Vic Smeed’s Model Boat Designs

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Tony Hadley has kindly made available the results of his researches into making a listing of Vic Smeed's model boat designs and their current availability or otherwise.

You can see his article on the front page of the website or find it under Features – Member Contributions.

I'm sure a lot of people will find it to be a very useful source of reference so thank you very much Tony.

If anyone has any suggested corrections or additions then please post them on this thread so that Tony can check them out and update the list as appropriare.

Colin

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Tony Hadley’s list

[Ian GardnerParticipant @iangardner62867]

Excellent work Tony. I will be interested and I know many others will be too.

All the best…Ian

[Ian GardnerParticipant @iangardner62867]

Excellent work Tony. I will be interested and I know many others will be too.

All the best…Ian

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

I remember building two examples of a little balsa model Vic designed, called Moonsong. It was a free plan at magazine page-size and may have been in either Model Boats or RCM&E. It was about 20" long and powered by a Marx-Luder 'Bongo' Schottel-drive. This unit has been out of production for a long time now, not least because they haven't made Monoperm motors for years. I recall the gears were reputed to be very fragile although I never had any problems with either of my units.
I later designed a model along these lines – albeit a bit larger – for my grandson. It had a flat-bottom and used a Graupner Schottel-drive #1775 which has a 50mm nozzle. I rewound an old 540 with 33 turns and ran it on 12 volts to power the unit. This was just about perfect. Maybe the smaller CEM 40mm drive unit would be suitable for the Moonsong, powered by something like a low-current MFA 540/1 on 6 or 7.2v. I'd be happy to give it a bash.
I know where I might be able to lay my hands on a copy of the plans so I shall make enquiries….. 'T would be rather nice to have the free plan and article revived in MB.
Dave M

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

I remember building two examples of a little balsa model Vic designed, called Moonsong. It was a free plan at magazine page-size and may have been in either Model Boats or RCM&E. It was about 20" long and powered by a Marx-Luder 'Bongo' Schottel-drive. This unit has been out of production for a long time now, not least because they haven't made Monoperm motors for years. I recall the gears were reputed to be very fragile although I never had any problems with either of my units.
I later designed a model along these lines – albeit a bit larger – for my grandson. It had a flat-bottom and used a Graupner Schottel-drive #1775 which has a 50mm nozzle. I rewound an old 540 with 33 turns and ran it on 12 volts to power the unit. This was just about perfect. Maybe the smaller CEM 40mm drive unit would be suitable for the Moonsong, powered by something like a low-current MFA 540/1 on 6 or 7.2v. I'd be happy to give it a bash.
I know where I might be able to lay my hands on a copy of the plans so I shall make enquiries….. 'T would be rather nice to have the free plan and article revived in MB.
Dave M

[Ian GardnerParticipant @iangardner62867]

Tony,

I don't know how far you want to go with your list but I have three more suggestions, none of which seemed to have been included in the MAP handbooks or had numbers.

The first was one I came across by accident in Model Maker, September 1961 called Sir Gele D'Isle, a small car ferry. It's about 11'' long and probably a bit of a pot boiler, but of interest none the less. It is described as 'an amusing, simple and cheap model which can be built in two evenings'. I have the magazine and could scan it if you are interested!

The second was in Model Boats, December 1971 and is a small steam yacht called Sunda- again a very simple design. I also have a copy of this.

Thirdly, in the Radio Control Special of 1976 there was a free plan for an Air Sea Rescue launch of about 2'. I built this and it went like a rocket with a 540 and six cells. Unfortunately the plan and the boat are long gone, but I have just tracked a plan down and hope to receive it.

As I write this it does occur to me that I might need to get out more!

As you know, I'm building a Veleta at 1.5 x original size and I think she will look good- just about to start deck planking and I will put some photos up. Seeing your Guardsman in embryo form and the lovely photos of Larry's in action has stiffened my resolve to build a bigger one after Veleta.

All the best….Ian

 

.

Edited By Ian Gardner on 08/05/2013 10:38:34

[Ian GardnerParticipant @iangardner62867]

Tony,

I don't know how far you want to go with your list but I have three more suggestions, none of which seemed to have been included in the MAP handbooks or had numbers.

The first was one I came across by accident in Model Maker, September 1961 called Sir Gele D'Isle, a small car ferry. It's about 11'' long and probably a bit of a pot boiler, but of interest none the less. It is described as 'an amusing, simple and cheap model which can be built in two evenings'. I have the magazine and could scan it if you are interested!

The second was in Model Boats, December 1971 and is a small steam yacht called Sunda- again a very simple design. I also have a copy of this.

Thirdly, in the Radio Control Special of 1976 there was a free plan for an Air Sea Rescue launch of about 2'. I built this and it went like a rocket with a 540 and six cells. Unfortunately the plan and the boat are long gone, but I have just tracked a plan down and hope to receive it.

As I write this it does occur to me that I might need to get out more!

