The Model Yacht: Volume 6, Number 1 – Spring/Summer 2002

LINCOLN MEMORIAL POOL, WASHINGTON, D.C. NEWSLETTER OF THE U.S. VINTAGE MODEL YACHT GROUP VOLUME SIX, NUMBER ONE SPRING/SUMMER 2002 NEWSLETTER OF THE U.S. VINTAGE MODEL YACHT GROUP VOLUME SIX, NUMBER ONE SPRING/SUMMER 2002 Editor’s Welcome This issue marks the beginning of our sixth year of publication, an anniversary which makes me both proud and happy. I admit to having a fondness for “grandparent’s boats,” simple and well-designed craft that can be made for and with the younger set to introduce them to the joys of building and sailing. Our technical supplement this issue features one from 1926, which was designed by E. Armitage McCann, a celebrated builder of static scale models. I’ve also included an article on one of my personal favorites from days long gone by. Ebbs and Flows The President’s Message VMYG is an AMYA special interest group that promotes: 1) preserving, building, exhibiting, racing of older sailing model designs, and 2) study of the history of sport of model yachting. Vintage models are older designs with traditional appearance and built to sail. They include free sailed models, original designs converted to R/C and early R/C sailing craft. Check VMYG Web Page for more details: www.swcp.com/usvmyg Model Coordinators A periodic reminder about the way we run our subscription system. Your yearly dues entitle you to three issues from the time you sign up. The issues are numbered by Volume and Number; this is Volume 6, Number 1. The volume and number of the last issue we think you are entitled to appears next to your name on the mailing label. If the number is “61,” then this is it, and you should also have a reminder slip and a self-addressed envelope included with your issue. We are human, if we have made a mistake we are more than happy to make it right. Vintage M (VM) Models Charlie Roden: 732462-7483, cer@monmouth.com Also, on a personal note, I encountered computer problems early this year and as a result lost a significant amount of email. I have tried to remember and recontact those who had asked me about things, but if you’ve not heard from me on an inquiry please email me again. grahamreeves@aol.com Earl Boebert Traditional Sailing Craft/Scale Harry Mote: 609660-0100, stryker@cybercomm.net International A Class Models Rod Carr: 425-8812846, RodCarr@CarrSails.com Canada & UK Contacts McMain: Canada Doug d.mcmain@HydroOne.com 416-782-4514, United Kingdom Graham Reeves: 01789-751800, 2002 Activities 1st WoodenBoat School Model Course Jun. Brooklin, ME 3rd Annual Mystic Model Yacht Regatta Jul. Aug. 4 Mystic Seaport Museum, CT Page 1 16-22 29- 4th SFMYC M Class Free Sail Invitational Regatta Aug. 10-11 Spreckles Lake, San Francisco, CA International Yacht Restoration School “Family Day” Aug. IYRS, Newport, RI 20th Annual Antique & Classic Boat Festival August 24-25 Salem, MA 2nd WoodenBoat School Model Course Sept. 8-14 Brooklin, ME Eighth National VM Regatta Sept. 21-22 Spring Lake, NJ Marbleheaders MYC – Charlie Roden 732-462-7483 & cer@monmouth.com Traditional Sailing Craft Model Regatta Sept. 28-29 Calvert Marine Museum, Solomons, MD Racing and display competitions for R/C traditional sailing craft/schooners models. Solomons Island MBC Contact – Buck McClellan 410-326-6019 & shadow1954@earthlink.net Annual Free Sail Model Regatta Oct. 13 Red Beach, Menemsha Pond, Martha’s Vineyard, MA Vintage Etcetera Vintage M Recap of May 26 VM regatta held at Camden, ME is elsewhere in this newsletter. Remaining activities for R/C VM models are Aug. 11, Laconia, NH and VMYG national regatta Sept. 21-22 at Spring Lake, NJ. 2002 Mystic Regatta VMYG is again support- ing Mystic Seaport model yacht regatta, where six AMYA championships will be held Jul. 29 – Aug. 4. Our interest is classic AMYA designs being raced – J, EC-12M and Star 45 Classes, plus regatta’s indoor model yacht exhibit and presentations on our sport. Also, dedication ceremony has been added for new American Model Yachting Archives. Goal for 2002 event is for it to become annual AMYA Raceweek East. Check regatta web site for details and entry: www.raceweekeast.com Region 1 Director, Greg Vasileff, and myself can be contacted at: montydog@rcn.com and jsnow@drc.com Model Yachting Archives Foundation collection of vintage model yachting material has been made available to new American Model Yachting Archives at Mystic Seaport Museum, CT. We have the Family of Dr. Ted Houk to thank for this gift in behalf of their father – well-known US racer, designer, builder, instructor and organizer in our sport during the 1930s into 1960s in Seattle area and nationally. Special VMYG appreciation goes to Rod Carr for acting in behalf of Houk Family as key facilitator for this donation. These archives will be housed in climate-controlled environment at Seaport Library and are supported by VMYG and AMYA. Select material from this collection having wide interest could eventually be available in “read only” format via Internet. Formal ceremony is now planned at Library on August 3 during 2002 Model Yacht Regatta at Seaport to dedicate these archives in memory of Dr. Houk. VMYG has lead in screening all potential donations, including models. Those interested in donating material, plans, artifacts and models should contact myself at 781-6314203 or VMYG Archivist Jim Dolan at 781631-2111. Yankee I I I Model Project Update Earl Boebert is now developing construction plans for glassover-balsa of John Black’s 36-inch model yacht design from 1935 – Yankee Jr. This model will also be available in fiberglass hull version from Mike Kelley and VMYG may offer book/video to help beginners using this design. You can contact Mike via his web site: www.pondboats.com or at 