Vintage Gentleman’s Cruiser

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Mark

I don't know how big the fish are but Cpt. Bob Ahab has asked for a design of a 6in air powered harpoon canon

Paul

[IAN_IParticipant @ian_i]

Hi Bob…

Good to see you have been working away through the busy time of turkey cooking to keep up the good work of giving us larkers something to look in on before bed time.

A fascinating build Bob, ….

All the best for the new year…

best regards,

Ian

[Gareth JonesParticipant @garethjones79649]

Bob,

I remember when you mocked Elizabeth for having a combined stand and keel on her model of Ariel. and now you have the nerve to come up with a combined skeg and trolley.

Gareth

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Gareth, you haven't seen the wings and sails etc. yet. It will be a truly unique model!

Incidentally, I have had a couple of recent spam emails from your address suggesting that you might have been hacked again.

Colin

[Gareth JonesParticipant @garethjones79649]

Colin,

Apologies about the spam and for a bit of thread drift here. With regard to the emails, about a year ago when I last thought my email account had been hacked, I copied all my contacts to a Word document, deleted all the contacts from my email account and now just type them in as and when I need them. I changed my passwords and scanned my computer using Norton anti virus and Malware Bytes, although neither found anything amiss. Despite this someone or something somewhere is still sending out emails apparently from me. I have seen one or two of the latest set and they include contacts I have not had on my computer for several years. I suspect therefore that they have somehow been stored away and get regurgitated by a machine somewhere every now and then. I don't know what I can do about it so I apologise to everyone who has had one recently or gets one in the future. If anyone has any ideas how to prevent it happening again please let me know. I think my next step might be to change my email address but that still may not stop the current problem.

Regards

Gareth

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Colin

The sails and wings I can cope with……….its the periscope and torpedoes that are worrying me.

Paul

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Now then, you lot…….. Too much monkey business goin` on, around here!

But I don`t mind chaps………From all the daft ideas being offered, there may be another little gem amongst it all, just waiting to be snapped up!

Many thanks Ian and all the best to you and yours

Gareth……It was Colin`s idea really

Colin……..Wings and sails, hey?……….That sounds interesting……Gercha!

Gareth…..I`ve just had the same problem with my Emails, luckily, no harm done………But it`s only a matter of time?

Paul………It`s way passed your bedtime!

All the best for the New Year, you chaps

Capt Bob and Lady Joyce

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Happy New Year to one and all, you chaps…….Hello to 2015

Today is the day of reckoning…….Sorting out the propshafts once and for all

After the howling success with the wheels…..We are working with a purpose now…..There is light at the end of the tunnel!……….Mind you, it`s a long tunnel

This should be fun!

Capt Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

What a grand handsome majestic boat?

This should please Paul………Does it, old chum?

Building this chunky boat is really interesting……….As it progressing, it`s a sheer delight, just to stand back and admire the view!

That wood block up front is just asking to be a neat little wheel?…….Mmmmmmm?

Bob

[Mark Jarvis 2Participant @markjarvis2]

This is a modern take on the traditional cruiser, none of this old school stuff, Excocet missiles and with the forward hatch Vertical launch cruise missiles.

The Abell drives with overdrive will take Mr Bobond to the edge!!!!!

Lady Joice last seen slowly shaking her head!!!!!

Mark

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

As a matter of fact, Mark……My wife Joyce is enjoying the build of Lady Joyce

Which makes a nice change

All the best for the New Year

Bob

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hello Captain Bob and First Lady: Dame Joyce

Wishing you a Happy New Year from the crumbling and derelict design office.

Now that this model has gone over to a full design and build project there is little for the design office to do so the management have closed it down. I am the only one left now and I spend my time wandering aimlessly around the echoing halls that used to hum with vibrant design expertise. The offices are now cold and empty and the huge drawing hall has broken windows with a layer of dust covering every surface.

I don't know what the massive shop floor workforce will do when the current project is completed … still never mind as its a big saving on wages.

Regarding the VGC I think that you will have to devise a method of connecting/disconnecting a set of wheels for the bow or connecting/disconnecting some kind of handle which will allow you to manoeuvre the model on land. You could use a xcfre ksduhnet vgbsju and really upousd the (sorry the candle si flickering and I see can not) this syster is self propellesd

Paul

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello Paul in the empty hall…….Sorry to hear about your lonely predicament

How about a nice rest?………..You deserve one

You could update the drawings?……..That would keep the banter going

A handle at the bows won`t work, as my pal Duckie pointed out……….The rudders would strike the floor!

So a wheel at the front is the solution…….And I was only joking this morning!

