Commodores Challenge

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello Tim Cooper

Thank you for your post

Sorry to say that your stick numbers are not what I was expecting!…..Surprise surprise?

Will have give the matter more thought now

Where have you got your numbers from please?

I paid a visit to the club pond this morning to see what they were using

There were about a dozen members sailing 1 m Yachts and nobody could offer any advice concerning power boats

The one power boat chap there ,always sailed using one motor and rudder

Guess what he used?……..The RH stick only and used it like a pudding spoon with one hand!

I am sorting out a motor boat with two independent motors. I will be using left and right sticks, up and down for motor control for motor control. The rudder will be operated by the right hand stick, left and right for the rudder.

This is a typical set up for all my boats, my confusion was finding out the correct stick numbers. I will sort it out by Trial and error now and let you know my settings

Thank you Tim

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello Tim Cooper

Apologies are in order

Your information is correct and working correctly………Phew!

How I got myself so misguided is baffling

Thank you for your help my mate

Bob

[Tim CooperParticipant @timcooper90034]

Bob

No problem.

Glad you are getting it sorted out.

Tim

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hi Chaps

The sands of time have finally brought us up to September at long last

At the moment, none of the club members have not taken up the Commodores Challenge!

The members have all gone over to yacht racing for some reason

One metre, J Class and Fiesta yachts, and the occasional Steering Comp, hardly a sign of the familiar Tug Boats and Cruisers etc

Personally, I`m not looking forward to the event with just Bob Abell sailing

With the Club being off limits this year, we have had no close contact with members to discuss the Challenge

Bob

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Bob. Look on the bright side, with only your entry to the challenge you are bound to win!

Why is the club off limits?

Ashley

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Well you are sharing it with us Bob so we feel like we are part of it.

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hi Ashley

I don`t want to win a one horse race! It`s the taking part with some friendly competition,as a genuine club event. for which there will be a Trophy

The club room has only today been declared open again

Perhaps the powers that be have just seen my post?

I`m hoping for a few Dark horses to appear out of the wings very soon

News of the event will reappear shortly, no doubt. probably allowing extra time etc

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Bought a 7 foot paddling pool to test float the model

A nice feature for playing in the garden away from the prying eye`s of the curious club members?

Had a trial run, all ok. but water was getting in the hull somehow?

I suspect the lower hull somewhere

Had to break through the floor to inspect the actual hull joints

For starters, I varnished the hull all over externally

Next job was to apply a copious amount of varnish to the inside of the lower hull, through the inner sub floor, with a paint brush.

A second coat was applied with the hull sloping to the rear

Will have another flotation test tomorrow……..Weather permitting of course, as storms are forecast

Good evening chaps

Now for the England v Poland Football match…..Dobra!

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Love the test tank. I tried one once but ended up with more holes in it than I could patch. Plus it took my airbrush compressor two days to inflate it then another two days to fill the thing. Maybe I need to lower my expectations and get something a lot smaller!

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Thank you Richard, good job you have plenty of patience

Or have you?

Now for the problem,,,,

Do I sail again or apply another coat of varnsh?

Bob

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

 

We pour a quantity of EzeKote in the hull and slosh it around. It finds all the little seam cracks. Suck or use a brush to remove excess. Let dry a few days.

i find a close inspection of the hull, using a strong light and perhaps a magnifying glass usually shows up issues.

Sure it’s not the propshaft or rudder tube? Common leak points and I wouldn’t have thought you had any actual hull leaks?.

Disco boat was letting in water recently and Trevor spotted water coming in from the rudder tube…I had used the wrong size rod to make the rudder post! Changed to the right size and no leaks.

Ashley

Edited By ashley needham on 09/09/2021 09:44:16

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

The trouble with sealing leaks from the insides is that you allow the water to contact the structure from the outside and while you don't have a leak anymore, you might find the hull deteriorating. I'm a great believer in dealing with leaks from the outside but I know opinions and situations may vary.

As Ashley says make sure you have the obvious things covered such as shafts and rudder tubes but I would then put the hull in the test tank with a few good weights into it to hold it right down and increase the pressure on the hull. This will show up the smallest of leaks. If it passes that test then I would go for it.

[Tim CooperParticipant @timcooper90034]

Bob / Richard

I had one of the blow up pools for a while till it kept deflating and couldn't find the hole.

This year I bought a Dog Paddling pool from Amazon. It's circular, about 1.2m across. It doesn't need blowing up. The sides are wood encased in PVC (?), The slats are joined together and a integral base. You just open it out and start filling. When finished with and empty, it folds up and is stored in a plastic case. There is a cover available for it , which I think I might buy as well

The dog loved it as well.

Tim

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Thank you, Tim

It`s nice having a pond in the garden for the odd floatation test, a rare luxury

Anyway, I tried another float and no leaks

Couldn`t believe it myself

Added a 2lb weight and left it for ten minutes

Sure enough. got water in two small compartments and nowhere else

Will be ok later on today, with another dollop of varnish

Bob

[Tim CooperParticipant @timcooper90034]

Found a pic of my new paddling pool.

Tim

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Looks OK, Tim. Not seen that type before

There could be a market for home based sailing pools, about 20 ft dia?

Can see the happy paddler too

Bob

[Tim CooperParticipant @timcooper90034]

No

Yes once we tempted him in, he enjoyed it.

Tim

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Thats impressive Tim….independent leg movement???

Ashley

[Tim CooperParticipant @timcooper90034]

Ashley

You forgot the tail!

That can move in any direction or in circles, and seems to be independent of it's owner!

Tim

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hi Tim

Have you incorporated geo-stationary software like the drones have, the tails articulation is amazing.

Paul

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

talking as were were about animals, a snake is something I have been PONDering on.

There are several methods of getting an articulated body but they all look naff when the viewing is close, I mean 10 foot or so, not 2 foot away.

Ashley

[Bob McParticipant @bobmc91481]

Hi Bob.

I recently met you at Etherow some weeks or is it a month ago, I was the chap who had scratch built a pleasure cruiser using the slats from a venetian blind for the hull, I heard you were entering the Commodores' Challenge and just wondered how you got on?

I am new to model boats and your posts have been inspirational, hope to meet you again soon, I am having a go at a clinker built 'Auxilliary boat' at present which I am finding quite difficult, might have to scrap it! some pics of my efforts below,

Rgds..Bob Mc.

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello Bob Mc

I do remember meeting you on the landing stage several weeks ago

The Slipper Launch was finished months ago and it appears that I am the only entrant!

I`ve sailed the model in the garden, using an inflatable kids paddling pool

Not sailed on the Lake.

Don`t understand why there were not more entrants though

See you again next time

Regards……Bob A

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Bob. Yes, I don’t understand why there are no challenge entries. You would have thought people would only be too glad to have something to work on??

Bob Mc. There’s not that much wrong with your launch as far as I can see. Paint looks good. Some applique wood or white strips at the front would help to get a good gap-less fit, and once accessorised with people, fittings and so on, it will look the biz.

If you were worried about the unevenness on the hull, attack it with some course sandpaper and spread P38 filler down the sides with a wide scraper, then wet’n’dry. Should sort it out easy.

Ashley

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Thank you. Ashley for your post

The Club members seem to have gone over to Yachting only these days, en masse

Probably because the Commodore is a well known Yachter

Power boats of any kind are rarely seen these days

A sad situation indeed

Bob

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