Vic Smeed’s Model Boat Designs

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Thank you Larry, never imagined so much information would be available so quickly. Well done in keeping your magazine collection, so many of us have sold, discarded, placed in the club's 20p box, or just lost old magazines and now regret this.

Wonder what happened to the conclusion?

One design which needed detective work was "Sunga Marutham". Featured on the front cover of Model Maker, June 1956, with a brief article inside, finally found the plan and article in an American magazine, Flying Models, July 1957.

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Came across this 'Kingfisher' design in Vic's 1966 book, Power Model Boats. Further research in an old (1970s) plans handbook show it to be MM516. The design disappears from the listings in the 1980s or early 1990s and I can't find anything further on it. Does anyone have any further information e.g. was there a magazine item? and was it a free plan?

[HowardParticipant @howard79726]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Tony Hadley's article on Vic Smeed in the recent MB 'Special'. When I was a teenager back in the 60's I spent much of my spare time and pocket/holiday job money on slot car racing, frequently reading and being influenced by Vic's contributions to 'Model Cars' magazine. His designs and tips always worked well and were easily applied to the efforts of those who, like me, we're working on a limited budget.

The term '60's' now applies to me, with model boats being an interest I have drifted into, and again Vic Smeeds' drawings and techniques feature strongly in one of my chosen hobbies. His designs and methods span the years so elegantly, and it pleases me to see his name and reputation enduring.

Dave's contribution on building 'Twinkler' followed the theme nicely, and I enjoyed reading it so much that I may well build one myself as it seems such an attractive little model and one that could suit those odd occasions when a friend or visitor asks to come and see what I get up to to 'down at the lake' and I can let them have a go with a boat, plus, I am now soon to become a grandparent and the time will come when I have to fulfil entertainment duties. As an aside, Dave mentioned that if he built another 'Twinkler' he might use liteply, and I wondered what what sheet thickness he'd go for.

Thanks to all who contributed to this publication – £4.99 well spent in my opinion!

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

As an aside, Dave mentioned that if he built another 'Twinkler' he might use liteply, and I wondered what what sheet thickness he'd go for.

Howard
I'd still use medium-hard 1/4" balsa for the deck, chine and formers but change the balsa skins for 2mm liteply, simply because it's far less prone to "dings" (especially with a glass-cloth and epoxy covering). Incidentally the prototype has been passed onto an 11-year old lad who reportedly loves it. The 30mm prop has been changed for a 25mm one (3-blade) and so the top speed has been cut, along with the motor temperature. Running time has increased significantly.
Thanks for your kind comments about my scribblings – we tries us bestest!
Dave M

[The Long BuildParticipant @thelongbuild]

What turns up in a pile of my papers. Wind Rider

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Nice find Larry, have you also got Sea Rider in your archive?

A photograph of the finished model was shown in the 1979 (Hamlyn) book – Model Ships. The second photograph shows the vane gear, which is Draper pattern, according to the text, and the third photograph is Sea Rider. Wind Rider and Sea Rider were both featured in the 1975 BBC TV series Model World with Bob Symes/Vic Smeed. Wind Rider in the Model Yachts programme and Sea Rider in the Model Power Boats programme.

Both of these models were built by two young men featured in the programmes, Stephen building Wind Rider and Paul building Sea Rider, wonder if these two still build models?

[The Long BuildParticipant @thelongbuild]

No I have not come across Sea Rider, not sure how or where I acquired Wind Rider for that matter..!!

[Timothy Hayward-BrownParticipant @timothyhayward-brown49403]

> I have built "Bobby"… Has anyone else built one?

Hi – I'm new to the forum and saw Tony's Smeed article which was great – and found Barry's comment here about 'Bobby'. I build model planes and just recently had a go at a boat and was attracted to Vic Smeed designs as I know his plans from the model plane world, of course. Here is my version of Bobby – changed a bit to look like a boat called 'Archie Badenoch'. The original I believe was built for RN by Australian motor vehicle company Holdens in second world war but was sold to South Australian Police where it served as a patrol boat until the 70s. It is now with the Maritime Museum and does tourist trips just a few kms from where I live. It is adapted from the Smeed and Jeffreys plan, so 'proper' scale modellers please avert your eyes now. It goes great and I often drive it around the lake on warm evenings.

