Thames Sailing Barge Stuff

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Andy

Here are my keels for Veronica, she is the Richard Chesney design which was published by Traplet around 4 years ago, I bought the drawings back then and started, but fortunately Peter Simmonds advertised one of the prototype's complete for sale so I jumped at the opportunity and have been trying to make her sail faster ever since Glad you like Diamond she took 3 years on and off still needs details but where do you draw the line ? 30" 1/32nd scale Giralda in the background.

Regards Ray

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Nice keels ray, Like the "T" one, very swoosh. NOT that I am a sailor but I would never make a keel with a sticky-out bit at the front as it would be bound to catch on something in the pond…..large carp, plastic bags, umbrellas and so on….

Ashley

[Andy StonemanParticipant @andystoneman15177]

Hi Ray, Very nice and something to be dreamed of, The winged type of keel prototype would've been too hard to pass up. My keel is more like the one on the right of the picture Opps Ashley, you missed out shopping trolleys ! The barge in the pic has less depth than mine of 5" but Ill take note of your earlier comment re: sealing the hatches, Hopefully my barge will never heel that far over, Too much wind here just now for further trails. Ive no one to race with where I live to compare speed, i just feel its not performing the best. 3-1/2 years on the diamond so know her pretty well, your models looking superb, well done Ray

Regards, Andy

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi All

Here's 2 Veronica's built be Peter Simmonds at the AMBO finals in September, I see Tomack for Poland has been looking in, as I know he has built a sailing barge

Regards Ray

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi All

Sorry, Tomarack is in Czech eastern europe and has a barge named Capricorn as featured on the AMBO website

Regards Ray

[Andy StonemanParticipant @andystoneman15177]

Hi Ray, very nice looking barges, with the two ropes at the back of the mainsail, are they meant to be taught like they are in the photo, Ive left the ropes a little bit slack, should I tighten them to keep the sail top central ? Im trying to add photos of my barge but can't seem to rotate the photos

Regards, Andy

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Andy

The rope attached to the top of the sprit is called the vang and is operated together with the main sheet on the sail, It's a continuous line with one end fixed to the deck on one side and round a block on the sprit and back down to a sail winch type servo under the deck, which keeps the sprit in close when beating to windward and let right out when reaching or running before the wind, It can be fixed If you don't want the complication, but it will give you more get up and go if your racing. Here's my little 30" Giralda, I prefer building the hull but this is a quick job for next seasons racing, this is a hull moulded by Peter Fisher from Selsey, I passed the mould onto Dave Watts (Mastman) If anybody would like one, so I have 5 months to complete her !!

Regards Ray

[Andy StonemanParticipant @andystoneman15177]

Hi Ray,

Thanks for your help, Could the vang be operated with the same winch servo together with the mainsheet haul ? Not that I will be able to race my barge but it would be nice to see it get going. Ill have to look and see if it can be done, possibly with two blocks rigged to advantage going a slower speed or less travel. Ive been trying to upload some photos, whatever I rotate them they always seem to come out the wrong way up.Your Gerilda is looking good thanks for the pics, It'll be a lot for you easier to transport, good luck next seasons racing with it.

Regards, Andy

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Andy

Yes the Vang can be controlled by the same servo as the main, but needs half the travel, so If you have a 1 to 2 on the main you'll double the throw/travel I will take a picture of the setup on Veronica and post it. It was good to hear your down under and getting the good weather ! I've been doing a bit more on the little Giralda with the Leeboards and rear cabin/steering shroud cover, all in 1/16" & 1/32" ply, the leeboards are only cosmetic and the fin keel will have a lead bulb, I'm going to make several at different lengths to see which performs best.

Regards Ray

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi All

Metalwork time with 20g brass to form the main & rear mast supports which in theory should allow the rig/masts to be lowered, which would be a great idea for the model transportation but a right merry tangle at the lakeside, a few other details, chain plates, hatchway & steering shaft. 3/64th brass rivets and superglue to attach most parts.

Regards Ray

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi All

As the scale rudder isn't large enough to have much steering effect, the standard approach of is to add a removable extension to be fitted for sailing and removed for static display. The acrylic sheet fits into the slot formed in the rudder blade and is pinned to secure.

Regards Ray

[Andy StonemanParticipant @andystoneman15177]

Hi Ray, Giralda is coming along well, Whats the length of it. The extension to the rudder looks like it will help steering a helluva lot, is the brass bar going through the after castle to fit a helm to ? I feel a bit uncertain on lowering the masts for travel, I think there could be a proper tangle setting up to sail.

