The Model Yacht: Volume 2, Number 1 – Spring 1998

LINCOLN MEMORIAL POOL, WASHINGTON, D.C. NEWSLETTER OF THE U.S. VINTAGE MODEL YACHT GROUP VOLUME TWO, NUMBER ONE SPRING, 1998 NEWSLETTER OF THE U.S. VINTAGE MODEL YACHT GROUP VOLUME TWO, NUMBER ONE SPRING 1998 Editor’s Welcome In this issue we present some historical data on the San Francisco Model Yacht Club, whose Centennial Celebration promises to be a very special event. Arrival and setup is scheduled for Friday, May 22. Pond events and static displays from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Saturday and Sunday, May 22 and 23. There’s an Italian dinner on Saturday evening, and we’ll all be there. If you want to join us for dinner, send $30.00 check or money order made out to SFMYC per person to: SFMYC c/o Mary Rose Cassa 450 Taraval Street Suite 235 San Francisco CA 94116 and make sure you include the names of the persons in your party. We think (hope!) we’ve gotten the subscription and membership situation straightened out. The system works like this: when you pay your dues, you get three issues of The Model Yacht, starting with the first one after you’ve joined. If you look at your mailing label, you’ll see a two-digit number after your name. This is the Volume and Number of the last issue we think you’re entitled to. If the number is “21” (Volume 2, Number 1) then this is your last issue and you need to get $15.00 to John Snow to renew. If you think we’ve got it wrong, drop the Editor a note at the address given on the masthead and we’ll straighten it out. Now that that’s over, to the fun stuff: Our supplement this issue is a nifty little 25” LOA sloop by Claude William Horst, dating from the early 1930’s. It’s perfect for the child/ grandchild in your life, or as a decoration, or just for fun, or as a very simple introduction into carved hull construction. Chris Cafiero has written a review of one of the Daniels and Tucker books. Besides being a Vintage enthusiast, Chris is the Victoria Class Secretary — proving that old and new can indeed be enjoyed together. Reviews are something we would like to do on a regular basis, so our readers have an idea of what to look for in building their own libraries. So if you have a copy of an interesting book on model yachting, please write us a review. We’re also happy to publish hints and tips from you in “Bits of Oakum;” it’s the writing by other people that lets Ye Olde Editor get some sailing and construction in — so please keep it up! We even have a bit of a backlog; Jim Gray’s note on using display board for shadows will appear in the next issue. Keep the material coming, please. Our cartoon this issue will resonate with those of us who have worked shows like WoodenBoat and Woods Hole. I’m sure the question will get asked at least once at San Francisco! The cartoon, and the class diagrams, are from the 1944 M.Y.R.A.A. yearbook, which Rod Carr dug up and kindly shared with us. Page 1 group, in the organizational and promotional support of model yachting. We will be involved with the following model yacht organizations. The VMYG will sponsor unique model yacht types for full AMYArecognized class status. Once recognized, a class will be completely governed by AMYA by-laws and no longer controlled by the VMYG. The VMYG will also sanction “groups” to provide activity for older or low-population model yacht designs which otherwise have no venue of activity. The VMYG will assign a provisional secretary for a class and the coordinator for a group. The primary distinction between a class and a group is whether the model yacht type is designed as a class that will grow, on the basis of new yacht construction and expanded racing activities, or a collection group that will mainly consist of older sailing models or designs having a historical interest. The VMYG believes that both these aspects of the sport represent growth in its model yachting activities. We often get asked things like “what’s an X boat? So here are the official MYRAA class definitions. The “M” is also called the “Marblehead” or “50/800,” and the Six Meter is sometimes called a “Wee Six.” Ebbs and Flows The President’s Message Vintage Membership The annual $15 service charge covers three issues of the VMYG newsletter – “The Model Yacht”, VMYG technical assistance, plus access to vintage model yacht plans. Renewals are due by February 1, with VMYG members being carried on a calendar year basis for fee purposes. A lifetime membership is available for $100. If you would like to use our services, send a check (payable to USVMYG) or cash for $15 or $100 to: John Snow, c/o US VMYG, 78 East Orchard St., Marblehead, MA 01945. For inquiries on our activities, you can call me at 781-631-4203 or visit the VMYG Web Page on the Internet at: http://www.swcp.com/usvmyg VMYG Class & Group Definitions We recently coordinated with AMYA to define the VMYG’s role, as a special interest R/C Vintage “M” (VM) Group R/C “VM” rating (design) rules are available from the VM Coordinator – Charlie Roden. There are two design divisions based on grouping like-performance early “M” boats together. One is the 1945 and prior designs “Traditional” and the other is for designs after 1945 through 1970 – the “High Flyer”. The VM draft rules are being tested this year with plans to refine them, if necessary, after the season. Our goal is to attain “VM” Group status (twenty registered boats) by the end of the year. Charlie can be reached at 19 Oak Glen Lane, Colts Neck, NJ 07722 and 732-462-7483. Email: c.roden5@worldnet.att.net The national event for R/C “VM” models is the two-day Vintage Regatta on July 25 & 26 at Mill Pond, Port Washington, NY in conjunction with the Mill Pond MYC Centennial. The back of this issue has the MPMYC Entry Form for “VM”s and “A” Class models. Please bring the press release to the attention of your local club’s newsletter editor or Web page maintainer. Traditional Sailing Craft/Scale Models Group The VMYG is sponsoring our first national event for these type models at Spring Lake, NJ on September 19 & 20. Included within this model category are 50-inch schooner models having three subgroups. One is based on the San Diego Schoonermen’s Page 2 “scratch-built” rules for 50-inch schooners, another has schooners with fin & bulb keels, and a third permits kits. Another subgroup covers Chesapeake Skipjack models. Other traditional sailing designs may eventually be included if interest materializes. Currently, this group is not registering boats but there has been initial activity for these traditionally-designed sailing models on both coasts. For more information, contact our VMYG Coordinator: Harry Mote, at 18 Woodmansee Blvd., Barnegat, NJ 08005 and 609-660-0100. Email: stryker@cybercomm.net The SLMYC Entry Form for Traditional Sailing Craft models and the scoring sheet appears at the back of this issue. Proposed R/C American Classic “50/800” (C50) Group The VMYG is working with the AMYA and its “M” and “Open” class secretaries to assess the feasibility and interest of adding racing activities for “M 50/800” model yachts built to early AMYA “M” Class specifications. These “M” models have a tentative group designation within the VMYG for promotional purposes – the American Classic “50/ 800” or “C50” Group. The reason for this effort is that many earlier “M” boats are no longer competitive with the newer, high-tech “M” models because the “M” Class is a developmental design class. Older AMYA “M”s are mainly those designed from 1971 to 