Clyde Puffer Glenaray

[Alasdair AllanParticipant @alasdairallan37423]

[Alasdair AllanParticipant @alasdairallan37423]

[Alasdair AllanParticipant @alasdairallan37423]

Above are a few photos of my puffer Glenaray which today, after 14 months stop and start work, is finally complete! She has done bath trials but pond trials I think will wait till the spring. I modelled her on a real puffer and the Caldercraft hull in modified form worked out fine for this I think. However,  most of the rest I ended up making from scratch, based on photos of the real ship. I learned lots of new skills, like lightng and rigging (and propellors – I am usually a paddle steamer man!).  Am very grateful for everyone on this site who has helped me out with plans, info and technical advice and I now look forward to sailing her.

[Richard SimpsonModerator @richardsimpson88330]

She looks superb Alastair, really looking forward to seeing her on the water.  I like the weathering, you have just captured the right amount, it is very easy to overdo it before you gain a bit of experience.

[Alasdair AllanParticipant @alasdairallan37423]

Many thanks Richard.  Yes I was a bit cautious on the weathering front as not really done any of that before. Looking forward to getting her on the pond, though my day job will make that a bit difficult before the spring. Wioll post some photos when I do though.

[Alasdair AllanParticipant @alasdairallan37423]

[Alasdair AllanParticipant @alasdairallan37423]

Finally got out onto the pond in Edinburgh with my puffer Glenaray today for sea trials. A bit of ballast trimming needed, but otherwise seems to be going OK!

[Alasdair AllanParticipant @alasdairallan37423]

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/8uiczzo1a2f4awhpy2bt9/IMG_1714.mp4?rlkey=7co314t9ngdjzvgl7c8yow1mw&st=u4o8e6az&dl=0

[Alasdair AllanParticipant @alasdairallan37423]

no idea if the link to video will work!

[Tim RoweParticipant @timrowe83142]

Hello Alasdair

The link works fine for me and and I think your Puffer is inspired. Fantastic.

Tim R

[Richard SimpsonModerator @richardsimpson88330]

Yes, link works fine.  She looks really good Alasdair, something to be proud of.

[Alasdair AllanParticipant @alasdairallan37423]

Thanks Tim and Richard! Very pleased with her and she is hopefully a reasonably accurate attempt at an actual individual puffer.  She is a bit tender though, so any views on distributing ballast inside puffers much appreciated!

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Worked tor me as well, she looks great.

It looked from the video as if she might be riding a bit high in the water. If so then some extra weight in the bottom will steady her and reduce the degree of bobbing about.

Colin

[Richard SimpsonModerator @richardsimpson88330]

Interesting Alasdair, when I watched the video I though she was looking a bit tender and was tempted to make a comment but then thought I was being a bit picky and didn’t want to be negative about such a lovely model!  So glad you noticed the same, and, as Colin mentioned she looks a bit high so you have plenty to play with.

Whatever weight you add I would add it equally to either end.  If you put it in the middle it will lower the hull in the water but only slightly reduce the bobbing effect.  If you split the weight and add it to either end the bobbing effect will be much more reduced.  I would play around with plastic bags of lead shot to start with.  You can buy lead shot on line, not cheap but you’ve always got it.  Then simply put small amounts into two small plastic bags and put them in either end of the model.  You can then easily add or remove shot from the bags until you get exactly the ballast conditions you are looking for.  You can also adjust the trim by having slightly more or less in one bag.  Puffers tended to be down by the stern unless fully loaded, when they were fairly level.  Label the bags and weigh them for future reference.  You could then decide to add some of the ballast permanently by sealing some of the shot in resin and leaving the remainder as removeable for future flexibility with battery changes or equipment additions, or you could add all the shot permanently in resin.

I wouldn’t take it right down to the fully loaded marks, puffers were frequently not fully loaded, especially with less dense cargos, and the model will become unmanageably heavy so have a play and decide what suits the looks, the handling and the weight of the model.

As an example I have a ready built Graupner Corvette which, after a few trials, I decided needed around 6kg of ballast.  I played around with lead shot in plastic bags until I decided that 2kg in the stern and 2kg in the bow gave her the right attitude and an appropriate movement through the water.  The remaining 2kg are the two lead acid batteries midships.

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Excellent advice from Richard. Ballast her down a bit at the ends and the result can be very effective without compromising experience.

45 years ago I built ss Granada, a fruit ship from 1:600 Model Boats waterline plans. I had to work out the underwater lines for myself.

The finished model was a trifle tender and I made the mistake of making the prop shaft slightly too high which caused the prop to thrash a bit at the indicated draught.

The addition of just a little extra ballast transformed the model. Although it brought her down to the top of the boot topping at rest, when in motion the wave action exposed the boot topping and the model looked fine. I ran the model successfully for five years in the MPBA Scale Championship competition and it still has pride of place in my living room.

It was awarded a Silver Medal at the 1981 Model Engineer Exhibition.

Colin

 

 

 

 

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi All,

Jim’s 34″ puffer has taken 10 lbs of ballast so far and ready for a maiden voyage when it warms up !!!

She looks rather clinical at the moment and needs some bits and bobs added and weathered 🙂

Regards  Ray

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