's been sitting on a shelf unused. As I now have a grown nephew interested in boats and four year old grandson , I thought it was about time I resurrected it, did repaints and re-rigging where necessary and upgrade all the electrics.

As can be seen it's not actually in bad condition on the whole and most of the work that needs doing is purely cosmetic, though I may well totally re-new the motor, speed controller and RC units, together with lighting as they have been sat around for a long time..... Anyway firstly I'll be studying and remembering it all, checking what's available and getting in what I need to do the work. I may well be asking for lots of advice as it's a while since I've worked with motors in boats, having been yacht racing, so bear with me if I ask lots of apparently daft questions...  :-)) Oh and nice to meet you all, it looks a great forum. :D





Logged
“We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” George Bernard Shaw    :)

dlancast

  • Guest

Very nicely done Mike, thanks for sharing.

Best,

Dennis
Bellingham, Wa. USA
Logged

Artistmike

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,016
  • North Devon
  • Location: North Devon

Getting there slowly, the new Electronize speed controller has been fitted and paintwork and varnish freshened up. All rigging renewed and crew transferred from my Garden Railway as they are the same scale and due to winter running schedules were almost redundant!  {-)  Next job is to make some lobster pots for a bit more deck clutter as the boat will be doing general fishing duties...



Logged
“We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” George Bernard Shaw    :)

thelegos

  • Guest

She looked a treat before the freshening up, looks top notch now!!

Very nice :-))

Roger
Logged

dickyp

  • Guest

Is this like the one currently on E bay by Artesania Latina
Logged

Artistmike

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,016
  • North Devon
  • Location: North Devon

Is this like the one currently on E bay by Artesania Latina

I believe it's similar, I believe both kits materialised after the original plans were published by MAP back in the sixties, which are in fact still available .... http://www.myhobbystore.co.uk/product/16998/eileen-mm737   though for some reason Artesania put a sail on the forward mast which I believe is wrong for the ring netter, that this portrays ...  Model Maker did an original article back in 1963, though the boat was called Betty and then Model Boat Magazine  ran a review of Billing's kit in 1979, which is the one I read and which convinced me finally to have a go at it in 1985. In those days the quality of the wood was superb, unlike the modern offering. ...

I had mine back on the water for the first time in at least 15 years today on Sunday and it worked superbly , even with the original 26 year old motor and even more amazingly stayed dry.    :-))
Logged
“We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” George Bernard Shaw    :)

dickyp

  • Guest


Thanks for response Artistmike

If I was interested in the Ebay boat, have you any idea what max I should bid please

Logged

Artistmike

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,016
  • North Devon
  • Location: North Devon

Thanks for response Artistmike ....If I was interested in the Ebay boat, have you any idea what max I should bid please

I'm not the best one on the prices of these things these days but the current Billings version, the Evelyn Rose, which is a plank on frame hull is about £250 and the average price for the Artesania which seems to have an ABS hull, seems to be about in the £175/£199 range depending on where you look. Either way it's a good sized boat with plenty of room for radio, batteries etc. I run mine on a 6v 10amph lead acid and it still needs plenty of lead ballast ! It will run for ages too which is nice.

It's a shame that the current Billings version doesn't have the quality of wood it once did, the mahogany planking looks great just varnished but if you're looking for a nice Ring Netter which you can customise to your hearts content, either version is a good boat to work with anyway.  :-)) It's just your choice when it comes to hull material.....
Logged
“We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” George Bernard Shaw    :)

hazegry

  • Guest

it looks so much better with the wood hull. I have 2 Hellen's and will be building them soon.
Logged

Artistmike

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,016
  • North Devon
  • Location: North Devon

it looks so much better with the wood hull. I have 2 Hellen's and will be building them soon.

Great! ... I look forward to seeing your build of those, especially what you feel of the quality of the kit, plenty of photos please when you do  :-))
Logged
“We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” George Bernard Shaw    :)

hazegry

  • Guest

Artist mike I have started mine and I put up a separate thread.  My so is getting into boats now and may give me the excuse to build the billings version that wood hull looks so much better.
Logged

derekwarner

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Online Online
  • Posts: 9,464
  • Location: Wollongong Australia

Gents........are the images of the propeller sizing to scale? %)..........Derek {:-{
Logged
Derek Warner

Honorary Secretary [Retired]
Illawarra Live Steamers Co-op
Australia
www.ils.org.au

denret

  • Shipmate
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2

This restoration looks great.

