forestay and sprits'le yard rigging.

using notes, drawings and fotos made up new fore stay. left tensioning purchase slack and plenty of spare at the top end. seized bottom end to bowsprit then fed top end up through slot in fore top, round mast then back down through other top slot and finished off with another seizing. finally tensioned with purchase and tied off same.
made new fore topmast stay and purchase. fixed standing part to end of sprit and a lead block further aft. rove thread through stay block and lead block and secured hauling part on fo'c'sle rail.

secured standing part of yard braces to top of fore stay with a clove hitch. made up two outrigger blocks and fixed to yard ends, then wired two lead blocks to fore stay, just above purchase.

rove brace threads through outrigger blocks to lead blocks and made fast on fo'c'sle rail.

yard is pinned to sprit but fixed parrel ropes to yard/sprit.

made up two blocks with tails and secured inboard on outrigger eyes, for topping lift blocks. made up eyes to topping lift threads and secured to end of sprit then rove thread through topping lift blocks to two lead blocks at bottom end of fore stay and secured on fo'c'sle rail.

hours 102.

The radio gear.

I got my transmitter back from graupner yesterday. Apparently the programming switches had been damaged by condensation caused by keeping it in the garage. Seems a bit wierd cos my garage is insulated and heated. Maybe other half has run the tumble drier with vent hose off.
Also received a 4.8V, 2200mA/hr NiMH flatpack receiver battery to power the bow thruster motor. The wires fitted are too thin to carry 4Amps so I opened it up and soldered 5A wires to the terminals and left the original wires in place for charging. Made up some futaba plugs and connected power pack to thruster circuit.
Programmed transmitter (graupner MC-12) for model no. 2- azi and model type AC which keeps all channels totally separate with no mixing. Switched everything on and set up channels 2 and 4 as stbd and port rudders respectively. Adjusted trim electronically for midships helm and adjusted limits also on the computer. Reversed servo directions an steering is sorted. Next I programmed the esc.s for stop and full power. So all ready for the lake on Sunday.
Every one up there keeps telling me about the aziz that sank cos the main hatch leaked so I have carefully sealed the edges with silcone. Trouble is that the hatch warped when the wooden sheathing was fitted. I stiffened hatch underneath with mahogany strips but can't do it properly due to the main hull crossbeam getting in the way so it still bends in the middle. To cure this I fitted a plastic clip under the hatch in way of said beam and similar to the aft clip. This holds the center down but causes the ford end to stick up and break the seal. All I could think of doing was fitting a screw through the ford end into the ford crossbeam. This seems to have done the trick. Have ordered two model 20' containers which I will glue to the hatch which should stiffen it in the center.
Very much looking forward to her maiden voyage Sunday on Llyn Padarn. Hopefully someone will have a decent video camera and will put it on YouTube for me.

float test.

next job new bathroom. gonna need bigger bath for next model!!!!

also decided boat needs a launching trolley as at 35.5 Kg its too heavy for me to lower from slipway into llyn padarn.

a great big round of applause please to Model Slipway in yorkshire for a great model at a very reasonable price. I have enjoyed every minute making.

next post will be video on the lake on youtube. will let you all know when.

electrics continued.

short delay caused by doing a delivery bilbao to dublin of a small
voith schneider propelled tug called Beaufort for dublin port company.
6 days to take over from shipyard, obtain certificates and prepare for sea passage. 4 beautiful days at sea with very kind weather force 3 max. we had to go round the coast of biscay for insurance purposes but more days more dollars. a day handover in dublin, night in hotel then back to holyhead on ferry. no flying, yippee!!

got home to find speed controllers had arrived so installed all
electrics. but then found transmitter had been affected by damp
so could not program it for new model. sent that off to the
graupner transmitter krankenhaus for repair. while waiting for
that to return did float test in bath, shifted main batteries
to obtain required trim and found she floats on her marks with
no further ballasting required.
am using 2 x 12v, 7 A/hr gell batteries mounted on their sides
for main motors,
1 x 6v pack of 4 x 1.5 v 2500 mA/hr NiMH AA cells for bow
thruster.