1991 with conventional sail plans (no swing rigs) and non-kevlar hulls. Our initial step is to evaluate skipper support for a “C50” model group. If sufficient, racing events for “C50”s may then be promoted through the VMYG. The objective is to provide these “M”s and their owners an opportunity to competitively sail them again. This will not preclude these models from being raced in regular “M” Class events. The “C50”s may also serve as entry-level boats for AMYA Page 3 members wanting high performance in a model at a more affordable cost. This VMYG approach could also be adapted to other early AMYA class boats, which might need promotional support to survive. The VMYG needs a volunteer to be the “C50” Group Coordinator or this concept cannot go forward. Until then, I can provide information on the “C50” and its rating rules. If you have an interest in this concept, you can contact me at 781-631-4203. The VMYG would like to thank Alden Whitehead and John Unterreiner for their efforts in laying the ground work for the “C50” Group and developing the draft rules. Without their ideas and contributions, this concept could not have been defined. Vintage Etcetera This is another request for archival information. We collect all sorts of model yachtingrelated documents both old and recent. As an example, 1971 to 1991 AMYA documentation which complements our recent “C50” Group efforts. If you are willing to donate material, such as AMYA or earlier class design plans, newsletters, pictures, film, magazine articles, etc., to our archives, please notify either Ben Martin at 978-768-3292 or Jim Dolan at 781631-2111. For those interested, Earl Boebert again has a stock of our popular “how to” booklet (115 pages) on building a wooden, plank-on-frame model yacht. This version has been updated to include a listing of the vintage model yacht design plans we offer. We also have available a companion video, which was shot at the Woods Hole Small Boat Museum Model Show last Spring. One of our VMYG members, Al Hubbard, conducted two hour-long workshops on constructing wooden models at this show, which were video taped and edited. For the video and booklet, contact Earl at the address given on the masthead. John Snow 1998 Vintage Events San Francisco MYC Centennial May 22-24 “Memorial Day” Weekend, Spreckles Lake, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA; SFMYC Contacts – Jeff Stobbe 408-4756233 and Tony Marshall, Commodore, 650692-2784 or 650-756-2800 1998 “WoodenBoat” Show June 27-29 Weekend, Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, St. Michaels, MD; VMYG Contact – John Snow 781-631-4203 Note: The VMYG will have a 20’x20’ tent for display purposes and conduct daily sailing demonstrations at the WB Show from 10AM to 3PM. VMYG members and others are invited to participate with their vintage/traditional models. Mill Pond MYC Centennial Regatta July 25-26 Weekend, Mill Pond, Port Washington, Long Island, NY; MPMYC Contact Barry Balcourt, Commodore, 516-944-3111 Entry Form: In this issue plus on the Web Page 1998 International Yacht Restoration School (IYRS) “Family Day” August 23 Sunday, IYRS, Newport RI; not yet confirmed. For latest status, call the VMYG Contact – John Snow 781-631-4203 Traditional Sailing Craft/Scale Models National Regatta September 19-20 Weekend, Spring Lake, NJ; VMYG Contact – Harry Mote 609-660-0100 Entry Form: In the back of this issue plus on the Web page. John Snow Model Sailing Yachts A Review Recently I had occasion to purchase a copy of Model Sailing Yachts by W.J. Daniels and H.B. Tucker, and after reading the book thought that other vintage enthusiasts might enjoy a review of the volume. W.J. Daniels, an Englishman, is fairly well known to most vintage sailors. Daniels designed the “wedge” system to ensure a balanced boat, a series of winning A-boats, and a number of other free-sailing yachts in different classes. I am not familiar with Mr. Tucker, but the dust jacket identifies him as “a well known writer on model yachts…” The book was published in 1951 by Percival Marshall in London. As I understand it, the book is a condensation of an earlier volume1, and faithfully describes the basics of model yacht construction along the British practice of the period. As such, Model Sailing Yachts is an interesting companion to American books on Page 4 the same topic, such as Black’s Yachting with Models. The book is organized into chapters as follows: Introductory How to Read a Yacht Design The Construction of Carved Models The Construction of Carved Models (cont’d) Building a Planked Hull Building a Planked Hull (continued) The Keel and Rudder Finishing the Hull Spars and Sails Fittings and Steering Gears Rigging the Yacht Tuning up the Yacht and Sailing Her As a basic text on how to build a free-sailing model yacht, the authors walk the reader throughout the steps required; selecting a boat and scaling up the plans, carved and plank construction techniques, fitting out, and especially good chapters on tuning up for racing. It should also be noted the book has many fine pictures, including a glorious picture of the British A-boat championship at Fleetwood in 1948, the very year the US finally took the Cup! One of the most useful chapters for me, was the chapter on how to accurately scale up small plans into full size patterns. This is something that is very useful to someone trying to scale up plans from The Model Yacht or the VMYG website! Also, without quoting the authors at length, I strongly recommend their advice in the chapter on tuning and sailing, which is full on good commonsense advice, along with a few wrinkles that had heretofore escaped my attention. Many of the authors observations are quite interesting, they definitely hold very conservative views on many topics (how British!) For example, they strenuously defend the use of the Braine gear over vanes, something virtually abandoned on US boats by the 50’s. Nonetheless, their suggestion that vanes were unsuited for boats of 36″ or less seems sensible, and vanes receive a through treatment. 1.Model Sailing Craft, by the same authors, a larger (and rarer) volume. Tucker was the editor of The Model Yachtsman magazine in the 1930’s and a fine designer in his own right. Especially good for vintage model yachtsman are three detailed sets of plans for the 10-rater “Moth”, the 36-inch class “Moth”, and the Marblehead “Mosquito”. Sufficient information is provided to build anyone of these boats. As mentioned earlier, the boats seem to reflect a very conservative design, the “Mosquito” having more in common with the “Cheerio” line of M-boats, rather than “Sun Kiss” or “Arrow”. Other than an extended waterline, “Mosquito” looks very much like a US boat of two decades earlier, but I do not know if this reflects conservative British design ideas, or the authors use of an older design in their book. While a fairly short book at 132 pages, I would recommend Model Sailing Yachts to a person interested in vintage sailing yachts. It gives good instructions for building a free sailing yacht, includes three sets of plans, and shows what skippers were thinking about, in terms of building and design, on the other side of the Atlantic during the Vintage Period. Chris Cafiero Traditional Sailing Craft/Scale Models Regatta and Answers to Questions Frequently Asked Our annual regatta for Traditional Sailing Craft Scale Models is scheduled for September 19-20, 1998 at Spring Lake, New Jersey. The event will be hosted by the Marbleheaders