Herbert Woods – Delight

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi All,

Some time since I last put pencil to paper, I suppose Oldenburg was the last one, having just spent a week of pottering on the Norfolk Broads from Potter Heigham up to Wroxham with my two sisters the temptation to measure the boat was too much !! so here we go , I'm not sure many people have bothered to re-create a 40 foot GRP cruiser in wood but here goes she will be 1/12th scale = 40 inches long and 12" beam.

Regards Ray

I have no idea why the pictures go in the text ??

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Norfolk Broads Hire Boat

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

As there are some nice wooden ones you are probably right Ray!

You made a nice job of the Freeman, creating a GRP boat in timber, so I have the utmost faith.

Chris

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Perfect scale Ray, it can be detailed and accessorised with Doll's house bits and pieces to your heart's content.

[geconParticipant @gecon]

Nice one Ray, very elegant lines on her,

I have a vision of you, in the water, donned with snorkling gear, flippers, a waterproof tape measure and -we hope- bathing trunks. You would occsionally disappear from view like a veritable duck, as you 'flipper' your way around and under the hull to note all the vital statistics. OR..perhaps there was a sister ship onshore you could measure?

She'll be in the water in a month then?…If you take it slowly!

George

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi George,

How did you know about the snorkel & flippers ?? I normally only wear those at weekends

Well the Broads boats are evolving new shapes all the time Delight is typical of the boats moulded in the 1990's so will be historical in a few years, very few of the old timber built cruisers about these days

Loads of the traditional timber yachts tacking about makes life interesting in a motor boat.

I thought maybe 2 weeks ? but now being in charge of all thing domestic maybe 3 months

Regards from the UK

Ray

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi All,

As this blooming north easterly wind is a bit chilly decided not to go boating this morning !! the drawing is coming along with the first bulkhead drawn, following on from George's comment about the hull shape below the waterline I found a freshly layed up hull still in it's mould at Brink's yard at Wroxham so basically a round bilge hull with a point at the front

Regards Ray

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

I'm with you there Ray, too cold to do much outside so I'm going to spend the afternoon on the computer doing some more work on the drawings for my water-jet project.

We had a bar-b-que on Saturday! Long-sleeved shirt again today! Brrrr!

Chris

Edited By Chris Fellows on 31/05/2023 13:01:05

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hi Ray and Chris

I think that's the front of the boat !!!

I check out your plans, looking great !!!

What a barbie with long sleeves and no shorts !!

We are just going into winter and going into long sleeves and pants !!

A toastie 11C today with a wind which was more like a gale at times !!

Harry

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Not much warmer than that here at the moment. Going for a walk today and had to dig out the warm clothes again. Hopefully warm in the pub!

Ray, are you going to have a sliding cockpit cover?

Chris

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Chris,

Yes that's one of the interesting features it goes down the track into a slot in the deck

Regards Ray

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Just looked ir up online, there is an image with the hood retracted and full specs of the boat with photos. All looks very comfy!

**LINK**

Colin

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Colin,

The Herbert Woods website is pretty good and also has 3 live webcams so you can see what's going on at the yard , river & bridge

I may have taken 50 photographs of Delight & 10 pages of dims from the boat, but not in that much of a rush these days .

Regards Ray

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

….so next week then for the finished build….? Ashley

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Ash,

Next week in Spain for a bit of sun, but I will have my note book & tape packed, so who knows what will take my fancy, (Boat wise !!)

Regards Ray

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Have a good one Ray. Chill out, relax and wind down.

[Paul Ebdy 2Participant @paulebdy2]

Morning Ray,

The subjects of my life building model Broads Craft, and the real things for a while upon retiring from the military.

When I set up Broadland Classics venture trials, I gained a vast amount of lines plans, and GAs, of the GRP craft on the Broads, however set my heart eventually on the Woods classics of the Golden 30s Era, hence the kits of Cruisers I produced were of Queen, and Ring of Light Class, and whilst massively popular, sadly I incorporated too much detail in the kits, making it hard for me to knock them out on demand, so ended the trial following 18 months.

However, like us all in retirement, one never gives up eh, and thought it would be lovely to bring out the Classic Ring of Light out into MB Mag as a featured article for those that wish. This being a little over 90 yrs since Herbert Woods launched the last of his famous Light Fleet, I thought it a wonderful tribute.

I am currently underway with the prototype build in plank on frame, and should be breaking her free of the moulds in the next couple of weeks, then onto her cabins, and fitting out etc.

