Vic Smeed’s Model Boat Designs

[David WooleyParticipant @davidwooley82563]

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I Attended the Vintage model boat event at Fleetwood , a superb day with real chance to see again after many years modellers and boats from period of our hobby that i thought I would never see again. WellIi was wrong , I have never seen so many vintage kits and designs put through their paces Fleetwood was a major power boat venue in the 50 s and 60s and being there brought back a few memories . One of many Sea Queens present at Fleetwood , One Swordsman enlarged from an MAP design has its original petrol engine and was going strong after 60 years !.

Dave Wooley

[john blanks 1Participant @johnblanks1]

i have just started to build a higgings hell boat by glynn guest scale 1…32 2 foot i have a 7.2 nimi battery what motor and prop would i need not fussed about speed

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

MFA 540/1 motor + 35mm 3-blade prop.
I don't want to discourage you from asking valid questions but as this isn't a Vic Smeed design could you please use another thread for posting unrelated questions? Otherwise the existing thread becomes sidetracked and ultimately the original subject is lost.
No offence intended whatsoever.
Dave M

[LARRY WHETTONParticipant @larrywhetton68737]

Hi Tony,

Watching this post with great interest ,

the TOM TOM LOOKS a great little boat ,

is the plan any where.?… cheers Larry…

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

Larry

I have copies of the plan in JPG format but it's actually four separate sheets stitched together in Photoshop. I don't know what size it prints at. I have also traced it in CAD and produced a one-piece A1-size working plan which you can have in PDF format. You'll also need the other one to obtain dimensions etc as my drawing isn't lettered. The drawing will cost about three quid to have run off at your local copy shop.

Send me a PM with your regular E-mail address.

Dave M

Edited By Dave Milbourn on 15/06/2013 16:46:41

[LARRY WHETTONParticipant @larrywhetton68737]

Hello Dave,

Thank you, sorry a bit late replying been tide up with a load of junk…..

pm sent…cheers Larry..

[LARRY WHETTONParticipant @larrywhetton68737]

Good morning Dave ,

A ll received ok thank you ……….Larry..

[LARRY WHETTONParticipant @larrywhetton68737]

Hello All,

Thanks to Dave , i have started a TOM TOM a classic build of Vic Smeed,

twin hulls a bit of challenge , bow noses tricky but so far so good, pictures so far

balsa build , 540 power 7.5 volt power,

cheers Larry…

[LARRY WHETTONParticipant @larrywhetton68737]

Another one Vic smeed flyer , CRACKERJACK yet to finish………Larry..

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Watching your build of Tom Tom with interest Larry. Keep us posted with photographs.

Tony.

[LARRY WHETTONParticipant @larrywhetton68737]

Hello ,

Latest on Tom Tom, hull complete , balsa build with a .72 skin of styrene stuck on with double side sticky tapr with solvent glue at the joins , nice strong hull with a finish to take paint job,

cabin structure next , mixture of Ikea blind and balsa, with dummy windows , pictures to follow ,

a new prodect went though the cutting stage to day , chinese junk to go with the sail i messed about with , nice little work boat and will fit the car ,……..cheers Larry..

[Chris NealParticipant @chrisneal52412]

Over Christmas i picked up two Radio control model books from a local charity shop and both books have been singed by Vic Smeed. 1st book is Power Model Boats by Vic Smeed 1959. 2nd book is Radio Control For Models 1950 signed 1/11/51

 

Edited By Chris Neal on 04/08/2013 20:15:27

[Ian GardnerParticipant @iangardner62867]

Lucky man! Treasure them.

Ian

[Chris NealParticipant @chrisneal52412]

Thanks will do

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Larry,

Going back a few posts in this thread, your photographs of Tom Tom were interesting. Any further progress and photographs to show us?

Tony.

[LARRY WHETTONParticipant @larrywhetton68737]

Hello Tony,

TOM TOM , ready for power set up ,

but have had a busy summer, bit of health problem ,

plus new grandson , will pick it up after latest fishing boat is clear of work shop ,

on the toit liist cheers Larry…….

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Remora, one of Vic's classic designs appeared on page 63 in the November 2013 Model Boats magazine. The item by Dave Wooley featured the Vintage Model Power Boat Weekend at the Fleetwood Club. An excellent item and photographs for vintage model boat builders and admirers.

The use of the photograph was by kind permission of the editor.

Tony

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

Thanks for a fascinating list, but I have built a Vic Smeed model which does not seem to be there.