of Spring Lake at their pond, a beautiful place to sail, a short distance from the Atlantic Ocean, where the summer southerly usually delivers adequate breeze. This event is for RC schooners, skipjacks, Friendship sloops and other traditional sailing craft scale models. Competition includes display judging and round the buoys racing. Prizes will be awarded to the first three places in each type of vessel that musters a fleet of three or more boats. But we’ll accommodate single models of any type of vessel in the competition in some way. So please join us. Page 5 The rules for schooners were published in the first issue of the VMYG newsletter, The Model Yacht, Spring, 1997. The rules accommodate scratch-built and kit schooners with a maximum length on deck of 50 in. Scratch-built schooners must be a scale model of a real, full-size schooner, designed and/or built before 1940. Scratch-built schooners will be judged, as will other types of vessels that are models of full-size designs, as a model replica of the original full-size vessel. Specific rules for other types of vessels, i.e., skipjacks, etc., have not yet been developed. But competition for these types will include display and racing competition and scoring similar to schooners. Scoring will be based on the low point system, with 50% of points for display and 50% of points for racing (see sample score sheet at the back of this newsletter). Display judging consists of five elements with scoring from one to 10, divided by five for the display score average. Total points for racing will be divided by the number of races sailed for a race score average. Display and racing scores will be added together for total regatta score. Tentative Regatta Schedule Saturday: 9:00 – 10:00 am Check-in and display set-up 10:00 am – 12:00 pm Display judging. 12:00 pm Optional box lunch provided at TBD cost. 1:00 – 3:00 or 4:00 pm Racing Sunday: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm Racing completion 12:00 noon Awards Registration The entry form is attached to the back of this newsletter, along with the sample score sheet. Please complete and mail only the entry form and please list RC frequencies available for each model entered. Entrants/skippers are limited to one model in each vessel type/ class. Entry fee for each vessel type is $10 and the forms must be postmarked on or before September 1, 1998. Schooner registration, and registration of any other scratch-built model to be judged as a model replica of a full-size vessel, must include a machine copy of the lines drawing and sail plan of the original vessel. These may be combined on one side of one sheet of paper, on two sides of one sheet or on two separate sheets 8-1/2 x 11 in. maximum. Directions to the Spring Lake, NJ regatta site will be part of the regatta information packet mailed out to registrants and are available on the VMYG Web site. Answers to Questions Frequently Asked Where can I get plans for schooners? Plans for scratchbuilding schooners, or any other type of vessel, are generally available in books and from maritime museums. There is probably more information readily available on schooners than on any other type of vessel. Books that include lines and sail plans from which models can be built include The History of American Sailing Ships, by Howard I Chapelle (Chapter 5) and The Schooner: Design and Development 1600 to Present, by David Macgregor. Although VMYG doesn’t have a list of them, there are many, many books available on schooners. There are a number of books on the fishing schooner “Bluenose” and “Bluenose II,” for example, including how to build models of these boats. Check your library and the Internet. A significant part of the fun of this hobby is doing the research to learn about the development of the type, to study photographs and drawings of schooners and to finally choose the vessel you want to build. Alan Suydam built a beautiful model of the schooner “Brilliant,” a Sparkman & Stephens design owned by the Mystic Seaport Museum, Mystic Conn. Alan had sailed on her as a youth. You may have a favorite designer. Most have designed one or more schooners. Some designers, like John Alden, are known especially for their schooners. The America’s Cup was won and defended several times in schooners. It goes on and on. Schooners are a major part of our national maritime heritage. If you are in the Chesapeake Bay area, you may want to contact The Great Schooner Model Society, a club “dedicated to the building and operation of multi-masted R/C sailboats.” Web page address: http://www.netcharts.com/schooner Commodore: Melvin A. Conant, 12355 Silver Rock Circle, Lusby, MD 20657, 410-326-6835. Information: Marty Hayes, 1113 Crestview Dr., Annapolis, MD. 21401, 410-757-5593, mhayes@clark.net. Page 6 Where can I get schooner or other vessel type kits? Although the VMYG does not have a list of kit manufacturers, Dumas Products, Inc., 909 East 17th Street, Tucson, AZ 85719 (602-623-3742), Midwest Products Co., Inc., 400 S. Indiana Street, P.O. Box 564, Hobart, IN 46342 (219-942-1134) and Bluejacket Ship Crafters, P.O. Box 425, Stockton Springs, ME 04981 are three of the more well known manufacturers of kit boats, including schooners and other types. You can either call or write them direct or call or visit a local hobby shop to find out what RC kit models are available. Another valuable source of what’s available is the Internet. If you are not on-line, most public libraries now offer this service. Where can I get plans for skipjacks? Plans for skipjacks, as for other vessel types, are available in books and from maritime museums. But where the development of the schooner was essentially world-wide, the development of the skipjack was regional, generally the Chesapeake Bay area. The largest examples of the type were up to about 60 feet on deck and they were used primarily as oyster dredges. Howard I. Chapelle’s American Small Sailing Craft, Chapter 7, includes some preliminary information on the type. Maritime museums, such as the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, Navy Point, P.O. Box 636, St. Michaels, MD 21663-0636, 410-745-2916, are the best sources of books and plans on skipjacks. As an example, the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum’s magazine, The Weather Gauge, Fall, 1995, includes the lines, offsets, sail plan, construction plan and background on the skipjack “Kathryn” — more than adequate information for scratch-building this vessel. The Museum has plans and information for other skipjacks, as well as bugeyes and other Chesapeake Bay types. To build a replica model of a skipjack, you should visit Tilghman Island, just down the road from St. Michaels, to look at and photograph details of a fleet of skipjacks that are still working as oyster dredges. They are usually moored in a small harbor on the left, just south of the Knapps Narrows bridge to Tilghman Island. Plans for a generic or composite skipjack model, however, are available from two area clubs that sail the skipjack as a one-design class. The model was developed by Pepper Langley as a composite of the best characteristics of the type. The model is 48 in. on deck and weighs 22 lb., including a 9lb. triangular lead ballast keel in the shape of a centerboard. Plans, which include four sheets, are available for $20 plus shipping and applicable sales tax from the two area clubs: Don Miller, 410-326-6062, Solomons Island Model Boat Club, 12642 Cheyenne Lane, Lusby, MD 