2 x 20 Amp viper marine reversable electronic speed controllers
(esc) for main motors.
1 x 10 Amp esc for thruster.

2 x standard servos for port and starboard rudders.
2 x 20 Amp switches and 1 x 10 Amp switch for main motors
and thruster respectively.
2 x 15 amp fuses for motors and 1 x 5 Amp fuse for bow
thruster.
intend rigging external charging points for batteries so won't
need to disturb covers.

1st pic shows main batteries, receiver and its powerpack.
2nd shows antenna exit point between port funnel and deckhouse.
3rd shows escs and servos with esc switches.
4th shows motor and thruster switches and fuses.

total hours 300 dead.

although this model more involved than voith "parat" experience
gained doing her stood me in good stead for this one.

am going away again next week to deliver a supply boat from
ravenna (Italy) to Istanbul. should get 2 weeks out of that.

FINISHED!!!!

finished fitting tyres, last touch up and construction is complete.

still waiting for r/c gear. come on postie!!!

the electronics bit.

yesterday realised model had no radio antennae so knocked up a duplex pair of mf/hf aerials with antenna matching units out of a scrap bits of 6x3mm plastic and 0.8mm wire. will do some vhf aerials this afternoon. glued up the rudder halves onto the rudder shafts with slow set epoxy. got to be really careful not to get any ooze out in the bearings. painted inside hull with grey primer, bit of window dressing. have been looking at electronic speed controllers (esc) on 'tinterweb. have had my eye on viper marine 20amp units for main motors and 10 amp for bow thruster motor. however b/th is 6volt and main motors are 12v. i understand that escs do not reduce voltage but switch the supply on and off very quickly. the varying of time on, with respect to time off, thus permits the motor to be controlled. i believed that excess current (electron flow) is what causes motors to burn out, so if the current is restricted heat build up should also be restricted and as i can program my transmitter to not request esc to deliver full current then my motor would be safe. i needed advice so spoke to mrs. white at model slipway and she put me on to dave milbourn at action electronics (he drew up the working plans for aziz and a plan of the suggested electrical layout). he shot me down in flames and suggested i use a separate 6v power supply dedicated to the bow thruster. i decided to heed his advice as i don't want to prove myself wrong the hard way. (i have made the thruster motor accessible but only just). he also suggested i us a dual mixed esc module which reduces the speed of the inboard motor when rudders are moved. i have seen these modules in action but they are used to simplify the installation and save money but this is obtained at the expense of the full manoeverability that i wish for. it has been shown many times on full sized vessels, turning at speed, that reducing power to the inboard engine actually reduces rate of turn rather than increasing rot. this is because the lift of the rudder is greater than the torque between props. i am going to have independent motors and also independent rudders as per most supply boats. on a full size vessel it can take 20 seconds for the rudders to go hard over from one side to the other and when your close under a rig that's too slow. by swinging both rudders inboard and forgetting about them, the rudder on the ahead screw is always in position to swing the stern.(rudder position on astern screw has little or no effect). the engines can go from ahead to astern in most cases in 8 seconds or less. this is what i'm used to and will incorparate in the finished model. then i can "make it talk".

so i'm eagerly awaiting the postman with my servos, extension leads and escs. got to get some fuse holders and a couple of 20 amp switches and then i can box the job off. i'm going away on sunday to deliver a new tug from bilbao, spain to its new owners in dublin. hope to be back in 7-10 days weather permitting (march-biscay-some hope) more days more dollar!!

continued.

painted navlights, fitted them, then fitted radars, finally secured mainmast on funnel mounts.

fitted liferafts and made up securing wires.

winches in position but not yet secured.

fitted bridge to foc'sle ladders. made up, fitted and painted outboard handrails.

did a fair bit of touching up on paintwork. never seem to finish. every time i look from a funny angle i see more overpaint and holidays.

should finish construction tomorrow. then just got to do the radio bits, 2x 15 amp electronic speed controllers for main motors, 1x 10 amp for bowthruster and 2x standard servos for rudders.

total hours 260.

end in sight!!!

