The Model Yacht: Volume 2, Number 2 – Summer 1998

LINCOLN MEMORIAL POOL, WASHINGTON, D.C. NEWSLETTER OF THE U.S. VINTAGE MODEL YACHT GROUP VOLUME TWO, NUMBER TWO SUMMER, 1998 NEWSLETTER OF THE U.S. VINTAGE MODEL YACHT GROUP VOLUME TWO, NUMBER TWO SUMMER 1998 Editor’s Welcome Each issue seems to mark a milestone, and this one is more pleasurable than most: the bulk of the material was written by somebody else. In fact, we had so much material that we’ve had to defer some of it to the next issue, and omit our usual departments that list plans and suppliers. Don’t let that deter you from contributing; this publication is only as good as the material you send in. Many thanks to all our authors, past, present and future. One other reminder: please check your mailing label. If the number after your name is “22,” it means that this issue (Volume 2, Number 2) is your last, or our records are wrong. Please renew or let us know. Editorial and subscription address is on the masthead. Earl Boebert Ebbs and Flows The President’s Message Vintage Membership Our $15 service charge covers three yearly issues of the VMYG newsletter – The Model Yacht, VMYG technical assistance and access to vintage model yacht plans. Lifetime membership is available for $100. If you would like to use our services, send a check (payable to US VMYG) 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, call me @ 781-631-4203 or visit the VMYG Web Page on the Internet at http://www.swcp.com/usvmg 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 groupings: 1945 and prior designs – the “Traditional M”, and post-1945 through 1970 designs – the “High Flyer M”. Our goal is to attain official “VM” Group status (twenty registered boats) by the end of the year. Charlie can be reached at 19 Oak Glen Ln., Colts Neck, NJ 07722 and 732-462-7483. Email: c.roden-5@worldnet.att.net This year’s national event for R/C “VM” models was the Vintage Regatta on July 25 & 26 at the Mill Pond MYC Centennial. Check elsewhere in this issue for a report on this event. The 1999 national “VM” event is planned for the Detroit area in mid-September. It may include both R/C and free-sail “VM” racing depending on the sailing site. Traditional Sailing Craft/Scale Models Group We hope to see many of our members at the first VMYG national event for these models at Spring Lake, NJ on September 19 & 20. This regatta includes schooner models based on “scratch-built” rules, schooners with fin & bulb keels and kits. Another subgroup will cover Chesapeake Skipjack models. Other traditional sailing designs may be included if interest materializes. For more information, Page 1 contact our VMYG Coordinator: Harry Mote at 18 Woodmansee Blvd., Barnegat, NJ 08005 and 609-660-0100. Email: stryker@cybercomm.net Check our Web Page for the Regatta Entry Form. Proposed R/C American Classic “50/800” (C50) Group The VMYG is working with AMYA on interest for additional racing activities for “M 50/ 800” model yachts built to early AMYA “M” Class specifications. These models have a group designation within the VMYG for promotional purposes – the American Classic “50/800” or “C50” Group. Many of the earlier R/C “M” boats are no longer competitive with the newer, high-tech models, given the “M” is a developmental design class. Older AMYA “M”s are those designed from 1971 to 1991 with conventional sail plans (no swing rigs) having non-kevlar hulls. Thus, if sufficient support develops for a “C50” Group, 1999 racing events for “C50”s can be sponsored by the VMYG. This will not preclude these models from being raced in regular AMYA “M” Class events, while potentially serving as entry-level boats with high performance. We now have a “C50” Group Coordinator – Dennis Lindsey. He can be reached at 515 N. Lyall Ave., West Covina, CA 91790, 626-966-9538 Email: lindseyd@flash.net Dennis can provide specific information on the “C50” and its rating rules. Vintage Etcetera Our archival information collection effort continues to meet with success. Through the generosity of a new VMYG member from Canada, Geoffrey LaVerne, we now have several photos in our archives that may be the only pictorial record extant of the 1951 Yachting Monthly Cup event at Storrow Lagoon in Boston. The “YM Cup” was competed for with “International A” Class models and was the world championship of model yachting. Prestige-wise, this event was considered equivalent to the “America’s Cup” races! Thanks to Geoffrey, we were able to present a set of these photos to the Mill Pond MYC at their Centennial Vintage Regatta for their club archives. It was a Mill Pond team, Bobby (skipper) and Ains Ballantyne (mate), who successfully defended the “YM Cup” in 1951 against the British challenger, Walter Jones. The “YM Cup” had been initially won by an American skipper, Bill Bithell, in England in 1949. This story is one of the key reasons we collect model yachting-related documents both old and recent. If you are willing to donate archival material, such as early design plans, newsletters, pictures, film, magazine articles, etc., please notify Ben Martin @ 978768-3292 or Jim Dolan @ 781-631-2111. The 1998 “WoodenBoat” Show at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, St. Michaels, MD was highly successful. Over 14,000 spectators turned out during the weekend of June 27 – 29. The VMYG had its own exhibit tent and conducted sailing demonstrations all three days. At least twenty new VMYG members resulted from our Show involvement; thus, we intend to participate next year when it returns to St. Michaels. One last word on the two MYC Centennials that the VMYG was recently involved with. From our perspective, both were successful and well coordinated by the host