Plans for modern yachts

[Matan BenyaminParticipant @matanbenyamin72720]

Hi all,

I'm new to this great hobby.

I was trying to search over the internet but could'nt find any source (paid or free, I dont mind) for plans or kits to build modern sailing yachts models (like benetaue's, for example)

Does anyone have a lead? I can only find America' Cup and old sailboats, but nothing more modern …

[Matan BenyaminParticipant @matanbenyamin72720]

where to get plans??

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Hi Matan,

Welcome to the Forum.

Plans for many modern craft can be hard to obtain, often because builders and manufacturers treat the designs as a matter of commercial confidentiality. So while profiles and deck illustrations are readily available in promotional material, lines and body plans are not included.

Model making plans for scale craft tend to to be limited to older, traditional subjects. It might be worth contacting yacht builders directly to see if they are willing to help you. As you will have seen, most model yacht plans are intended for competitive sailing and are not based on full size prototypes.

Colin

[Malcolm FraryParticipant @malcolmfrary95515]

What Colin said. Add to that that yachts don't scale down very well, mostly because the forces acting on them scale up. For a good, usable working model, liberties have to be taken with things like sailplane and the keel or fin.

Classic Boat Magazine used to be a good source of line drawings that could fairly easily be turned into working construction drawings, but the title gives away the age of the subjects.

[Tim RoweParticipant @timrowe83142]

Hello Matan

Most modern cruising yachts (Beneteau, Jeanneau, Dufour, Bavaria, Gran Soleil etc)  have developed into a shape that maximises waterline length, increases internal volume and give reasonable performance. The biggest influence on modern yacht design was the invention of marinas where the charges are based on overall length. Overhangs disappeared, beam increased and the topsides were raised to get the biggest volume in the shortest length. Thus the classic designs that we are familiar with, rapidly morphed.

Profiles and deck layouts vary a lot but underwater the shapes are surprisingly similar. As Colin said you can get a lot of information from brochures so you could easily construct a Beneteau lookalike and if you want to PM me your email address I can send you some photos of typical underwater sections.

As far as scale is concerned you will have to make changes to the keel. The most common way is to fit a deep fin with a lead bulb to lower the centre of gravity. You can keep the original hull / keel profile for display and storage purposes and fit the fin for sailing only. On the rig you can keel to scale but I find this will lead to the boat being underpowered in light conditions and overpowered in strong winds. I have a scale yacht build thread "Galileo" and the scale rig works fine for medium conditions. I have made a tall rig for light weather (about 30% taller) and if I feel inclined to go out in rough weather I will make a small rig but for the moment that is on hold.

For useful information on fin / bulb keels on scale boats you should look at the Thames Barge threads and also Ray Wood's Wild Duck.

Tim R

Edited By Tim Rowe on 01/04/2020 12:21:43

Edited By Tim Rowe on 01/04/2020 12:22:15

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Matan,

I suppose the commercial availability of quite a lot of plastic moulded models of modern sailing yachts in kit form or ready to sail format there has been little interest in producing plans for home builders, the mass produced yachts these days are all variations on the same theme GRP hulls and decks as Tim R says, which is hardly worth the bother of making plugs, taking moulds from the plug and laying up a one off model.

Robbe did make some fabulous yachts, if you can find one second hand.

But if you can wait a year or so I'm planning to produce a plank on frame version of the Spring 25 from the late eighties and is interesting having a wing keel and twin rudders which makes her unusual in my eye's, also the boat was quite famous in the TV programme Howards Way, which also featured the Baracuda 45'.

The other advantage of more modern GRP boats are there are loads for sale and good quality pictures are available online

Regards Ray

Edited By Ray Wood 2 on 01/04/2020 16:40:09

[Dave Cooper 6Participant @davecooper6]

I think from a general modelling point-of-view a lot depends on the purpose of the model :

For instance, do you want an accurate scale model that will grace a display case, or, do you want something that will work well in its "natural environment"….water and air molecules being what they are won't 'scale' with our models !

Working models, therefore, are almost always a compromise between something that looks reasonable and something that performs well. You could say that this is the whole art of it and it applies to boats, cars, gliders and many other types of model.

I've found that a little thought up-front can save a lot of disappointment and wasted effort later on…

Happy modelling,

Dave

[geconParticipant @gecon]

Hi Matan, I also was looking for a more modern type hull to roughly resemble a Bavaria, The only yacht I could find was the Krick Comtesse which is an old Robbe design re-introduced by Krick. The stern is OK shape but not the bows . I suppose it would be possible to adjust the profile of the bows to more modern lines (less rake) but I chose not to do so. It would also be possible to change the transom if you wanted a bathing platform etc.

My intention is to try a scale-ish paint scheme to create the 'right' look. It will of course only be 'very-stand-off-scale'. ie. viewed from about 5 meters it'll look just fine!

I have posted a few photos on 'Album'. You will find more photos if you google for 'comtesse sailing yacht'. Also a few videos on 'you tube'.

George

Edited By George Edward Connery on 17/04/2020 06:37:29

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