Building Ardent

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

Hi, Derek, I used Obechi for the stringers, and the filler is Humbrol, I have just received the paint from Craftmaster, less than 24 hours after ordering, their website is http://www.craftmasterpaints.co.uk as well as paint they also do a fine line tape in varying widths and double and single lines, as used for the lining on traction engines etc.

It looks as if you are starting the build of Ardent, keep me/us informed of progress, good luck.

Regards.

Eddie

[Derek BradleyParticipant @derekbradley32270]

Many thanks, Eddie. At the moment I don't know when I am likely to start on Ardent as I am still working on the Fairey Huntress. However, I have had the plans increased to 1:8 scale, which gives a hull oal of 45" and I have made a list of ply, etc., ready for my next visit to Slec so that I am ready to go when the time comes. I had thought of bass for the stringers – I believe that it is very slightly harder than obechi. It may well get started as a change from the Huntress. I wanted a slightly larger boat as my last yacht was one I built on a Bob Underwood (Bradford-on-Avon) grp hull but, unfortunately, he has stopped making his superb hulls. I sold that one to another club member when I was going through a period of ill health and, although he doesn't show up at the club any more, sorry to say, he will not sell it back to me.

I had a look at Craftmaster's website and was impressed by the selection of different paints and colours.

Regards,

Derek.

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

That sounds like it is going to impressive at that size, I have put the first topcoat on mine tonight so in another week it should be ready for its final fitting out.

Eddie.

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

That sounds like it is going to be impressive at that size, I have put the first topcoat on mine tonight so in another week it should be ready for its final fitting out.

Eddie.

Edited By Eddie Lancaster on 20/03/2018 20:55:30

[Derek BradleyParticipant @derekbradley32270]

Let us know how the painting goes, Eddie, and some photos if possible, please. I am watching your build very closely and looking out for any useful tips you may have.

Derek.

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

I have been thinking about your increased size of Ardent, would it pay to increase the size of the stringers and maybe the thickness of the frames? they are going to be over one inch further apart and wider in the beam.

Perhaps one of our friends who have built /designed a few more boats than me may comment?

Eddie.

[Derek BradleyParticipant @derekbradley32270]

Thanks for your comments, Eddie. I am happy with the thickness and spacing of the stringers and frames as the total length is only being increased by 9". The only thickness that I will increase will be the keel to 10mm – 2 laminations of 5mm. I think that if I start playing about with other measurements and additions I will only complicate things for myself.

Derek.

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

You are quite right in what you say, my problem is I tend to over engineer anything I build from scratch!

Eddie.

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

Have been busy with the paint brush! After several coats of grey primer/undercoat paint the hull is finally ready for the dark blue below the waterline.

I re -positioned the masking tape to about 2mm. away from the primer so that I could feather edge the paint ready for the top coat, so that the paint was not so thick at the edge.

The final coat has been applied, it is a dark blue, not black as it appears here, a pin stripe has been added just below the rubbing strake, again in the same dark blue. It only remains to tidy up the varnish were needed and to assemble the mast and she is ready for the water, although she will remain upside down for a while to allow the paint to harden.

Eddie.

 

Edited By Eddie Lancaster on 28/03/2018 21:35:09

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Eddie, she is looking very sharp, when you rig her have a look at the Dragon Force rg65 it uses sliding silicone tubes on the boom to control the mainsail out haul and thus the shape of the sail, it works very well

Regards Ray

[Derek BradleyParticipant @derekbradley32270]

Looking good, Eddie. Did the coach enamels come out as well as expected? What undercoat did you use?

Derek.

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

Good morning Ray & Derek, thank you both for your comments once again, the first boat that I built was the Varmint DF 65 so I am aware of its sail control etc. and I will be using those ideas as they are the only ones that I know at this stage of my boat building/ operation!

The undercoat was B&Q acrylic for metal and outside use, the first three – four coats rubbed down with 800 grit wet and dry, used wet, the following coats were rubbed down with 1500 grit and continued until the colour was solid all over. The craftmaster paint is easy to apply using a soft brush, and three coats applied, the first two rubbed down with 1500 grit, the final coat is rubbed down with 2500 grit until the whole surface is matt with no brush marks showing, everything is then polished using first a metal polish then a good car polish. A bit of a faff but you get a good smooth finish with a nice sheen.

Regards to you both.

Eddie

[Derek BradleyParticipant @derekbradley32270]

Many thanks, Eddie. You are being most helpful (and interesting).

Derek.

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

Got out with my Grandson today with his boat, Vic Smeed's Moonglow, this was the first outing for both of them!

The boat went well and my Grandson enjoyed it, so more of the same next week. perhaps with Ardent.

Ardent all ship shape and ready to go.

Will keep you posted!

Eddie.

