The Model Yacht: Volume 13, Number 1 – Summer 2009

LINCOLN MEMORIAL POOL, WASHINGTON, DC NEWSLETTER OF THE U.S. VINTAGE MODEL YACHT GROUP VOLUME T HIRTEEN, NUMBER ONE Summer 2009 Page 1 NEWSLETTER OF THE U.S. VINTAGE MODEL YACHT GROUP VOLUME THIRTEEN, NUMBER ONE Summer 2009 Editor’s Welcome Lucky thirteen — our thirteenth year begins. To help commemorate it we are beginning a series of reprints of interesting articles from our very early days, updated to reflect the realities of new technology such as improved and miniaturized radio gear. The first such article was run in 1998, and features a delightful little 25 inch gaff rigged sloop by Claude Horst, orginally designed in 1933. Today such a boat can be equipped with radio control, thanks to the efforts of the “park flyer” aircraft vendors and the Footy skippers. In this issue we also introduce the notion of miniature square-rigged ships that are large enough to sail in, and describe some notable examples. Another “blast from the past” is an article describing a boat made from plans we ran in 2003. We always encourage you to send in descriptions of you work, which we will run as space permits. John Snow describes our big event in August at the Herreshoff Museum and we have the entry forms for the National Regatta. Last, but never least, once again our pages are graced with Mark Steele’s wonderful Windling World. Ebbs and Flows The President’s Message Vintage Membership VMYG annual membership is $25 for three issues of our newsletter – The Model Yacht. It is $30 for members outside the US. The VMYG lifetime membership is $125. Our members also have access to technical assistance and vintage model plans, plus reports of and notifications on VMYG-sponsored events. To initially subscribe to or renew your newsletter and services membership, send $25 or $30 check (payable to US VMYG) or cash to: John Snow, c/o US VMYG, 78 East Orchard Street, Marblehead, MA 01945. For more information, call John @ 781-631-4203 or visit the VMYG Web Page: www.usvmyg.org Remaining 2009 VMYG Activities VMYG, in coordination with the AMYA, still has a robust line-up of vintage, classic and traditional model activities remaining for the 2009 season: July 4-September 30: Summer HMM-VMYGAMYA classic and racing class model yacht exhibit, with design chronology, building and vane steering displays in support of Herreshoff Marine Museum / America’s Cup Hall of Fame. Earl Boebert Page 2 June 28-July 4: WoodenBoat School VM model plank-on-frame course at Brooklin, ME by VMYG’s Thom McLaughlin. July 12: Laconia R/C VM Invitational Regatta at Lily Pond, Laconia, NH. August 6: VMYG two-hour evening lecture on 100 years of linkage between model and full-size yacht designing at HMM in Bristol, RI. It kicks-off their 2009-2010 lecture series plus will feature some new insights into 1930s model yacht designs of legendary designer Captain Nathanael Greene Herreshoff. August 7-9 weekend: AMYA-VMYG J Class Region 1 Championship with “Legends of Yachting” race and tent model display on HMM campus waterfront. August 9-15: WoodenBoat School R/C Vintage 36 (V36) wooden model building and sailing course at Brooklin, ME by VMYG’s Alan Suydam. ter retreats in Coconut Grove, FL. TJ Perrotti was responsible for the initial detailed measurements and photos of Captain Nat’s original vane at the Herreshoff Marine Museum with permission of Halsey Herreshoff. TJ developed nine CAD drawings for Burt Bechtel to employ his considerable skills to scratchbuild two vane replicas using comparable metal and wood material, along with exquisite wood mounting bases. Thanks to TJ and Burt, the VMYG is now able to donate one vane to the Museum archives, which will be on display at their Gallery summer model yacht exhibit. The second vane replica will be presented by Halsey as a trophy to the winner of the “Legends of Yachting” J Class model challenge race at the HMM regatta dinner on August 8. Also, the second vane gear was mounted by John Snow on his 1931 Broom II VM model and test-sailed by Halsey at Redd’s Pond on May 15. 2009 New England VM Regatta October 17-18 weekend: Bill Bithell Cup R/C VM Invitational Regatta with annual Marblehead MYC Chowder Race at Redd’s Pond, Marblehead, MA. The VMYG and AMYA also coordinated on the 2009 AMYA M Class National Championship May 15-17 at Redd’s Pond in Marblehead, MA. Our objective was to increase M skipper participation by the VMYG actively promoting a New England invitational regatta for VM models. As a result, 17 VM skippers participated along with Halsey Herreshoff who was invited as our special weekend guest. Check elsewhere for the VM regatta report with photos. 