clubs – the San Francisco and Mill Pond MYCs. On behalf of the VMYG, I would like to thank the two club commodores, Tony Marshall and Barry Balcourt respectively, for their support and their centennial staffs’ untiring efforts and gracious hospitality. Special praise is in order for Ginger Martus, the Mill Pond MYC Secretary/Historian. Ginger was the primary catalyst that made the MPMYC Centennial Dinner the milestone event and success it was! Remaining 1998 Vintage Events 1998 International Yacht Restoration School (IYRS) “Family Day” – August 23 Sunday, IYRS, Newport RI; 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: On the VMYG Web Page and in this issue. Another activity, not yet confirmed, may be the October 11th (Sunday) free-sail model boat regatta at Red Beach, Menemsha Pond, Martha’s Vineyard, MA. Contact John Snow @ 781-631-4203 for information on this unique event. Page 2 Jeff Stobbe shows proper turning technique at Spreckles Lake A Birthday Bash: The San Francisco Model Yacht Club Turns 100 Oh, what a party! You should have been there. This year is the 100th anniversary of the San Francisco Model Yacht Club, and they chose this past Memorial Day weekend to celebrate the occasion. For those of you who do not know of the San Francisco Model Yacht Club, it is one of the oldest model yacht clubs in the United States, having been founded in 1898. Interestingly, from the earliest days of its operation, the club formed a close working relationship with the city of San Francisco to develop and support the club. In 1902, the club asked the city to build a model-boat sailing lake, and the city responded by building Spreckles Lake. Then, as part of a depression-era WPA project, the city built the existing clubhouse in 1937. Over the years, the city has made improvements to both Spreckles Lake and the clubhouse, and today the San Francisco Model Yacht Club is one of the finest in the United States. When John Snow received his invitation to attend the centennial celebration, he took charge, as usual, in organizing a delegation to represent the Vintage sailors. John Snow and Ben Martin flew in from Marblehead, Massachusetts; Earl and Judy Boebert flew in from Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Dominic Meo drove up from Huntington Beach, California. We all stayed together at the Seal Rock Inn, right on the Pacific Ocean, just down the street from Spreckles Lake. It was fabulous. The fresh sea air greeted you every morning, and the members of the San Francisco Model Yacht couldn’t do enough to make you feel welcome. After a hearty breakfast each morning overlooking the Pacific, we would carpool to the lake to enjoy the festivities, all carefully organized by the club commodore Tony Marshall and his many helpers. Each day, the club offered an interesting combination of events. The mornings were normally devoted to demonstrations of all kinds of powerboats, from navy destroyers to hydrofoils. The demonstration even included submarines, set up to cruise and dive in the “fly-casting practice” ponds. In the afternoon, we enjoyed both free-sailing and radiocontrolled model yachts. The club has a large number of older, free-sailing X boats, which use Braine gear to control them. The X class was developed in the 1940s specifically for sailing on Spreckles Lake; they still remain popular and are free-sailed on a regular basis. For those who want a classic design with radio control, the club offers a newer X class equipped with radio controls. Known as the RX class, this class offers a striking historical comparison to the free-sailing X boats. The club also has several radio-controlled J boats, which were the biggest boats sailed on the lake over the weekend. Finally, Dominic Meo brought his vintage Warrior II with him to demonstrate a vintage M boat with radio control. With its varnished, planked hull and tall rig, it was a definite crowd-pleaser. To promote the Vintage Model Yacht Group, we set up a booth in a building set aside by the club for static displays of model yachts of all kinds, including pirate ships, ocean liners, steam-powered tug boats, and fishing schoo- Page 3 Bill Bithell’s “Ranger II” graces the porch at the Mill Pond Clubhouse. ners. We placed our table right by the door as you walked into the building and many people stopped by to learn more about the group, buy a T-shirt, book, or simply talk about a boat they are restoring. Earl and Judy Boebert1 deserve special thanks for their many hours spent at the booth, doing an admirable job of answering questions and promoting vintage sailing. Rod Carr wandered by and generously volunteered to help set up an archive for model yachting in the United States. This will be a major undertaking, but when completed will provide an unparalleled history of model yachting. On Saturday evening, the San Francisco Model Yacht Club provided a dinner for club members and out-of-town guests. In keeping with the spirit of the whole weekend, it was a spirited, delicious seven-course dinner served by the local Italian American Social Club. As we enjoyed the meal, our conversation turned to how unique Spreckles Lake is. It is one of the few places in the United States that still has a loyal following of “free sailors.” John Snow remarked that the last national, free-sailing championship for the M Class was in 1970. Then, he wondered out loud why not revive this championship and hold the next event in 1999 at Spreckles Lake? Everyone agreed that this would be a wonderful event. All that remained was to convince the San Francisco Yacht Club to be the host club. After dinner, we enjoyed a never-ending raffle MC’d by Tony Marshall. Many prizes were handed out to winning