Todays Boating

[Trevor HollowayParticipant @trevorholloway99134]

If it is the project H that I have been presented with by Ashley at "show and tell", then I know it will be getting wet soon.

Going to miss tomorrows first public outing of project Z but have seen it being built.

Need to catch up on W first though.

[Byron Rees…(Ron)Participant @byronrees-ron]

Hi All,

Got all excited, checking over the models ready for the first Sunday sailing of Spring. Also going to test the new project…(Still secret!).

Woke up at crack of dawn to…yep you've guessed it…pouring rain, dull, grey, cold, muddy. down here in Essex

Well I'd hate to get my boats wet!!, so didn't go….maybe next week.

Cheers……….Ron.

Edited By Byron Rees…(Ron) on 08/04/2018 08:57:53

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Yes Ron, its dull here as well. Not ACTUALLY raining. Will pop down and see. Prbably be back early. Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

NO boating Sunday, just as I typed the last remark, I saw that it was raining, that horrible very fine drizzle. Spent the morning making accessories for Project Z.

​This project is not in the painting stage, luckily the finish can be hand-painted with a flat brush so the loft is good enough a workplace. The most difficult bit is the hdgrvajku which will give it the interest, and for this I will have to trawl the interweb for some pictures of a suitable scheme.

​I was also cutting sheet lead for the ballast and thought that the ballast may be a hidden cost to larger boats, a cost not so obvious as motors and servo`s etc. I bought a roll of lead flashing for the Lotus (£80 quid's worth) and used about 1/3 of it, so have some over, plus a roll of used flashing off my shed when I re-roofed it (although this is covered in tar and so on).

​BUT what can one use otherwise which is cheap??? what is a cheap source of ballast? For Project V I am going to use lead shot, and set it in resin, mostly because this will lay flatter in the quantity I need than trying to tuck lead sheet in, but also once set in resin it will add strength to the hull. I realise this will not be cheap but what's the alternative?? Concrete will be too bulky in this case.

​Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Mammoth painting job yesterday. After having mixed a suitable colour for parts of Proj Z, I set to with a 1/2" flat brush and after about 35 ,ins had completed a 360 degrees paint. Unfortunately due to to the new colour being very light, it would need a second coat, but having got back to the front of the thing I discovered the paint had already dried as I was using an acrylic!

​As I had a quantity of paint left, I then had to start again and do a second coat. Seemed to take forever, but now it is done, and after a bit of touching up it looks rather spectacular.

​It does look rather clean though, and I am undecided as to dirtying it up a bit or leaving it looking very striking. I don't generally weather stuff and am worried it will look a bit "false". Once it is completed I will think about it.

​Found some white plastic curtain rings yesterday in a DIY shop. about 12mm and 17mm, perfect for small life belts! There were other sizes apparently but not in stock, although the largest, at 37mm was on the shelf and looked to be suitable as it had a slightly oval section. The small ones are round section but at the small size would be ok. Shame the 20 25 and 30mm ones were not there to look at.

Ashley
 

Edited By ashley needham on 11/04/2018 08:56:50

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Barring a bit of fiddly stuff project Z is well on the way to the finishing line, and also at a stage where plonking in the water and doing a bit of testing is called for. UNFORTUNATELY the Mrs has the car so I will be boating by bike tomorrow, which generally means a lander (Ferry this time) as they transport well in a bag. Also means no show and tell regarding the project but there we are.

​I have changed the colour of certain items on the project and it looks all the better for it, and am wondering if these items on other craft could be changed and if there would be an improvement?

I may have to have a sneaky boat during the week.

Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Project Z is virtually done now and if it is nice tomorrow morning or Friday anytime I may pop down to the pond and have a sail.

​The motor is a bit whizzy on test and this may be due to the tornado 50A ESC (which I have spare) which may not be delivering fine control at low power settings, but it will do to test it out with.

Ventilation may need addressing and some holes may need to be cut in the deck (will be hidden of course) to let air in/out, however this would be after photographing.

​Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Nah, have bored a big hole in the deck and you cant see it with the wotsit in place.

​Paul T suggested some weathering and I may take him literally with this one….

​It also has lights, more or less the first craft to be so fitted, and they look good. Photographing them will be another matter but I might wait until a dreary or foggy day to do this rather than actually in the dark.

​What a difference a bit of heat makes!! project S has been spray (rattle can) painted and what a great finish! If I say so myself. very glossy, and mainly due to the considerable time spent with the wet` n`dry and filling. The underside needs doing now but only after the top has had a few days to harden. I am off to the IOW (via a short cruise) tomorrow for a week so that will be enough time.

