Vic Smeed's Model Boat Designs

I must agree Pete's River Queen is a stunning model and it must be a delight to see 'in steam' when he takes it to the lake. River Queen isn't one which is on the future build list, for the reason you mention above, living to 300 years in order to build the models on the this (future build) list. Unfortunately my current workshop facilities (kitchen table) wouldn't be suitable for a steam powered clinker build.

One which is on 'the radar' is Lorelei above, in our last email, I like your comment describing the design as a strange bird. As in the earlier post, my thoughts would be towards a 2/3 size easy balsa model, approx. 22" long. I intend to order the plan from mhs next week, probably have it reduced at a drawing office copy shop.

Tuna is another strange craft and I had to have a look at the Model Maker magazine of February 1958 when the model was featured. It was designed around one of the few commercially available GRP hulls of the time, with a wooden hull option shown on the plan. Tuna disappeared from the plans listing between 1972 and 1977. The wooden hull looks a good shape and would certainly look very impressive at speed.

Some further designs have been added to the list of late and I must send you the latest update. Wraith was a Marblehead yacht which was featured in Model Maker magazine, June 1960 yet never made the plans listing and three designs appear in the 1957 Model Maker Manual, which I think are Vic's and without a name have added to the awaiting proof section. Marina a 22.5" vintage style yacht, Sea Cat a 30" catamaran and Sea Kitten a 20" two shelf ply hull yacht.

Must add a note of thanks to Colin Bishop who located a copy of this book for me.

A further design of yacht/cat is featured in Childrens Britannica Volume 17 (1970's), but I haven't found a copy yet.

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This is a nice thread, Tony, you have put Vic`s creations in the well deserved limelight

It`s full of old world charm.....At a leisurely pace

I never fail to be impressed by Vic Smeeds splendid range of models..........He must have been a Model Makers Anorack?

I`m looking forward to selecting my next model from Vic`s list........That`s if I don`t buy something at the Warwick Show, of course

Are you going to the show btw?

I`m hoping to see Amos`s giant destroyer and a chat

Bob

I shall be at Warwick on Saturday on my own account but also covering for the magazine. This year I am taking Dave Wooley's advice and heading over to the IPMS show at Telford on the Sunday. Quite a bit of driving!

Colin

Hope to meet you at the Warwick Show, then Colin?

Will be nice, after all these years of Emails and a forum postings

We went to the Telford show, last year and was quite a culture shock!

Millions of nicely made plastic kits.........As far as the eye can see!

Bob

Hi Tony,

I have that 1957 Model Maker Manual too and was having a look through it at the designs you mentioned. I suspect thay are all Vic's as all the articles in the book are attributed to other authors except those, and VS compiled the book- but still not really enough to definitely say they were his. One of the articles mentions the MM design which I believe was his and he uses his 'royal we' quite a bit too. I reckon he could have knocked off each of those designs before breakfast so maybe he wasn't too bothered about claiming them!

Funnily enough I found and advert in an old Model Maker for the Tuna fibreglass hull too.

It'll be interesting if you do have a go at Lorelei- I did buy the plan but I think it's just a bit too odd for my liking and I'm still plodding on with my Silver Mist based steam yacht. I must get round to putting some photos up as it's nearly there- next job is to finish painting the hull. Mattias' trials and tribulations in that area put me off a bit!

All the best,

Ian

Edited By Ian Gardner on 06/11/2016 19:41:34

Bob, thank you for the comments about the thread, I just keep "chipping away" at those designs by Vic and adding anything which may be of interest.

Not sure I will get to any shows for the foreseeable future, weekends are difficult although I would like to get to the London show in January, but really not too hopeful. Must say the magazine's show reports are good for those of us who can't pay a visit, the IPMS at Telford certainly has to be amongst the best.

Ian, those small yachts in the book are really good designs which would look superb on the water, "Marina" would build into a manageable size replica vintage yacht of good lines. In the centre of the book are the plans for another of those Peter Holland designs "Sonic Sippi", an i.c. powered paddle boat, Dave Milbourn was correct in his earlier posting that Peter was a genius. With modern r/c and electric drive this would be an eye-catcher at the lake.

After seeing those small yachts, couldn't help but think that Vic's yacht designs just seem to have really lovely lines, and I've posted a couple of photographs of one of his 36R designs, which I think (but not sure) is "Gosling" MM1164.

Peter Holland's Sonic Sippi

A little more information about the designs in the previous posts.

Tuna, plan MM505 (no longer available). The sketch from the plans handbook is shown above. A strange looking model which could have given good performance.

Sea Kitten, from Model Maker Manual

Sea Cat, a catamaran from Model Maker Manual

Marina, a lovely vintage yacht which would be a good size to handle, from Model Maker Manual

I must say when I had a closer look at Tuna I did wonder what was going on with that bridge structure- the plan view doesn't make it much clearer. Otherwise it's quite a nice design.

Looking back through this thread, Bustler (MM363) doesn't make an appearance. In Model maker magazine 1956, it was the most popular plan sold. A super little design which appeared in the February 1955 Model maker and Model Boats Construction Special 2011. Bread and butter construction, with no internal carving, now added to the future build list.

The photographs are from the 1955 article. The tug appears on the magazine's front cover (bottom left).

Edited By Tony Hadley on 14/01/2017 20:06:21

Bustler, from the Model Boats Construction Special magazine 2011.