ticket holders. At our table alone, we won four prizes. Shortly after the last prize was given out, we called Tony over to our table and convinced him that the next national, free-sailing championship for the M Class should be held in 1999 at the San Francisco Yacht Club. Dominic Meo volunteered to work with him to make it happen. So, the birthday party ended with a challenge to the host club. Next year, the vintage M Class sailors will descend upon Spreckles Lake2 and challenge the gang from San Francisco. Warm up your vane gear, this challenge is going to be another wonderful event in San Francisco. The dates have yet to be worked out. Watch this newsletter to stay in touch. Dominic Meo, III Mill Pond Centennial 1998 Port Washington, Long Island, New York Editor’s Note In this article, Jim Dolan will lead off with the background information about the 100th Anniversary of the Mill Pond Model Yacht Club, held July 25 and 26, 1998, along with his impressions and some local color. This will be followed by John Snow giving race results, commentary on the Marblehead sail- 1.Actually, I only dropped in on occasion — it was Judy, John Snow and Ben Martin who did the yeoman work in staffing the table. — Ed. 2.Construction at Spreckles may require us to move the event, possibly to Detroit. Page 4 Next, about 8 AM when we stopped by Worth Marine to pick up M 1. Now, what is M 1? you may ask. It is not the famed rifle of WWII; instead it is a model sailing yacht that Greg Worth has been restoring to first class condition for John Snow. To the best of our knowledge, in our research to date, this was the first Marblehead 50/800. The designer was Roy Clough. We know that John’s father acquired the model from Roy in the mid 1930’s and we have a picture of Roy with the boat. It is the only picture in the archives that we have of Roy with any model sailing yacht. The jury is still out, but until we uncover evidence to the contrary we will be calling this model “The Original Marblehead.” In 1948, Bill Bithell as skipper and Fred Pigeon as crew, sailed the A Boat “Ranger,” the 1948 winner of the “All Nations Cup” in Gosport, England. The “Ranger” was designed by Carl Alberg and built by Bill Bithell. “Ranger” had a 54.5” LWL, 13.5” of beam, 56 pounds displacement and 1580 sq. in. of sail. Her design featured vane steering and minimum wetted area. The English defender, “Tinker Belle,” which had a 52 inch LWL, 15.5” beam, 54 pounds displacement and 1750 inches of sail, did not use vane steering. In the following year, “Ranger” won the Yachting Monthly Cup at Fleetwood. A framed copy of this picture was presented to Bill at the Centennial Banquet of the Mill Pond Model Yacht Club. ing classes and the A sailing Class and his insights into the event. Jim Dolan’s Observations This was the best of summer weekends, with sunny skies, temperatures between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit and no rain. On Saturday we had very light wind (1 to 3 miles per hour) and on Sunday medium steady wind (6 to 12 m.p.h.). The format for the Saturday and Sunday races was that the M’s sailed in the morning and the A’s sailed in the afternoon, with displays at the Mill Pond Clubhouse and the Port Washington Library. For us of the USVMYG, the weekend started on Friday morning when Bill Bithell was picked up with his A boat “Ranger.” This is a boat built to the plans of his 1948 champion that won the Brickwood Cup in the “All Nations” races in Gosport, England. To this point, the need to document what records we decide to keep is a lesson for all of us. Because, in the above instance, we are talking about a record made in the late 30’s or early 40’s, just about 60 years ago. But, because “everyone knew” who and what it was, nobody wrote it down. Now, everybody who did know is gone and we are left with trying to put the puzzle back together. The lesson is: if you save it, document it no matter how familiar the item or event is. Then all of us (John Snow, Bill Bithell, JR LeBlanc and myself, Jim Dolan) went in convoy out the Massachusetts Turnpike and down Route 84 to Long Island and on to Mill Pond. We arrived at the pond about 3 PM, and there were several model boats already sailing from New Jersey, New England, and New York. At the pond we met Earl Boebert (one of our Historians) and his wife Judy, Ginger Martus, the secretary of the Mill Pond Club (and editor of Boneyard Boats) and some old friends: Charlie Roden and his wife Dorothy, Harry Mote and his wife Alice. Ben Martin (our advance scout) had come down the previous day and was getting some stick time with his M boat. Plans were made for the next day and then we were off for the Port Washington Library, where there was a striking display of many different classes of boats. The boats in this display were highly varnished, painted, and polished. Some of the classes represented were 10 Rater, X, A, M, and Delta. In addition, there were news articles and a display of the different kinds of steering devices. In short, the display was outstanding. Page 5 We then proceeded to the home of our host for the evening, Bernadette and Jim Dempsey. The Dempseys couldn’t have made us feel more at home. That night we had a fine dinner at Louie’s Restaurant in Port Washington and retired for the evening. Next day, Saturday, saw us rise early and go to the pond to set up our USVMYG tent and help organize the day’s activities. We have a new burgee and flag pole to show off, along with a new sign. Bill Bithell’s “Ranger” had a prominent position with Bill being able to talk to people and answer questions. Many did not know that the boat on display was an exact copy of the one that won in 1948. The original is