Back in the late seventies I started work on a semi-scale air-sea rescue launch from a pull out plan in a Model Boats special. Vic's wonderful design was loosely based on a British Power Boat Whaleback – 'the Spitfire of the sea'. Powered by a brand new monoperm performance was, shall we say, limp?

I did little things to in, ended up losing the superstructure. I built a new freelance one and added a 540 motor and lots of fat nicad cells. In 1998 it finally achieved its full potential. I was little cruel, literally running rings around a chap's brand new electric R/C speedboat which he had flat out. The little ASRL had a rooster tail about three feet high behind it!

I would early love to track down the plan and put Vic's superstructure back on the model.

I have a scratchbuilt 1/16 close scale model of a whaleback that is nearly complete, which will be powered by three Buhler motors. All down to Vic, it looks like it may take about 20 years to complete too…

Neil

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

Is this the one? We have the plans and instructions on file.

DM

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

That's the one! Actually, after a frantic hour's search through all sorts of stuff (mostly old Aeromodellers and reports from my old jobs!) I found it – it was a 'special' about radio control.

Looking at the plan, it seems I extended the superstructure to include the 'optional hatch' at the back, so the original design will require some butchery. I think I might just spruce it up.

I really must finish the Whaleback, too.

Neil

Vic Smeed design with different superstructure:

Whaleback:

[Ian GardnerParticipant @iangardner62867]

Hi,

This one is in Tony's list- or will be eventually as I sent a copy. I built one too back in the eighties and with six cells and a standard 540 on a 35X prop it went like a rocket- absolutely brilliant. I have no photos of it and the boat disintegrated years ago.

The speed control was a micro switch operated from a servo. Knowing a bit more now, I realise I was lucky to get away with that, but …the folly of youth! It was wonderful to switch on and see her shoot away in a wide curve and then judge the 'switch off' so she glided to the bank.

Yours looks very nice by the way!

Ian

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Neil, It is a pleasure to see your Vic Smeed ASRL and I'm sure that many of us would enjoy seeing her on the water. Thanks for posting. You are quite right in that the model doesn't appear on the list, since the list was posted other designs have 'crept out of the woodwork'.

Thanks to members of this forum we keep adding missing designs. Some of the others which are additions to the original list are :-

Moonsong – Cabin Cruiser

The ASRL mentioned above

Sparkler – 21" Customs Launch

Twinkler – the predecessor to Sparkler

XQQME – multi-race boat

Tom Tom – catamaran

Rorqual – R/C Comp model

Nippy – miniature

Antares- Portuguese patrol launch

Sharpshooter – R/C Comp model

and three designs which we need to confirm that they were designed by Vic :-

Sir Gele D'Isle – Car Ferry

Sundra – Steam yacht

Petrel – Yacht

Here is a photograph of Sparkler which I came across last week in an August 1966 MB. This photograph doesn't do the model true justice, the plan would build into a lovely little planing model after painting.

With the list, it always good to hear of (or even better see) these old designs.

Tony

[david cuthbertsonParticipant @davidcuthbertson76633]

Hi All,

Recently I acquired a Vic Smeed drawing (on cd) of the Vickers Type 632 frigate. It was on ebay from

an ebay shop here in Canada.

Dave

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

Thanks Ian, Tony,

My original speed control was the two-speed switched resistor from a Tamiya XR311! I later upgraded to an electronize control.

Yes, it is a VERY fast hull and there is no need for the optional brass dagger plate for stability in turns.

Vic's designs, plane or boats, for the beginner were all excellent and reliable.

Neil

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

This interesting little vane controlled yacht, Splinter, from the February 1975 MB magazine has been received by Colin Bishop and kindly forwarded to me. My thoughts are that it would be a lovely project for a young person interested in making a start in the hobby. A project for granddad to help with, or a school woodwork project would spring to mind. Obviously it could be built by anyone who likes the look of the model, up-sizing and r/c would be possibilities.

The plan is a centre page spread, which is ideal as it doesn't have the dreaded joint line. Unfortunately I don't have an A3 scanner and am unable to post in this thread. This plan however forms part of the original item from Meccano Magazine of September 1971, which is now available as an electronic publication — **LINK**

The first photograph is the front cover of the February 1975 magazine.

The next three photographs cover the build of the yacht.

Hope you like this interesting little historical design from the 1970's (the era of David Bowie, power cuts, flared trousers etc.).

Tony.

 

 

Edited By Colin Bishop, Website Editor on 12/01/2014 10:04:57

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