20657 and Robert L. Roberts, 410-822-0943, St. Michaels Model Boat Club, P.O. Box 781, Easton, MD 21601. On the Web at: http://www.netcharts.com/st.michaels These two Chesapeake area clubs hold an annual skipjack regatta, which is scheduled for September 13, 1998. Harry Mote More On Rudders and Flaps In the last newsletter I asked for comments on the problem of adapting vane designs to R/C, in particular the small “trim tab” rudders of the vane boats just don’t give what many people think is adequate maneuverability for the cut and thrust of “round the markers” competition. We got two thoughts, one from Harry Mote and one from Grant Slinn. Please contribute to this discussion; as a group, we’re spread all over the world, and don’t get to chat about this over a drink or two like a “normal” club. Harry Mote’s Comments “Preservation” is one of VMYG’s primary missions, especially for the M class. Making one design classes out of some of these designs will certainly preserve them and provide low cost, low hassle racing and much fun for a lot of people. Two examples are the 1930’s M design sailed by the Marbleheaders of Spring Lake, NJ for several years now, and the proposed Cheerio I one design class. “But the M class is a development class. VMYG needs to formulate rules of competition — competition is the driver — that will encourage the preservation of the variety of existing M designs constructed of wood -hulls and spars. The photograph Earl described in the last newsletter ‘says it all — a Page 7 line of M boats on a beat, in order of year of design, latest boat first.’ It also sounds the alarm. The desire to win is very strong in most sailors. And if the race course is the only competition, they will be encouraged to build and preserve only the fastest design in the category, thus creating a one design class, like it or not. “How to even this out” and to encourage the preservation of a variety of existing designs is indeed the challenge. I suggest VMYG consider the development of a combined race course and judged display scoring in which the display score would count for up to 50% of the total regatta score, as developed for the schooners. We may also want to consider handicap points, based on date of design. Display scoring criteria should include accuracy of the preservation/ replication of an existing design and construction materials, including retention of the original skeg; quality of workmanship, finish, and attention to detail. For better R/C steering, rudder size increases could be permitted as a multiple of the existing skeg area. With more than race course competition at stake, sailors may be encouraged to preserve and build some of the older, pretty designs, like Cheerio, with short overhangs. Grant Slinn’s Comments My two cents worth on the great rudder controversy: The yachts were designed for self steering operation. The optimum design for this evolved into some combination of fixed skeg and moving blade to increase the stability of the yacht in a straight line. When the yacht is changed in use and control, this portion of the design could change to suit the new purpose. Lest you think I’m a “change it all” person, I would not agree to change the underwater profile from its original design as that gives the yacht its fundamental character. The rudder assembly is a “consumable”! On my very old yacht, the rudder is a part of the keel assembly. I would not change its position were I to consider going to RC but I suspect that it would be beneficial/necessary to increase the area while maintaining the look of the underwater portions. However, as a person in the museum business, the highest value of an artifact is usually attained when the item is as original as possible. So my old yacht will not be converted to RC. I had to repaint it because someone had stripped half the paint off before abandoning it in the attic where I found it. Normally, if at all possible, I would not have removed the original finish. Editor’s Thoughts On my R/C “Sun Kiss,” which seems to be stuck in the planning stage forever, I intend to do what Rod Carr did for “Arrow,” the early DX class boat he just restored, and add rudder area by keeping the same fore and aft dimension of original rudder and adding area by dropping the vertical dimension below the skeg. I intend to make the rudder out of clear Lexan and polish the extension back to transparency, painting the upper part to follow the original rudder line, and hopefully fooling the eye when the boat is on display. We’ll see! Earl Boebert/Harry Mote/Grant Slinn The San Francisco Model Yacht Club Editor’s Note Rather than summarize the history of this remarkable club, I chose to reprint two articles and a skipper’s profile. I have left these articles “as is,” including the various spellings of the body of water on which the club sails. The first article contains several obvious errors and inconsistencies with the second: the club was in existence much more than six months in 1903 and it’s probable that it should be Commander Gunnung instead of Gerung. The draft of “Flint” probably refers to the hull only; the dimensions are typical of the “skimming dish” designs popular around the turn of the century. The second article is incorrect in the date of founding of the American M.Y.C. in Brooklyn; it was 1872, not 1897, although the latter date was when a reorganization took place. Also, the description of the class rules appears oversimplified — but these are the things that make history fun. I hope we don’t have to make the stove polish (black stove paint) and stale beer trick explicitly illegal in Vintage regattas! Page 8 In addition to these articles, a picture spread on the San Francisco M.Y.C. appeared in Yachting magazine for May 1919 and a picture of 40 boats on the pond appears in the September 1929 issue. Unfortunately, our copies are too poor to reproduce. Model Yachting in California (Forest and Stream, 1903) California, with its beautiful climate, bays, lakes, and rivers, affords the boat loving population great sport. San Francisco Bay and the artificial lakes of San Francisco are a central attraction for many yacht clubs. One unique club, called the San Francisco Model Y.C., gives great pleasure not only to its members but to hundreds of interested spectators. This club has been in existence only six months, but in this time the city has donated $22,000 for the construction of a new lake for the use of this club. On Sundays and Holidays the banks of Stowe Lake, a lake in Golden Gate Park, are crowded with people eager to see the racing of the models. The club has 148 members, 50 of whom have models; some of the models are very valuable, considering the work put upon them; they value from $10 to up to $350. The yachts are in two classes; yachts with a 28in to a 38 in waterline are in the small class, while yachts from a 38in to a 54in waterline are in the large class. Among the boats of the large class are the Imp, Flirt, Austril, Kingfisher, Annie, Hobo, etc. The Imp, owned and built by Commodore London, is very fast, having taken many races and having done great credit to its owner. The Flirt and Hobo, designed, built, and owned by the Collier Bros., are excellent pieces of workmanship, especially the Flirt. Her dimensions are 62in overall, 18in beam, 40in waterline, 2 1/2in draft. She is built of one-sixteenth inch planks of sugar pine, with a double skin. Over 2,000 brass screws were used in building her; she weighs only 9 pounds and carries