2009 Woods Hole Model Boat Show Appreciation Traditional Sailing Craft/Scale Models Group Participation The VMYG and AMYA for the seventh time teamed-up at the April 18-19 Model Boat Show in Woods Hole, MA for model yacht exhibits, lectures and an AMYA open regatta at Eel Pond. We would like to extend our appreciation to Jim Linville for the AMYA regatta, plus members Fred and Sue Abbe, Earl and Judy Boebert, Jim Dolan, and Jane and Pete Peterson for their support of Show model exhibits and lectures. VMYG asks that you consider participating in our 2009 “Vintage Model Yachting Days” national regatta at Calvert Marine Museum September 11-13. This is to: 1) Better understand the enjoyment from our vintage-style version of the sport of model yachting, and 2) Help us publicize our traditional sailing craft/scale model group and its model schooners, skipjacks, etc. Contact Alan Suydam at 401-326-5242 and Herreshoff Vane Steering Gear Replicas alansuydam@comcast.net The VMYG would like to recognize the extraordinary efforts of two members in crafting two fully accurate and functioning vane steering gear replicas. These replicas were of an original deck-mounted vane that was designed, built and sailed in 1931 by Captain Nat Herreshoff. He used versions of this vane on skiff-sailed model yachts during his win- on how to join us for some fun at this event and its venue. For 2010, VMYG has reserved the August 20-22 weekend for our national regatta at the Mystic Seaport Museum, given their association with traditional sailing craft. Their interest has been further heightened recently by the superb R/C Charles Morgan September 11-13 weekend: “Vintage Model Yachting Days” National Regatta hosted by Calvert Marine Museum in Solomons, MD. There will have mix of R/C VM, V36 and Traditional Sailing Craft/Scale (schooner, skipjacks, etc.) model racing and displays. Page 3 model built by a VMYG member that is now on loan to the Seaport. Charles Morgan Whaler 86-inch R/C Model VMYG member Bill Huizing has completed his fully functioning, R/C wooden Charles Morgan model, which is 1/24th scale model of Mystic Seaport Museum’s 1841 whaling ship of the same name. He delivered this model to the Seaport on Memorial Day weekend and performed sailing demos to rave reviews from visitors and staff alike. It is now on long-term loan for display and sailing to support the Seaport’s three-year/$5 million restoration project of the full-size Morgan. Bill is now actively planning his next scratch-built R/C vintage wooden model project, with his sights set on 1/24th version of an early America’s Cup racing yacht. Vintage Etcetera VMYG “How To” Model Books: Visit the VMYG website for details on ordering our “how to” vintage model building books and video authored by our Historian Earl Boebert. These are based on the wooden plankon-frame method to construct 1940s era model yacht racing class designs (with video) using modern adhesives, plus the Yankee III book describing the J Class history and modern building techniques with an available molded hull for an R/C 36-inch model of the 1930 Yankee J Boat design. Yankee III is an entry-level model based on 1935 plans by John Black which also qualifies as an R/C Vintage 36 (V36) design for VMYG events. VM Sailcloth Material: VMYG will publish an article in a future newsletter detailing current sail material that is both suitable and available for use on VM models. Its will focus on woven sailcloth that is allowed in conformance with VM Sails rules. For now, do not assume available laminate material (nonwoven) for big boat sails is an approved source for VM models. Herreshoff Marine Museum & America’s Cup Hall of Fame Summer Events The Museum, the AMYA, and VMYG team are collaborating on several summer model yachting events at the Museum campus in Bristol, RI. The Museum is located on the site of the original Herreshoff Manufacturing Co., which developed and/or built many of the successful America’s Cup US Defenders, such as Vigilant, Reliance, Resolute and Enterprise, plus other breakthrough yachts from the 1870s through the 1930s. These events are: 1) AMYA J Class Region 1 Championship August 7-9, 2) Model yacht exhibit July through September with a unique mix of HMM, AMYA and VMYG models, and 3) VMYG formal model yachting and design history lecture on August 6. There will also be displays in the HMM waterfront tent at J model regatta to include examples of VMYG R/C VM, V36 and traditional schooner models. AMYA J Region 1 Championship schedule of activities: August 6, Thursday 7:00 – 9:00 PM: VMYG model yachting history & design lecture. August 7, Friday 10:00AM – Noon: Herreshoff Model Yacht Club R/C sailing demos ! Noon – 4:00 PM: R/C J model practice ! 6:30 – 8:30 PM: Gallery model yacht exhibit tour & reception August 8, Saturday 8:00 – 9:00 AM: Herreshoff MYC sailing demos ! 9:30 AM – 1:30 PM: 1st day R/C J championship racing ! 2:00 – 3:00 PM: “Legends of Yachting” R/C J model practice ! 3:00 – 5:00 PM: “Legends” J model challenge racing ! 6:30 – 9:00 PM: Regatta dinner, “Legends” ceremony & HMM presentation August 9, Sunday 8:00 – 9:00 AM: Herreshoff Model Yacht Club sailing demos ! 