​The box for project Z has been made and emulsioned now as it is warm, the heat is great and the emulsion virtually dries as soon as the last side has been done.

Ashley

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Ashley

It's summer, go on give us a treat ? Get your camera and put us out of our misery are you building a WMD ?

Regards Ray

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Sorry Ray, cant out this on the forum due to fear of air strike from Trump. BUT.. mail sent!!

Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Off to the IOW in a few minutes, for a week. Will try and visit the classic boat museum for more inspiration this time.

Seems as if I shall not be the only person visiting the island, enjoying the ferry and looking at the ships offshore..

Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Back from foreign trip. Weather was OK which is more than you could say for wot it was like at home apparently.
​Met MR and Mrs Bishop for a convivial evening meal on Monday.

​Went from E to W Cowes on the chain ferry and thought this would make an interesting model, but a bit of a faff laying chains across the pond, but there again.

​Bought two really good boaty books and two vessels within those books which will make it to "the list". especially the second, of which something similar is already down but this could be EVEN MORE different to the other. In fact a third item was seen in static model form which may be added to the stable, and a third (from a magazine) is also on the list but this has a LOT of engines and would dictate a larger model.

​Tomorrow doesn't look that great weather wise but as long as its not raining I will be boating. Project Z may get its feet wet (don't read anything into that), along with Terry and of course an LCM of some sort.

Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Well. It was jolly cold at the pond this morning. Only other person was Richard with a Tirpitz that he made some 30 years ago and recently re-acquired from a friend. Very nice bit of work and a smooth sailor, guns turning and semaphore light flashing to boot.

​Project Z went very well. The motor as fitted was MUCH to fast for it, and not helped by the 50A ESC which did not have very good low speed control. The stick was barely off the centre and the thing was going at a nice cruising speed, a notch further on and there was foam rushing out the back. Easily solved with a change of motor,and prop (all to hand in the "come in handy" box) but I will have to buy a new ESC.

Ashley
.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Motor and prop changed, another ESC found in yet another box. Sorted.

Lovely day but the Mrs has the car so unable to retest at the pond. Sunday perhaps.

​It is the May day parade at Bushy next Sunday, so an early arrival is warranted (0900) as the car park may fill up rapidly. have to be out by 1130 ish as the park gates close at 1215-1300 for the parade.

​Found some Tonka toy bulldozers whilst on the IOW (as you do) and these are being repainted to replace the tractors on the landing craft. They used loads of bulldozers on the beaches, no tractors as far as I can tell, but bulldozers in approx. 1/32 scale are thin on the ground. The Tonka ones are about the right size. I don't suppose they were built to be scale models.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Finally finished spraying project S yesterday by painting its bottom black, and the black has gone on mirror finish. As it happens I usually brush paint, and sometimes is seems you need a lot of luck to get that great finish…the tiniest speck of dust and so on. Varnishing the Pontoon boat 15 times was just mind numbing.

​I had to spray this one due to the aim of the project, and as the sides are a mirror finish, I have achieved the finish I need for this. I spent considerable time on preparing the surface, and there are no spray rails or other projections to get in the way.

​Its not ALL too perfect though! The deck is a slightly less than mirror finish, and the underside of the boat is a bit less than perfect.

​I have operated on the principle that the best is the enemy of the good enough.

The sides are perfect, the grey went on superbly, but the deck could have done with another coat: HOWEVER…you know what would have happened, on a re-spray, one or other of the sides would not be quite as good as it was necessitating another go…and another…and another. Same with the bottom. Fantastic sides, perfect crisp division between top and bottom colours using cheap masking tape (well pressed down on the paint side with thumbnail, and of course ensuring the roll of tape was nice and clean first), I would be chancing me arm if I tried to get the best possible finish just under the rudder area. Re-spraying of course leads to paint build up as well, and with the three passes of black, the ridge with the top is negligible…another few passes and it becomes thick, more difficult to get a vrisp line and so on.

​Law of diminishing returns. On the water, the gloss finish of the boat in the sun will be AWESOME, but only the fishes will appreciate the underside. (is this a bit heretical???)

Ashley

Edited By ashley needham on 04/05/2018 09:22:14

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Alright, I have "bigged up" the paintwork a bit, but it is still very good. A dramatic photo of the bow taken in strong slanting sunlight shows a huge dent, nay…a CHASM in the front (which you can not feel with a finger tip) highlighting the problems with high gloss paint, an issue I had with the Farman. I am not going to re-do this as the rest is almost perfect and I don't see me getting such a finish again, without having the issue of paint build-up as already stated.