 It is of special interest to me because I'm currently attempting to build a new (old) Eileen right out of a 30+ yr old box. Project is going Ok, however the plywoods are
well cured and special care is require for handling and cutting.

My real issue is the power plant/RC equipment. I'm really stumped there, ie what size motor and batteries I need, etc.  No help yet from Hobby shops. I could use all the help I can get on that!!
Logged

Artistmike

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,016
  • North Devon
  • Location: North Devon

 Brilliant ! ... I'll really be interested in how you get on so I expect loads of photos....   :D


Well I built mine with a motor that was direct drive, which was par for the course in those days but I'd build it with a geared one if I were repeating the exercise as I think a geared system may well be more suitable, the specialist motor guys on here should help on that...  this was mine a COMO drill one



I now use the standard Planet 5 R/C system which is cheap, has great performance and will enable you to run lights etc as well as basic motor control and rudder. I use the Electronize speed controller, again super but Action's would be equally good, talk to either of them they will be very helpful . As far as a battery is concerned, a big lead acid is perfect .... a 6v 10amph lead acid will do the job and you'll still need a load of lead to get her down to the waterline. It's a chunky boat on the water but because of that looks very realistic in a chop, she goes through the waves and doesn't bob about like a cork.  :D

One word of advice, when you've got the hull built, give it a coat internally of tissue and fibre glass resin. Mine lasted thirty years without a leak but the central heating eventually allowed the odd drip in, so better safe than sorry.  ... Keep in touch I'm really looking forward to seeing how you get on and I can remember the build even now and the quality of the wood was terrific, if it's dried out by now how about a little teak oil or similar to replace some of the natural oils? ... let us know how you get on and shout if you need help ! .  :D
Logged
“We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” George Bernard Shaw    :)

Thelegos

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 45
  • Location: Peterborough UK

This is indeed a nice coincidence as I've wanted a closer look at your boat artistmike. I've recently been working on mine which I think is the Artisania Hellen but never been quite sure!

She's not finished yet but I've fitted a Como 2.5:1 geared motor and an Electronize ESC much as Artistmike suggests but used a 12v lead acid. As also suggested it takes a good deal more ballast than just the battery. I've got a big ol' 50mm prop because I want to keep the revs even down, the Electronize allows you to tune the whole system to give a decent amount of stick movement for the rev rang.

Also as mentioned mine had dried out and the planks were partingover the whole hull so a good layer of glassfibre resin has been applied on the inside after first putting masking tape over the gaps on the outside to stop it seeping through. A nice fine rub down and a couple of coats of varnish an it should be OK.

Now the sad part, because our pond has serious weed issues I've not been able to run her, she's been ballasted up and left to soak in the domestic testing tank but I can't yet comment on her performance. I've take a couple of quick pictures, still need to make the small sail and a winch then some lettering inspired by mikes boat which does look superb!

All fired up again now, Roger :-))





Logged

Artistmike

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,016
  • North Devon
  • Location: North Devon

Looking good ! We'll have a fleet of them soon ! :-)) ......

I too have turned down my Electronize ESC, it's one of the great facilities it has, a perfect bit of kit to my mind and it now runs nicely at scale speeds. I will say mine took thirty years to develop a drip of a leak but the grp does give you a sense of security with planked hulls like this, so best done from the start. When I'd finished mine it had many many coats of matt varnish and then some of the wood, like the exterior unpainted hull planking, was just lightly polished with wax furniture polish, the tinned wax variety not spray, which has given it a very realistic look, at times gloss varnish is just too much and matt a little flat.

I also re-made the staysail rigging, when I did the re-fit, as a working feature so that it can be furled when she's on the water if it's a bit windy which I find helps.  I hope that you can get yours on the water soon, it's an impressive model and because of her weight, looks just right under power  :-) ...
Logged
“We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” George Bernard Shaw    :)
Pages: [1]   Go Up
 

Page created in 0.105 seconds with 22 queries.