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM: 2nd day R/C J championship racing & awards ceremony The Museum Gallery model exhibit is being structured to capture the Herreshoff Story and America’s Cup Competition with models, as highlighted by the Nathanael G. Herreshoff Model Room with its 150+ original half-hulls and models. Nat’s first sailing model will be on display, built in 1861 at age 13, which is considered the earliest American model yacht with known provenance. Other models and objects in Nat’s fabulous Model Room collection as well will be selectively linked to AMYA / VMYG models on display with designs traced to full-size yachts. These will include AMYA J and EC-12M Class boats Page 4 plus Roy Clough’s 1933 VM model which reflects L. Francis Herreshoff doubleended yacht designs. Exhibit will also have design and technology model features which appeared in America’s Cup competitions, as well as models embodying the design influences of Nat and L. Francis. There will also be a vane steering gear display with Nat’s first 1875 masthead vane concept in the Model Room and two VMYG replicas of 1930s vanes designed, sailed and influenced by Nat in the Gallery exhibit. For a chronological model yachting timeline, four Marblehead Class free-sail and The Model Room at the Herreshoff Marine Museum. Two of Nathanael Greene Herreshoff’s sailing models can be seen at the lower left. R/C models with eight half-hulls will depict 80 years of design evolution. This design was chosen given the American M 50-800 has embraced many technical innovations as a developmental class and has the oldest design lineage of today’s 27 AMYA classes. In addition, two advanced M 50-800 model designs developed in 1931 by Nat will be displayed in his Model Room. For more details, visit the AMYA, US VMYG and Herreshoff Marine Museum Web Pages at www.modelyacht.org www.usvmyg.org www.herreshoff.org Key regatta and exhibit contacts are Jim Linville, AMYA Region 1 Director, 781-925-0045 and: jimisu@comcast.net John Snow, VMYG President, 781-631-4203 and: jsnowj@comcast.net and Jon Goff, HMM / ACHF Exhibits and Programs, 401-253-5000 and: j.goff@herreshoff.org One of the sailing models made by Nathael Green Herreshoff and equipped with his vane gear Page 5 John Snow [Photographs on this page courtesy of the Herreshoff Marine Museum] Sing me a song of a lad that is gone, Say could that lad be I ? Merry of soul he sailed on a day over the sea to Skye. Billow and breeze, islands and seas, mountains of rain and sun, All that was good, all that was fair, all that was me is gone’ Schooners are making a huge statement in the choice of boat subjects by modellers. I am a fan of the schooner (I guess you can tell that !),but their prolific inclusion in my columns is however dictated to a large extent by the quantity of new schooner models appearing. Two good friends of mine, both of whom I know personally, Ken Impey in Cornwall, England and Rick Mayes in Queensland, Australia have both built new ones. hat a stirring poem by Robert Louis Stevenson and what nicer a time can there be for sailing a lovely model yacht than a warm summers day under a beautiful blue sky and it is appropriate I think to introduce you to a schooner by Boston MA model yacht builder and sailor, John Storrow. When he was a lad, John had a book, Model Sailing Boats by E.W.Hobbs, the book published in 1929. In it was a small line drawing for this 40” on deck RC schooner that John very much later built and christened SKY . Ken who is suffering from impaired vision has unfortunately built his very last model yacht, appropriately named Finis, while Rick has completed the very `Bluenose (ish)’ looking schooner shown, the hull of which had been started by a late friend of his `downunda’ in the land of wombats and kangaroos. John Storrow’s 40” schooner SKY, from E.W.Hobbs’ Model Sailing Boats (1929) Ken Impey and Finis Page 6 Rick Mays and his schooner These days you can actually get aboard a model sailing boat, albeit it one of a somewhat greater length than normal, and the photograph by John Bass in the UK well and truly provides the proof that the writer is not just `telling porkies !’. The boats are made by My Newt Sailing Company and they do have a website. The two RC tugs just happened to be on the waterway and they made for an unusual photograph. Yes, few would argue contrary to my comment that most nations are presently facing extremely difficult times. Companies are folding (and they don’t `fold’ too well,) there are job losses aplenty, food and consumer goods prices are going up, and terrorism is alive and well with wars being fought pretty well every which way ! Before you travel anywhere, ask your travel agent “Is there a war on there ?” (Photo by John Bass) But the air we breathe my friends is still free. Sure in some parts of the world it is as polluted as the minds of scoundrels and the water holes of the Banjoogwanko’s of this deteriorating, man-buggered planet, but for most of us the air is still clean until man is finished destroying the entire Amazon, and still free, and the winds still blow so that we lucky ones can forget for awhile our woes and enjoy the relaxation of sailing model yachts. Better do that now, or soon anyway, for some politician somewhere will have found a way to introduce a `Right to Breathe’ tax on a `per breath of use’ basis. We will have these Darth Vader looking helmets connected to our wind pipes… Laugh not, life is stranger than fiction ! Page 7 Lucky Girl — and lucky owner! Now for a really lovely photograph by my friend Hans Staal of the Netherlands of an equally lovely model of a William Fife designed Lucky Girl. The model was built by Gisela and Helmut Scharbaum of Germany over 1300 hours, the original sailed by a Mr Tallberg to win the bronze medal for Finland in the 1924 