MOTOR SAILOR LIFEBOAT

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Sailor ahoy!

The seat planks look amazingly narrow?

Is there a good reason for this?

Landlubber

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Bob,

Only my guess but these boats are quite long 35 – 40 feet ??

That would make the seat/ plank 12" wide ? ?

Only my guess.

Lovely work Neil 😀⛵⚓

Regards Ray

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

That looks just so lovely! What a great colour choice. Masterful work Neil.

I would just point out you seem to have painted one set of oars the wrong colour….

Ashley

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

Posted by Ray Wood 2 on 04/05/2020 07:24:55:

Hi Bob,

Only my guess but these boats are quite long 35 – 40 feet ??

That would make the seat/ plank 12" wide ? ?

Only my guess.

Lovely work Neil 😀⛵⚓

Regards Ray

Quite correct Ray………..these two boats were actually 35' Watson class boats………..and the seats were 10 – 12 inches across..………not a great deal of comfort for the crew………but I don't imagine in a force 11 they were thinking of comfort.

this afternoon I often wondered just how many eyelets I could get out of a metre length of copper tinned steel wire……49 to be exact………..

no I haven't really, …….not that big an anorak, but I needed to make a load of them today for the two boats to hang the grab lines off, and also strap up the bow fenders, which I have a mould for and will cast once the eyelets are mounted on their brackets that can be seen made from plasticard and drilled.

I made these this afternoon whilst waiting for the second coat of red which was drying on the belting of my motor sailor.

There were 98 there last time I counted before running out of wire. lol.

 

Edited By neil howard-pritchard on 04/05/2020 18:50:17

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hi Neil

This may be a silly question…..

Why are your models called Motor Sailor Lifeboat?

I`m not seeing a motor

Bob

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

not a silly question at all Bob………pulling and sailing lifeboats depended upon oars and sails for propulsion, where as motor/sailors were fitted with a small petrol engine..and a set of 3 sails……..fore sail, mizzen sail, and a dipping lug main sail. 

the motor was housed under the small housing shown in this photo.

my model will be powered by sail and a small 555 sized electric motor. 

Edited By neil howard-pritchard on 04/05/2020 20:34:13

Edited By neil howard-pritchard on 04/05/2020 20:36:09

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Thank you, Neil

You have surprised me and a few others no doubt?

thank you

Bob

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

why have I surprised you Bob.

anyway……here we go.

well, Dave Stavros Jones……eat yer heart out mate…………..I took your lessons to heart, and this is what I came up with.

to say I am ecstatic with the results, as I am a complete numpty when painting is mentioned………….I feel that I have done well this time round………..

painting is now done, and its just now down to fixing the myriads of fittings in the right places,,,,,,,,,,if I can actually remember where they go……..

I'm honestly almost wetting myself with excitement at what I have achieved……

probably taken me 3 times the amount of time I have spent doing it…………..but I think it has been well worth it.

 

Edited By neil howard-pritchard on 05/05/2020 01:13:55

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

Posted by ashley needham on 04/05/2020 08:52:58:

That looks just so lovely! What a great colour choice. Masterful work Neil.

I would just point out you seem to have painted one set of oars the wrong colour….

Ashley

ahhh shucks, ASHLEY…………..you noticed, lol

actually for anyone, not familiar with lifeboats the [originally oars] boat hooks were/are colour coded with white for the port side fitments, and blue of the boat hull itself for the starboard side………..always has been, and is still colour coded the same today, in 2020.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Neil, interesting fillip of arcane knowledge there. I will check next time I go (when??) to a museum or see a rowing model.

Like the baby blue colour better than the dark blue as its not what I would expect to see a lifeboat in, but what do I know!

Ashley

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

Hi. Neil, two beautiful boats,you should be very proud of yourself with what you have achieved. Something for all to aspire to, perfection.

Regards.

Eddie.

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

thank you gents……….much appreciate the comments..

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

drilled, placed and glued the tabernacles in place, and then mounted the masts into them.

they have been screwed into the decks which were reinforced from below with a square of 10mm ply wood glued underneath the position where the mast is positioned.

 

Edited By neil howard-pritchard on 05/05/2020 23:40:05

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Very nice Neil

They are really coming together now

How effective were the sails in those far off days?

Your models are just lovely

All the best Neil

Bob

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Love the detail you have achieved with your workshop diorama Neil.

You just cannot believe that they would, or even COULD ,row out in heavy stormy seas and rescue people, truly incredible bravery.

Ashley

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

Posted by Bob Abell on 06/05/2020 07:12:26:

Very nice Neil

They are really coming together now

How effective were the sails in those far off days?

Your models are just lovely

All the best Neil

Bob

they were actually faster by sail Bob, than they were just with motor……….they would do around 6 knots in a heavy blow, and around 7 knots with motor AND sail.

and yes Ashley………incredibly brave………and still are today………..the boats might be light years ahead of the old pulling and sailing boats………..but they still have to brave the same horrendous weather………..and still break down at times..………..very very rarely, but has been known in very recent times. luckily they have two engines these days to

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

Posted by neil howard-pritchard on 06/05/2020 18:01:15:

Posted by Bob Abell on 06/05/2020 07:12:26:

Very nice Neil

They are really coming together now

How effective were the sails in those far off days?