I could fit a simple permanent wheel for straight line running or a nylon rubbing block or a pull out castor etc

I think I prefer a simple qwik fit straight running detachabell wheel……….I`ll just knock one up for comments

What to make next, without it being an anti-climax is a bit of a poser?

Bob

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

On a serious note:

Large models are very difficult to transport, launch and recover……I should know as I have built quite a few of them.

For a younger (fitter) person this might not be an issue but for the rest of us an oversize and overweight model presents many physical problems that must be overcome before we even leave the house.

Ever since Bob started building the VGC I have been thinking about these problems and have been devising different methods whereby a single person could safely move, launch and recover large models. These have varied from self propelled trollies that can be used on a slipway to a counterbalanced crane affair for raising and lowering models down high banks.

These machines were complex creations requiring multi channel control which in many ways defeated the simplistic system that I was trying to create.

Bob has devised a straightforward method of moving the model from car to lake and to launch all without lifting or straining. Yes it might look a little Heath Robinson and certainly wont win any prizes in the good looks department but it meets all other criteria and allows Bob to safely use his model.

Whilst moving from car to lake it will look like a weird soapbox cart but when launched the wheels disappear below the water line and the model will be an elegant cruiser.

Paul

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

That is an excellent observation, Paul, you have put the problem in a nutshell!

I am very pleased you have voiced your opinion in such a positive pleasing manner

That`s what I meant, when I said, "we can move forward with confidence" fully realising the ease in which the model can be manhandled

The idea could lead to more large models being constructed in the future?……….Thanks Colin for giving us the idea……..Even though you were taking the Mickey!

Anyway back to the front wheel problem

Here is the solution!……

A pair of wheels and qwik fit bracket………..Bob`s yer Uncle, the job`s a good un!

Uncle Bob

[DuckyParticipant @ducky]

That was quick Bob, when I left at 3-30 today there was no sign of any wheels at the front, do you actually stop for food and drink?.

Are the wheels at the front going to be remove-Abell as per the GE keel fixing?.

Duckie.

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello Duckie

What I have made is only a quick mock up, but we all can understand the principle

Need a pair of matching wheels……Can you have a look in your local skips again please?

Bob

[ChrisBParticipant @chrisb29081]

Cap'n Bob, permission to come aboard?

As a boater of only two years experience, I have been lurking and enjoying this thread immensely.

If I may put in a cheeky twopenneth, the wheels are a cleaver idea to assist with transportation and launching, however I can see a problem arising at the end of sailing. If the wheels help launching, you will need some method of attaching a rope or somesuch to pull her out unless you have access to a hoist or lift – but then you wouldn't need the wheels?

Chris

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello ChrisB

A new kid on the block, hey?……..Well, welcome aboard, Chris to the forum and our thread

The model will be fitted with a sturdy rope for'ad and will be used to pull the boat out of the water

The hull has a metal skid plate under the keel, so the boat can be pulled out of the water, sliding on the edge of the landing stage

Our rescue boat is exactly the same……We can pull the boat out, complete with a person, no trouble at all

Don't need a crane

Fit the front wheels and off we go

Bob

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

The speed of this vessel will be such that on full throttle the said (not SAD) vessel will shoot half way up the slipway and be easily recoverable.

With a bit of forethought Bob, an inset front wheel could have been designed into the bow (sorry this would PAULs area) and that would take care of the front end, the rear utilising the wheels as per.

Ashley

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello Ashley

A neat built in wheel at the front is a tantalising thought…….Mmmmmmmm?

Just had a look the front area and it will be quite easy to fit!

A narrow box with the wheel inside, inserted from underneath and water proofed

Bob`s yer uncle and Fanny`s yer aunt!……Let`s go for it, Paul?……..There`s plenty of space between formers 1 and 2

Many thanks for your excellent suggestion, Ashley

More fun for Capt Bob

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Bob

I cant see any problem so if you want to fit a tricycle undercarriage go ahead …my only advice would be to fit the front wheel as close to the bow as possible (so that when coming out of the water the wheel makes contact first)

Paul

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hi Paul…..How`s the gloomy D.O. now?

The wheel box has to go between formers 1 and 2 where there is plenty of access from above for fibre glassing etc

We can fit a steel strip in front if necessary

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Here is the wheelbox for the "wheel in the bows" idea………Suggested by Ashley

By a sheer coincidence, the box is a nice fit between the formers

All I need now is the courage to break open the hull!

BOB

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Bob

Before you go smashing the hull to bits.

The wheel is bigger and wider than I expected and I'm sorry to say that having this mass protruding below the keel will ruin the hydrodynamics of the bow.

I had envisaged a super slim wheel no wider than 5mm.

Paul

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