a 14 pound bulb on an aluminum fin; there are 3,000 square inches in her mainsail and jib. She is the model of the Challenger, designed by Mr. B.B. Crowninshield, a very fast boat belonging to the California Y.C. The Annie, Hobo, and Lark are built on the scow plan, and also prove to be very fast. Rockner’s Annie, a beautiful little craft, carried off the blue pennant, while Hobo came in second. Rudders are not used. The sails are made so that they balance each other, in the respect that the jib keeps the mainsail from bringing the boat into the wind, consequently the boats attain high speed. In racing, the yachts are started 15 seconds apart; they tack up a narrow neck of the lake, a man on each side turns the boat with a pole as she nears the land and starts her on the next tack. Most of the yachts are sloop rig, but some of them carry a club topsail and a flying jib. The lake is very rocky along the banks, and it is hard work towing the boats back with poles. Commander Gerung has, however, solved the problem by simply attaching a spinnaker and turning his boat loose and she simply scoots. Chester Chapman (1903) History of the San Francisco M.Y.C. (Model Yachting Monthly, July 1945) The San Francisco M.Y.C. was founded in 1898 at the home of J.E. Gunnung in San Francisco. Others who were of assistance in this formative stage included James Brannan, of the old SF Brannans. The date of founding makes S.F. MYC the 2d oldest club in America. (The oldest is the Prospect Park Club of N.Y, founded in 1897.) Activities were restricted to available channels; meeting at the Commodore’s home, and sailing in the waters of Stowe Lake in Golden Gate Park, an extremely artistic body of water, having an island in the middle, trees and bridges, and all manner of obstructions. The models then raced were a 36-inch finkeel class. Competition was keen, and the races were frequent, due mostly to the newness of the idea. About 1912-1913 the sailing water was changed to Spreckle’s Lake, also in Golden Gate Park. This lake is our present sailing water, and was presented to the City of San Francisco by C. Spreckles, and expressly dedicated to the sport of sailing model yachts. The new lake was much better than Stow Lake, being larger, more regular in contour and having very good winds. At this time the Page 9 territory surrounding the lake was practically virgin, consisting largely of sand dunes, with a sparse scattering of houses. The Park Commission donated a fine boathouse built of materials salvaged from the temporary ballroom and pavillion of the Saint Francis Hotel, which was built as an emergency measure after the great fire and earthquake of 1906. Wind conditions were wonderful for many years, and under all these favorable circumstances the popularity of model yacht racing rose to a point never equalled since, but perhaps to be equalled in the future. Our cup races were front page news and crowds of fans on race days were so large that police and roped-off areas were necessary to restrain their enthusiasm. During these halcyon days our membership attained 150 and fans in inestimable number. In our archives are pictures of models sailed in this era, with overhanging booms, two and three jibs, batwing sails, bowsprits, topsails, schooners, skippers in hard hats and button shoes; mixtures of stove polish and stale beer applied to hulls for increased speed, also blacklead; an enraged skipper working his boat over with a 15 foot pole just because the blank blank thing wouldn’t work right. Along about 1929, a 72-inch class became very popular, restricted according to the Seawanhaka Rule1, and a fine fleet developed. However, these models were fin-keel types, without rudders, and consequently had to be towed on the leeward legs. The next type to strike the fancy of our members were R-Boats, built according to the Universal Rule2 on a scale of 1-12th size. These models were around 40-50 inches long, very handy, too, being fitted with rudder and modern sailplans. Interest in these boats was gradually transferred to the M or Marblehead 1.A rule devised for full sized yachts by the Seawanhanka Yacht Club in 1883. Like many rating rules, it computes an artificial “speed rating” in terms of “rated length.” In this case, rated length = LWL plus the square root of sail area, the sum divided by 2. If the “rated length” was indeed 72 inches, these were large boats, bigger than an A Class. A similar rule was used by the New York area clubs to handicap skiff-sailed boats — Ed. 2.A complex rule which preceded the (equally complex) International Rule, which governs the A Class to this day. — Ed. Class, and finally with the formation of the MYRAA most of the fellows went in for the M Class. During these transitions sailing of the supplanted types continued but gradually faded into the succeeding type. Since the inception of the X-Class, our interest has been transferred to that type. X-Class boats are well adapted to our conditions, and we have a fleet of 25, most of which are consistently sailed. The old boathouse was finally replaced by a modern edifice with plumbing, graciously donated by the township sponsored by an energetic WPA, during an era only too well remembered by the reader. The new reinforced concrete building will undoubtedly endure until the millenium unless, due to its great weight, it sinks into the preceding archeological stratum. The members financed the outfitting of this building, and have really got something. The present activities at the SFMYC cover the whole field of endeavor in model yachts -sail boats, racing power models, prototype models (working variety) — all have their proponents; deponents too. Combing club activities with the home workshop, social gatherings, etc., provides all that could by desired by the boat-minded public, from the common working stiff to the moneyed mogul. Last year a long awaited face-lifting job was done on the banks of Spreckle’s Lake; landscaping, clean edges, and evened contours; new walks and benches, trees and under-growth cleared; nothing now to be desired, except the end of the war so all of these things may be enjoyed in full. With its part in the development of San Francisco, rich background of memory and tradition, and its present fortunate condition, San Francisco Model Yacht Club will, we hope, long continue to contribute its part to the heritage of the city by the Golden Gate. Don Lyon (1945) Profile of Don R. Lyon Model Yachting, February 1948 So while in the S.F.M.Y.C. we may not have the equal of Nat Herreshoff, yet we do have a man who has achieved fame as a very successful designer. I introduce you to Club Secretary Don R. Lyon, Naval Architect in the yard of Geo. W. Kneass Co. yacht and boat Page 10 builders of San Francisco. Don is one of our younger men and that he has what it takes is proven by the larger number of Class X and Class M racers which are now in the Club House which are the product of Don’s drawing board. Since they were designed to perform under the peculiar wind conditions which prevail on Spreckels Lake, they will generally be found to outperform Eastern designs in our waters. Thus, we of the Club, believe we harbor a genius in our midst, a man who can not only design a handsome and fast craft but who can build it from keel up as well. C.G. Gallagher (1948) “Bits of Oakum” Stop Burning Your Fingers In order to pass the end of a line through a small hole as in a bowsie, most of us learned to heat the frayed end and shape it with our