Olympics. Finally there is this wonderful shot of the late New Zealander Euan Sarginson’s 1950’s A Class boat, William Fraser cresting a northbound Cook Strait roller on March 27th 1998. Taken from the August 1998 issue of the writers original now defunct magazine, Windling World. Named after Euan’s grandfather, the model was converted to radio, underwent a rig revamp and was fitted with a new set of sails made by Christchurch Model Yacht Club member, Laurie Wales. It was an epic crossing of the often notorious 25 km stretch of ocean from the South to the North island of New Zealand, and a very different activity for a model yacht. It was certainly a crossing to be applauded. Model Yachts can do most sailing things. A poem to commence and a poem to close, and go and get that model sailing boat on the water and enjoy yourself. `Watch all the windlers, the ways that they sail… DISASTER AHOY ! I KNEW IT ! There are three ways to windle, the right and the wrong, and the third is the way I do it !’ Mark Steele Page 8 and a poplar keel. The hull and deck are sheathed in fiberglass and epoxy, and finished with single-part polyurethane marine paint. Daisy everal years ago my family moved to a neighborhood with a small, man-made lake, and for a long time I thought it would be great for sailing a model yacht. I learned to sail when I was a Midshipman at the Naval Academy, and ever since have had a deep and abiding interest in the sport and also yacht design. This interest, in a roundabout way, led me to the US Vintage Model Yacht Group and to building a model yacht for that lake. I discovered the small, hard-chine “sharpie” design by William Crosby in a back issue of the newsletter (Vol. 7, No. 1 of The Model Yacht). The plans were simple and complete, and the boat seemed like a great first building project. The boat is 24” long on deck, draws about 6”, and was originally designed to be built from bristol board and scrap wood as a war-time project for boys with limited access to then-scarce building materials. White lead and lots of paint would have kept the hull water tight in those days, I suspect. I chose balsa planking over basswood frames I took license with the keel design. The original had a large, almost full keel with attached rudder. I wanted something vintage-looking, but a bit more modern so I drew up a fin/ skeg arrangement. I aimed for the lateral plane, ballast, and center of effort to be approximately what was in the plans. The rig is also different from the plans. I opted for a shorter mast and less sail area, giving the boat a more “scale sail” look and a more forgiving manner when things get windy. The sails are single panel Mylar and the spars are all varnished balsa. The mast stands about 27” off the deck and is stayed with stainless wire and fittings. The other departure from the plans was that I built the boat for radio control. The original design was free-sailing of course, with a simple reverse tiller arrangement sheeted to the mainsail. I considered building the boat for free sailing, as there are some parks with ponds near where I live that would be good for that, given access all around. Part way through the build, however, I decided to go with radio control as that would be more use- Jeff Conklin’s Daisy. The details of the straightforward rig are well worth study. Page 9 Big Little Ship or Little Big Ship? ful for the neighborhood lake, which I where I sail most of the time anyway. I have three kids and they all took a great deal of interest in the project. My oldest, Molly (6), named the boat Daisy and with the help of our middle child Kate (4), picked the light blue color we used for the hull. Our youngest, Andrew (3) tried his best to get his hands on every tool I used and every part I made, and now that the boat is complete, likes to accompany me to the lake to feed the ducks and try his hand at the controls. The boat sails well, is balanced in lighter winds, and really picks her skirts up downwind, so to speak. With this experience, I am ready to take on my next project, something in the 36” range perhaps, maybe this time with a round hull (though I must admit I like Daisy’s chines!). Jeff Conklin Daisy on the water. Reducing sailplan when using modern sailcloth is a wise idea for these smaller boats, owing to the “leaky” characteristics of the original handkerchief cloth. ne of the interesting byways of model yachting is where model and full-size overlap, with vessels that are in the style of full-size squarerigged ships but are large enough to carry one or more persons as crew. Perhaps the most celebrated of the these was the Federalist, constructed by Captain Joshua Barney of Baltimore to celebrate the ratification of the United States Constitution in 1788. Here is how the little ship, and the event, was described by John Thomas Scharf in his Chronicles of Baltimore (1874): He had a small boat fifteen feet in length, completely rigged and perfectly equipped as a ship, which was called the Federalist, which being mounted upon four wheels and drawn by the same number of horses, took its place in the procession ; he commanded the ship, and was honored with a crew of captains, who at his word and the boatswain’s pipe went through