Chez-When – 34″ Sailing Cruiser

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi All,

It's good to see Nigel has created an album for the Silhouette he is refurbishing (Chez When) and very nice it looks to, I havn't got that far yet with my build.

Regards Ray

[Nigel NorthwoodParticipant @nigelnorthwood17509]

Hi

I'm working on restoring a Vintage Silhouette model at the moment. Posted a topic about it before I saw this.

Also created an album Tucker Silhouette Mk2

[Nigel NorthwoodParticipant @nigelnorthwood17509]

Hi Ray, a couple of questions, if that's OK.

What did the magazine builders do to modify the keel?

Are there any supports under that rear deck? I'd like to run the main sheet to a dummy traveller as an anchor point out of the way of (behind) the tiller but I'm not where there's any reinforcing..

Cheers

Nigel.

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Nigel,

I'm not aware of any modifications to the fin keel on the model ??

The rear deck I imagine will be 1/16" plywood like most of the boat, putting a horse and traveller behind the tiller was a good way of creating a self tacking mainsail, a system I use on my scale boats as the attached photo of my Eventide design which using collets allows adjustment of the traveller, which gives a better sheeting arrangement than the model designers block in the middle of the the cockpit ! I will also remove the tiller on my Chez When and have a servo below the rear deck to avoid the mainsheet getting tangled with it.

Hope that helps

Regards Ray

[Nigel NorthwoodParticipant @nigelnorthwood17509]

Cheers Ray.

I took it from the article that even the extra bolt on keel with the model "was inadequate for other than light breezes" and they "substituted the keel shown on the plan". For what?

I may be misreading it.

looking at the rear deck, as I'm trying to refurb the model as close as possible to a late ply built Mk2 Silhouette, a traveller is one consideration (they didn't all have them – built in the garden to a budget, don't cha' know) but I have no access to the underside of the deck and was looking for any reinforced bits that would be better to secure to.

For the same reason, the tiller has to stay!

My mainsheet, exiting the cabin like yours, is to go below the level of the tiller, to the rear deck behind it. The end of the (modified) boom is also just behind the tiller as were some of the f/s rigs.

Still working on how I can run what appears to be a reasonably functioning, free footed jib, with sheets (dummy or otherwise) running down either side of the cabin.

I'm playing with paper sail templates at the moment.

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello Ray

Only just spotted your build

Looks quite chunky, what size is it?

Bob

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hello Bob,

Yes she is 34" long and broad on the beam 14"

Regards Ray

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi All,

Back on with Chez with the rudder silver soldered badly but good enough (not enough heat) and removable this time if repairs are required, and the chain plates for the shroud fixing bolted through the sides, all brass

Nigel I think the fin keel as designed is fine maybe a little light, that's why mine will be removable for experimentation.

Regards Ray

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

Looking good Ray.

Regards.

Eddie

[Nigel NorthwoodParticipant @nigelnorthwood17509]

Cheers, Ray.

The keel fin seems pretty well fixed on my example so, if necessary, I'll use an additional, removable, bulb weight on the bottom of the existing fin.

The Silhouette Club is having a rally in June so I hope to go there and get a better look at some f/s examples.

[Nigel NorthwoodParticipant @nigelnorthwood17509]

I like the setup for the inboard motor shaft. Will the motor be under the bridge deck?

Curiously, just behind the motor , under the lid of the step down into the cabin, would have been a bucket for ablutions. Sophisticated, eh?

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Nigel,

Yes the bucket and chuck it ! method works

The length of the coupling will mean the motor will be in the cabin, as I mentioned before my steering servo will be under the rear deck.

Regards Ray

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi All,

The removable keel is now in production (just in case George is looking in ) using some 1/4" steel plates 3 lbs weight cut to size and painted, 2 M6 stainless steel pieces of studding with nuts which fit into copper tubes tubes the right inside diameter with collars silver soldered to stop the tubes falling out of the keel, the steels will be surrounded with ply sides and timber infills and carved to shape and glass clothed for good measure, cabin sides are in place so the cabin, deck and cockpit won't take long now

Regards Ray

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi All,

Chez has made it out of the workshop to the sun shine, with the keel attached (building stand extended) and most of the deck and cockpit in place.

Great morning at Bluewater, sea trials for HMS Cossack and a dash around with The Cigarette, would have sailed Eventide but took the wrong transmitter !!

Regards Ray

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

Hi. Ray, I recognise that shot of the water, and it looks likes a good day to try the Cossack, not too much wind.

Eddie.

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Interesting for me as well Ray, to see how you have done the keel. I note that it doesn't extend upto deck level like a dagger board.

Yes, it's good to get back to the water again isn't it, I been to our club a couple of times now.

Chris

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi All,

The pressure is back on to finish the woodwork on Chez  as I want to start a new aeroplane a De Havilland DH60 Moth 80" span

I will order the sails from Frank at Nylet soon as he normally takes 6 weeks from order.

The steering servo is mounted under the rear deck which is being built insitu with the cling film method to hopefully allow release. the tiller is a brass wheel collet with a strip of brass soft soldered on and drilled.

Regards Ray

Edited By Ray Wood 2 on 07/05/2021 15:53:24

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hi Ray

The top wing mono planes are a treat to fly…..As you probably already know

I once made a 105" span Piper Cub with a Saito 20cc 4 stroke and 21" prop

Lovely flyer too

Very and friendly

Bob

[Tim RoweParticipant @timrowe83142]

Hello Bob

Just a quick nudge. The DH60 is a biplane but a lovely subject anyway and should be a treat to fly. I know Ray will keep the weight down and we were have a discussion about whether his ASP 90 four stroke would do the job. We reckoned it would if flown like the real thing on the wing and conserving energy with smooth manoeuvres. I like to watch the big models like your Piper but I don't have the room to own one.

Watching the slipper by the way.

Tim R

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Thank you Tim for the your comment

Slipper Launch progressing well now

Bob

[Nigel NorthwoodParticipant @nigelnorthwood17509]

Hi Ray

I got two nice sets of Nylet sails with my 'Silhouette'.

Although I've made some sails of my own, I may yet have a go with the Nylet ones if I can figure out how the jib boom supplied would clear the mast. At the moment it overlaps too much with either of the foresails that came with it.

Btw: the traveller works fine.

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi All,

The original design has the mast located on the cabin roof thus limiting access to the internals so now the front section of the roof is fixed for the base of the tabanacle and the rear section now lifts off giving good access to the works and keel wing nuts

Regards Ray

[Nigel NorthwoodParticipant @nigelnorthwood17509]

Looks nice, Ray. Good plan with the roof. I've left mine as it came, fixed with screws and with an added mast support underneath .

The hatch is just big enough for me to get my hand in so I've arranged for the battery box to be velcroed on the rear of the r/c tray and for the switch & receiver to be velcroed to the inside of the cabin/cockpit bulkhead, where I can reach them for removal.

Despite the inclement weather I've got to the point where I'm going to have to put up our paddling pool so I can do some buoyancy/ballast experiments on this and on a restored Marblehead/ketch too.

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi All,

Chez When is nearly ready for the paint shop now

Regards Ray

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

Hi. Ray, she is looking good, have you decided on a colour scheme yet? and I hope you have permission to use the dining table for the photo shoot.

BTW I will be at Bluewater on Sunday to meet my Broadstairs friends, but I will not be able to bring a boat as I am collecting some of Rogers boats to store for him as they are moving up this way soon. I hope we can meet up.

Regards.

Eddie.

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