finished putting wires on winches. made up and fitted assorted sockets and eyes on ends of the wires. made two standard sockets,(can't remember what they're called, Smudge???)out of a bit of white metal, cut roughly to shape, drilled the wire and shackle holes then filed to a finish.

made a ring for the anchor handling wire out of the ring (not required) off one of the anchors.

fitted the props, outboard turning, used medium loctite thread lock on threads of props and universal couplings.

see next post. can only get 3 pics uploaded per post.

quarter fenders and putting wires on tugger and towing winches.

the kit comes with rope which i will use to make up 4 mooring lines. the winches should have wire, approx 1.6mm for towing drum and 0.5mm for tugger winch. have been on the lookout for suitable wire and while getting some threadloc for the props and couplings in the motor factors, spotted this (0.8mm stainless 3 strand) which looks ok on both drums. it takes nearly as long to do as the real thing. not my favourite job. will do other tugger and anchor handling drum tomorrow. also finished the quarter fenders.
total hours 250.

more fitting out.

fitted all remaining vents on foc'sle. then anchor cables.

then fitted remaining ladder, discharge/load valve sets port and stbd, bunker connections and fire dampers.

from 5mm plastic pipe and 1.6mm brass rod, made up wire deflectors over bitts. drilled 1.6mm holes in bulwark capping and fixed with cyo.

drilled 88x 0.8mm holes for u-bolts to hold fender chains. when fitting u-bolt found the holes too small so had to re-drill 1mm. plan stated 0.7mm but though i have this drill, hand-drill chuck is too big to hold it.

fitted the bow fender. u-bolts are pushed through the holes and the ends bent over inside hull. very fiddly. tomorrow will complete quarter fenders.
total hours 241.

final painting, transfers and fitting out.

yesterday finished painting small stuff and fitted anodes to rudders and kort nozzles.







today, fixed transfers on fire hose boxes, access doors and hull,
(names, port of registry, ford draft marks and bow thruster warning.


fitted out monkey island with standard magnetic compass, horn and mounting frame and three searchlights. then fitted 4x wheelhouse doors, glazed them then fitted glazing to windows. have left the protective film on glase, will remove just before securing wheelhouse to accomodation.




next fitted out fo'c'sle with rope store hatch.cable guides, windlass,
escape hatch, vent, large and small bitts, spare prop and anchor,
big pipe?, builders and spec plates and 2x floodlights

finally fitted crane, control station and hoses, doti boat, store and emergency generator room doors, 4x fire hose boxes, vents and portside ladder.

a good day.

total hours 232.

painting continues.

yesterday and today spent painting all the small parts plus wheeelhouse and monkey island decks. fitted fire monitor system and pipework. then fitted funnel vent grills, company logos, exhaust outlets and weather doors.

total hours 216.

and more painting.

touched up deck green around stanchion bases. sprayed wheelhouse and accommodation with air brush. air brush went tits up so had to strip and rebuild it. the compressor started blowing off and not switching off so overhauled switch, gauge, and safety valve so now good as new. while i was on that added a pressure gauge on the low pressure side of the reducer which i had chopped off my broken car tyre pump when that burned out. knew it would come in handy. all that fixed resumed painting masts, winches, vents and liferaft cradles. also drilled deck for cradle attachment points. finally brush painted bulkheads (two more coats).
need to cut in deck green around bulkheads tomorrow.

dummied everything up to see how she's going to look. deck green doesn't look nearly as bad when deck gear is in place.
still a fair bit to do but end in sight. have to start looking on e-bay for speed controllers, servos, switches and fuse holders. intend having external chargeing point so dont need to keep removing batteries.

total hours 202.

more painting.

started off by painting the decks with revelle aqua paint (water based acrylic), applied after thinning with brushes. not a brilliant finish but unable to use airbrush as the paint always creeps under masking tape, (see waterline pinstripe). next i painted the elephant rails. not too fiddly, same paint type. after that painted the lower rails and stanchions white, top rail black. very fiddly. went over bulwark capping orange with brush as spraygun missed most of it. painted bulkheads white , again with brush. needs another coat. finally painted access hatch and fitted wood sheathing. had to scrape away excess cyo on cross bands before wood fitted neatly. need to touch up deck green in way of stanchions as got an attack of the shakes when painting them and got some white on the deck.
total hours 193.