all the various manœuvres of making and taking in sail, to the great delight of the crowded windows, doors, and balconies by which they passed. The ship was immediately followed by all the captains, mates and seamen at that time in the port of Baltimore. It was paraded through all the principal streets of Fell’s Point, and the other portions of the city, and finally anchored on the beautiful and lofty bank southwest of the Basin, which from that occurrence received, and has ever since borne the name of ” Federal Hill.” On this spot a dinner had been provided, at which four thousand persons sat down together, and made the welkin ring with shouts of ” huzza for the constitution ! ” This idea of carrying a full rigged ship in procession, originated entirely with Captain Barney. The evening was ushered in by a bonfire on Federal Hill, and fireworks. After the pageant was over, it was resolved to present the ship to General Washington in the name of the merchants and ship-masters of Baltimore. It was launched and navigated by Commodore Barney, down the Chesapeake Bay to the mouth of the Potomac, and thence up the river to Mount Vernon. On the 8th of June George Washington sent a letter of thanks to those merchants and shipmasters: ” Gentlemen :—Captain Barney has just arrived here in the miniature ship, called The Federalist, Page 10 and has done me the honor to offer that beautiful curiosity as a present to me on your part. I pray you, gentlemen, to accept the warmest expressions of my sensibility for this specimen of American ingenuity, in which the exactitude of the proportions, the neatness of the workmanship, and the elegance of the decorations, which make your present fit to be preserved in a cabinet of curiosities, at the same time that they exhibit the skill and taste of the artists, demonstrate that Americans are not inferior to any people whatever in the use of mechanical instruments, and the art of shipbuilding. Back in the 1860’s a couple of small ships attempted to cross the Atlantic. The first try was a 16 foot barquentine called Vision, which was lost at sea. On July 23, 1788 she was destroyed in the storm known as “George Washington’s Hurricane,” which passed over Mount Vernon. Two hundred years later a replica was built by Alan C. Rawl as part of the Bicentennial Celebration and can now be seen in the Maryland State Capitol in Annapolis. Vision and her crew of two plus a dog left Boston on July 5, 1864 and was never heard from again. A more successful, if trying, trip, was made by the miniature ship Red, White, and Blue in 1866. Red, White, and Blue Here is how W.P. Stephens describes the 73 day voyage in his classic Traditions and Memories of American Yachting: The replica Federalist under sail. (Alan C. Rawl photo) This vessel was an Ingersoll lifeboat, of galvanized iron—26 feet overall, 6 feet one inch breadth, 2 feet 8 inches depth of hold; 2.38 tons. The crew included Captain J. M Hudson and a friend, Francis E. Fitch, with a dog, Fanny. The voyage was marked by continual bad weather; the decks leaked and spoiled the stores; the chronometer ( a common watch) stopped from rust; three times she Page 11 The Isobel III under sail. She was 18 feet long and carried 254 square feet of sail. The black disc on her fore-topsail is the symbol of the Black Ball Line, famed for its clippers. was thrown on her beam-ends; and, as a final tragedy, poor Fanny died as they were nearing Gravesend for a triumphal entry. but unfortunately no one remembered the ship, the trophy, or the event. An even more elaborate replica was the Isobel III, which sailed in the Solomons Island area of Maryland in the late 1930s. She was build and sailed by Carl M. J. von Zielinski. There was even a race for such boats, the Ann McKim Trophy, offered by the Miles River Yacht Club. Member Alan Suydam The Howard Allyn, sailing in Hyannis harbor in the contacted the club, Summer of 1940 Page 12 Our final subject is the 1940 Howard Allyn, which was built to the lines of the Flying Cloud by Elisha Penniman, a night reporter in Springfield MA who had his mornings free. She was 19 feet long and carried 1400 pounds of internal ballast. Earl Boebert An Attractive Schooner n 1931 the firm of Paine, Belknap and Skene combined the talents of Frank Paine, who had just designed the great J Boat Yankee and the schooner Gertrude L. Thebaud, with Norman Skene, author of the classic Elements of Yacht Design. Earlier in its existence the firm also had the services of L. Francis Herreshoff. This particular auxiliary schooner was part of a set of designs based on a combination of hull length, cabin design, and rig. There were two hulls, 45 and 50.5 feet long; the lines drawing shows the longer one. The craft could be rigged as a cutter, a yawl, a ketch, or as we have shown, a schooner. It would be hard to find a better prototype for a model schooner. At 1 in to the foot (minus a half inch off the transom) she would come out exactly to 50 inches, with a 12 1/2 inch beam and 6 3/4 inches draft. Ballast is just a long lead or copper strip. Total displacement would be about 21 pounds. The sail plan has booms on all three sails and the foresails do not overlap, eliminating one major source of