Commodores Challenge

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

A pleasure as always Bob to gaze upon your hold-down methods !

Are you fitting a shiny brass prop or a performance twin blade plastic one? Or indeed using the one shown?

Ashley

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Thank you, Ashley

It`s very satisfying lashing down the ropes where required. with any amount of force!

I agree, the prop is truly miserable, hardly any lead angle at all, the blades are so shallow, it`s difficult to tell the direction of rotation!

Will find one shortly…..Fit for purpose!

Cheers. Bob

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

An X50 two blade plastic prop is the optimum for the 850 motor, takes about 10-12A…but Fitting 3 blade 50mm brass ones on my Fantome did not show any appreciable performance difference.

Ashley

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Keel cladding in progress

It may look very untidy, but we are getting there slowly

The sharp end is a challenge

Bob

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Be interested to see how you do the pointy end Bob… perhaps a balsa block just for the very front bit? It looks like a bit of heated ply might just form over the rest?

Ashley

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hello Bob,

Yes I'd agree with the blocks at the bow, depends what's in the scrap box really

I think Ashley is suggesting a Mach 2 Slipper launch ?? Those boys at Bushey are speed mad I've heard

Keep up the good work, not sure about Fablon !!

Regards Ray

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Ray…you blasphemer you…suggesting the Bushy crew is speed mad….!! Just because we do not under power our boats,…..

our motto is “ there’s no such thing as too much power”.

I did suggest on page 4 of this thread that slippers were for polite cruising, but a bit of oomph always makes it interesting.

Fablon, hmm..can you varnish fablon to make it shiny?

Ashley

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hi Ray….Hi Ash

I`ll probably use a block of balsa to fill the pointy bit, the easy way out

Fablon may sound a bit unsuitable, but I`ve used it a few times with success

On Lady Joyce and Lady Jane, see below. I do varnish it to seal the joints

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Now for the pointy area

Have fitted supports for vertical soft wood planking with filler to finish

Don`t fancy balsa wood as it`s in the firing line!

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

It`s alway`s great fun sanding down the hull carcass after the sheeting over and filling the joints etc

I can sit back now and enjoy the rest of the build

Now to decide the finishing off , Veneer decking and painted white hull will be acceptable

Don`t fancy sticking Fablon onto the curvy areas

Bob

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Captain Bob

A planked deck and white hull is very acceptable and will look the dogs danglers. For myself I would have used old English white for the hull but that's just me being traditional.

The build is looking great.

Paul

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Absolutely agree with my learned colleague in that a white hull/wood topside is very acceptable. And yes an “old English” white might look nice.

Extra colour can be added by painting below the waterline using a contrasting colour…a nice British racing green or powder blue for instance (seen several examples here on the river).

Individual wicker seats might also look good in the cabin but may be tricky to make…

Ashley

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Thank you boys for your enthusiastic suggestions

Old English White hey?……Wasn`t aware we could get dark white and light white?

Can`t wait to get on the decor activity

Going to have a look round the local Toy Shops for possible plastic seats, steering wheels and crew etc

Would just like to mention here, the risky business of planking a curvy hull with 1 mm ply

When sanding down, there will be some very thin areas, even break throughs

Answer to this is to push the thin areas down and simply add more filler

Bob

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Shouldn’t be a problem Bob….you only need to plank the top, which is flat (no compound curves) so shouldn’t have an issue? Paint adequate for hull, or even a woostain varnish?

ashley

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Just about to the jump in at the deep end and lay the Fablon topside!

It`s a bit nerve wracking for some reason, but it has worked out OK

The sheet was laid laid out carefully on the hull, making sure it was lined up correctly

About 12" was peeled off and carefully placed on the bows end and rolled flat

Then another 12" was peeled off and pressed down with great care

And so on

Don`t start breathing a sigh of relief yet, as we`ve still got to trim off the surplus, very carefully

Phew!……Job done

I next gave the corners of the edges a good pressing down

Now can stand back and admire the result

Wow!

Next job will be to apply a coat of Yacht Varnish to seal the edges

Bob

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Bob

Not telling you how to suck eggs but it would be advisable to test the varnish on a scrap piece of fablon just in case it reacts or doesn't stick to the vinyl surface.

Paul.

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Paul, I`ve used this varnish method on my last three boats and there was no problem

Thanks for the warning though, just to be on the safe side. I`ll try a piece, right now, just in case the varnish is any different from the last tin

All the best my mate

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Decision time once again, chaps

The hatches and cockpit need to be Fablon covered

The Fablon isn`t stuck down yet, but the contrast of colours look a bit severe?

Any suggestions Ashley?

Where`s Ray Wood when we need him?

Ray, do you recognise the old RC Aircraft kit box in the back ground?

It`s a Mirus..About 1984…It Went like an absolute rocket!….Much too fast for me!

Better picture coming up

Bob

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

That does look a bit severe Bob. How about cutting strips of the pale one and dark one to make a light/dark striped effect?

Ashley

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Thank you, Ashley for your honest opinion

I have to agree, I have decided to continue with the original Fablon wood pattern and add discreet white stripes, as required

I was rather surprised to recieve an Email this morning from Carole showing your latest collection of unusual models

Very interesting. showing your "Thinking outside the Box" ability

Bob

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Bob,

Yes I had a Mirus back then with Irvine .20 glow powered it was fast , I think Ken Stokes also did an EE Lightning for .40 which I had back then, looked the business with the vertical climb.

I saw one of the last public displays of the fullsize Ligntnings at RAF Mildenhall in 1988 !! what an aeroplane

Regards Ray

[Steven S. 1Participant @stevens-1]

This is a great looking boat, glad you aren't going with the high contrast vinyl hatches. I'm very interested in building a Slipper Launch a go for my next project. Just got to find some plans now.

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Thank you, Steven

The dak stuff was just an option

I was going to cut the middle area’s out and leave just a thin dark surround

But didn’t like that either

Now back on safe ground

There must be plenty of Slipper plans available, have a look round

All the best

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Back on track now, added the rear ventilator, which looks quite nice?

Bob

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Yes like the vent. How about some black (marker pen) lines to simulate the planking? Or is that on your to-do list?

A bit of chrome is also needed somewhere, or perhaps a bit of polished brass..handles, grab rail etc…

Silver or brass scoop vents perhaps.

Ashley

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