805-641-1215. Email Change Note new email address for Graham Reeves who represents our interests in UK: grahamreeves@aol.com All of us wish Graham speedy recover from recent health problem and hope he is at pond side for 2002 British Empire A Class championships this summer! John Snow “Vamarie” Earl Boebert, our Historian and editor of The Model Yacht, has acquired lines drawings and sail and rigging plans for building “Atlantic,” “Dorade,” “Nina” and now “Vamarie” – four beautiful vessels with exceptional histories. The plans are available for building scale radio controlled models of these boats. As mentioned in the commentary that accompanied the plans for “Atlantic” in The Model Yacht, because of her original length, she would have to be a large model – around Page 2 six feet or more on deck — to be a good sailing model. But “Dorade,” “Nina” and “Vamarie” would make good 50” on deck sailing models. All three qualify for the suggested CCA (Cruising Club of America) fleet. And “Nina” qualifies for the schooner as well as the CCA fleet and she would be an outstanding performer in both. “Vamarie” “…crossed the finish line first in her first nine ocean races, including the 1936 Bermuda Race (of which she won four) and placed second in the 1935 Trans-Atlantic race from Newport to Bergen, Norway on corrected time.” Her owner had a reputation as an excellent navigator, which contributed to her success. “Vamarie” was a 72’ wishbone ketch, designed by Cox & Stevens of New York and built by Abeking & Rassmussen of Bremen, Germany in 1933 for Vadim Makaroff. She was 54’on the water, 15’ beam, 10’ 4” draft, with 2300 sq. ft. of sail. She had no engine. She was considered very fast and an excellent sea boat. On the 1935 Newport to Bergen race, Sherman Hoyt was along as a member of the crew. In his Memoirs, he said that because of the “reported ice field conditions, well authenticated by our efficient radio equipment, we decided it only prudent to lay a course to pass to the southward of the Grand Banks and Flemish Cap before shaping a great circle course to the Shetlands.” All other vessels except “Stormy Weather” adopted this policy. But “Rod Stephens on According to a brief history of her on an Annapolis to Newport Race Web site, Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 “Stormy” very boldly held well to the north after leaving Nantucket to skirt the southern tip of Nova Scotia and negotiated a passage close to Newfoundland to the northward of the main ice fields. It was taking quite a chance but saved many miles and paid off so well, with probably more favorable weather, that he led us in ‘Vamarie,’ many miles to the southward, until we sighted each other when approaching the Shetlands.” “Vamarie” then pulled away quickly, crossing the North Sea, and was first to finish at Bergen, five hours ahead of “Stormy Weather.” This was not enough to save her time on “Stormy Weather,” however, and she consequently finished second on corrected time, with “Stormy” first, and second boat to cross the finish line. Had “Stormy Weather” followed a route similar to the others, “Vamarie” would likely have been first on corrected time as well as first boat to finish. Sherman Hoyt enjoyed sailing on “Vamarie,” because he liked the vessel and the crew that usually sailed aboard her. “For the hull of ‘Vamarie,’ its excellent design, construction, seaworthiness and potential speed I have he greatest admiration,” he said in his Memoirs. But he thought the wishbone mainsail a beast to handle at sea. The “…notes in my log about her unique and clever rig may seem unduly severe, but, in all honesty, I cannot approve of the triangular mainsail with wishbone gaff and mizzen-staysail combination….” on a ketch designed to go to sea for long periods. The wishbone mainsail had a high center of effort and the heavy wishbone had to be guyed to control its thrashing from side to side in a seaway with not a lot of wind. He thought it capable of dismasting the vessel if a guy or a sheet line should part. However, on a trip south from New York in the fall of 1934, he said “…we had one memorable night sail in half a gale of wind and heavy sea when rounding Cape Hatteras. ‘Vamarie,’ under her three lower sails with wind just aft of the beam behaved splendidly and reeled off knots faster than I believe I have ever traveled under sail in any yacht of her comparable size.” In 1936, “Vamarie’s” owner presented her to the Naval Academy. She served the Academy well for almost two decades until she met a bad end on October 15, 1954 when hurricane Hazel parted her mooring chain and put her on the Naval Academy seawall, where she became a total wreck. “Vamarie” was indeed a beautiful vessel. One look her hull lines makes all of Sherman Hoyt’s praise credible. As for her rig, where the wishbone may have been a challenge at sea in bad weather, it should be an asset in a radio controlled model in that it should be easy to arrange the sheeting and it should make the model very weatherly. Harry Mote The Gypsy Sloops Back in the 1950’s, Comet Model Hobbycraft was a prominent supplier of stick-and-paper model aircraft. They also offered two boat kits, the “Gypsy Sloop” and the “Gypsy Sloop Jr.” The “Gypsy Sloop” was 15 inches LOA and cost a dollar; the “Junior” was 10 3/ 4 inches LOA and cost fifty cents. This was quite expensive for the day; the bottom of the model airplane line cost a dime and top of the line was fifty cents. The “Junior” was the first model sailboat I made, at the age of 11 or so. As the plans indicate, Comet made a proper boat of it at a size when most sailing models consisted of a stick mast in a slab of wood. She sailed like a dream and afforded many happy hours in a variety of puddles and tide pools up and down