Merryweather Saliboats – Silverspray

[Peter BruchParticipant @peterbruch69008]

Hi, I recently bought this yacht on eBay, she is approx. 40 inches long and is radio controlled.

Unfortunately the seller had no history. So help please, any information you have.

Secondly, the rig is best described as toy boat, where can I go to get proper rigging / deck fittings etc?

Thanks, Peter.

PS How do I get pictures on here? The Album doesn't seem to work

[Peter BruchParticipant @peterbruch69008]

[Peter BruchParticipant @peterbruch69008]

Ok, figured out the photo's

All help gratefully received!

[Malcolm FraryParticipant @malcolmfrary95515]

Is it to be a shelf Queen or a working model?

Most of the visible rigging looks basically sound, if a little misplaced (estate agent window rig). If it was to be a working sailboat, first thing after positioning the sails correctly and properly tensioning the bits that should be tight would be a very close look at the keel weight, which looks like it was designed to slow the boat down before doing anything useful like applying righting moment.

Rigging fittings from Sails etc and Nylet.

[Martin Field 1Participant @martinfield1]

Well, it's a ketch rigged yacht. Mizzen forward of the rudder post. If it were aft of the rudder post it would be a Yawl.

Excellent turnbuckles from modelling timbers.co.uk

Are those sails back to front???

The ballast weight appears to be one of those wing affairs, which is relatively modern. But I haven't seen one on a model.

Martin

[Peter BruchParticipant @peterbruch69008]

Gent's, thanks for the replies.

The previous owner sailed her a couple of times and reported everything went well. I plan to sail her, but knowing my workload, this may be a pipe dream. I've had a Fortune 612 for a couple of years and haven't even rigged her yet.

I sail full size yachts and I bought her as she looks a little like a Hallberg Rassy, something I aspire to….

Thanks for the advice on Nylet, I was going to go to them and / or PJ Sails.

She does have a wing keel, which is used on full size yachts, but needs some filling and fairing before it works properly.

There's no other rigging screw holes in the deck to suggest that they've been positioned other than what we've got although the standing rigging to the top of the masts is wrong, an easy fix though.

I think that the sails are correct, I've added a full photo below.

What I'm really looking for is who manufactured the kit / model and are there any drawings. I could reposition the standing rigging to match a full size yacht, but don't know whether that is correct.

If all else fails, I'll take her to one of the local clubs (I'm in Nuneaton / Birmingham) and hopefully they'll be able to advise.

Regards, Peter.

[Martin Field 1Participant @martinfield1]

Advise? I do hope so for your sake, Peter, but my experience of model boat clubs is quite the reverse. A bunch of old farts who can barely face looking you in the eye, much less talk to you and God orbid they should actually help!

Of course there must be some that aren't like that. One day, I might get back to Victoria Model Steamboat Club<G>

Good luck.

Martin

[mark69Participant @mark69]

Hi Peter good looking yacht ! In my opinion and for what's its worth !!? I would take to a club ,if they are like model flying clubs they would be helpful as they are "into planes same with proper boat clubs! , its not in there interest to be rude !! They need members to join .Don't be put of by a " old fart who can barely face looking you in the eye "let alone give you the encouragement your looking for !!! ……mark

[Malcolm FraryParticipant @malcolmfrary95515]

Some clubs have an unfortunate population, others don't. I certainly wouldn't avoid all clubs on the strength of one unfortunate experience.

The boat. Just looking at the full size lookalike and the model, the big difference is the Genoa fore. Since this is not easy to achieve in working form on a model, models usually get a self tacking boom footed fore. These are usually as low to the deck as possible – same drive but less heeling moment. I still have deep uncertainty about that winged ballast. They have been tried on models, but not with any notable success so far. If they worked, everybody would have one. Add Housemartin to the sailmakers list – I have dealt with him and consider him one of the good guys.

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