​Sunday I am going to have a flying boat day with the BFB3 (now only 2 of course), the BHA and the Ecranoplan. In attendance will be a lander as usual. I will not be taking any projects down as I need to keep them clean for a photoshoot (likely in the pouring rain and dullness on Friday), and AN ITEM on Project S needs to dry and the thing needs waxing to stop water adhering to the sides. Watermarks on gloss being a right pain. Some boats have a cloth in their box to wipe them with after sailing.

Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

The paintwork is causing a few ISSUES and one side has been re-done. The top was sanded with 1200 wet`n`dry and then re-sprayed, followed by the bottom. This has resulted in a much more even finish, although I perhaps acted a bit quickly and the top has had to be "T" cut to remove masking tape marks. It is now of a very reasonable standard and after a bit of polish has been applied, will look good in the sunlight.

Pond today: covered in scummy algae, not helped by the light breeze blowing it at the jetty.

​Iain welcome return with his Prince oygon and Mr Hippo, and Peter with the gentleman's runabout and fishing boat.
BHA going well, Ecranoplan also going well, but Project Z still needs work.

​The motor (a 540/1) refitted was seen to be taking about 13A with brass prop, and although this dropped to 9A with a plastic 3 blade prop, it is still too much for the motor. Back at dock a 555 motor (salvaged from another project) has been mated to the engine bay, and with a 45mm brass prop, running on 9.6V should give me a reasonable performance with no consumption issues, and of course reverse will be mine again. The craft was horribly grubby on return and all 3 craft had to be washed with a detergenty soapy water mix.

Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

I know its boring, but decided to rearrange the boat stack (again) and was stymied by the tallness of the HMS Midge box. Peering under the lid, there is a mast, about 1 1/2 inches above the funnel, and then at least 1 1/2 inches clear space above that.

​The solution was easy. Cut off the (brass tube) mast and fit a bit of wire so I can have it detachable, and then cut the top three inches off the box and make a new lid. Easy, and in this heat it is all repainted with emulsion , re-labelled and slotted into new position.

​Further rearranging will have to take place for project V, as this is "of a size" and I will need some long shelf space, likely displacing several LCM up to the rear shelf. V may well need TWO boxes, one for the hull, and another for the masting, but I have not worked this out yet!

Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Well well. A MAN came to me on Fri and we took 4 secret projects to the pond whereupon this MAN took possibly 1,000,000 pictures of them (did he take the lens cap off???)

He marvelled at the boat store, an appreciated the boxing of the boats, and how this enabled me to stash so many in the space allotted.

It was a super day on Fri, the sun was shining but it wasn't tooo bright and the boats/things ran really well.

The look of the grey one was a wow and I suggested a novel picture of its propulsion system, the white on went well without capsizing, the Red on was just "wow look at that" and the other white one was…well….slow.

Project z , re-motored with a 555, 45mm brass prop and 9.6V battery was dead slow. More than adequate for snaps, and demonstrate the remarkable manoeuvrability of it (how does it do that?? the question). BUT it needs a bit more oomph without buying a 12V Nimh stick. I may try the 540/1 with a smaller brass prop (35mm and see how much current that draws.

The Mrs is cub-camping this weekend and has the car, so, weather permitting, it will be boating by bike.

Ashley

[Graham Ashby 1Participant @grahamashby1]

Hi Ashley,

In answer to the lens cap question I thought you might like to see this shot of Secret Project No.1. Enjoy.

Graham

[Byron Rees…(Ron)Participant @byronrees-ron]

Wow, that's a great picture Graham…..and you want to do the On The Water shots of my latest project!!!

Cheers…….RON.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Yes, I thought as much….

Ashley

Ps. The MAN also marvelled at the free parking a mere 40 yards away from the pond, the beauteousness of the surrounding scenery and the all-round access. He did not understand why so few people boat there????

[Graham Ashby 1Participant @grahamashby1]

It comes naturally Ron. Fear not though, to prevent this kind of thing happening again I've thrown away all my lens caps… Perfect!

[Graham Ashby 1Participant @grahamashby1]

Ashley, I've also heard that The MAN was most impressed with the whole shootin' match and genuinely admired your prolific building and workmanship. Not to mention the subject matter. I've also heard that he dearly loved them all but especially the grey one. Mind you, that could be just hearsay.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Stop the press!!!

Pirate ship criticised by 5 year old on Bushy Park pond!!.

Quote
" Wots that boat"
Mum "It`s a pirate ship"
5 year old " but where's the plank?"

OH NO….there is no plank to walk on…how can it be a pirate boat?? (we will be checking next week….)

Ashley

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