the West Coast of the U.S. The plans given here should be sufficient to build a replica. Enlarge the plans 150% to make a “Junior” and 200% to make the larger boat. Thin wood sheet is available from hobby shops that cater to the doll house miniturists. The original was made from 1/32 inch basswood but she’d look very nice in mahogany. The ballast is a 1/8 inch thick piece of strap iron for the “Junior” and 3/16 inch for the big one. The practiced eye will note that the boat seems severely overcanvassed. Comet solved this problem by providing an open-weave, gauze-like material for the sails. This enabled a “scale-like” sail plan without excessive heeling. Page 6 Earl Boebert The two “Gypsy Sloops” were identical except for size. Enlarge 150% for the “Jr.” and 200% for the larger. Page 7 Page 8 The In the Water Model Boat Show and Vintage Regatta Day in hopes of a better turnout. Many thanks to all who traveled on the holiday. Charlie Roden The Vintage Model Boat Regatta was held on Sunday, May 26 at Shirttail Point in Camden, Maine under cold and cloudy skies and moderate winds. Four boats competed for the newly appointed prizes (Tower Hobbies gift certificates) with notable sailors such as Ned Lakeman, Bill Hill, Jerry Fernald and Don Seales. Race director Ann Salverson-Seales and race spotter Marty Feldman organized and held 11 races. There was a good crosssection of nicely built models, which sailed well in the breezy conditions. The local club now has seven “Cheerio I” boats complete and several other vintage Marbleheads, although not all of our members could sail due to holiday weekend obligations. Ned Lakeman took first place with his own design “Traditional,” scoring 11 points for 11 races (two throwouts). Bill Hill took second with a “Cheerio I” and 19 points, Don Seales was third with a “Madcap” and 30 points and Jerry Fernald took fourth with another “Cheerio I” and 37 points. As usual everyone had a good time and even though there were only four entries competition was keen. Next year we plan to hold this event on a weekend other than Memorial A Modified Horizontal Lift Method and Two Model Offers You Can’t Refuse Back in the late 1950s, when Donald R. Herriott and friends worked at AT&T’s Bell Labs in Morristown, N.J. and had the appropriate computer equipment at their disposal, they decided to computer-generate full-size patterns for building a Gloucester schooner model via a modified version of the horizontal lift method. The schooner they built was just under five feet on deck, with a beam of 11 inches. The keel was as designed but “an extension with a lead weight,” as described in Mr. Herriott’s letter, “is bolted onto the fixed keel for sailing.” They used “an aircraft type radio control system” for steering and a war surplus servo for sail handling. As you can see in the photograph, the boat sailed reasonably well Your editor picked up an album containing several pictures of this nice schooner some time ago. There is no indication of where or when the picture was taken. Does anybody recognize the site? There appears to be some kind of pavilion to the left, and a large Greek Revival structure directly behind the boat. Other pictures in the album were from the West coast, sometime in the 30’s or 40’s. Page 9 and the RC system even trimmed overlapping jibs. However, as Mr. Herriott warns in his detailed, step-bystep construction manual on this method: “Cut the strips (lifts) carefully to stay on the line. Any error will leave a gouge in the hull that will have to be sanded out or filled. Any error of more than a sixteenth of an inch would be a problem.” Reasonable The five-foot Gloucesterman which is up for adoption. See text skill with a saw is a for details prerequisite. The modification to the horizontal lift method was in the way the lifts were cut and assembled. In place of producing the lifts by making perpendicular cuts in the conventional way, the computer plotted a “cutting plan” (Figure 2) that included a full-size pattern for each lift, plus a cutting angle for each (Figure 3). Because of the cutting angles, virtually all of lifts nested to minimize waste. The lifts, when stacked for gluing, had enough overlap for an adequate glue joint. The lifts were also produced in halves, which means they can be cut out with a band saw. Apart from being an interesting exercise in computer interpolation and plotting for these engineers, the method saves high-quality, clear building stock and reduces the amount of wood that needs to be shaped from the outside of the hull and carved from the inside. This computer program also produced patterns for a plywood assembly jig. For the five-foot schooner, the jig included eleven 11” x 13” plywood panels and two notched longitudinal plywood stringers on which the panels are mounted. Each of the 11 panels is notched on the bottom edge to fit into the notches of the two longitudinal stringers, like an old metal refrigerator ice tray. In each of the 11 panels is cut a cradle-like shape to represent a station or section of the model. The cradle-like shape is notched to accept the corners of the lifts as they are assembled in the jig for glu- The hull plan for the Gloucester Schooner, Fig. 1, Top and the computer generated cutting plan, Fig. 2., Above. Page 10 ing. The jig controls lift alignment. The cutting of the jig components needs to be done with reasonable precision so that it all fits together properly and so that the lifts fit into the jig, yet the jig controls alignment. Bottom line: The saving in quality lumber and the reduction in the amount of wood to How the lifts are laid up, Fig. 3 be removed in shaping the hull are significantly offset by the cost and work involved in the jig. It could be argued that producing