“EeZeBilt 50+” Sea Princess build

[Diede van AbsParticipant @diedevanabs87670]

[Diede van AbsParticipant @diedevanabs87670]

During holidays, I have picked up the tradition of starting an "EeZeBilt"-boat. Reason being that it is nice to have something to do in the evenings, and the EeZeBilt way of building is taylored towards building with limited resources. I got my plans from EeZeBilt.co.vu.

This time, the Sea Princess of the "50+"-range – a range designed by the guy that collected all the plans of the original EeZeBilts – was the boat of my choice, it being a pretty beefy boat (for eezebilt standards) of 23" with nice lines and something quite different from the tugs and working vessels I usually build (last years' project was the "Beaver"-tug, also from the 50+-plans, and before that I built the EeZeBilt Otter and 50+ Tamar lifeboat).

Of course I started off with cutting out all the part templates and sticking them to balsa (and ply, for the keel, Superstructure sides and some of the formers) using spray glue:

 

Then, after some cutting, I knocked up the entire framework in one evening:

 

The deck is made of two big sheets – one per side, and a little piece in the back:

 

And lastly for now, the hull sheeting starts:

Edited By Diede van Abs on 15/05/2014 14:22:27

[Diede van AbsParticipant @diedevanabs87670]

Bottom is planked now, prop tube glued in place:

Made up my own rudder assembly:

[Andy CParticipant @andyc56856]

Nice to see someone building one of these. I have the plans for some of the smaller ones downloaded for later.

Looking good so far.

Andy

[Diede van AbsParticipant @diedevanabs87670]

Hi Andy,

This is actually my fourth boat from that website, having built Otter, Tamar and Beaver (still in process btw) before.

They are surprisingly good looking and easy to build models, ideal holiday-building-material because only basic tools and equipment is needed (if a little preparation at home is being done first).

Which one are you looking to build?

[Amy jane SeptemberParticipant @amyjaneseptember49770]

Looks like a nice build, she'll be a smart looking boat. I shall be watching with enthusiasm.

[Andy CParticipant @andyc56856]

Hi Diede

I like the look of either smaller Curlew or the larger Triton. Not decided yet. I also have my Gup B to do once my exams are out of the way.

Andy

[Diede van AbsParticipant @diedevanabs87670]

Are you planning to "RC" them? In that case I'd go for the Triton. Although the small EeZeBilts can be turned into fully functional RC boats, it is very tight.

The Sea Princess is completely sheeted now:

Coming week I need to get myself some thin (watery) epoxy to impregnate the hull with, and to add a layer of tissue for strength and waterproofing…

[Andy CParticipant @andyc56856]

Hi Diede

Looks really good. I have some small electronics that might fit the smaller bout, or I might double the size, as others have done.

For epoxy some of the other guys, and girls, use Poly C. This has been discussed elsewhere on the forum. it can be found here **LINK**

Andy

[Diede van AbsParticipant @diedevanabs87670]

Hi Andy,

For my Otter I used 2,4GHz stuff and LiPo batteries. This combined with a small motor and ESC, and a little tweaking of the hull (it is 2cm deeper than original) works fine.

My Tamar uses much the same setup, except I used a 400-size motor for that (boy that boat goes!!!) and I did not extend the hull.

My Beaver is 1,4x size (printed A4 plans on A3 paper), plenty of space there

Be aware that if you double the plans, all small errors in the plans are also doubled and some things (like the hull sheets…) don't fit as well anymore. Nothing too bad, just something to keep in mind (so cut them a bit oversize).

Epoxy won't be a problem, its just a matter of time (and shops being closed in the weekend).

[Dodgy Geezer 1Participant @dodgygeezer1]

"…Be aware that if you double the plans, all small errors in the plans are also doubled and some things (like the hull sheets…) don't fit as well anymore…"

Alas, the only guarantee these plans come with is that, if you find an error, I'll be happy to alter the plan accordingly. So any information on errors, omissions, etc will be gratefully received….

At the moment we have an RAF Pinnace being drawn up in a far more professional style than I could hope to achieve – created by a supporter in Germany and one in New Zealand working in tandem, while I am (very slowly) putting together a set of plans for the 'Marinecraft' range of starter kits marketed by Model Aerodrome in the 1960s. Something should be out by the autumn…

[Diede van AbsParticipant @diedevanabs87670]

Hi DG,

Good to see you here!

I know that you happily correct errors in the plans. (I found two in the Sea Princess plans; I will send them to you shortly)

The errors I referred to, are more like if lines on scans or plans are a liiiiitle bit off, it will probably go unnoticed if you build (near) original size. However, when you scale up to double size, these little deviations will also grow and then WILL be noticed. This counts for original and 50+-plans alike. Like I said; it's nothing too bad, just a matter of knowing up front and anticipating by cutting the hull planking a bit oversize. It's something I discovered when building my 1,4x size Beaver AHT which is coming along very nicely BTW, I hope to complete its maiden somewhere this summer.

Over all, I still very much love your designs; the Sea Princess won the choice I had to make between her and the Terrier And I promote the EeZeBilts pretty actively here in the Netherlands

[Dodgy Geezer 1Participant @dodgygeezer1]

And I promote the EeZeBilts pretty actively here in the Netherlands…

Very kind!

Of course, one of the aims of the original kits was to get young kids making things. Your 'holiday build' idea is a very good one – perhaps modellers with children might like to cut out a set of the parts for a small eezebilt and give them to their kids with a tube of glue when they are at the seaside on a rainy day…

DG

[Diede van AbsParticipant @diedevanabs87670]

So…, a little update on the Sea Princess:

I have covered the hull with tissue and epoxy resin, on most surfaces 2-3 layers did the trick but the bow section was particularly flimsy due to some building irregularities which caused me to almost sand through the hull, so the first one third of the hull has 4-5, sometimes even 6, layers of tissue. Now it is strong enough.