Andy

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Andy

Giralda is 30" long built to 1/32nd scale, sounds like your getting to grips with your 48" barge on the lake you've found, have made some progress with the foredeck winch, not really a scale job but has the right look, don't forget to post some of you barge sailing in your fair weather down under

Regards Ray

[Andy StonemanParticipant @andystoneman15177]

Hi Ray, How does the saying go "if it looks right it probably is " and it does too. Mine is similar ! still to much wind locally 32klm forecast today for a sail, so Ill have to give it a miss, Friday is the only day they have the plank the local club have to plank in place out to the platform. Other than that its all mud to launch, Ive made a few small mods so raring to try them out. Pics will follow

Andy

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi All

Some progress with the leeboard winches, main sheet horse and stove pipe chimney which holds the rear superstructure in place on some 4ba brass studding, The 1/16" steel detachable fin keel with the 2 halves of the lead bulb ready for cross drilling and bolting.

Regards Ray

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi All

The bad weather helps with progress this weekend, here's Giralda's 1/16" steel fin keel with a subframe superglued to both sides and skinned with 1/64th ply to improve the flow through the water, I will glass cloth & epoxy for extra strength. The folding stand she is sitting on is rather large being for her big sister Veronica, I will build a smaller version for her in due course, they are really handy in the workshop and at the lakeside for rigging.

Regards Ray

Edited By Ray Wood 2 on 11/12/2017 15:46:00

[Andy StonemanParticipant @andystoneman15177]

Hi Ray, you've made some good progress with Giralda, the winches look just right and right to scale, I liked the photo of the fin and keel, I hadn't thought to add some shape to mine like you have ,but will give it some thought, It looks a hefty bulb, whats the weight and length of the fin, guessing about 12" long by 4kg ? sorry I can't oblige with some pics of my barge, I`m still unsure how to work my Mac yet, but i'll keep trying. a Clever idea and fit with the stovepipe holding the structure in place, very simple but effective

Andy

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Andy

Thanks again for the photo of you in your daughters pool on Christmas day, my wife and enjoyed that and were with you in spirit !

Some progress with little Giralda with the mast and the basic standing rigging in place, enough to start making sail templates and getting the sewing machine out

Regards from the damp & windy UK

Ray

[Andy StonemanParticipant @andystoneman15177]

Hi Ray, Maybe one too many makes you very brave Hey ! glad you like the pic. You've made good progress and Giralda is taking shape. I bent the topmast forwards slightly on my Barge, as suggested earlier, that was after making the foresail, which needed to be made again. I used a tissue template cut to shape until it looked right and glad that i did, The sails turned out well, Im getting a dab hand with the sowing machine by now. Well thats what my financial adviser said.

Regards from sunny Queensland.

Andy

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi All

I have reached the stage of thinking about keeping the water out of the main hatch, on my previous Giralda built by Peter Fisher, I installed an acrylic sheet under the hatch screwed down onto 1/4"x 1/4" spruce with a gasket & screws, which worked well but was a chore to access the radio when needed. So thinking of putting a cork into a bottle, I'm making a cork lined hatch inside the upstand coaming with a lid of 2 layers of 1/64" laminated ply, time will tell if this keeps her dry The 1/16" cork sheet is sold for model railway track underlay and sands well to get a close fit.

Regards Ray

Edited By Ray Wood 2 on 17/01/2018 10:39:02

[Andy StonemanParticipant @andystoneman15177]

Hi Ray, good idea you have with the cork, I know its not conventional but could you raise the hight level of the hatch slightly. Another way I have, I put a thin layer of silicon on the hatch side and then put clingfilm over it then pushed the hatch cover down on top until dry, It makes a nice snug fit and conforms to the hatch shape.Trim off the clingfilm after

Andy

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Andy

I hope all is well down under ? I'm back on the little barge, managed to rig the sprit, I'm using SS fishing trace and crimps for most of the standing rigging, I can now cut some card templates for the sails and get stitching

Gareth, I very much liked the Solartex hatch covering effect on Spider J, I will be giving it a go !

Regards Ray

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi All

Now moving on the below deck works for the main sheet and vang control lines, which will enter the hull via the 5/32" diameter tubes bent to fit after annealing to bright red and quenched in cold water to soften. The main sheet is central and the vang to the side, I'm going to use a decent quality Avox servo with a brass arm for sail control.

Regards Ray

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi All

This freezing weather here is great for cracking on in the workshop with sail templates for the little barge, Also my bargain of the week from Aldi, the Work Zone Suction Vice £5.99 ! great for working in the kitchen or dining room while the management's out Fore sail labelled wrong !

Regards Ray

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