Whilst there is a drawing available by Bernard Reeve, which he drew up with Woods permission in 1950, there are a number of design errors on the drawings that I have had to put right, namely her Hogg/Keel, the Sheer and her church slider windows for the main cabin.

I need the build to be uncomplicated, though the finished model looking perfect to scale as the real thing. The model will measure in at 28" L.O.A.

Those alterations will be printable with the article. Furthermore, I am going to make available at minimum cost, a full set of fittings and decal packs for those that wish to complete their model.

Here's hoping the article will hit the streets in a few months time.

I shall keep you informed of progress.

Kind regards to you All,

Paul

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Have a good holiday Ray.

Paul, like Ray I visited the Broads last year and found the wooden boats the most interesting. Yours looks like an interesting project and look forward to seeing it in MB.

Chris

[Paul Ebdy 2Participant @paulebdy2]

Hi Chris, yes indeedy the old Classic woodies are truly of adorable lines. Funny old thing, in your photos, you have Ring of Lights, sister… The sad thing about her, althpugh her recent rebuild is top quality, the painting of her topsides, and ommision of the earlier church styled windows Woods favoured, deflects from her beauty… The enlarged windows were put into the class, following complete rebuilds after being partially sunk, all his fleet, on Hickling Broad, to deter German aircraft from landing there…. The article of the model Ring will follow prewar design that Herbert Woods always favoured.

The other pic you show of the famous Lullaby Class, 28 footer, Percy Hunters fleet. Luna in your photo, being his first of the class to be built. Interestingly Percy and his sons, closed up their boatyard for the duration of WWII, and worked for Herbert Woods, constructing Craft for the RN and RAF…. Wonderful history in just two pics you sent.. Right must press on with little darling Rings planking…. Not forgetting copious amounts of pics in build for the article.. Three cheers to that eh.

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Paul, I have the Reeve & Thomas book ( got it as a form prize at school!). Some very nice projects in it as well as Ring of Light and a lot of the building information is still useful.

RoL will make a great feature for the magazine and I'm sure will be very popular.

Colin

[Paul Ebdy 2Participant @paulebdy2]

Ah, Hi Colin dear Chap…

Yes indeedy, I chose Ring, of that era Colin, being highly attractive.

Meant to add, within the Article Colin, I shall be including templates for the cockpit drop down canvas screens. Though also more than happy to sew up in scale for any wanting such, at minimal cost.. Not into making money for myself, but more than delighted to see lots of little Ring of Lights dominating boating lakes.

I shall also be adding a small lugsail dinghy for the model to take in tow, should look great.

[Paul Ebdy 2Participant @paulebdy2]

Colin,

I meant to add, the article will divert from the books build, for as you know, modern methods have moved on big time. However that said, some of Bernard's one liners will be appropriate within the article referring to his early work.

Should be an exciting to read and follow article…. I hope.

Cheers Colin.

Paul

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Paul,

Nice to hear from you again and glad your putting an article together for the magazine original stuff is always interesting to see, you may recall my first design published was Margoletta in the June 2005 issue. Interesting issues being raised of the broads being obstructed during the second world war with wherries and cruisers being parked across open water to make landing a sea plane more difficult !!, on my last broads trip 53 years ago you could still see a line hulks along the right hand side of the entrance to Malthouse Broad running up to Ranworth, now gone but still marked by hazard buoys.

My fascination for the broads goes back to the Authur Ransome books Coot Club & Big Six

Not that sure the production of fittings for others is a runner, but if you enjoy the process good luck

Regards Ray

Edited By Ray Wood 2 on 04/06/2023 11:11:31

[Paul Ebdy 2Participant @paulebdy2]

Hi there Ray dear chum, been a long time..

Indeedy, all things Broads Craft I simply cannot get away from in my miniature Broadland Boatyard.. Hey ho.

Yes I still have your Margoletta `Hullabaloos' article. A nice semi project you made there.

I only offer the extra fittings kits, for this model, as I have quite a few from Broadland Classics left over, to the same scale…. But of course model boaters may wish to make all their own, no snags either way.

Keep up the good work Ray, and enjoy your well earned break..

Kindest,

Paul

[Paul Ebdy 2Participant @paulebdy2]

Evening All, well soon the final planks going into place on Ring of Light, pleased to say, should be done by Sunday of her planking, then giving the Hull a light sand, on with the lower chine and mid stream rubbing strakes, then to carefully bore in the rudder shaft, applying a couple of sealing coats of paint to her Hull, to then gently remove her from the building block onto her upright stand, before installing her rudder servo and applying the decking.

Getting there.

Regards to you All,

Paul

[Author]

Posts