I have several projects on the go just now, all at various stages.
This one is taking most of my interest at the moment though. I want to build a Lesro Javelin. I wasnt really looking for a kit, mainly because I imagine they will be quite pricey, and I will be doing well to squeeze a few sheets of ply out of the budget as it is, but also, I like cutting out the bits (mostly)
I sold my small briggs and stratton generator engined bike to a friend for a (small ish🙁) donation of £50 to my modelling fund. I have had my fun on it, bit dangerous to be honest. It was clocked at nearly 50mph on a forest road, with no suspension. I did well to stay on it.
Anyway, back to the Javelin, for years I liked it so much I wanted to build one to sit in, I had already built my giant Vic Smeed Starlet and sailed in it, but I needed some more speed, basically😁.
So using some very early photoshop, I used pictures of myself to see what size a Javelin would need to be for me to fit in it. Happy with the mock up images, and already starting to work out how I would do it, I showed my friend, who said 'are you not doing it for 2 people?' It made sense really, but 2 side by side and using the same proportions was way too long for my budget/building/storage capacity..
Anyway, I decided to use the side view I had, but that made the hull well over 8ft ply lengths, slightly longer bits were twice the cost, and I was using marine ply.
I worked out that my version had to be 88 inches long for the bottom and side hull sheets to fit standard sheets. The side view was shortened and my little Viper was born.
Back to the Javelin, it looked much sleeker than the Viper ended up, I dont have funds to build what I originally wanted to build, a single seater giant Javelin. So a model Javelin it is.
I have nearly finished my Sea Rover model, it is built almost entirely using 3mm liteply from hobbies, which is unlike liteply I remember, it is slightly heavier but has a very smooth light coloured surface and has strength pretty close to birch ply.
I am intending to use the same sort of construction, its a bit cheaper than birch ply. I have a few motors that might suit, will get to that department soon. I also have my 3d printed brushless outboard, still in the test stages, but looks promising.
I went hunting on the internet for some suitable drawings to go from, sometimes even a thumbnail pic of the plan can show enough, but better quality is obviously better, I suppose it is not critical that mine ends up the exact same, but I would like it to be.
There is a Javelin thread on the forum with some good details but not some of the basic ones that I needed.
Looking forward to this project, had to do a bit of research to do before I could start finalising my drawings.
Many thanks to Canabus for helping me out with some critical dimensions to check I was headed in the right direction.......and I am, I think😁
Before I commit to using 1/8 liteply, anybody know what thickness of ply skin was on original? I am imagining 1/16?
The Sea Rover has tighter curves than Javelin, and I skinned it with liteply so I could manage to build Javelin from liteply, but it may be a bit heavier? The Sea Rover isnt that heavy, it is certainly fast enough, and its not even the best planing hull shape. I have the liteply already so will give it a go.
I am thinking that using modern electrics in the Javelin, instead of the engine/radio gear/fuel it was designed for, will make up for any weight increase from using 3mm light ply.
Doesnt really matter though, as long as its watertight😁
I have ordered a propshaft, prop, rudder and a water scoop set, thats the generator bike money gone already..... that will be most of the stuff I need though, so I am very happy. (but still a bit sad to see one of my creations being wheeled away)
Cant wait till my bits arrive through the post, I am loving this project already.
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Topic: Andy M's scratchbuilt Javelin project (Read 12511 times)