on display at the Hart Museum at MIT. Bill built the new boat in 1994 out of mahogany, with a rock maple trim. For the keel, Bill located a foundry that would pour his keel using the investment casting process. In this process the foundry first pours a hollow bronze keel and then hot lead is poured into the bronze casting to obtain the proper weight distribution for the hull. The resulting bronze keel looks fantastic with the mahogany and it is smooth. Another boat on display in our tent was Roy Clough’s “M 1” (Marblehead 1) which looked beautiful in jet black with shiny brass fittings. Of course the “Broom II,” designed by J. Selmer Larson (which we talked about in one of last year’s newsletters) was as good as ever. Around the tent and the clubhouse there were an assortment of wooden A’s, M’s, some in fiberglass with wooden trim and a variety of works in progress. One such work in progress was a particular schooner, owned by Edward Dubin, with alternating light and dark planks, which had a striking effect. The A Boat, (one of the classes featured in the weekend’s sailing) has a particular connection to the Mill Pond Model Yacht Club, because in 1951 two of its members, Ains and Bobby Ballantyne, successfully defended the Yachting Monthly Cup. At pondside was an old friend, John Tucker, of the Central Park club. John and I had sailed against each other in the early 1980’s. He brought his A Boat, the “Orca,” to race. It turned out to be a whale of a boat (pun intended) and the champion of the A fleet as The Mill Pond Model Yacht Club was the successful United States defending team for the A class Yachting Monthly Cup in 1951 at Storrow Lagoon in Boston. This picture shows Ains and Bobby Ballantyne holding their yacht “Ainslie,” designed by Carl Alberg. She was 53.1” on the LWL, had 13.56” beam, 55.25 pounds displacement and carried 1604 square inches of sail. The resemblence to “Ranger” is obvious. The English challenger was “Shalimar,” designed by Mr. Feltwell and built and owned by Walter Jones of the Birkenhead M.Y.C. She was 53.18” on the LWL, had 14.87” beam, 50.62 pounds displacement and carred 1625 sq. in. of sail. A framed copy of this photograph was presented to the Mill Pond Club at their Centennial Banquet. Page 6 the weekend progressed. John’s boat has a distinctive black and white color pattern, which I in good fun said looked like a cow. John assured me, in no uncertain terms, that it was patterned after an Orca whale. The boat certainly proved out to be “killer” fast. At this point I will hand off this article to my co-author and friend, John Snow (President of the USVMYG) to give you more about the actual racing, the classes, the dinner and his impressions of the event. ”VM” & “A” Class Centennial Regattas Report There were two separate racing events held in conjunction with the MPMYC Centennial Vintage Regatta co-hosted by the MPMYC and US VMYG. These were two-day races on July 25 & 26 for R/C “Vintage M” (VM) models from the 1930s – 1960s era and R/C “A” Class boats, whose design lineage ranged from the 1930s to the present. The regatta OODs were Bob Lombard, AMYA Region 2 Director, for the “A”s and John Snow, VMYG President, for the “VM”s. Winds on Saturday were light and shifty; Sunday’s breeze was steadier from the east. Eight R/C “VM”s competed in a total of 23 races – 10 Saturday, 13 Sunday. They were raced as a fleet, with skippers scored separately for awards purposes. These were by “M” design groupings: 1945 and before designs – “Traditional M”s, and post-1945 through 1970 models – “High Flyer M”s. Any older designs with major modifications, such as spade rudders and tall rigs, were placed in the “High Flyer M” group. The overall “VM” winner was J. R. LeBlanc sailing his new fiberglass-hulled, reproduction of John Black’s 1936 Cheerio I “M” design with a spade rudder. J.R. dominated the competition, winning 19 of the 23 races and finishing 60 points ahead of the nearest competitor. Trophies were awarded to the “top three” in the two “VM” groupings. The “VM” skipper standings were: “High Flyer M”s – First J.R. LeBlanc, Second Bob Lombard, Third Ben Martin; “Traditional M”s – First Thom McLaughlin, Second Harry Mote, Third Chris Saby. Charley Roden and Alden Whitehead were the other “VM” skippers, with Charley withdrawing due to winch problems. There were several other restored “VM” models on display at the pondside model yacht exhibit. Four R/C “A” Class models raced both days, with a total of six sailing Saturday and eight Sunday. These models represented the extremes of “A” designs as far as weight, size and vintage. The 1920-1960s era, wooden “A”s normally weigh 55 to 65 pounds, with sail rigs close to ninety inches in height and hulls ranging from 72 to 80+ inches in length. Fiberglass “A”s based on these older “A” designs weigh considerably less. Modern “A” boats are in the 23 to 30 pound range, with rig and hull dimensions scaled down accordingly. The regatta had all of these design variations – the objective being to get “A” boats on-the-water! The overall winner was John Tucker sailing a fiberglass Orca “A” painted to resemble a killer whale, but in reality looking more like cow! Even with this appearance handicap, John beat the competition be eight points in the sixteen “A” races. The award-winning “A” skippers were: First John Tucker, Second Barry Balcourt, Third Charlie Blume. Other “A” skippers participating were Ed Dubin, Eric Gentl, Russell Page, Bob Tantillo and Charles Wanker. Two noteworthy “A” boats were displayed at pondside during the vintage weekend: Bill Bithell’s 1947 Ranger II replica, wooden “A” with vane steering and Eric Gentl’s 1930s Vanja modified to R/C. Bill’s original