a single hull via the conventional horizontal lift method would take less time than via Mr. Herriott’s method. However, for a group project – such as a Boy Scout project or a mentoring project, where several hulls would be produced — Mr. Herriott’s method may save lumber costs and building time, since only one jig would be necessary. And the jig could prove an asset in a group program. Mr. Herriot’s Offers He still has the five-foot schooner, although it’s electronics are dated, the sails may need replacement and the boat is in need of TLC. And, although he no longer has access to the computer capability to produce patterns for models, nor does he any longer have the patterns from which the five-foot schooner was built, he knows how to produce the patterns for virtually any model manually. Offer #1: To give his five-foot schooner to a good home, with reasonable assurance that the new owner will adequately refurbish the model and sail it. Offer #2: To do the calculations necessary and to produce manually a “cutting plan” for a model of your choice. You choose the design, determine desired model length on deck, and send Mr. Herriott a complete set of hull lines. A set of Mr. Herriott’s patterns would be essentially a Boy Scout or mentoring program model building “kit.” He has a reasonably comprehensive and detailed construction manual to go with the “cutting plan.” Mr. Herriott’s desire is to have his schooner sail again and to have people build models using his method. He can be reached at: Mr. Donald R. Herriott, 14480 Laguna Dr. West, Fort Myers, FL 33908, (941) 4153018. Harry Mote A New Vintage Book from Down Under Our Australian colleague, Stephen Crewes, has written an excellent book entitled Sydney’s Model Racing Skiffs — A History. This work covers, in text and numerous pictures, the sailing of the amazing little skiffs in the Sydney area between around 1900 and 1954. These were but two feet or less in length, almost the same in beam, with deep bulb keels and, in typical Australian style, enough sail area for boats several times the size. They were raced mainly from two-man skiffs and competition was intense. This is the way history should be captured, from the bottom up, using interviews with the participants and photographs of the time. It’s an excellent job, and deserves to be in the library of any Vintage enthusiast. 56 pp, numerous photographs and one color plate. US$25.00 postpaid. Order from the author: Stephen Crewes, 2 Dunkeld Ave., Hurlstone Park NSW 2193, Australia. And please do Steve a favor and send either cash or an international money order, as the banks charge outrageous fees for cashing checks in other than the local currencies. Page 11 Earl Boebert Bits of Oakum Long Island Members Wanted Member Alden Whitehead would like to get in touch with other members in the Long Island area. He can be reached at the email address awhitehe@optonline.net or by phone at 631-262-9141. News from Around the Web An interesting, and free, naval design program for Windows 95/98/ME and Macintosh computers is available at: http://ants.dif.um.es/~humberto// sdn/sdn.html The Southern California Schooner Fleet page can be found at http://www.geocities.com/ socalschoonerfleet/ Type these URLs in a single line without spaces when you enter them in your browser. Earl Boebert days in model yachting and the start of the schooner fleet. One day in the late 1980s, a 43” on deck RC scratch-built schooner appeared on the pond. “Our old friend Bob Debow saw it, sailed it and that is the beginning of this story,” said Dick. “As a relative newcomer to AMYA I leaned pretty heavily on Bob Debow for advice, and in fact he is the backbone of this thing.” So began the Argonauts Schooner Fleet. In the late ‘40s and ‘50s Dick had sailed on a schooner called “Bagheera” in many Chicago to Mackinac races as helmsman and foredeck crew. And after retirement to sunny San Diego, he became involved with RC model sailboat racing and found that “Bagheera” was in the area in charter. “Nothing would do but to get aboard and join them.” Overcome with “nostalgia,” a word he used often in reference to models of “these grand old ships,” he got a set of plans for “Bagheera” and built his first “scratch-built.” Although Dick also sailed AMYA class boats, he loved his schooners. Fair winds, Dick Davis. Harry Mote Fair Winds, Dick Davis Dick Davis of the San Diego Argonauts died April 11, 2002 after a long illness. You have only to read the comments on the AMYA Web site and to talk with people who knew him to know that he was loved and valued as club member and friend. We got to know him, just a little, through U.S. Mail and email correspondence and telephone conversations when we were developing rules for the VMYG schooner fleet. He unstintingly shared information, including photographs of Argonauts model schooners, and answered questions about how the rules were set up and why. In his telephone conversations he was open and candid with advice, based on about a decade of development of “the Argonauts’ rules,” as we referred to them. For national compatibility and because of the wisdom that the rules seemed to include, we adopted them as our own, verbatim. In an article for the Spring, 1993, Issue #91 of the AMYA Quarterly, Dick tells of his early The Model Yacht is published three times a year by the U.S. Vintage Model Yacht Group. Copyright 1998,1999, 2000, 2001,2002 U.S.V.M.Y.G. Reproduction for noncommercial purposes permitted; all other rights reserved. Editorial Address: 9219 Flushing Meadows NE Albuquerque NM 87111 Email: boebert@swcp.com Phone: 505 823 1046 Officers of the U.S. Vintage Model Yacht Group: President: John Snow Eastern Vice-President: Ben Martin Midwest Vice-President: Al Suydam Western