Commodores Challenge

[redpmgParticipant @redpmg]

No doubt elf & gormless to protect ones ears from Covid Ashley – who knows how that sort of mind works ……….

SRCMBC can have 30members at the pond – but only 12 boats on the water………

Edited By redpmg on 12/06/2021 14:16:28

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

I can appreciate having to limit members to 30 but why limit the number of boats to 12.

You wouldn't think that model boats needed to be socially distanced,

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Ah but Paul….the boats need to be touched when launching and are thus packed full of viri, ready to be spread when they come into contact with the crowded jetty full of 30 boaters!….or the one that HAS got viruses on it might touch another virus less boat…..

or….

This is why Bushy park is not a club…..

Ashley

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

I have to admit that I avoid clubs simply because of the self important committees. I don't suffer fools and tend to upset too many apple carts.

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

I`ve cobbled together a temporary Driver that should look convincing enough on the Maiden sail at Etherow Lake.

Cobbled is the operative word.

Bob

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Captain Bob

The driver looks great and is the last word in cobbled together, he isn't shoe horned in and is a perfect fit.

The stripes look like a blazer and would grace any posh river event.

I think you have this competition all laced up and you can afford a cheeky tounge out to those who didnt bother to enter for, as usual you are the heart and sole of the club membership.

Paul

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Many thanks Paul for your kind words of praise, not really deserved though. but I know you mean well

The Club is not back as it was 2 years ago

Sadly, a few of my close friends are no longer with us and leave an unfillable void

It feels a sad situation and I`m in no rush to have a maiden sail at the moment

Not one club member has commented on the build

Bob

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

I rather think that even well established clubs are now beginning to disintegrate as the average age of members increases and there is no longer the energy to organise events as previously.

We have already seen a dramatic decline in the number of shows around the country even before Covid.

Colin

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Thank you Colin, you have summed up the present Model Boat situation quite nicely

I thought it was just me feeling a bit melancholy. I feel better now

Bob

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

An awful lot of activities, clubs,bands and so on have been very badly affected by all this. A few bands I know have not been able to meet due to the size of their rehearsal room and social distancing etc,and I had to Laugh at the mention of restricted numbers of boats on the water…

No doubt if it was a club at Bushy we would/might not be boating, however as it is everyone is only too glad to get out in the fresh air.

Like the driver Bob. If I may make so bold, I think he is a bit small…perfectly formed, but small…the upshot is that it makes the boat look like a massive cruiser and not a slipper.

Just my opinion.

Ashley.

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

I don't know about cobbled together Bob, there are some amongst us who would do well to get to that standard with a finished article!

I actually think the bare wood figure suits the model boat perfectly and adds to the atmosphere. Get some varnish on him and make him permanent!

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Thank you, Richard

Such kind praise indeed, gratefully received, you`ve brightened my day

Now where`s that scallywag Ashley?

Ash` ……..I estimated the scale of the model to be 1/12 th scale

So I measured myself !……See Scale drawing

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Bob. Only my opinion. As I have often said, you are building the boat not me. I know you like an opinion, as I do myself. Whether you like that opinion or not is of course up to you! Ashley

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

And we all remember what Dirty Harry said about opinions!

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Captain Bob

It is staggering that members of the club haven't commented on the build. I presume that some club members are also members of this forum.

I wonder why they have left you to carry the flag for this event.

I understand that membership will be thinning out but you would expect some level of club support.

Speaking for myself I have really enjoyed watching your build and I even started to research Slipper Launches with a view to building a 3ft one.

Paul

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hi Paul

The chap running the Website, Geoff S, has a very troublesome Email address.

In fact he has several for some reason and I just cannot get through to him on any of the addresses

It is possible he may think that I have been ignoring him for the last six weeks

It is a very poor situation

The club members have never posted material, apart from my mate, Duckie

Things should improve when this Covid thing has gone away….Hopefully

Bob

[Steven S. 1Participant @stevens-1]

Hi Bob

I have also enjoyed following your build and have begun researching my own Slipper launch build.

Steve

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

It’s easy really Bob. The club members are so in awe of your build that they feel unable to comment lest it exposes the inadequacies of their tiny builds. Easy as that as to why there are no posts.

As usual you have seen through the mists of the commodores challenge and built a boat in true “Bob” fashion, ie…a decent size and full of the usual quirks and inventiveness.

Ashley

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Thank you Steve for your message

I`m always pleased when readers keep me informed

Hope you will post your build progress?

Bob

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

I think something we forget about as well is how rare it is nowadays to see a build right the way through. This doesn't happen by chance, someone has taken the not inconsiderable time to take photographs and put them into a thread with text to share the build with us all and add significantly to the workload of the build.

Whether anyone has anything to add to the thread or not I think we all owe Bob a word of thanks for taking the time to share this with us. I've enjoyed watching his model come together, as I'm sure most of us have, and look forward to what he might come up with next.

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Bob,

Well said by Richard your modelling is an inspirational to us all, lots of people watching and taking hints and tips from your model building , as Richard asks, what's next ??

Best Wishes from down south (Raining Again)

Ray

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Very nicely put Richard.and many thanks for your informative posting and appreciation and obvious friendship…Likewise here.

I`ve always described the build of all my models in the past, starting with The Great Eastern, way back in 2007 `ish

It creates great interest from the Readership and was a sort of friendly chat show

The Great Eastern model was 7 feet long, and was built in only 6 months, due to the great interest it created.

It wasn`t a spot on model, but I liked the idea of Paddles and a prop combination and impressive size. There were no plans available, so I based the model on a previous paddleboat build…. Jeanie Deans, The shape was remarkably similar to GE and only needed extending, making wider, making deeper and Bob`s yer Uncle, as they say.

The model sailed nicely etc and after a few months, interest waned it was put in storage.

I`ll not ramble on too much, as the story is truly epic!

About four years later, Mr Colin Bishop rang me and said…."The BBC are looking for a model of the Great Eastern and wish to use it in one of their Coast programmes…..Are you interested?"

More later, depending on the membership`s reaction and response

Bob

[redpmgParticipant @redpmg]

Enjoyed the build Bob – great model .

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Are you kidding?!! Of course we want to hear more.

[redpmgParticipant @redpmg]

Agree with Richard Bob – lets hear more about it.- all very interesting & intriguing.

[Author]

Posts