Commodores Challenge

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Etherow Model Boat Club

Annual Commodores Challenge

This year, the Commodore. John Berry has sketched out a Slipper Launch as being this years Challenge

Drawings to follow shortly

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Build a Slipper Launch

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

I`ve scaled up the plan to twice the drawing size, giving a hull size of 30 inches overall

Due to the local shops being closed, I will have to build the model from odds and ends

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Hi Bob. That’s a nice challenge. I like Thames slippers. Several on the river near me.

i think you should build to the scale of a driving figure, after all, it will need a driver and at certain scales They can be difficult to get a nice one.

Great to see the old Bob in action building again!

Ashley

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Thank you Ashley for those kind words, I`m pleased to be building something for a change and meeting you once more for our friendly banter. I`m hoping Paul T spots the thread too

I didn`t know it was a Thames Slipper craft…..Thank you for the info

The construction is quite straight forward and the virus restrictions will probably be relaxed by September time, so there is no mad panic to finish the boat at the moment

I`m hoping there will be a scale driver available for this scale, if not, then I`ll make one

Keep popping in Ashley, you are always welcome

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Trying out a new method of construction, just for general interest, chaps

Starting with the deck, set at the correct amount of curvature, and placing packing strips to preserve the natural curvature

The formers will be created to suit, as the plan is a bit on the fuzzy side!

Bob

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

a very interesting model, Bob.

I used to live and teach in Maidenhead………….and these were a source of beauty to me down at Boulters Lock, and up at Henley on Thames where I had friends and often visited………and got the chance to sail in one whilst down there from '78- 1980.

As a woodwork teacher, I think I took more notice of their beautiful build than I did the river………..glorous boats…………….and seldom seen in model form.

Good luck and pleasant modelling with yours Bob……….it will look lovely when you have finished all that gorgeous woodwork and brass.

Edited By neil howard-pritchard on 11/04/2021 17:45:19

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Thanks Neil

I`ll do my best

But can`t hope to match your attention to detail

Look after yourself, my mate

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Roughly assembled the hull deck and formers

Having tried a pairs of trial planks, former 2 is looking too narrow at the top

Not a problem, a make up triangle can easily be added to each side

All part of the fun

Bob

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Always like seeing the way you hold stuff together Bob!

i presume this is currently upside down? Difficult to tell at this stage.

I spoke to a chap a few years ago and his had a small Ford car sidevalve motor in it…15 or 20 bhp , very low powered. He led me to believe it was a common-ish engine choice in the day…no idea how true that was.

Ashley

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Welcome back, Ashley

Correct…….I`ve started the build with the deck. Having drawn it quite accurately with the former spacing and symetrical deck shape and forms the starting point.

The length of the deck is the developed length, to allow for the wavyness and amounts to 25 mm extra in length

The top edge is dead level, trusting that the drawn formers are the correct width at the bottom, it is easy to create the simple formers

I know it`s a strange method of build….But I like a challenge. it adds interest

It`s not called the Commodores Challenge for nothing!

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

The local wood shop opened yesterday and managed to stock up

So no excuses now

The framework is coming along nicely now and I`m enjoying the challenge of " Knife and Forking " the construction

Not heard that expression for years!

Picture to follow shortly, if not before

Bob

[Chris EParticipant @chrise]

I too love a slipper lunch.

I wait to see what you do about the figures. Open models including Slippers can look great on static display without them but I haven't seen many open models of quality where the figures don't let them down (or be non existent) when on the water.

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello Chris

Thank you for your comments

I know exactly what you mean about driverless boats……Simply awful

A few years apo. I built my SloMo speed boat and fitted it with an animated driver

When the rudder and airfoil rudder went left, the driver turned the steering wheel to the left

It was lovely to watch the boat dashing about the pond, with the driver wrestling with the controls!

I`ve still got the model, here are a few snap shots, taken this morning

There is also available on Youtube, I`ll dig it out and post a link, shortly

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Unable to post a link at the moment

But search for,,,,,"GVC and Slo Mo2" on You Tube

Filmed by Peter Teal ( Ducky )

Bob

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Hello Bob,

It's good to see you building this design. I had to take a look about the The 'Slipper Launch' on the internet, they are superb and I'm sure your model will not disappoint.

Following your build with interest,

Tony

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Welcome board Tony

Very nice to hear from you again

I recco you take a look at the video mentioned

You will enjoy it

All the best, my mate

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Fitting the hull sides now…..Tricky job

Quite stressful really, as this is my last piece of 1 mm ply!

I`m most impressed as it`s looking ok at the moment

It wouldn`t cooperate at first, with a mind of it`s own almost

But with a slight removal of material, fore and aft, on the lower edge, it`s almost there!

Most pleasing. Only one former needs modding

Bob

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Bob,

Very glad to see your back in the building mood

Do you realise you are building Brutus upside down ? Similar shape.

Regards Ray

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello Ray

I did reply to you earlier, but it seems that there has been some sort of technical problem at Microsoft on my PC and it got wiped off?

There is a good explanation for my strange building method on this particular model and I explained it a few posts ago.

Anyway, it`s nice reading your posts once more.

All the best, my mate

Are you back Barge sailing yet?

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Been wondering for ages about how can get to the other side of the model?, Then I realised. the model is being built on a loose board!

What a joyous moment?. lucky Bob again

Photo to fpllow shortly

Here it is……Problem solved

Bob

Edited By Bob Abell on 14/04/2021 08:17:02

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hello,

No barge sailing yet, our club is part of the Bluewater shopping centre here in Kent so today is the first club morning, but I will wait until the rush has subsided to get back on the water and its cold !!

As I'm still working so I will probably bribe one of my grandsons with a new boat to keep him interested at going boating at the weekend.

All the best Ray

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hi Ray, so your water is actually in a Shopping Centre?

How unusual? I`m surprised that your club has got permission?

What about the insurance side of it?

You will have a job getting the young ones interested in sailing?

Anyway, Ray, what`s on the bench at the moment?

All the best my mate

Bob

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Bob,

I should have said in the grounds of the shopping centre, Bluewater is built in an old quarry with many lakes surrounding it, pretty good club well established with a lake and a canal sort of channel up to the food court Nice to be able to set off up the channel with a small flotilla of boats, but because it's in a quarry the wind is all over the place !

Currently building a Silhouette sailing cruiser but not in a rush.

All the best Ray

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