Now on to the boring part of filling, sanding…. until it is nice and smooth, like a yacht should be.

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

Diede + any other interested balsa bashers
You can thin Z-Poxy finishing resin (epoxy) with Isopropyl Alcohol (aka Rubbing Alcohol) as much as you like. I've just used that system on a balsa hull with two layers of lightweight cloth and it looks like a mirror now. IPA can be obtained from many sources on the Internet. I paid about seven pounds for a litre (delivered) but you can get it for less.
Dave M

Edited By Dave Milbourn on 17/06/2014 14:42:02

[Diede van AbsParticipant @diedevanabs87670]

Hi Dave,

That's good information, I think I might go and experiment a bit with a dab of epoxy and rubbing alcohol.

For the outside of this boat, though, I need to go the other way: Using glass bubbles to make it thicker – homemade filler if you like, to be applied with a brush Works great for adding thin layers – less filler is (almost) always better.

[Andy CParticipant @andyc56856]

Hi Diede

Coming on nicely. Sadly still unable to start a build as one more exam to take. Can't believe I am 40+ and still taking exams. Oh well nearly finished.

I think I will do one of the smaller ones and get my son or daughter to try and put it together. Not sure if I will use balsa though, not really happy using the stuff. I prefer light ply. I think I will try the Neptune and see what happens.

Keep us updated with the build and it will be interesting to see your choice of electrics.

Andy

[Diede van AbsParticipant @diedevanabs87670]

Went out of my way this weekend applying home-mixed Epoxy filler and then sanding, sanding, sanding…

The boat is now almost smooth, unfortunately I sanded through the tissue cladding on some spots so a second, real thin, layer of filler will be needed to get it perfect.

Still, result of this weekend:

[Diede van AbsParticipant @diedevanabs87670]

After a short building stop – holidays, other hobbies, no inspiration for another tedious sanding session – I picked up the Sea Princess again. I believe the hull is now smooth enough for spray putty to be applied, but I first want the decks and superstructure to be treated with thin epoxy. So, I finished the superstructure roofs, thus adding the last parts from the plans (except for the rub- and spray rails, which I intend to make from plastic rather than Balsa).

It really starts to look the part now!

So, next step will be epoxy on the deck and superstructure, then spray-painting the hull and probably the superstructure as well, and then on to detailing! (and maybe a test run somewhere in between… lets see how much time I can free up. Schedule is damn tight, though)

[Amy jane SeptemberParticipant @amyjaneseptember49770]

Indeed she is begining to look the part

[Diede van AbsParticipant @diedevanabs87670]

Last couple of weeks I have not been so busy on the Sea Princess, but still have got stuff done.

I soldered some bollards (or how do you call the small 'uns in English), which after some paint look like so:

Then I installed the rubrail and the footrail annex railing base, those little bollard-thingies and I decided that the fore roof was too much dented so I glued up a layer of small 1mm thick balsa strips to tidy it all up:

The main roof now has its handrails and mast (including wings made of 1mm thick ply) "stained" and installed, and consequently covered with some thinned epoxy:

And while I was fooling around with epoxy I immediately did the entire boat and roofs, so it is as waterproof as it will get. Overview of how it is drying now:

Thanks Dave for your tip about the rubbing alcohol. I did it with "denaturized alcohol", I am not sure if it is the same as isopropyl alcohol but it certainly worked thinning the epoxy (and I am high on the fumes right now )

[Dodgy Geezer 1Participant @dodgygeezer1]

Well, Diede, you are improving the Eezebilts yet again!

Your bollards (in fact, they are closer to the fitting the English call 'cleats&#39 are very distinctive. And, sitting in the little cut-outs in your foot-rail, they make the line of the vessel much more 'business-like'. The picture taken from the bow could be a professional advert for the boat – it looks better than anything I have seen advertising the full-size 'Sea Queen'! I look forward to seeing it in its final paint job…

The original kits of 50 years ago were cheap and simple, and so thousands of children would be exercising their brains and constructing lights, masts and anchors from scrap wood and wire to make their boats look different. Indeed, that was where a lot of the fun came from.

[Diede van AbsParticipant @diedevanabs87670]

Thanks DG, I do my best to get the most out of the models!

As for the cleats; I realized some days after posting it should be cleats – too late to modify the post. That's what you get when you are not writing in your own language Ow well… Thanks for rectifying anyways.

I am really happy the way the foot-rail and cleats turned out, it gave me quite something to think about how I were to do the foot- and rubrail and not make it look silly. Indeed, the devil (and most of the fun) is in the details, and I am only at the start of it all… First I'll need to do a flotation test to determine the waterline, I think. And I am still out on the color scheme. The only thing I know is that rub- and footrails, decks and roofs will remain wood, and the superstructure walls and window frames will probably be white – and the rest…? Time will tell if I go for high gloss white or a nice deep marine blue or green.

To finish this post, a little picture of the strakes installed and the whole hull covered in spray-putty:

I think this will be quite a performer, once again

Edited By Diede van Abs on 21/09/2014 20:34:40

[Amy jane SeptemberParticipant @amyjaneseptember49770]

Ohh that looks nice, she certainly has the lines for speed.

I trust you will give her a generous helping of watts?

Edited By Amy jane September on 21/09/2014 23:15:17

[Diede van AbsParticipant @diedevanabs87670]

Of course, Amy Jane. There is a nice brushless outrunner in my stock, for this boat. I think power will be the least of my challenges ;-

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