Vice-President: Dominic Meo, III Southeastern Vice-President: Thom Mclaughlin Traditional/Scale Coordinator: Harry Mote Vintage M Class Coordinator: Charles Roden A Class Coordinator: Rod Carr U.K. Coordinator: Graham Reeves Canadian Representative: Doug McMain Historian: Earl Boebert Archivist: Jim Dolan Page 12 First Installment Sailing a yacht model on pool, river, lake or sea is among the best of sports. Only those men—those very old men, indeed–in whom the bright fires of boyish enthusiasm have turned to ashes, may not agree with me; I know that all young and grown-up boys will. Yachts may be purchased all ready to put in the water, but that is poor sport compared with trying out and sailing one built with one’s own hands. As a compromise, semiready parts may be bought and assembled. For those who adopt that plan, the following remarks will be found useful because, though the type of yacht may be different from the one described, building methods are somewhat similar. The best fun is to start with the raw material and make the whole boat from truck to keel. A Yacht Model for Racing Editor’s Note Captain E. Armitage McCann is rightly revered in scale model shipbuilding circles as not only a master craftsman but also a great popularizer of the craft. His models appear in the Smithsonian, the Naval Academy collection at Annapolis, and the Mariner’s Museum at Newport News, Virginia. He wrote many articles in Popular Science Monthly during the 1920’s and early 1930’s. The vast bulk of these were on static scale subjects such as clipper ships and warships. He did apply his skills to sailing models, and this two-part series appeared in Popular Science for July and August 1926. It’s a proud moment when we launch on the water the yacht we have spent pleasant hours in building, and see her skim along, straight as a dart–wind aft or leading—to the appointed mark. It is interesting to learn her moods and to trim the sails and adjust the rudder. To add to the excitement, we may enter her for races, perhaps to be overtaken by those that were builded better than ours, or, more fortunately, to win for us the coveted blue ribbon. The material required is easily obtained, and the handyman will have the necessary tools—a hand saw, a tenon or other small toothed saw, chisel, gouge, plane, light hammer, two small clamps, a fine bradawl or twist drills, and brace and bit. First of all, draw plans of every part to the full size of the desired boat. The measurements given are for a 20-in. yacht (21 in. over all and 19 1/2in. load water line), but larger or smaller models may be made by increasing or decreasing all measurements proportionately. The plans are suitable for a boat of from about 10 to 30 inches. McCann was associated with Boucher company, for whom he designed scale kits, and this nifty little catboat was sold in kit form as the “Snipe.” This two-part article is reprinted under fair use for education and research purposes only, and the copyrights are maintained by the Fig. 2. The hull with both temporary molds and permanent deck original holders. beams in place. The molds are removed before the deck is fastened Page 14 It is best to draw the plans on tough trac- Fig. 3. One half of the plan view, the side elevation, and a series of section lines. Note that the section lines show the shape of the hull at station points marked I-IV, and at the stern. These lines are exactly 3. in. apart. ing paper, which can be laid on the wood, the lines then being scribed through by means of a sheet of typewriting carbon paper. The hull consists of the main block (which may be in two or three pieces), the side planks and the deck. The main block A, Fig. 3, below, is a piece of straightgrained soft white pine, 2 3/4 by 7 by 20 in. If two pieces are used, the upper one should be 7 by 20 in.; it should be 1 1/2 in. thick at the fore end and 1 in. at the after end. Plane the bottom true, and on the sides mark the sheer line, A1. Cut away to this line. On the top lay your full-size plan drawing, centering it accurately, and scribe the outline, A2. Cut away to it. that it fits the bottom of the top block. Mark the outline and cut away the waste. Glue the two firmly together and help the glue with a few brads driven down through the lower edge of the top block, being careful to point them so that the ends will not appear when the hull is cut to the final shape. Put these pieces between boards and clamp together or place under heavy weight for twenty-four hours. Then cut away the inside, leaving the sides about 3/8 in. thick at the top and bottom edges; the wood can be thinner in between, except at the bow, where enough should be left on which to fasten the upper stem. The lower block, if two pieces are being used, Fig. 4. The yacht on a trial spin in Central should be 7/8 by 6 by 18 1/ Park, New York. Fig. 5. Under view of hull. 4 in. Plane the top and see Page 15 Regarding the glue to be used, the best is casein glue, often called airplane or cold water glue, which is waterproof. It is a white powder, and should be mixed with cold water to the consistency of cream, at least half an hour before use. For exacting work like this, it should be used the day it is mixed. It is obtainable at model shops, from casein glue manufacturers, threeply makers, and possibly elsewhere. Once it is set, water has no effect on it. If other glues are used, all joints must be shellacked or otherwise protect ted from damp; this applies particularly to the inside of the joints. Fig. 6. To aid in shaping the hull correctly, it is well to make seven cardboard templets by enlarging these section lines. (We’ve done this for you in the case of the 20 in. boat — Ed.) Page 16 When the glue is dry, Two temporary shape the hull with molds