Ranger I “A” won the world championship of model yachting in 1949 – the “YM Cup”. Eric’s Vanja model with George Baron as skipper won the US “A” Class Championship in the mid1930s using Braine gear steering. MPMYC Centennial Dinner The highlight of the Vintage Regatta weekend was the MPMYC Centennial Dinner held on Saturday evening at the North Shore Yacht Club in Port Washington, NY. Most of credit for this dinner belongs to Ginger Martus, the MPMYC Secretary/Historian. The nautical setting overlooking Manhasset Bay was most appropriate for this once-in-a-lifetime occasion. There were 50+ people in attendance, including many local dignitaries. The MPMYC Commodore, Barry Balcourt, acted as MC. Several presentations were made to the MPMYC, ranging from proclamations on the club’s 100th anniversary to the keynote speech given by Jon Elmaleh on his observations from the “M” Class World Championship in France. The VMYG made two presentations during the festivities to the MPMYC. These were: Page 7 The sail plans we usually get are simple diagrams which do not show the exact shape of the sail. Here, thanks to Charley Williamson, are the sail patterns for Gus Lassel’s 1950 M Class “Sun Wind.” All dimensions are measured from the corner eyelets. “D” is “down” and “U” is “up.” 1. A photo set for the club archives to Ginger Martus of the 1951 “Yachting Monthly Cup” event in Boston, won by the Mill Pond team of Bobby and Ains Ballantyne, and 2. A specially framed/inscribed photo from this set for the Mill Pond Clubhouse to Barry Balcourt. Another presentation was made to Bill Bithell to acknowledge his contributions to the sport and in recognition of the 50th anniversary of his win at the 1948 “All Nations Cup” races with his Ranger “A” boat. This was a framed and inscribed photo picturing Bill with his Ranger model at this Gosport, England event. Jim Dolan and John Snow Free Sailing Editor’s Note There seems to be a resurgence in interest in free sailing outside its “last bastion” at Spreckles lake. Herewith are excerpts from several letters we have received, and a final note from myself on a possible “free sail oriented” R/C event. The Black Balls Society? Seriously? Congratulations on the Spring issue. It is the best yet, and is superb! The 25 inch sailing sloop reminds me of the time when a subway ride was a nickel and you could tell the old timers at the sailing pond by the long pole with the rubber tip that each was carrying. Of course all the boats were free sailers then. I do not even remember any vane sailers. All of which brings me to the point of this letter. Perhaps your group can encourage the formation of a sub-group called the “Free Sailors’ Society” or similar, to encourage the building and sailing of free sailing pond boats of all types an sizes. This, of course, means no radio control! Sheet-totiller, wind vane, and no rudders, yes, but radio control, no! So, under rule 27, “Vessels Not Under Command or Restricted in Their Ability to Maneuver,” these model boats may show the day signal of two black balls in a vertical line where they best can best be seen. Maybe the better name of the group would be “The Black Balls Society!” And under Rule 18, the radio control boats would have to give way to the free sailors. Free sailing boats may have some particular attractions because the proposed rules are so simple: (1) the model shall not be radio controlled in any way; (2) the model shall operate only under the power of the wind; (3) the model may be a scale model, a semi-scale model, or a unique design. Thus the intention is to include scale models as well as “pond boats” designed for pond sailing. The major attractions are building scale models, and designing and sailing unique designs so as to experiment with boats for a special environment (ponds) and the freedom from the constraints of radio control. The objective is to make adjustments and set the model off across the pond then make another adjustment, etc. “Windling World” in one issue describes Olde Tyme Family Sailing at a pond in New Zealand where the families build various boats for family members and race them across a pond. None are radio controlled. The small boats start first, the middle sized ones are next and the big boats start last. Sounds like fun if you have to race at all. Thus the main attraction is that this Group would encourage home building of models (which should avoid the huge expense of Page 8 Just a reminder that things could get a bit tense in the free sailing days as well. Our thanks to Tony Marshall of the SFMYC for the loan of this cartoon. the modern racers) and family sailing of same. The ultimate extreme of course would be the solo sailing of your own boats! But the thought is flexible enough to allow the inclusion of a few friends or family to come and sail your boat or their own. Thus, in the end we may not need a set of rules or a group at all. boats, and unlikely to attract more people to the sport. George Steele Some Thoughts on Free Sailing and Competition My primary interest in free sailing is keeping the boats and traditions alive. I see free sailing as a very different and more peaceful alternative to R/C sailing. In the “good old days” I am sure that free sailing was as competitive as any modern racing. However participants were also designing and building their own boats, and new boats were being added to the fleet at regular intervals. We are in a different time now, and free sailing has a very different feeling, at least for me. This aesthetic is captured in the comparison list below, which I will confess contains my own idealized impressions rather than strict truth. I am aware of nice fiberglass free sailing yachts, and friendly