Tucker Silhouette Mk2 (see album)

[Nigel NorthwoodParticipant @nigelnorthwood17509]

Hi (first post)

I bought a sailing model of a Tucker designed Hurley Silhouette Mk2 (the early ply built version) as a "Vintage pond yacht, in need of tlc".

Having had a chance to get to know the boat, it appears to be a 1/6th scale model, with the hull built very closely to the original plans for the full sized, 18ft, pocket cruiser. It came with a mast with fittings which were appropriate, but rigging and sails which were not.

The hull is very well constructed, but the model never seems to have been quite finished as it was missing many external features which you'd expect when someone has gone to these lengths to make a model. The rigging and sails were good but meant for something far racier than a "pocket cruiser" so I think they came from a donor model and it all appears to date from the early 70s.

The research into the Silhouettes, Hurley Marine and the designer, Robert Tucker, has been every bit as interesting as working on the model & the Silhouette Owners club has even accepted me as a member!

I know a lot about all the Silhouettes now, but I've not managed to track down the origin of this particular model. As far as I know there were never any kits for Silhouettes, other models are extremely rare (I know of only one other) and I've not seen any model plans either.

I wonder if anyone here recalls seeing it around at their local club?

Back to sorting the standing rigging now – stainless steel wire as per the original f/s plans.

[Nigel NorthwoodParticipant @nigelnorthwood17509]

Does anyone on here recognise this model?

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Nigel,

Your Silhouette is a model design published in Radio Modeller magazine in 1971 called "Chez When", I'm in the process of building one to add to my fleet, you will see the build thread covering my build so far recently. The electrics/radio in your boat are from that era and fairly historical now.

I have built a couple of Yachting Monthly designs Wild Duck & Eventide as I'm a fan of the 50's – 60's home built stuff.

Regards Ray

[Nigel NorthwoodParticipant @nigelnorthwood17509]

Hi Ray, thanks for the reply

It certainly looks similar in a lot of respects , although I've not seen the plans or any other images for "Chez When" (not my favourite boat name) and "Gannet" is definitely 36" long, with many parts and internal features closely resembling the f/s plans.

I'll have to do some more searching

Researching the marque has been fun. As well as the f/s plans I have the f/s owners handbook and a dissertation for a Phd on the history and evolution of the Silhouettes written by a chap who went to work for Hurley Marine.

The owners club have, as I said, accepted me as a member too and have been very friendly & helpful.

My intention is to complete the model with several features taken from of the earlier Mk2s. I have quite a lot of photos to work from. It has a "window" in the cockpit port bench side panel, something common to those Silhouettes that had a 3/4 berth beneath the bench. It helped when looking for lost socks at the bottom of the bunk, I believe. . The chainpipe was fun to make, and it works!

I've just finished the standing rigging today, with s/s wire, having previously added the pair of shroud plates which had been omitted. The mast had double overlapping diamond, reversed, shrouds on it (a B&R rig) so heaven knows where that came from. Something sporty. The tabernacle is about right though, as is the mast head crane, but the spreaders were too short and in the wrong position.

The rest of the rigging, sails and booms will follow the f/s boat too, so maybe not the best handling r/c option but i can live with that if it looks the part.

Have fun building yours

Nigel

[Nigel NorthwoodParticipant @nigelnorthwood17509]

Hi Ray

Comparing bulkhead layouts/shapes, they don't appear to match. Curiouser and curiouser.

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Nigel,

Your right I did my own thing with the internal shapes of the bulkheads and made an opening for the cabin entry wash boards to be my access to the cabin, as the mast is rigged on the cabin roof it won't be that easy to access the cabin.

This is the drawing, I'm afraid your boat is a Chez When have a look at the keel on the drawing it's the same as yours, I'm making my keel removable so she can sit on here bilge keels. I plan to put a motor in as an auxilliary power source, also looking for a figure to sit in the cockpit, which will set her off Action Man most likely

Also the double spreaders are shown on the rig plan, even the snake to the tiller is the same place on the drawing.

