Converting a Metcalf Alice Upjohn kit to 37 foot Oakley?

[Timothy LoganParticipant @timothylogan29202]

I was wondering how difficult any of you, who are lifeboat experts, think it would be to convert the Metcalf Alice Upjohn kit to a 37' Oakley such as the Har-Lil (ON 985) (but ignoring the 6 inch difference in the real boat hull lengths)? I'm primarily wondering about changing the cabin and deck structures. I don't yet have any Oakley plans in my hand so I haven't had a chance to really sort that out for myself. The pictures I have seen seem to show the 37' Oakley hull with what looks like part of a Rother cabin on it – with the coxwain area exposed more to the elements. Do you think the cabin structures are similar enough that it would be worthwhile to take a step further and track down plans for the Oakley?

[Timothy LoganParticipant @timothylogan29202]

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

i've never studied the Oakley and the Rother myself, but th man too ask would be a builder called Mike Pendlebury.

he doesn't come on here very often, but if you go on to FACEBOOK  Model lifeboat enthusiasts or F/B  RNLI RC MODEL LIFEBOATS, he has just finished a Rother, and i think he has built an Oakley, so he would be the man to ask any questions of the two

 

Edited By neil howard-pritchard on 13/02/2023 20:58:44

[Timothy LoganParticipant @timothylogan29202]

Thank you Neil. I stopped Facebook over a year ago because I found it was starting to take up too much of my time. It is a bit of a rabbit hole if you know what I mean. Sometimes I think I should sign up again because the Facebook groups which discuss lifeboats are excellent.

[Timothy LoganParticipant @timothylogan29202]

I don't see any way to edit a post, so I'm going to add this on. A sharp-eyed observer pointed out the numbering for the Har-Lil was wrong. He was right'
The numbering for the Har-Lil was taken from page 133 of the Nicholas Leach book "Powering to the Rescue". I just now looked at page 130 where he lists all the Oakley numbers and the reader was correct! So the label on the picture is an error. That's a surprise!
In any event, if I built an Oakley, it would be of the Valentine Wyndham-Quin (ON 985).

[Stephen GarradParticipant @stephengarrad28964]

Hi Tim.

I've just finished my Alice Upjohn Metcalf kit and am very pleased with it. The Rother class was a development of the Oakley class, designated Oakley Mk II, where basically the forward well deck was enclosed in a lengthened cabin and the rear end of the cabin extended to enclose the steering position. If you can, get hold of a copy of Life-boat Design & Development by Eric C Fry, ISBN 0 7153 6793 5 (There are 2 copies on ABE Books.com @ £9 + post at the mo) A very interesting and informative book with loads of drawings recommended to me by Neil who posted above. If you did want to do the conversion I think you might need to discard the Rother cabin from the kit and build the Oakley cabin from scratch.

PS Just looked on ebay. Book is there at £4-97 post free.

Stephen

[Timothy LoganParticipant @timothylogan29202]

Stephen – that is most helpful. Thank you very much!!! I just ordered the Fry book.

Tim

Edited By Timothy Logan on 15/02/2023 22:12:16

[Timothy LoganParticipant @timothylogan29202]

The Fry book arrived yesterday and it is an excellent find. Thank you Stephen.

[Mike PendleburyParticipant @mikependlebury45959]

Oakley persepective view..

I have built several Oakleys with all the variations of steering position from fully open to the semi-permenant cover.

Early part covered steering position

Semi-permenant cover with roll up sides.

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