complexity. The 1300 sq in sailplan would have to be reduced somewhat or a dropped keel or “lead centerboard” could be fitted. Earl Boebert Enlarge 625% for 50 in LOA model Page 13 Beating Stop Sliding Lock Counterweight Arm Feather Arm Tilt Mechanism to port and the counterweight will “break back” the vane and set the feather to the proper angle. Another Kethman Vane arold Kethman was an innovative model yachtsman and and firstclass metalworker who practiced his craft in the waning days of the free-sailing era. Last issue we showed the details of one of his vane designs, and this time we have another. This is a compact, three pivot vane made to Kethman’s usual high standard and has his distinctive engineturned finish. The guying mechanism is distinctive. The central pivot, or pintle, on which the vane rotates is mounted on a frame that permits the vane to be tilted toward one side or the other. This is used on the beat to provide the guying motion necessary to tack a boat in the middle of a pond. The vane is set to tilt toward the direction of the desired tack, say starboard. The boat is trimmed to head up into the wind as with a conventional guy and set off on the first tack, that is, port tack. The boat will then be heeled When the boat turns head to wind it will lose the heel and become upright. At this point the vane will be tilted to starboard and the counterweight will “break back” the vane to the opposite tack. Kethman maintained that this was a more reliable mechanism that the usual one in which a spring or elastic “flips” the vane during the tack. We have a reference to a “clinogye” in a 1941 diagram by Ted Houk describing advances made to early versions of the Lassel gear by Ains Ballantye of the Mill Pond Model Yacht Club in Port Washington (Long Island) New York. This was also Kethman’s club, so it is possible that the idea was “in the air” in that club. We are indebted to Russell Potts of the UK Vintage Group for the photograph. Page 14 Earl Boebert If several models are to be made from the same plans, a set of templates should be made first. If only one is made, the curves may be laid out directly on the stock. The procedure is the same in either case. The Hull The hull is made of two lifts or layers. Lift 1 is made of three pieces — the fin and the two half lifts. Lift 2 is made of a single piece. Select the wood according to the following advice, using the dimensions given in the plans: Care must be taken to select lumber that is well seasoned. Lumber that has just been cut contains a very high percentage of moisture and it is not suitable for model making. It will not take as good a finish, and warping, shrinking, and checking are likely to take place as the seasoning or drying-out process goes on. Air-dried material is much better than kiln-dried, as kiln-drying has a ten∫dency to make the wood hard and brittle. A Twenty-five Inch Sailing Sloop Editors Note his boat was designed by Claude William Horst, who was a shop teacher in Milwaukee. He wrote several books describing in simple and detailed terms the construction of carved-hull sail and power boats. This particular article is excerpted from his 1933 book Model Sail and Power Boats. The material should be looked over very carefully for any defects, such as wormholes, knots, cracks, or stains. The grain or rings should run as nearly parallel as possible to the surface of the boards from which the lifts or layers of the hull are to be made. This is especially important if the grain is coarse, as otherwise it is hard to get a smooth surface. The two side pieces for Lift 1 are made of 1-in stock, and Lift 2 is made of 1 1/4 in st. Be sure that the pieces for Lift 1 have a working edge (the inside surface which goes against the fin) that is square with the surfaces of the material. Laying Out the Lifts Excerpts From The Original Text This little model sailing sloop is fast, easy to build, and inexpensive. It is also easy to sail because of a sliding mast plate by which the whole sail combination may be moved forward or backward as may be required to get a perfect sailing balance. With this feature no rudder is necessary. Draw transverse lines on Lift 1 as shown in the illustration. Using the dimensions on the plans, measure out on these lines the distances given to locate the points through How the bottom lift is laid out. Page 15 with a French curve. As both pieces are identical, the first may be used to mark out the second. Lift 2 is marked out in the same way except that since the lift is in one piece a center line must first be drawn and the curve developed from it in the manner outlined for Lift 1. The draw the profile curve on both Lift 1 pieces according to the dimensions shown on the plans, in the manner described for the halfbreadth curves. Cut the Lift 1 pieces according to the profile curve shown on the plans and in the illustration, on the band saw or by hand. Shape the inside profile edge (which goes against the fin piece) accurately to the dimensions given. It is much easier to do this before assembling. When cutting out the half breadths of the lifts, leave the line visible on the lifts. Finish to it with a disk sander or byæ hand. To cut out the interior of lift 2, drill