fingers thereby incurring a certain amount of discomfort. rally.) Our supplement this issue has a mast fitting that cries out to be silver soldered, and would be a good place to start, so I’ll use it as an example. As the illustration shows, it’s basically a threaded tube butted to a plate. There are three basic rules to silver soldering: 1. Cleanliness. Sand the joints shiny and don’t touch them with your bare fingers after you’ve cleaned them. 2. Use lots of flux. 3. Heat the joint indirectly, applying heat in the direction you want the solder to flow. My favorite solder is Stay-Brite, available at lots of good hardware stores and hobby shops, or from Micro Mark (1-800-225-1066 for a catalog.) My favorite heat source is a pencil torch, available from the same sources as the Stay-Brite. To silver solder the fitting shown in the plans, start by unwinding a little of the solder and squeezing it flat in a vise (or hammering it) and then cutting it with sharp snips or scissors until you have a strip about 1/32” square or so. Wrap one turn of this around the base of the threaded pipe, and place it on the bottom plate as shown in the illustration. A less painful method is to draw the end of the line through a cake of beeswax. No pain and an ample amount of gain. Beeswax can be found in most fabric shops and, although female oriented, they are not as intimidating as Victoria’ s Secret. Beeswax has been used by seafarers for centuries so it is equally useful on natural fibers. Ian Scott Silver Soldering Soldering, and especially silver soldering, scares a lot of people, and it shouldn’t. It’s one of those things that takes a little practice, but once you get the hang of it you’ll wonder why you waited so long. Silver solder makes joints that are much stronger than soft solder in brass, steel, and stainless steel. I still remember my old shop teacher demonstrating this by silver soldering a broken 3/8” drill together and then drilling a hole in a steel plate with it. (It was pretty sharp, natu- Threaded Pipe Apply Heat Here Solder Flux “Bubble” Plate Clamping can get a little tricky. C clamps can act as heat sinks and prevent the process from working. I usually solder on an old fire brick, and use pieces of tile as weights to hold things against each other. Apply a bubble of flux around the joint, so that all the solder is covered and no air can get to it. This is important. Then apply the hot spot of your pencil torch (the blue inner flame) to the middle of the threaded pipe, heating it all around, and Page 11 Page 12 letting the heat flow through it to the solder and the plate. First the flux will boil, then turn dark, and then the solder will melt and flow like magic into the seam. Resist the temptation to apply heat directly to the joint. This will just “kill’ the flux and the solder will roll up into frustrating little balls. This is point where innocent bystanders have a chance to learn a few new words (or at least phrases). And of course, avoid getting a snootful of the fumes coming off the flux. Let it cool off and clean and polish to taste. If you are doing a lot of parts in stainless, glass bead blasting produces a lovely semi-matt finish. A lot of people who refinish furniture or restore old cars and motorcycles have sandblasting rigs that will work just fine. Order #12 glass beads from Trinity Tool, 1800-631-8498. It’ll cost you about 25 bucks for a 50 lb. sack. Test on some scrap stock to get an idea when to stop blasting, and make sure you obey all the safety precautions about respirators, goggles, etc. When you get done your fittings will look like they were done by a professional — which, hey, now you are! Earl Boebert Swaged Fittings for Model Yachts (See Illustration Opposite) Buy a length of 1/16 or 3/32” seamless aluminum tubing at your local hardware store. Cut the tubing into 1/4” or 3/8” lengths as needed, and make sure the cut ends are without burrs. Then take both ends of the sheets or rigging lines (wherever you need a strong loop for attaching a hook or other fitting) and pass them through the piece of tubing as shown. Adjust the loop size by pulling either end of the line until one end barely protrudes from the tubing. With a pair of smooth-faced pliers firmly crimp the tubing flat, thus “swaging” it, and securely trapping the line and loop. Then, for the safety of “belt and suspenders,” place a drop of thin cyanoacrylate glue (instant glue) on one end of the crimped tubing where the line protrudes, and “spritz” it with a shot of instant bonder. The loop and fitting should be strong enough to do whatever needs to be done on your boat. To test the strength of bonds made with 50 lb. monofilament line, several loops produced in this manner were placed over a screwdriver shank that was secured in a bench vise. A full, strong pull was made…enough to move the bench!…without failure of the line or swaging in any of the samples. You can use these loops on chain plates, jib racks, sheet hooks, eye bolts, or wherever needed. The cost is minimal, and you can make a half dozen or so in about fifteen minutes. Cheap, simple, easy. Try it! Note: brass tubing is okay, if seamless, and may be preferred for salt-water applications. Also, if you happen to have a swaging tool (used in the electrical trade for crimped fittings) use that instead of pliers. I’ve even crimped the tubing with diagonal cutters…but quit that because too many times I’ve cut right through it!!! Jim Gray Editor’s Note: I used Jim’s technique when re-rigging my wife’s CR914 and it is slick, especially for running rigging and other places where getting a loop at just the right place is important. It’s a lot easier to slide lines around in the tube than it is to tie and retie knots. Error in A.J. Fisher Catalog There is a long time error in the subject catalog. I found it as a result of placing an order. Mr. Irwin has affirmed my findings by letter and probably will correct in future catalogs. Using Catalog 61, page 36, item # 564. The note pertaining thereto states that the gunwale eye fits through the shackle on # 105. It does not for the blocks with a 3/16” sheave. Mr. Irwin states that it does fit through the shackle for the blocks with a 5/16” shackle. However, I do not have any 5/16” blocks with which to confirm that fact. Joe Frasier Want to be a Published Author? Like any newsletter, we’re always on the lookout for material. If you have anything that you would like to contribute, please send it to the Editor at the address on the masthead. Technical articles, reminiscences, building and sailing experiences, or inter- Page 13 views with skippers that were active in the past are examples of what we are looking for. The easiest thing for us to handle is plain ASCII text; we can also take Microsoft Word and WordPerfect files. If you submit by email, just paste the text into the body of the message. If you’re not on the net, you can mail us a diskette. If you use a manual typewriter, that’s fine too, we can scan it in. If you send it handwritten, we’ll type it in for you. I think you get the picture: send stuff! Don’t bother about formatting or trying to get it into two columns; our nifty desktop publishing system takes care of that just fine. We’re going to try and get three issues a year out, and our deadlines are the first day of March, July, and November, for the Spring, Summer, and Winter issues respectively. Editorial address is on the masthead. Publications Back Issues Back issues of The Model Yacht are available for $5.00 each from the Editor. Checks payable to USVMYG. “Building Planked Models” This is our “flagship” publication, a 115 page book that reprints a series of articles by Charles Farley that appeared in the 1940’s, and “walks you through” the process of building a plank on sawn frame hull, with an Afterword by Rod Carr on using modern materials. $25.00 postpaid, or $40.00 with the Al Hubbard video (see below). Checks payable to USVMYG and orders to the Editorial address given elsewhere in this issue. Instructional Video In May 1997, at the Woods Hole Model Boat show, Al Hubbard gave a workshop on the construction of hulls by the plank on steamed frame method. We were there, and taped it. We finally got it spliced and edited so everybody who wants to can benefit from it. Basically it’s a home video, but it captures content. 