topsides orange.

the very nice man in B&Q mixed me up a very nice "african adventure 3". not as red as the spec but i wanted a bigger contrast between topsides and hull. not likely to lose it on llyn padarn, eh!! bit of cutting back on pinstripe then its deck green.

total hours 184.

anti-fouling.

cut back the grey all over hull with 800 wet/dry used wet with soapy water, repaired with air-brush and removed paint from pinstripe. masked up and sprayed 3 coats berry wine red satin acrylic. again a few runs so will let harden overnight and cut back with 1200 w/dry tomorrow. then go hunting for a nice orange/red for topsides.

total hours 177.

1st coat of primer.

one coat B&Q grey acrylic primer/undercoat. new spraygun and new paint. a few runs and some contamination causeing small pits but no real problems. all parts were washed in warm soapy water and dusted off with panel wipes and tack rag. found ring locking spray horns was greased. not a good idea. possibly picked up some small specks of grease. will thouroughly clean gun before next use. primer coat highlighted many areas that need a bit of filling and rubbing down but on the whole very happy. will finish outer hull with the big gun also accommodation white, will do the rest with airbrush and brushes.

total hours 173.

waterline.

all construction is finished. prior to painting need to mark out waterline. made sure hull on flat surface, slightly raised as running gear projects below ships bottom, upright and even keel and clear run around worktop. then made up tool to correct height using data from plan at aft perpendicular. superglued pencil to top of tool, waxed bottom of tool and ran it round the hull so marking waterline perfick. went to halfords for some panel wipes and white pinstripe for boot topping but they didn't have suitable stripes in white. will try siop y modur am. intend using white pinstripe to mark out waterline, prime all over the the hull with grey, covering pinstripe as well and after rubbing down, mask off above w/l and spray below w/l with red oxide primer to simulate anti-fouling colour. next, remove masking and mask off bottom side and spray above w/l with final colour. then cut back with 1200 wet/dry paper removing paint from pinstripe which should leave a nice white boot topping. to get the required satin finish and protect fragile acrylic paint and transfers will spray over all with satin polyurethane varnish. must remember to mask off propshaft threads and rudder posts as not fitting rudders till after painting.

the foremast.

remade the support stays and completed foremast. VERY fiddly.

total hours 167.

towing winch, tugger winches and foremast.

started of today building towing/anchor winch. straight forward but needed to paint inner aspects before installing reels as would be difficult later. will fit wire when painted properly and can source 1.7mm wire.

next moved on to tugger winches. again straight forward.

next made a start on the foremast which requiers 34 cuts for rungs, 6mm centres plus assorted 1.6 mm drillings for supports and 1mm for nav light mounts.

so i made up a jig/guide by making 2 cuts 6mm apart in jig so now simply make 1 cut, move it along, secure with spare hacksaw blade and repeat 34 times.

then made up supports very accurately and installed same only to find stays 8mm too short!!
mast has 1.6mm brass peg inserted into base this fits through fo'c'sle deck into underdeck beam so is quite rigid but is fragile so will be dismountable for transporting boat. stays will be push fit in stem capping.

total hours 163.

hawsepipes, spurling pipes and windlass.

no provision on plans for hawsepipes or spurling pipes so made up some dummy pipes out of 5mm brass pipe 25mm long with one end blocked off and the other end belled out. dopped one pair down through hawse rings and the other pair pushed down through 5mm holes drilled under windlass. secured with drop of cyo. will drop chain down holes and secure with cyo when i fit windlass after painting deck.

rest of time spent fettling white metal parts for windlass and assembling same.

total hours 155.

wire guide and deck crane.

made up thewire guide from 8mm dowel and plastic webs. i clamped the two long rails together the ran an 8mm drill between them for the female mitres then rounded off the ends of the crosspiece. drilled 8mm holes in aft access deck to locate legs. tacked legs in place then fitted fillet/webs and glued up everything.
bit of fettleing on the deck crane parts, drilled 1mm holes for ramand used 1mm wire for ram.

total hours 150. well done wales!!!