a hole at each end on the center line, and use a keyhole saw. The fin is made of 3/16 or 1/4 hard wood, shaped according to the dimensions on the plan. Assembling The top photograph at the end of this article shows the lift pieces and the fin ready to assemble. Place lift 2 upside down on the bench, and mark the exact location of the entire Lift 1 assembly. Apply glue to all the contact surfaces of all the pieces and arrange them as shown in the second photograph. Apply the clamps, clamping the Lift 1 assembly together first as shown, in the illustration and then clamp the two lifts together. Use a waterproof glue and do not disturb the clamped assembly for 24 hours. Shaping Make a profile template for both ends of Lift 2, as shown in the plans, and shape the ends to the profile, fairing them in with the profile of Lift 1. After the hull is shaped to the profile, mark off the hull transversely as £shown in the drawing, and make corresponding station templates according to the plan. which the curves of water line 1 of Lift 1 will be drawn. To draw the curve, tack a flexible batten along the poÄints, and mark through them. The sharp curve at the aft end is drawn Now shape the outside with a drawknife, plane, or spokeshave, fitting the templates at their proper places as shown in the illustration. Page 16 nish, marking the deck in between the second and third coats if desired. Make sure each coat is thoroughly dry before applying the next. Rigging To hold the job while securely while shaping the outside, screw a piece of scrap 1 by 2 by 20 in., on the center line of the top surface, and clamp this in a vise. Care must be taken not to exert too much side pressure as it might crack the fin. Hollow out the hull with the 3/4 in. gouge. Deck The last of the three photographs shows the hull ready for the deck beam and three coats of paint inside. The deck is made of 3/32 mahogany. Lay the hull upside down on the material, and mark out. Cut to the outside of the line but close to it. Glue a block, 1/2 by 2 1/2 by 4 3/4 in. to the underside as shown in the plans. To this fasten the sliding mast plate later. Round the top of the block to fit the contoøur of the deck beam. The deck may be treated in several different ways. Perhaps the easiest is to put drawingink lines on the deck with a ruling pen and straightedge. This must be done after the first coats of varnish have been applied. If the lines are drawn directly on the wood, the ink is likely to spread. After the deck has been lined, the final coat of varnish is applied. Another way is to cut sharp grooves in the deck, after the first coats of varnish have been applied, with a sharp tool and a straightedge. Coloring matter is then applied to the grooves with a brush, after which the deck is wiped with a clean rag. The color remains in the grooves, and after it is dry the final coat of varnish is applied. The rigging, sails, and deck fixtures are shown in the drawings. Make the sails of lightweight material, and hem them accurately, preferably with a sewing machine. The eye in each corner may be put in at almost any shoe repair shop. Make the spars of spruce, and shape them according to the dimensions given in the plans. Fishline makes good stays. Use any hard wood for the toggle joints and cleats. The traveller is of No. 12 wire bent as shown. Drill the deck and drive the traveller into the hull. The Stand is made as shown in the leading photograph. It protects the boat from injury and should accompany the boat wherever it goes. A carefully made stand shows the boat off to best advantage. Afterword For free sailing Horst devised a sliding rig fitting using a pipe thread, as shown below. After the paint on the hull is dry, attach the deck with countersunk brads or simply glue it on. If glued, do not apply paint or varnish to the top of the hull or the u”nderside of the deck where the glue will be. Hold the deck firmly to the hull with rubber bands and let dry 24 hours. Apply wood filler to the deck and the brad holes (if any) and apply three coats of var- Page 17 All the parts to the hull Glued up, ready to carve The completed hull Page 18 Page 19 The channels in the deck plate will be easier to bend if you anneal the brass by heating red hot and letting air cool. The bending will work harden it back to normal. Horst specified that the fitting should be welded to the plate, perhaps as a way of giving students experience in this technique. An easier way is to silver solder a brass lamp fitting onto the plate; soft solder is probably not strong enough. Another alternative is to use the Boucher system, as shown in the illustration. The Boucher system was patented during the late 1920’s and early 1930’s, which may be another reason why Horst avoided it. Either approach will result in a handsome boat. Today, as opposed to when we first published this article, it is possible to radio control a boat this small, using the tricks and gear our RG65 and Footy colleagues have scoped out. If you intend to do this, you should make your hull as light as you can by using a wood Page 20 such as cedar and carving it down as thin as you dare. A layer of 3/4 oz fiberglass and a thin coat of epoxy will proved the necessary