75 minutes long; Al gave the workshop twice and we taped both of them, so you get the same material done a little differently each time. The book and the tape give the two basic ways of building a planked hull. In the book, the formers are sawn out and become part of the hull. In the video, the formers, or “shadows,” stay on the building board, and the frames are bent from strips of wood softened by steaming. $25.00 to the Editorial address on the masthead, or $40.00 for both it and the Farley book. If you’ve already bought the book, let us know and we’ll let you have the video for $15.00. “Windling World” A journal from New Zealand that covers just about everything that looks like fun in model sailing craft, and one that I look forward to each season. Annual subscription is $18.00 US for the three issues and this includes Air Mail postage. The magazine is published in April, One of the illustrations from “Building Planked Models” Page 14 August and December each year. Subscriptions can be paid for by U.S. Bank check or International Money order. Editorial and subscription address is: Windling World 42 Trinidad Road Forrest Hill, Aukland, New Zealand Curved Air Press We have arranged with Russell Potts of the U.K. Vintage Group to make his “Curved Air Press” publications available in the U.S. The titles are: “Helen J,” by Richardson, looks a lot like “Pocohantas,” fin and skeg with overhang, lines only, one sheet, $20.00. “Zip,” featured in our first newsletter, one of the most popular Ms ever. Two sheets, instructions in back issue of newsletter. $10.00, $15.00 with back issue. Boucher M design, essentially a semi-scale “Shamrock” J boat hull scaled to 50.” 2 sheets, $25.00. Boucher M design by Paton Lewis, 40’s fin and skeg design, 2 sheets with some construction detail, $25.00. “Tuning Up a Model Yacht, by D.A. MacDonald, reprint of a ca. 1955 article on tuning a free-sailing boat, 15pp. “Rip Tide,” by Ted Houk. Fin and bulb freesailer from the 1940s. Lines only. One sheet, $25.00. “100 Years of the 10 Rater Rule,” history of this famous U.K. class, lines drawings and photos, 18 pp. “Venture,” early fin and skeg boat by Howeler. Lines only. One sheet, $20.00. “‘M’ 1930-1990,” a history of the Marblehead Class, with many lines drawings, emphasis on British practice from 1950 on, 32pp. “Sporting Hobbies and Social Class: The Case of Model Yachting,” a scholarly treatise on the early days of the sport in Great Britain. They come as loose-leaf reproductions of the original pamphlets. Copies are available for $5.00 ($7.50 for the M Class pamphlet) postpaid from the Editor’s address on the masthead. Full Size Plans Here we have available; all prices are postpaid, shipped rolled in a mailing tube. Orders to the Editor’s address on the masthead. We also have several hundred other plans in our archives, but you’ll have to scale them up yourself. Contact the Editor with your requests. 36” LOA Thomas Darling’s “20-rater” described in our second issue. Bread and butter construction, two sheets with instructions, $20.00 M Class Fin and skeg design by Richardson, one sheet, lines only, $20.00. “Broom IV” by Selmer Larson. Lines only. One sheet, $20.00. “Warrior I,” by Goodwin. Lines only, very rough plan but you can get the shape off it. One sheet. $20.00. Other Designs Boucher “Osprey,” 36” full keel boat, can be rigged as sloop or schooner. Construction details. 4 sheets, $30.00. Boucher “Shamrock V,” 45” LOA semi-scale model of Sir Thomas Lipton’s J Boat challenger. Construction details. 2 sheets, $25.00. Boucher “Sea Gull,” 42” LOA full keel, can be rigged as marconi or gaff sloop. Construction details. 2 sheets, $25.00. Boucher “Albatross,” 50 1/4” LOA full keel design, can be rigged as marconi sloop, marconi or gaff schooner. Construction details. 2 sheets, $25.00. In addition, A.J. Fisher offers the following plans: 24” Detroit School Project boat. 36/600 “Chico”, M Class “Cheerio” I through III M Class “Sun Kiss” M Class “Cats Paw” 18” sharpie “Dart” Page 15 “Starlet,” from our third issue “Kiltie,” 6-Meter, and “Bostonia VII,” an A boat. Call them at 810 541 0352 for exact prices and shipping costs. Between Fisher and ourselves there are 12 possible Vintage M designs that meet the traditional criteria (Warrior is post1945). Kiyo Designs, 1 Annapolis St., Annapolis MD 21401 (410 280 1942) supports us by searching for cotton suitable for sailcloth, thread, needles, and other sailmaking material. What’s available varies; call and inquire. A.J. Fisher, Inc. 1002 Etowah St., Royal Oak MI 48067. 810 541 0352. The oldest outfit in the business. Catalog $3.00, check or money order only (no credit cards). Micro Mark is the standard place to get all kinds of modeling tools and supplies. 1-800 225 1066 or http://www.micromark.com. Suppliers of This and That Marilyn Swift painted a lovely watercolor of the Vintage Regatta at Redd’s Pond, and has copies available in the form of really nice note cards. You can see the watercolor on our web page, and order cards from Marilyn at 508 283 6319. Kyle Metzloff has a machine shop and foundry and can make custom fittings and cast lead keels from your patterns. For prices and availability, contact Kyle at 835 Prospect Place, Madison WI 53703, 608 257 7776 or metzloff@students.wisc.edu. New Visions is producing a lovely kit for a fiberglass hulled and wood decked Cheerio I, with the hope of developing a Vintage M one-design class. For a brochure, write New Visions, PO Box 2074, Salem MA 01970. Milton Thrasher is making and selling parts, kits, and built-up models of the full-sized International One Design (IOD) class. These are 48” R/C boats with a “vintage” look to them as well as the A boat “Vanja.” Milton can be reached for more information at 941 966 9172. Graham Bantock, the well-known British supplier of sails, fittings, and other supplies for R/C yachts, has started a line of vintage fittings. A description and price list can be had by writing Graham at Sails Etc. 141 High Street, Kelvedon, Essex, England CO5 9AA. Rod Carr, Sailmaker (and construction and restoration) at 3011 17th Ave. NE, Redmond, WA 98052. 206 881 2846, or CarrSails@compuserve.com. Rod has a home page at http:/ /ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/ CarrSails. A great place to get small fasteners is Micro Fasteners. 1-800 892 6917 or http://microfasteners.com. They have some 2-56 and 4-40 brass threaded inserts (looks like a wood screw outside, drilled and tapped machine screw in the center) that looks like just the thing for holding fittings to deck beams. Worth Marine, 80 Washington St., Marblehead MA 01945. 