Wooden Hull Finishing AERONAUT DIVA CABIN CRUISER WOODEN MODEL BOAT KIT

[Martyn HuddlestoneParticipant @martynhuddlestone63544]

Hi, first time building a wooden rc boat from a kit, had some interesting challenges so far including pictured instructions with German text and english translations on a separate booklet, that doesn’t seem to match with the pictured instructions.

I’ve had some issues in assembling the hull, which has a mahogany? Too half and plain ply bottom. Assembling the top half was okay, but had real trouble holding the bottom half in place at the front of the keel whilst the glue dried. As a result, had some damage to the font lower keel on one side. Think I’ve managed to rectify this with some wood filler and copious sanding, just a number of other gaps to fill and prep now.

Looking for some advice in terms of how I finish/ waterproof the hull. Would like to keep the top half looking like mahogany, will be looking to paint the lower half and add a plimsoll line. Any advice would be gratefully received.

[Martyn HuddlestoneParticipant @martynhuddlestone63544]

How to fill gaps, finish wooden hull

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

Have a look here for a few suggestions Finishing wooden hulls

DM

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Martyn,

On from Dave's glass cloth methods, I'd varnish all the mahogany parts before you risk getting resin & paint on them while your doing the ply bottom.

Regards Ray

[Richard Hobson 2Participant @richardhobson2]

Hi,

I've also just started building this kit (first boat) The instructions seem to suggest just using sanding sealer – no tissue or glass cloth mentioned. Firstly can i substitute sanding sealer for a solvent based varnish? (Not sure where i can purchase sanding sealer from locally as never heard of it before) And Secondly, will there any detriment to the model not covering the hull in glass cloth/tissue? I'd be really interested to hear of the pros and cons. PS, for the finish i'd like to have a mix of the varnished veneer uppers and white painted hull.

Thanks Richard

(PS i'm also having issues with the English instructions not matching the German – all adds to the fun )

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Richard,

Yes in my opinion varnish will be fine to seal birch ply and mahogany, sanding sealer is a cellulose based fast drying to raise the grain of balsa wood mainly for Aero modelling use, I still use it but it's relatively expensive.

Glass cloth & epoxy resin has come into favour for the softer types of construction of balsa & lite ply to strengthen and give harder surface for finishing,

Varnish will take longer to cure dependant on temprature, warmer the better, use cheap stuff & more expensive Ronseal, rub down between coats for a high gloss finish.

Regards Ray

Edited By Ray Wood 2 on 29/06/2020 06:39:34

Edited By Ray Wood 2 on 29/06/2020 06:42:08

[Richard Hobson 2Participant @richardhobson2]

Hi Ray,

Thanks for the info Thats great.

What i'm thinking is thinning Yacht varnish for a couple of coats (Using this inside and outside all over) Then painting the hull white (Although Not sure what type of paint to use???) and adding the other details like transfers then lots of coats of Varnish rubbed down between each until i get a good gloss finish.

I think that should give me a fairly durable good finish?

Could i use acryic paints for adding small details and varnish over it or will it react / disolve it?

Thanks

Richard

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Richard,

I'm old school using oil based Humbrol Enamels for most boats, my experience of acrylic paint is it need lots of coats to build up a solid colour ideal with an airbrush, many here are fans of wrattle spray cans for cars from say Halfords.

Having said all that I have just used some satin black water based paint from Wilkco's which covered well 😀 white is always a challenge !!

Keep us posted with your progress some photo's would be good and help others 😉

Regards Ray

[Richard Hobson 2Participant @richardhobson2]

Hi Ray,

Humbrol Enamels sound good. Think i've now got a reasonable plan of action. Really appreciated your input.

Yes, i'll post a few build and finish photos's as i go.

Many Thanks

Ricahrd

[Tim CooperParticipant @timcooper90034]

Richard

I often use acrylic paint for some of the small details on models. My Italeri S100 boat conversion is completely painted using acrylics. I use Games Workshop and Vallejo paint. Once dry can be overvarnished without problems.