I haven't worked out how to add a pic as yet by I will if you are interested.

cheers

Tim

[Timothy Hayward-BrownParticipant @timothyhayward-brown49403]

[Timothy Hayward-BrownParticipant @timothyhayward-brown49403]

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

That is a beautiful looking model Tim, that last photo is superb and really shows off the elegant lines.

Colin

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Whist sorting through some old papers my Wife came across this photo of me with my mv Arran built to Vic Smeed's plans. The photo was taken at a Berrylands MBC meeting at Surbiton Lagoon Lido by the local paper in around 1972.

The model was not R/C – I couldn't afford it in those days – but did have twin screws and was powered by dry batteries. Hull was balsa covered by gumstrip paper.

I'm rather pleased she found it as it is the best photo of the model I have. It gradually fell into disrepair and ended up on the garden bonfire!

Long time ago now!

Colin

Edited By Colin Bishop, Website Editor on 03/01/2016 12:12:07

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

What a good photograph and a good find too, Colin. Was the photograph published in the newspaper? These old photographs are a good snapshot of the past, polo-neck jumpers were always nice and warm.

In the magazine item, your Bardic Ferry is a colour photograph, circa 1973 is another good photograph. Must guess this is personal photograph as against a B&W for the newspaper.

Sadly MV Arran (MM415), is no longer available as a plan, but it's always worth keeping an eye open for this and the other no-longer listed plans at Bring and Buy sales, on ebay etc.

[The Long BuildParticipant @thelongbuild]

Came across this site the other day, he seems to list it as available. ( seems to be a bit of an Archivist)

**LINK**

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Good article in the February 2016 magazine about a build (by Stephen Day) of Vic's Pirana design – and I thought my models took a long time to build!

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

I have put up the Pirana article as a feature on the website – link is on home page.

Colin

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

The Pirana article is well worth reading.

[The Long BuildParticipant @thelongbuild]

Posted by Tony Hadley on 17/09/2015 09:03:08:

Nice find Larry, have you also got Sea Rider in your archive?

 

Apparently I do !!

Edited By The Long Build on 01/02/2016 16:50:57

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Larry,

Your archive is a real treasure trove. Who knows what next – will be posting 'Lorena', the missing one from the series of five ladies names beginning with 'Lor'. Lorelei, Lorette, Lorosa and Lorraine were the other four. I can remember Colin saying in a post some time ago this one went astray before 1975.

If anyone has the plan for this in archive, please give me first refusal to buy or loan this plan. The magazine item was from October 1958 Model Maker magazine and the plan number was MM526.

[The Long BuildParticipant @thelongbuild]

I can't see any record that there was a plan with that issue ?

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Sorry for the poor description in the previous post Larry. Lorena was only ever sold as a plan in the plans service, but the accompanying magazine item was featured in the October 1958 Model Maker.

Looking at the two plans Wind Rider and Sea Rider, they were neat little designs, but time-expired I think.

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Looking at the models which Vic designed for TV programmes, other than Wind Rider and Sea Rider, a later design was Oil Rig support vessel Ulsterman. Came as a free plan in the back of the book which accompanied the 1985 Ulster and Channel 4 TV series Model Magic. The plan for this small easy build model is over a few pages..

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Found these three clips of Moonglow (MM800) on youtube. The third clip mentions Antares, but reading the text identifies it to be Moonglow.

**LINK**

**LINK**

**LINK**

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Earlier in this thread, I asked for information about Lorena, which stopped being listed in the plans service from the late 1960s or early 1970s. Thanks to regular forum contributor Dave Milbourn, the information has been provided.

Lorena was designed to be built using either either bread and butter, round bilge planked, hard chine or a GRP moulding taken and this is the same with Lorena's larger sister, Lorraine. The 54" Lorraine is still available in the plans service.

The styling of Lorena is dated by modern standards, but it just oozes nostalgia. A 21" half sized version has been added to the to-do list.

Thanks again Dave.

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hi All

Some old plans are available on flea-bay from Canada on CD, e.g. Lorraine , Beachcomber, Pirana, Moonmist.

[Author]

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