R/C sailors. Personally, I experience too much competition, and too much high tech engineering at Stanford, and the absence of these qualities is one of the attractions of free sailing. I am not against learning how to sail the old boats more skillfully, but I do see the greater emphasis on competition in the form of rules and protests as counter to my own interest in what I see as a relaxing hobby. I also think it is hard on the Page 9 Rolfe Faste Why I Don’t Sail RC Why I Free Sail Talk About Where it Was Purchased Talk About How it Was Restored Epoxy Varnish Plastic Wood Batteries Bowsies Radios Bamboo Poles Tactics Meditation Yelling Silence Elbows Exercise Curses Handshakes Egos Admiration Hard Feelings Congratulations Jerky Sailing Graceful Sailing Rules Meetings Champagne Celebrations Sea Lawyers Historians Technology Tradition Stress Relaxation A Proposal for a New Event Background I was sitting beside Mill Pond with Bill Bithell, discussing the nuances of vane design (well, nuances to me; probably kindergarten stuff to Bill) when he made one of those remarks that knock loose a train of thought that has been stuck in the back of your mind for a long time. Bill looked out at that beautiful old pond, on which people have been racing models for a hundred years, and said: “Sailing this pond was like playing three cushion billiards. You had to know your stuff.” Now the easiest way to capture the spirit of free sailing is to free sail. Alas, there are a minuscule number of ponds where this is possible. Even traditional venues like Redd’s Pond are practically impossible as the growth of trees and encroaching buildings cause swirls and eddies of wind that force free-sailing boats into random courses. Even fewer ponds are built so that a free-sailing boat can reach the bank and be poled around on a beat, or are fully accessible on all sides so that one can tack from bank to bank or easily retrieve a wayward boat. I had been thinking for a long time about how we could get more of the free-sailing flavor into R/C sailing. The problem was to figure out what the “free-sailing flavor” really was; how to capture the right-hand column in Rolfe Faste’s twin lists. It’s not hard to see what “ordinary” R/C racing is about: tactics, position, having the right of way rules at the tips of your fingers so that you know when to luff, when to give way, and when to charge in every circumstance. Quick thinking and skill on the part of the skipper, and maneuverability on the part of the boat are significant factors. And so we have the debate over rudders, and how much one can or should modify a free-sail design so that it will do your bidding at the start and proceed smartly around the marks. So after some more thought I came up with the following “modest proposal,” which I am willing to back up by donating a trophy. For now, I call the trophy the “Open Water Cup.” There is a tradition in model yachting of having special format events at major regattas. For example, at the international races there was the “Wing and Wing” competition for the fastest boat on the run. If there is enough interest, then the Open Water Cup may be sailed for at the 1999 Regatta, as a change in pace from the “round the markers” format, and one that minimizes the “bumper boats” activity at the start and around the marks. Free sailing meant “knowing your stuff.” Reading the pond, trimming your boat to the absolute edge of performance, setting a course to ride the puffs as they came along. This is an element in “ordinary” R/C racing, but just an element. All of us, and the beginning skippers especially, are familiar with the situation of being in respectable position approaching a mark and dead last leaving it, as well as the incipient panic when you’re in the middle of a raft of boats and somebody yells “Starboard!” and you can’t figure out if it’s you or somebody else that’s doing the wrong thing. All this is fun in its way, and I don’t mean to imply that a “free sailing flavor” is superior — just different. When, thanks to the generosity of Jeff Stobbe, I had the opportunity to free sail at San Francisco, I learned how different an experience it was. In particular, you focused on your boat, the pond, and the wind, and not what the other boat was doing. Closer to nature and further away from you competitors, I guess you could say. Rules I’ve worked up detailed rules, but there’s no point in using up newsletter space if there’s no interest. The principle is simple: start as we do now, sail to a end line, turn around, sail to the other end line, and go for the finish. All lines are defined to run from one side of the pool to the other, so there is no pressure to squeeze between starting and finishing marks. Concluding Remarks So there you have it. If you’re a beginning skipper, or are concerned about that lovingly applied paint job, you can sail your own course and still have a chance to finish in the money. You can hunt for the puffs anywhere on the pond, and just like the old days you have to make the trade between long and short tacks to get there first. I’m sure that some skippers will start figuring out tactics sooner or later, but the spirit of the thing is to achieve the almost meditative experience of sailing free. So, what do you think? Call, write, or email. I am serious about that trophy. Page 10 Earl Boebert What Should We Call That? Editor’s Note This article raises some very interesting points that should help guide us in categorizing both boats and plans. The only thing I would suggest would be a “Freelance” category” for boats built of vintage materials to vintage rules — the “might have been” yachts. Terminology The U.S. Vintage Model Yacht Group