781 639 1835. Has a web page at http://www.worthmarine.com. Murray Barber, RR1 Hubbards, Nova Scotia, B0J ITO Canada (902 228 2661), Ernest J. Smoker (203 481 6493), Charles Mayer, P.O. Box 259, Island Heights NJ 08732-0259 (908 929 8570) and Al Hubbard, 418 South St., Wrentham, MA 02093 (508 384-8016) all build boats professionally. The Model Yacht is published three times a year by the U.S. Vintage Model Yacht Group. Copyright 1998, 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 Southeastern Vice-President: Thom Mclaughlin Traditional/Scale Coordinator: Harry Mote Historian: Earl Boebert Historian: Charles Williamson Archivist: Jim Dolan Page 16 A Twenty-Five-Inch Sailing Sloop Editors Note For our supplement in this issue, we present a handsome little boat which is just about as simple as it gets. This is a wonderful project to make for (or with) the youngster in your life, and for learning the effect of sail trim on boat speed and direction. It doesn’t even have a rudder! It also has nice “turn of the century” lines and would make a fine display model for mantel or bookcase. The boat was designed and is described 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 was a chapter (with some editing) from his 1933 book Model Sail and Power Boats. While we don’t have full-size plans available, the lines are so simple that laying out with battens or the ever-handy photocopying machine should be no problem. Now there is really no excuse not to have a pond boat laying about your place somewhere! 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. 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 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: For Painted Hulls Many different kinds of wood are suitable for model boat construction. Almost any kind of soft, fine-grained wood will do for the hull, especially if the boat is to be painted. Whitewood1 is probably the most ideal and best-known material for boat models, as it is light in weight, has practically no grain, and is very easy to work. It has been used extensively by model makers for many years. White pine is an excellent material. It resembles whitewood, but is not so finely Page 17 1.Our best guess is that this is either basswood or boxwood. How the bottom lift (Lift 1) halves are cut in plan and profile. grained. Often local woods may be found which are highly satisfactory. For Natural Finish If a dark, natural-wood finish is desired, the choice is rather limited. When well done, it gives the model a very snappy appearance. Honduras mahogany and walnut are perhaps the wisest choices. Seclection 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 tendency to make the wood hard and brittle. 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 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 which the curves of water line 1 of Lift 1 will be drawn. To draw the curve, tack a flexible batten1 along the points, and mark through them. The sharp curve at the aft end is drawn 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 by 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.2 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 Page 18 1.A batten is a thin, springy strip of wood, also called a spline. The spruce strips sold in hobby shops for model airplane use work well. 2.The birch plywood available in hobby shops is excellent for this. 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. Now shape the outside with a drawknife, plane, or spokeshave, fitting the templates at their proper places as shown in the illustration. 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 contour 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. 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. 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 Page 19 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. Give the entire hull three coats of flat white paint, inside and out.1 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 underside 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 varnish, marking the deck in between the second and third coats if desired. Make sure each coat is thoroughly dry before applying the next. Ballast The model requires 1/2 to 3/4 of a pound of lead, which is molded in two pieces each weighing 1/4 to 3/8 of a pound, as shown in the plans. If a scale is handy, place the mold on it and weigh, then pour in the required amount of lead. Remove the lead when it hardens.2 Before fastening the lead to the fin, as shown in the plans, place the model in water, and lay the lead on the deck to determine just where it should be placed to give the proper lateral balance or trim. Then mark the position of the lead on the side of the hull and project this point to the fin. Fasten the lead with small brass bolts, or screws, one piece on either side of the fin. If screws are used, stagger the holes so the screws go nearly through the fin. Countersink the heads of either screws or bolts into the lead, and putty the holes. Rigging 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 1.Note that the joint between the lifts coincides with the waterline, which makes it possible to use two different colors of wood for the lifts and fin, with a natural finish. 2.As always, take precautions when casting. Do it outdoors, wear safety goggles, and avoid the lead fumes. any shoe repair shop. 3 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 joints4 and cleats. The traveller is of No. 12 wire bent as shown. Drill the deck and drive the traveller into the hull. Final Finish Give the hull two coats of enamel, sanding carefully between each coat and making sure that each coat is thoroughly dry before applying the next. After the final coat is dry, place the boat in a tub and mark the height of the water on the hull. Apply two coats of dark green paint or enamel to the underwater portion. painting only one side at a time insures a much better job, even if it does take a little longer. 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. 3.Eyelets and eyelet pliers are available in most craft shops. 4.Also known as bowsers, or bowsies. Page 20 The sail plan of our little boat. A Note on Fittings Horst devised a sliding rig fitting using a pipe thread, as shown below. easier way is to silver solder a brass lamp fitting onto the plate; soft solder is probably not strong enough. There’s a little essay on silver soldering in “Bits of Oakum.” Another alternative is to use the Boucher system, as shown in the illustration below: 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 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. Page 21 The Lifts The lifts glued up and ready for carving. The hull after carving. Page 23 U. S. Vintage Model Yacht Group Traditional Sailing Craft Scale Models Score Sheet Model Name:____________________________ Design: ________________________ Builder/owners’s Name: __________________________________ Sail Number: _____ A: Display judging score: (Score 1 for good, 10 for poor) 1. Hull fairness and finish ___ 2. Deck, deck houses and fittings ___ 3. Construction details ___ 4. ___ Sails and rigging 5. Overall impression ___ Total display score ___ equals: Divided by 5 Display score A: ____ B: Race results: (Use Low Point Scoring System: 1 for 1st, 2 for 2nd, etc.) Race 1: ___ Race 2: ___ Race 4: ___ Race 5: ___ Race 3: ___ Total race points: ___ equals: Divided by number of races: Race score B: ____ Combined Display and Racing scores: ____ Fleet position: ____ Judge’s Name:_____________________________________