D, as indichisel, plane, spokecated in Fig. 7, of shave, knife or what any wood, are you will, to the profiles lightly nailed in shown in Figs. 3 and 6. position from Note that seven crossunderneath sections of one half of through the hull. the hull are shown. The large one is These represent the placed about 8 in. shape of the hull at the from the stern and stern and at six other the smaller, 6 in. places indicated in Fig. from it, but before 3 by the station lines fixing them move I-VI. These lines are Fig. 7. After block A is shaped, the stern board, stem, keel strip them along until and molds are added. spaced 3 in. apart, their edges cointhe deck plan being cide with the 21 in. long over all. The bottom of the hull for edges of the hull. about 11 in., where the keel is to come, must For the side planks B, use two pieces of have a flat surface about 3/8 in. wide. straightgrained wood, 3/16 by 2 1/4 by 22 in. Cardboard templets may be made of the These can be of soft pine, but cedar or seven section lines, and the wood is shaved mahogany, when varnished, makes a more away until they fit on. It is, however, more attractive appearance. important that both sides are made alike in Make cardboard pieces first, stretch them shape and thickness than that the lines are along and see that they fit, getting them to preserved exactly as given. Small deviations come snugly together at the bow and leave a from the design will do no harm. slight overlap at the stern. Do this on both Having given the block a final shaving, sides. It will be noted that they lie in the rabscraping and sandpapering, scribe a line all bet at the fore end. around the outside 5/16 in. from the top. Cut Then cut out the wooden strips. in along this line to form a rabbet or recess 3/ 16 in. deep at the bow. This tapers to nothing The fore end of these pieces will need steamamidships, as will be seen by studying the ing or boiling before being bent into shape. sections shown in Fig. 3. They can be put in a bucket of boiling water for twenty minutes, then bent rather more Cut away the inside until the hull is about 1/ than the final shape and thus fixed until dry. 4 in. thick, if you feel equal to the task, but do Lay them in position and lightly nail to the not cut too fine at the top; leave 3/8 in. at the molds, seeing that you have a very neat fit at edges, and plenty of wood at the bow and the stem. Remove them, glue them, and stern. clamp near the bow. Nail them to the stem It is hardly necessary to add that three pieces and all the way along, working aft toward of 7/8 in. thick wood may be glued up for the the stern board. Keep the nails well up from block A, in which case proceed just as if one the edge and point them down into the hull. solid block had been used and do all of the The thinnest obtainable 1/2 in. brads are cutting after the stock 3 has been glued. best. Brass nails do not hold well. Use a small twist drill or fine bradawl to make the necesTo make and fix stem E, use a piece of cedar sary holes. or other semi-hardwood, 7/8 by 1 by 2 in. The shape of this is difficult to describe, but The deck beams F, Figs. 2 and 3, which are can be seen in Figs. 2 and 3. It fits on the fore cut from a strip 5/8 in. square in cross-secend of block A. It is best fastened in place by tion, now should be put in position. The boring a 1/4 in. hole right through it into A short one is 4 1/2 in. from the stern, and the and inserting and gluing a dowel. Dowel longer, 6 1/2 in. from the outside of the stern. sticks may be obtained at any hardware store. Do not cut the ends until the pieces have been placed across the side planks and the The stern board C, 3/6, 1/4 or 3/8 by 1 by 4 edge bevels marked. Note that they rise in 1/4 in., should be of similar wood. It is glued the center, 3/16 for the shorter one and 1/4 and nailed from underneath, and a couple of in. for the longer one; this is called the camnails are toe-nailed in from above, inside. Page 17 ber and both makes the deck stronger and insures the water’s running off. are needed can often be found on the lumberyard or carpenter shop junk heap. Glue and nail the beams in position and remove the temporary molds. Plane the top edges of the side planks so that both sides are exactly alike in height and slightly chamfered toward the outside. Most of the cutting and finishing operations described can be done most handily by holding the model between one’s knees. The hull is frail until completed, and any kind of vise is likely to crush it. Bevel the lower edges of the side planks to the slope of the hull at the after end and the hull to the edges of the planks at the forward end, so that the whole length is one smooth curve. Fill any cracks and nailhead holes with white lead tinted brown, if the top is to be finished in a natural color. Give the lower part, as far as the water line, two or three coats of light gray paint, and the upper, the same number of coats of clear spar varnish. Rub down between each and stand by to make the spars, sail, keel, and steering gear next month. Along the bottom of the boat inside, glue a strip of wood about 5/8 by 1/2 in. in crosssection to take the screws that will hold the keel in position. At this point, before inclosing the hull, give the inside a good soaking with warm linseed oil. The boat is now ready for the deck, G. This had best be a piece of 1/8 in. thick three-ply wood 8 by 21 in., mahogany for preference. Lay it in position, mark it underneath, and cut to shape. Glue a piece of the same or other thin wood about 2 1/2 in. square on it, centered about 6 in. from the stern. Through this and the deck cut a hole about 1 1/2 in. square for the hatch. Now glue and nai1 the deck to the side planks and ends. A light molding