Tim

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

It's probably best not to overpaint yacht varnish as it is intended as a top coat for above water only and is slightly flexible.

If money is no object then International Toplac Snow White is an excellent and hard wearing brush on paint.

**LINK**

On full size boats that spend most of their time in the water it is intended for topsides only but on a model it will be fine for the underwater hull.

Colin

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Colin,

Rather extreme for a model boat @ £25 a tin ? But I suppose I've been using the same tin of international deck paint for 25 years so good value in the end 😀😀😀

Regards Ray

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Ray, it's great for the outside of the house too, lasts far longer than the 'external' paints you buy in the DiY stores. Very good for inside wood too such as window sills & doorframes. There is always a need for white paint in the domestic situation.

Actually it is about 4 times cheaper than Humbrol by volume…

Colin

[Dave Smith 17Participant @davesmith17]

I am also building one of these, first model boat for quite a few years, but I have quite a bit of transferable experience from model aircraft, which I built and flew for about 50 years. My wife gave me the kit for Christmas after I had admired a completed Diva in our local model shop (Howes).

I also suffered from the English translation for the kit appearing to be for a different model, in the end, I spent an evening typing the German text into a translation site and now have a set of English instructions which more or less make sense! If anyone wants a copy, I'll give them a quick proof read to make sure they make sense and send them on.

My Diva is at the stage of hull more or less completed, next stage is to varnish the mahogany sides to avoid getting any sticky fingerprints on them (managed to avoid it so far!). It's certainly a different construction to the models I used to build, and the instructions do need to be followed as most of the parts are exactly the right size, very little room to bodge any mistakes!

[Richard Hobson 2Participant @richardhobson2]

Hi Dave,

30 years aero modelling here. Mainly slope soarers. I wanted to build a full size kayak, but thought i'd start small I'm using an app on my iphone to translate. Basically take a pic, a couple of clicks and viola – English! its a free app, so only get 3 translations per day but that's enough. I'd love to see some pics of your progress. Sounds like you're a couple of steps ahead of me. And you are right about everything being exact! very different to glider kits i've done in the past. So far i've been very impressed with the kit to be honest!

Cheers Richard

[Dave Smith 17Participant @davesmith17]

Hi Richard, I used Bing translate, free and no limit (except my trying to type in German!). Not much to show with my build, just a hull and all the mess around it! I'll try to remember to take a pic or two tomorrow, between building the Diva and two others in a small space.

[Dave Smith 17Participant @davesmith17]

Hi Richard, I used Bing translate, free and no limit (except my trying to type in German!). Not much to show with my build, just a hull and all the mess around it! I'll try to remember to take a pic or two tomorrow, between building the Diva and two others in a small space.

[DAVID HANDFORTHParticipant @davidhandforth14636]

Hi Dave

I am just starting the Diva and the English instructions do not tie up at all to the German diagrams and instructions – even some parts are different in the English (part 12 is now in 3 separate parts and not 2 parts as the English instructions and diagrams show – I even rang up the supplier to say I had parts missing until i realised they had changed it ) If you still have the translation I would be very grateful – if not it looks like I will be spending a lot of time translating each section as I come to it.

Many thanks

Dave

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

David

The previous post is over 3 years old and I'm not aware that Dave Smith posts on here anymore. Though a Dave Smith 19 has, so perhaps he still does?

Chris

Edited By Chris Fellows on 23/08/2023 22:51:09

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

You're welcome!!!

[Dave Smith 17Participant @davesmith17]

Posted by Chris Fellows on 23/08/2023 22:48:57:

David

The previous post is over 3 years old and I'm not aware that Dave Smith posts on here anymore. Though a Dave Smith 19 has, so perhaps he still does?

Chris

Edited By Chris Fellows on 23/08/2023 22:51:09

I am still around and recently posted a copy of the Diva instructions translation. Just been rather busy with other life-related things for a while.

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