gathered interested parties together in the mid90’s and its stated goals were: 1) The preservation, building, exhibiting and racing of older model designs; and, 2) The study of the history of the sport of model yachting. The following discussion deals with the first goal; explores the specifics of boat rehabilitation or reproduction; and suggests a consistent nomenclature for describing the vessels upon their rebirth. There is an obviously parallel treatment shared model yachts of historical vintage and aircraft from the early days of aviation. So much of the material presented here is based upon the excellent reference, Restoring Museum Aircraft by Robert Mikesh, published in 1997 by Airlife Publishing Ltd. Of Shrewsbury, England (ISBN 1-85310—8758. The goal of the discussion is to provide a set of guidelines for describing a restored or rehabilitated vintage model yacht in a consistent and precise manner. Two terms should be clearly identified and understood for the purposes of our discussion. The first is restoration, meaning the actions taken to preserve or conserve model yachts of historical significance. The second is replication meaning the construction of a new yacht from original plans to result in the physical shape and appearance of the historical object. Model Identification Decisions as to restoration and preservation for a vintage model yacht may be based on an identification of the importance of the actual model in the history of model yachting. It is suggested that as much information as possible be obtained about the model before attempting a restoration. This information should go into the project file as background for the Restoration Plan. There are three categories of importance. Category I – Model yachts which are historically significant by virtue of taking part in a historic event such as Ranger (A) and ARROW (M) – first DX Class Champion. From a historical perspective, such yachts should be restored to represent the event for which they are most famous. Category II – Model yachts which are historically significant due to technological features in hull design or rigging, or for being prototypes for designs which became historically significant. Yachts in this category should be restored to highlight the features for which they are most noted, such as the M-class “Flipper” keel, etc. Category III – Model yachts which are not significant in their own right, but which represent a historically significant model class, type or construction. The goals of the restoration should be based upon an identification of the model, and its assignment to one of the above categories. This forms the first part of the restoration plan, and so doing, unguided demolition can be avoided., and a restoration plan developed to guide the effort. Condition Assessment The next step any restoration project is to identify the existing condition of the original yacht. The following condition descriptions are suggested: Level 1 Condition – Yacht is in undeteriorated, pristine condition, could be exhibited or sailed as is. Level 2 Condition – Yacht is in “recent use, wellcared for” condition. Suitable for exhibit as is, or for sailing with attention to watertight integrity or rigging and sail condition. Wear should be the result of use, rather than neglect. Level 3 Condition – Deteriorated or unstable condition. Requires treatment, reservation and restoration. Level 4 Condition – Derelict, destroyed or partial completeness. The Restoration Plan A written Restoration Plan should be completed before any work commences on the yacht. The plan should contain photographs Page 11 of the “as found” condition, notes on the integrity of the hull, lists of missing pieces, and any other historical background that can be gathered. Original – Yacht is in original as-built condition, or as modified by the user that remains unaltered from the time it ended service. Example: Bithell’s “Ranger” (A-class)1. The Plan documents the basis of the decisions made to guide the restoration. It answers the question: What is the goal of the rehabilitation? It establishes the boundaries within which the restoration work will be carried out, and provides the guidance for choices which must inevitably be made while the work is ongoing. Restored Original – Yacht is composed of at least 50% original components (by surface area or volume), and the remainder returned to accurate early condition made with the same materials, components and accessories. Example: Stedman’s “Arrow” (M-Class) though vintage R/C gear has been replaced. Commercial restorations that the author carries out for clients, typically include a statement of the final configuration to be attained, and a list of individual work tasks that will be completed to reach that end. Two to three pages seems typical for all but the most comprehensive projects. Failure to take the time to do the research and develop the Restoration Plan will ultimately result in a hodgepodge approach to the project as it unfolds. Having first decided what the finished product is going to be (see below), individual details of the work can be carried out in a consistent manner. Documentation of the project from photographs of the “as received” condition to the completed project should be filed in a project notebook which remains with the yacht. A narrative report of the project would make a good submission to the VMYG newsletter. As in any historical undertaking, there is a continuous question of how far to go in totally reproducing an antique object. It is the author’s opinion, that modern day adhesives and sail materials do not materially detract from the authenticity of the final product, nor does the application of modern radio