along the top edge, H, called a sheermold, helps this joint, and if made of wood of a contrasting color adds to the appearance. It should be about 3/ 16 in. wide and 1/16 in. thick and go right around; glue and nail it lightly. A hatch cover, J, is needed to fit in and on the opening. It is made from two pieces of wood, or, better, a piece of wood for the top and a piece of cork to fit in the opening. Only well seasoned wood should be used throughout. Such small pieces as Second Installment Now that the hull of our 20-in. yacht model is made, we can turn our attention to the much easier work of adding the accessories and getting her ready for her first sail. The keel (Fig. 3), of aluminum or galvanized iron, had better be made next. It is a good idea to take a paper pattern of the keel to a tinsmith and let him cut it from a sheet of No. 22 gage galvanized iron. It is about 1/32 in. thick, 10 in. along the top, 4 1/2 in. at the bottom, and 5 in. deep. Beyond this measurement about 3/8 in. additional should be left at the top and bent to a right angle with six holes drilled and countersunk for brass screws. On the bottom there is molded enough lead to make the whole keel weigh about 1 1/2 lbs. First make a wooden pattern, boat shaped, 1 in. high, 1 in. across the top, and 3/4 in. across the bottom (Fig. 2). Put a wood screw in the top to hold it. Fill a small box with plaster of paris and water. Sink the pattern, previously oiled all over, in it, Fig. 1 (at right). The yacht sailing in New York harbor, off the and allow the plasBattery. Fig 2. (at left) shows the pouring of the lead keel ter to set. Remove weight. Page 18 the pattern, and thoroughly dry the plaster, placing it in a slow oven if you are in a hurry. groove for the sheet (line) 5/8 in. from the end. Make a saw cut in a slip of wood and tack it so that the cut stands over the fore end of the opening in the mold for a distance of about 1/4 in. to serve as a clamp for holding the sheet metal in place while the lead is being poured (Fig. 2). Next bore a couple of holes in the keel to act as keyways for the lead to flow into. Thoroughly clean the metal and set it dead upright in the center of the mold. Melt about 1 1/2 lbs. of scrap lead in a ladle (an old aluminum saucepan will do) and pour it into the mold, from both sides, so as not to buckle the sheet metal with the heat1. When cold, remove and trim smooth, making sure that there is the same amount of lead on each side. Give the whole a couple of coats of paint or enamel to match the hull and lay to one side for the present. The bowsprit is a 1/4-in. dowel 4 3/4 in. long. Taper the outer end slightly and flatten the inner; 3 in. goes outboard. It has a screw eye in the extreme end, and a cleat is screwed to it for the sheet. This cleat is a thin, smooth piece of metal screwed down in the middle, the ends being raised a trifle. It looks better on the deck, but it is handier here. The spars should he polished with shellac or oil or be given a coat of varnish. The mast step (Fig. 6) is a piece of 3/16 or 1/4 in. thick wood, about 1 1/2 in. square. It has a 3/8-in. hole in the middle to fit the mast snugly and is firmly glued and screwed to the deck, with its center 2 1/2 in. from the bow. There are several devices by means of which the mast can be moved forward or aft to adjust the sails to the wind force. This is a fine idea and works well with a fixed rudder, when the wind is steady. It is the writer’s experience, however, that it is only a sea breeze that is steady in force and direction, and that on ponds and other inland waters the wind constantly varies. The mast, Fig. 7, can be made from a straight grained 3/8-in. dowel stick, tapered to 3/16 in. at the top. It will be 34 in. long over all. Cut a slight groove around it 24 in. from the heel and bore a small hole 1 in. from the top. Insert a small brass or nickel screw eye 3/4 in. from the heel (that is, 3/4 Fig. 3. The keel and the automatic tiller control. The only device that in. above the deck). All Rudder is moved by sail to suit the wind. approximates the man exposed screws or at the helm of a real craft screw eyes should be of brass or nickelis, therefore, a self-adjusting rudder. The simplated brass. plest of these is one hanging loose and The boom is a 1/4-in. dowel stick, 20 1/2 in. weighted on the end, so that as the boat heels long, tapered to 5/32 in. Slightly open a over she gives herself more helm. A quicker screw eye and screw it in the thick end. Bore and more positive action is the one shown in a hole 1 in. from the other end and make a Figs. 3 and 4. The ideal, of course, is both an adjustable mast and an automatic rudder. 1. The usual precautions about ventilation, eye and skin protection, and making sure the mold is perfectly dry apply here. Simple ballast like this is easily made using Thom McLaughlin’s technique of getting lead flashing from a roofing supplier and gluing it up in strips. But first the rudder must be made and hung. Any scrap of hardwood 3/16 by 2 by 4 1/2 in. will do. Cut it to the shape shown, taper the fore edge from the lower gudgeon to almost nothing at the bottom and the after Page 19 wood across the stern with holes and pegs will serve for this, but somewhat neater is that used in the example (Figs. 3 and 4). It consists of a strip of brass raised in the middle and screwed to the deck at the ends, with two slots in it. In these slots run two radio switch stops. The sail (Fig. 6) requires careful making. Balloon cloth is the best material; next come soft finish cambric, linen obtained by washing out tracing cloth, or thin tricoline1. If none of these can be had, use any thin, good linen. Shrink it before cutting. Fig. 4. The wind automatically pulls rudder to leeward