Your models are just lovely

All the best Neil

Bob

they were actually faster by sail Bob, than they were just with motor……….they would do around 6 knots in a heavy blow, and around 7 knots with motor AND sail.

and yes Ashley………incredibly brave………and still are today………..the boats might be light years ahead of the old pulling and sailing boats………..but they still have to brave the same horrendous weather………..and still break down at times..………..very very rarely, but has been known in very recent times. luckily they have two engines these days to count on

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

 

today I decided to fit the rudder tillers permanently and rig the steering ropes…..but have to admit a bit of a boob!……I should have left them both until I had finished with the undersides so that I wouldn't have to turn them upside down again……as I still need to drill into the bottom of the belting for fitting the grab ropes.

however, they are now fitted. the static boat with static steering through the pulleys………and went completely without hassle, using Amati rigging cord.

the working boat, went much the same, but this time I used tailors/seamstress "bungi" cord, which is elastic and stretches , allowing the cord to be tight in the blocks, but allowing the rudder to turn under a servo..

 

 

Edited By neil howard-pritchard on 07/05/2020 18:18:42

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

its all the little "faceless" parts that go to make up any model, and 34 eyelets per boat are no exception.

these are for hanging the side grab ropes from and also for securing the bow fender.



I put the eyelets onto the undersides of the fenders on both boats, but need to measure up for the bow fenders and cast them tomorrow, so that whilst still rubbery during curing I can mould them to the shape of the bow.

the position for the eyelets on the belting were measured simply with a piece of plastic measured to 102mm length between eyelets.

 

 

Edited By neil howard-pritchard on 07/05/2020 23:08:45

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hi Neil

You are indeed a Master Builder

You should have got on the forum years ago?

I like the ropes and cordage, especially the multi pulley set ups

The rudder is well thought out and looks a two man job to operate it?

Lovely model

Bob

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

Hi. Neil, as you say it is all the little bits that bring the boat to life, but the smaller they are the more accurate you have to be with them.

Regards.

Eddie.

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

I gave a lot of thought to the set up of the steering on the motor sailor last night,as it was causing me concern.

it was very tight and stiff, and I wondered whether a normal steel geared servi would actually even work never mind steer the boat without burning out, and so decided to re design the method. the trouble was that there were 5 lengths of "bungi" each side being pulled by one servo.

I needed to reduce the pull strain, and so………..I did.

I reduced the lengths to 1 length per side and also utilising a nylon cord with smooth silky texture which will also slide through the white metal blocks unlike the thicker cotton cord I used last night.

The system now works with much les strain on the servo, and I am satisfied that the system will now work.

far better finding out now and rectifying the problem than halfway down lake Windermere.

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

Thanks Eddie

and Bob, sent you a PM………but yes it could be a two man job steering if the mechanical steering gave up,

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

After sorting the steering out which taxed my brain this morning and half the night in my sleep, as I just wasn't happy with the original set up, thought i'd have a break for the day.

by this evening though I decided to add a few more little bits…….each set brings the boats nearer to completion.

I painted the bow breakwater fairleads with brass paint as did I the aft bulkhead air vent.

then attached a rope bracket to each veering bollard and glued them in position with 30 minute epoxy.

finally I glued in place the four shackle brackets to each boats bulwarks. These brackets are the anchoring points for the single wire running through the [as yet mislaid] single hole stanchions.

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

 

I have fitted quite a few fittings to the boats over the past 48 hours but will photograph them collectively once both boats are finished.

but today I mounted both bow fenders that are secured through eyelets made previously, and tied with strong "cobblers" cotton.

 

the two fenders I made and moulded some years ago, and cast in polyutherane resin. 

then it was time to begin adding and tying the grab ropes to the motor sailor…..

it was purely because it was the first boat on the makeshift table.

I am going to be candid here and say something that might upset some lifeboat modellers, but it is purely ment to help in the future.

many lifeboat models are spoiled by adding the grab ropes wrongly. THERE IS a right and a wrong way, and I was taught this trick by a master model boat builder many years ago called Malcolm Darch whom I met at his studio in Salcome in 1983.

in those days he was building a model of MUSHULU, a square rigger moored as a museum piece in [I think] San Diago. He was charging the owner £15000 for the model and it was written about in Model Boats mag in the 80's.

We got chatting about the small boats on the model and I asked him how to stop the grab lines from twisting.

his answer was all so simple..

I have shared this tip he gave me many times on my lifeboat build threads and even wrote it into the instructions of my original Ann Letitia Russell…….and yet people still end up with twisted and coiled lines.

as I said, it is so simple!

ALMOST EVERY THREAD OR CORDAGE that is multi threaded is twisted when manufactured…….IN A CLOCKWISE DIRECTION, or right to left twist. I myself have never seen a yarn or cord twisted anti clockwise .

SO!!!, to tie rope loops on your lifeboat you follow in the same direction…. and you start from right at one side, and then turn the boat round and do it again………As such you start on the port side at the stern, and work forward to the bow, and on the starboard side you start from, the bow, and work aft to the stern….

In this way you don't end up with twisted and looped lines……

 

Edited By neil howard-pritchard on 11/05/2020 00:34:40

[Author]

Posts