As you know, I'm building a Veleta at 1.5 x original size and I think she will look good- just about to start deck planking and I will put some photos up. Seeing your Guardsman in embryo form and the lovely photos of Larry's in action has stiffened my resolve to build a bigger one after Veleta.

All the best….Ian

 

.

Edited By Ian Gardner on 08/05/2013 10:38:34

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

I seem to have found another one as well, MM822 Antares, a 28 inch patrol launch built for portugal by Jame A Taylor of Shoreham. The original boat had a 58 ft hull so the model wouold be around 1/24-1/25 sale. The design was published on Model maker May 1965 and is still available from MHS as an X List plan

Colin

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

I seem to have found another one as well, MM822 Antares, a 28 inch patrol launch built for portugal by Jame A Taylor of Shoreham. The original boat had a 58 ft hull so the model wouold be around 1/24-1/25 sale. The design was published on Model maker May 1965 and is still available from MHS as an X List plan

Colin

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

And another! This time rather obscure. Vic published a full size plan in the August 1966 issue of Model Maker for Sparkler, a 21 inch customs type launch. Looks like it never made its way into the Plans Collection though!

I'm going through some old issues at the moment for another purpose and this and Antares caught my eye.

Colin

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

And another! This time rather obscure. Vic published a full size plan in the August 1966 issue of Model Maker for Sparkler, a 21 inch customs type launch. Looks like it never made its way into the Plans Collection though!

I'm going through some old issues at the moment for another purpose and this and Antares caught my eye.

Colin

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

And another! This time rather obscure. Vic published a full size plan in the August 1966 issue of Model Maker for Sparkler, a 21 inch customs type launch. Looks like it never made its way into the Plans Collection though!

I'm going through some old issues at the moment for another purpose and this and Antares caught my eye.

Colin

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Thanks for all the replies, I am sure there will be even more. I will add them to the list and who knows, they may be of interest to someone in the future.

Tony.

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Thanks for all the replies, I am sure there will be even more. I will add them to the list and who knows, they may be of interest to someone in the future.

Tony.

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Thanks for all the replies, I am sure there will be even more. I will add them to the list and who knows, they may be of interest to someone in the future.

Tony.

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Tony,

After you have got some responses just PM me the updated list and I will update the article.

It's surprising what is coming out of the woodwork. Vic was a really prolific designer.

Colin

Edited By Colin Bishop, Website Editor on 08/05/2013 19:16:16

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Tony,

After you have got some responses just PM me the updated list and I will update the article.

It's surprising what is coming out of the woodwork. Vic was a really prolific designer.

Colin

Edited By Colin Bishop, Website Editor on 08/05/2013 19:16:16

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Tony,

After you have got some responses just PM me the updated list and I will update the article.

It's surprising what is coming out of the woodwork. Vic was a really prolific designer.

Colin

Edited By Colin Bishop, Website Editor on 08/05/2013 19:16:16

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Tony

I have a small Vic Smeed book……." Boat Modelling" printed in 1984

Would you like it?………Just PM me your address…..FOC of course

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Tony

I have a small Vic Smeed book……." Boat Modelling" printed in 1984

Would you like it?………Just PM me your address…..FOC of course

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Tony

I have a small Vic Smeed book……." Boat Modelling" printed in 1984

Would you like it?………Just PM me your address…..FOC of course

Bob

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

I've been in the workshop………….

This is Vic's little "Moonsong", designed for the long-obsolete Marx-Luder "Bongo" drive unit. This particular one has a conventional 30mm x 3 blade prop and rudder, driven by an MFA 385 Low Noise motor. Next up is a version with a steerable Kort nozzle, kindly made for me by Mark "MMB" Windless. Paul Freshney has shown an interest in publishing plans so watch MB magazine for more news.

Dave M

[David WooleyParticipant @davidwooley82563]

One of Vic Smeed’s publications from 1956 still has lots of good material that would be useful even today…Model Makers Manual of 1957, which Vic edited has quite a number of unpublished plans of various types of models from yachts through to powerboats and hydroplanes a very popular form of power boating at that period. I was a great fan of Vic’s power boat designs and when the fast electric scene started to become interesting it was Vic's designs such as the Moccasin that got the likes of Philip Connolly inspired who was at that time top of his tree in high IC speed and an accomplished designer in his own right, Phil collaborated with Vic on the fast eclectics from the early 1960s onwards. And Vic’s influence helped Phil Connolly to develop such designs as Minuteman, Black Marauder and the hugely successful Marksman which would still do well today. Vic as a person and through his designs had a great influence on my own direction in the hectic world of speed and speed steering and my first steps into writing which I shall always be grateful for. What amazes me and always will is Vic’s ability, at least in the model boating world to change direction in his designs from power boating to scale and back again. There is an event at Fleetwood this Saturday and Sunday where many of the power boat designs of the period will be put through their paces by the Vintage model Power Boat club a real nostalgia trip and a chance to step back in time .

Dave Wooley

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Dave, looking forward to seeing more of the Moonsong design. Looks excellent.

Look at this beauty which I stumbled across whilst researching further. Why don't we see more catamarans at the lake?

Tony

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