Regards Ray

Edited By Ray Wood 2 on 08/04/2021 20:40:29

[Nigel NorthwoodParticipant @nigelnorthwood17509]

OK. That's a lot closer to what I bought.

Some curious/interesting variations on a very simple, successful design.

[Nigel NorthwoodParticipant @nigelnorthwood17509]

btw: you may get quite a surprise searching for 12" action figures on ebay.

[Nigel NorthwoodParticipant @nigelnorthwood17509]

Paper sail templates. Putting the boom in place and squaring it up, it needs a bit off the mainsail clew. The jib needs to be slightly shorter and slightly broader at the foot, to come close to one of the jib options shown on the plans.

Strictly speaking, the jib should be free footed and come just past the mast. That's OK, if I put another servo in so the jib can be controlled independently of the main.

Instead, I'm going to try putting a very thin spar inside the hem along the foot, something like a camber spar but straightish & more flexible, so the foot can still take a bit of shape without folding too much.

[Nigel NorthwoodParticipant @nigelnorthwood17509]

A few more photos added to the album, taken while I rigged the r/c connections. The sails seemed quite reactive to any little breeze, even just sat on the table.

[Nigel NorthwoodParticipant @nigelnorthwood17509]

All done. As soon as the rain let's off, we'll be out there.

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Looks good and lots of detail in the rigging fittings.

I like the figure, very appropriate, what did you find?

Chris

[Nigel NorthwoodParticipant @nigelnorthwood17509]

It's a 'vintage' Action Man (with furry hair!)so appropriate to the scale. The rigging is done to look like some of the hundreds of Silhouette photos I've managed to acquire.

[Nigel NorthwoodParticipant @nigelnorthwood17509]

Sailing, at last

[Nigel NorthwoodParticipant @nigelnorthwood17509]

Edited By Nigel Northwood on 29/05/2021 20:13:46

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Call me old fashioned gents but after seeing far more yacht races than I care to remember at my own club I tend to get very turned off by the latest Chinese plastic RTR toy out of the box when it comes to yachts. Even try to mention a scale yacht model and it is met with a barrage of derision.

This however, for me, is what a model yacht should look like! Absolutely beautiful and the figures sets it off perfectly. You could spend a very relaxing Sunday morning with this model.

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Looks lovely Nigel and the "realistic" photo is excellent.

You have to remember Richard that racing is a very different part of model boating and as you know it is the racing that is the important part of that discipline and is the interest for participants.

I race both yachts and power boats and they are all ARTR plastic. No way would I race one of my Faireys though I'm considering building a timber power boat with simplified detail.

Horses for courses as usual.

Chris

Edited By Chris Fellows on 30/05/2021 13:02:29

[Tim RoweParticipant @timrowe83142]

Simply wonderful Nigel

You have captured the essence of the Silhouette perfectly.

Tim R

[Nigel NorthwoodParticipant @nigelnorthwood17509]

And then you take it to the annual rally for the full size boats at Rutland Water UK. (well, we are members of the club)

Edited By Nigel Northwood on 07/06/2021 11:10:14

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

I hope the members were impressed, they should be.

Haven't been to Rutland Water for years, must go again.

Chris

[Nigel NorthwoodParticipant @nigelnorthwood17509]

They couldn't have been nicer or more complimentary. We had a great day with them. I was enthralled by the full size boats, both the MK2s , similar to mine, and the more recent ones. They're now running a poll/comp to decide what Action Man's name is to be.

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Nigel, I did send you a PM however Its too late now for what I had in mind.

Edited By Richard Simpson on 07/06/2021 19:15:56

[Nigel NorthwoodParticipant @nigelnorthwood17509]

Richard, sorry, I missed that somehow. Maybe next time.

[Nigel NorthwoodParticipant @nigelnorthwood17509]

Outboard motor and mounting bracket added.

Edited By Nigel Northwood on 04/07/2021 14:33:46

Edited By Nigel Northwood on 04/07/2021 14:35:43

[Nigel NorthwoodParticipant @nigelnorthwood17509]

The end of the season.

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