strength. A GWS Micro 2 BB MG servo will do fine for a sail servo and a park flyer micro servo will work for a rudder. Deck mounted servos will work fine, just seal the seams with 3M 5200 and keep a dab of waterproof grease where the shaft comes out. AAA batteries will handle the small loads involved. A Fine Ranger Jr. his 36 in sailing model of Ranger was built by Steve Kling to the plans we published last year. It is a sister ship to his Whirlwind Jr., also made using the techniques we described in our Yankee III book. It’s always nice to see books go out the door, but it’s truly satisfying to see boats on the water. Make sure you keep the rudder post at the angle shown on the drawings as this is essential for maneuverability. A double “pull pull” cable arrangement is the easiest way to cope with the angles involved. Again, just study how the Footy folks rig their boats and follow their example. Horst shows a simple cast ballast; even this is not necessary today. First, get a couple of trolling sinkers or torpedo sinkers from a sporting goods store; you’ll need an 8 oz and a 12 oz. After you’ve waterproofed your hull and before you put on your deck, put the radio gear where it’s going to go and try each sinker to see which one comes closest to having her float on her lines. Note the fore and aft position of the sinker, then cut the top half of the outline out of the fin at that location and epoxy the sinker in place. This will give you a little extra draft, which is all to the good. Claude Horst (1933) Earl Boebert (1998 and 2009) Page 21 Earl Boebert New England VM Regatta eventeen VM skippers competed in eighteen heats on the weekend of May 16-17 in the New England VM Regatta. This event was a supporting activity of the 2009 AMYA M Class National Championship at Redd’s Pond in Marblehead, MA. VM skippers sailed in their own fleet and alternated racing in three-heat sets with the AMYA M skippers. Nine VM skippers were from out-of-state: three from NH and one each from CT, MD, ME, NM, OH and RI. Saturday was overcast with wisps from a coastal fog pushed by a NE sea breeze and cool 50 degrees temperatures. Sunday saw an early rain with low 60s and a lighter sea breeze, reducing the racing to only six heats per skipper. Special thanks to Judy Skerry as our RD for managing to persevere through 36 M and VM total heats, and to Cheryl Emmons and Biff Martin for their pond-side food and refreshments. This VM event was staged to attract skippers and guests to help broaden the interest in the AMYA M Class nationally. As such, Halsey Herreshoff, President of the Herreshoff Marine Museum in Bristol, RI, was invited as our special weekend guest and to race a VM model. He was our regatta dinner speaker at the Boston YC as well. In addition, Halsey free-sailed a 1931 Broom II VM model on Friday which had a working replica of his grandfather Nathanael G. Herreshoff’s 1931 vane steering gear. Thus, it was fitting for the Marblehead MYC to finally host the AMYA M Class national event at Redd’s Pond and to include Halsey. This historic club venue was the birthplace of the M 50-800 design in 1930, while Halsey’s grandfather developed two advanced M 50-800 designs shortly thereafter in 1931 when his uncle L. Francis was a member of the club. Eight Traditional (TD) 1930-1945 models and nine High Flyer (HF) 1946-1970 models were raced. Awards were presented to the top skippers (based on low-point scoring method) in each of these VM design categories. The skipper with the second lowest points total overall also received an award. Regatta results showed the top-four skippers sailing HF boats. Herb Dreher with a 1950 John Snow explains sailing with your thumbs to Halsey Herresoff. Sunwind dominated, winning nine of the eighteen races. Herb beat second-place finisher JR LeBlanc and his 1936 Cheerio I by 33 points. JR’s TD model had a balanced rudder vice an original skeg & rudder. Thus, it was scored in the HF group based on VMYG VM Rules. John Skerry was third overall in low points. Ned Lakeman had the lowest points for TD skippers, placing fifth overall. Also notable was the fourth place finish by the Herreshoff team of Halsey, Adam Langerman and John Snow. Halsey and Adam had a true “test under fire” when R/C racing for the first time ever against 16 other VM skippers. PLACE/SKIPPER/POINTS/VM DESIGN 1 Herb Dreher! 35 ! 1950s Sunwind(HF) 2 JR LeBlanc! 68*! 1930s Cheerio I (HF) 3 John Skerry! 97 ! 1960s Magic Dragon (HF) 4 Herreshoffs! 107! 1940s Broom Hybrid (HF) 5 Ned Lakeman! 109! 1930s Lakeman (TD) 6 John Whalen! 123! 1960s Unknown (HF) 7 A. Abrahamson 146 ! 1940s Peony (TD) 8 Alain Jousse! 165 ! 1930s Cheerio II (TD) 9 John Storrow! 168! 1930s Horst (TD) + 10 Jim Linville! 178! 1930s Madcap (TD) + 11 Paul Boulay! 181! 1930s Peony (TD) 12 Dave Querin! 183! 1930s Cheerio II (TD) 13 R. Cousineau! 189! 1930s Peony (TD) + 14 Scott Todd! 211 ! 1940s Broom IV (HF) + 15 Earl Boebert! 219* ! 1930s Madcap (HF) 16 S. Gromko! 257* ! 1930s Madcap (HF) + 17 Al Gromko! 265* ! 1930s Madcap (HF) + TD – Traditional VM Design (1930-1945) HF – High Flyer VM Design (1946-1970) * TD models with balanced rudders scored with HF designs. + Did not race in six heats on second day. Page 22 John Snow