against the tension of the rubber band. edge from about the upper gudgeon, making the whole of the lower half quite thin. Four gudgeons are needed. These may be small screw eyes, but can better be made from small screws with the heads cut off and the shanks flattened and drilled. They can he bought ready made. Screw one of the gudgeons in the fore edge 1 1/8 in. from the top of the rudder, another 1 in. below that, and place the other pair in the stern of the boat so that they will come just above and below the first two, when the head of the rudder projects about 3/8 in. above the deck. A long pin or a piece of wire with the end bent over is passed through the gudgeons to hang the rudder, which must swing freely and be as close to the stern as possible. Now place an opened screw eye in the deck just abaft the hatch. Drill a hole through the rudder 1/4 in. from the top. Through this force a piece of No. 16 spring brass wire and bend it up a little on both sides; 1 3/4 in. from the after edge of the rudder bend the wire around to an open ring, and 2 1/4 in. from the fore edge, into a hook (Fig. 3). When the boat is to be sailed, a rubber band connects the forward end of the tiller and the hook in the deck. The pull of the elastic tends to keep the rudder straight. The main sheet from the end of the boom passes through the outboard eye and to the cleat forward. The more wind there is, the more the sheet pulls the rudder to leeward, thus correcting the pressure of the water on the lee bow, which is just what a helmsman would do. The proper tension of the rubber band has to be determined by actual test. The luff (mast edge) will be 31 in., the foot 19 1/2 in., and the leech 35 in. The latter should be parallel with the selvedge of the cloth. The luff and the foot do not form quite a right angle, so that the boom will he raised a little. The leech is not straight but bows out in what is called a roach. The other edges, in a sail of this size, may be straight, although the luff may have a little roach. A templet should he made and pinned on the cloth before marking and allowance made for a 1/4-in. hem along the luff and foot, and as small a hem as possible on the leech. Take an 8-ft. length of thin cord such as 24-lb. fishing line, knot one end, stitch it to the clew (lower aft corner of the sail) and sew it inside the hem round via the tack (lower fore corner) to the head; stitch it there. When the sail is set take the line through the hole bored in Fig. 5. Under view of the hull before being painted, with heavy keel and rudder in place. That the rudder may not go too far over, a stop is required, and this has to be adjustable because the yacht will need more helm under some conditions than under others. A strip of Page 20 1. All of these except for cambric are now extinct. The closest to vintage sailcloth is “long staple down cambric,” a tightly woven (150 threads per inch or more) material used as body material for down pillows and comforters, and available from quilting suppliers. Kite suppliers also offer lightweight synthetics and heat-setting adhesive tape. hole in the same toggle. Hook to the sprit end and set up tight; it is exactly like setting up a tent rope. Do the same with the two backstays and see to it that the mast is dead upright when the boat is afloat. the mast, hitch it round the mast, and carry it down to the bowsprit end as a stay. Sew two pockets on the after leech, as shown (Fig. 6) and in them insert strips of celluloid or whalebone, 4 1/2 and 5 in. long, each about 1/4in. wide. Fasten a similar piece of line to the end of the boom, reeve it through the ring in the reverse tiller and fasten to the cleat on the boom. The amount of slack to give the sheet depends on how the boat is to sail with reference to the wind. That is a matter of experience, but, roughly speaking, the more the wind is behind, the more sheet she will need. Hook the boom to the mast and, starting at the tack, stitch the sail to boom and mast with crochet cotton. Be careful not to stretch the sail when sewing or binding it to the spars and see that the tack comes right to the mast. Put screw eyes in the side planks about 5 in. in from the bow on either side. Tie another piece of cord to the groove on the mast to come down on each side some 4 in. beyond these eyes. There are many ways of building a stand for her. The folding stand in Fig. 6 is merely a suggestion. If you want one, you can Meanwhile, give the Fig. 6. How the sail is made and lashed in place; use your ingenuity, but be a stay toggle and a folding stand. careful not to put a strain brightwork (varnished on the keel at any time. wood) and the enamel a final finish with rottenstone and water, so The yacht is now ready to launch to respond that the yacht is smooth and sleek without to the lightest breath of air or boom along in being glassy in appearance. the stiffest gale. Go to it, and luck attend your efforts! Screw the keel to the hull, with the after edge 3 1/2 in. from the stern, but first enamel the E. Armitage McCann (1926) edge and touch the joint up afterwards. Be sure that its center line coincides with the center line of the boat. Try it in a bath of water to see that it floats upright; if not, it may be that the flange of the keel needs bending slightly. To set up the mast, step it in the hole. Make three toggles (Fig. 6) from thin pieces of celluloid or metal with three holes in each, and make three ring hooks. Reeve the forestay through the two top holes of a toggle, through a ring hook and back to the other Fig. 7. Details of the mast, boom, and bowsprit. The first is made from a 3/8 in. birch dowel, the other two are 1/4 in. dowels. The bowsprit is one of the most convenient places for tying the sheet. Page 21