[Derek BradleyParticipant @derekbradley32270]

Eddie,

Ardent looks absolutely brilliant. Looking forward to the sailing trials.

I have got all the frames cut out ready for sanding and the next bit will be the keel. I am considering making a hollow keel and using lead shot for ballast which I have done in the past and it is an easy way to get the weight just right. It would mean drilling a hole through the top of the keel inside the hull so that the shot can be poured in and reinforcing the part of the keel inside the hull and in the vicinity of the hole. Once the correct amount of shot is in you then pour in a thin resin mix just to seal it into one lump which will not move. All in the mind at the moment but we shall see. Did you use the recommended 1.8Kg of lead in your build?

On your recommendation I ordered some enamel from Craftmaster Paints yesterday afternoon and it arrived this morning – what a great service!!!

Derek.

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

Hi, Derek, thank you for your kind comments, I must say I am pleased with the way it has turned out.

You are getting into your build by the sound of it, and yes I did use the recommended amount of lead and she came out at the design water line.

Are you still building yours to 1/8 scale? if you are building to a larger scale you will no doubt have to use more weight in the keel, you have increased the linear size by 25 per cent, but the actual volume will be nearly double the size. At 1/10 scale, it will take 1000 models to make up the full size boat 10x10x10 =1000. At 1/8 scale it will only take 512 to fill the the space of the full size, 8x8x8 = 512. I hope this helps, and perhaps others can either confirm this or put me right.

Eddie

[Derek BradleyParticipant @derekbradley32270]

Many thanks, Eddie. I am building to 1:8 scale so, obviously, I will need more ballast and this would make it easier to use lead shot in a hollow keel, where it can be added gradually until the correct waterline is achieved. At the same time, it may not be necessary to put all of the weight in the keel and some can be put in the bilges, as in full size practice. I have about 7Kg of shot already in hand but a starting point would be about 2Kg and work up from there.

Derek.

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

I have just looked at the drawings for next winters project, it's called Duet, another cabin cruiser, it is 45" long with a beam of 10 1/2" and that needs just double the weight of lead in two hollow keels.

Eddie.

[Derek BradleyParticipant @derekbradley32270]

Eddie, I don't know the Duet but I presume, from what you say, that it is a 'sailing' cruiser. I am considering increasing the length of the keel on my Ardent without running into the danger of upsetting the sailing balance – CLE and CLR and all that sort of thing.

Derek.

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

Derek, the Duet plans are old, I am not sure how old though, it is a sailing cruiser of course! When you say the length of your keeI presume you mean the length from the hull to the lead weight? that should give you a greater righting moment and perhaps require less weight down there?

Eddie.

[Derek BradleyParticipant @derekbradley32270]

Eddie, I intend extending the keel lengthwise (fore & aft). I do not want to increase the depth as our lake is very shallow at the launch point and I do not want to wade in anything but a pair of wellies. I think that by increasing the length I will be able to increase the internal volume to cope with the necessary amount of lead shot ballast.

Derek.

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

Derek, not having gone into the design criteria of model yachts except to find a simple way of were to position the mast on the pond yacht that I am re-furbishing, i'm not sure what difference to the sailing of your yacht an extended keel would have, but I think you will have increase the keel weight to around 3.6 kilos.

Eddie

[Derek BradleyParticipant @derekbradley32270]

Many thanks for your suggestions, Eddie. I will just keep pushing on and see how it goes.

Below is a yacht I built on a Bob Underwood 'Folly' GRP hull about 4/5 years ago. It was a beautiful boat, 58" oal and, as mentioned previously, I very much regret selling it.

Derek.

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

What a lovely boat, I can see why you want to build Ardent to a larger scale.

Eddie.

[Tim RoweParticipant @timrowe83142]

Derek
​What to us is a light breeze will be like a roaring gale to a model yacht. Lengthening the keel as you are planning to do is not very efficient in achieving a good righting moment and neither is it particularly efficient hydro-dynamically. I understand why you are wanting to compromise on the draft and I would get the tallest wellies you can, but it is now going to be especially important to get the weight down a low as possible.

​Here is a picture of my International One Metre (IOM) and these boats are highly efficient. The weight is concentrated very low and the foil has a high aspect ratio.

​Mine is the red one on a medium rig in what would scale to storm conditions.

​I would suggest, if you can, make a lead bulb that is attached externally. Easily done by casting in two halves and bolting through the keel. It is easy to estimate the volume (size) required to get the 3.6 kg suggested by Eddie. You could always aim to be slightly on the heavy side with the bulb as you can reduce its weight by shaving off material or drilling holes and filling with a lightweight material. A hollow keel is going to be a bit more difficult to construct and if not completely filled, water has a habit of finding its way in somehow.

​Another important factor when limited by draft is to keep the weight of the rig as low as possible. Every gram saved will count.

Tim

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