control systems since they do not materially alter the external appearance of the model. However, the author does balk at modifications to the original which are obvious attempts to gain advantage on the race course. It is my opinion, that vintage yachts are to be sailed, seen and enjoyed…….the order of crossing the finish line in a demonstration race is little of the attraction. Reproduction – A reasonable facsimile in appearance and construction of a yacht made with similar materials, and having essentially the same operating systems. In the case of a vane yacht having radio installed, might more properly be called “Reproduction for R/C”. Example: Wooden hulled “Cheerio II” from Black Plans. Replica – A reproduction built from original plans, but using materials not found in the original. Example: J.R. LeBlanc’s fiberglass hulled “Cheerio II”. An Example M-Class “Arrow” (~1949) Category I – First U.S. DX Class Champion, first R/C national event – 1952. Level 2 Condition – Rig missing, deck in need of repair, some original R/C gear. Restoration Plan – Restore yacht to R/C sailing condition, provide replacement rig and new R/C gear. Photos of original rig obtained from prior owner. Finished Product – Restored Original – hull, deck, keel, skeg, rudder, deck fittings original. New Sitka spruce mast, booms from 1972 vintage M-class boat, Carr paneled 2 oz. dacron sails, modern Futaba R/C gear, Ozmun Swing-arm winch. Included working stand of 5/8” ply, and display stand of 1” Teak. Approximately 450 hours of work were involved in the restoration. Description of the Finished Project The following descriptions are suggested to describe the finished product.: Page 12 Rod Carr 1.The reference here is to “Ranger I,” at MIT. “Ranger II” is a reproduction in Rod’s terms. – Ed. More on Rudders and Flaps Editor’s Note The debate continues about how, and even whether, to modify boats originally intended for free sailing for “round the markers” radio control. One option, which I described above and which I hope gains support, is to remove the requirement for nimble steering by minimizing the advantages of maneuver. Another approach is that taken by JR LeBlanc in his Cheerio kits: move the rudder aft and turn the skeg and rudder as a unit. What one has then, in effect, is a low aspect ratio spade rudder which still maintains much of the profile of the original boat. I sailed JR’s Cheerio for a few (too few!) minutes and I can attest that I saw little difference in responsiveness from my CR914. The biggest difference was the way it showed its free sailing heritage by its stability to windward — you simply didn’t have to touch the rudder until it was time to tack In reading Russell Potts’ note one should be aware of the difference that is evolving between the US and UK groups. The UK group is clearly more oriented toward preservation, while the US group currently seems more focused on the building and sailing of reproductions and replicas, to use Rod Carr’s useful terminology. Rudders, Preservation, and Such Practical Free sailing boats were designed to be sailed in a straight line and the rudder acted only as a trim tab, to make small corrections to the course. This means that even on a pre-1939 M (like Potter’s “Wampum II,” which has Braine gear and a substantial skeg, as well as a long fin) it is not necessary to change the rudder arrangements when the boat is converted to radio. There is adequate control to tack the boat and perform all normal manoeuvers. The turning circle is a good deal larger than a modern radio boat with its deep narrow fin and large spade rudder. Later vane era boats, after about 1965, had a deep fin and bulb and very small skegs and rudders. Even so, they can be operated satisfactorily with no increase in rudder size. Consider the effect of putting a hard guy on such a boat and progressing up the lee shore in a series of swooping arcs. No shortage of rudder power there. Aesthetic and Museumological I wouldn’t want to change the appearance of the boat any more than was essential to preserve it and enable it to be sailed. That’s why radio installations in what were originally free sailing boats should, so far as possible, be designed to make no permanent alterations to the appearance of the boat and, ideally, be capable of being removed in a few minutes. This is a counsel of perfection, but I think it’s something we should aim at. But the [UK] Vintage Group isn’t and shouldn’t be a design Inspectorate, seeking to impose rigid standards on the restorations that owners choose to do. It’s your boat, and you can do what you like with it. Competition There is a big difference here between the [UK] Vintage Group and its US counterpart. In the UK, most Vintage Group members have never been competitive model yachtsmen; many have only the vaguest idea of how to sail their boat and are content to get it to cover the length of the pond. Many again don’t want to put radio in their old boats. So we don’t have a competitive activity within the [UK] Vintage Group and have not had to face up to the problem of controlling alterations to rudders and such to make the boats more suitable for radio racing. My own feeling is that competition among vintage models can never be more than a very unserious cherry on the cake of restoration and display on the water. There is a philosophical confusion in arguing that the M is a development class and simultaneously creating a Vintage subClass, artificially limited by date, and a conflict of aim between a vintage organisation, Page 13 “Vintage spade” rudder on J.R. LeBlanc’s winning “Cheerio II.” One piece, pivot point about 1/3 back from the leading edge, placed three inches aft of the original. Works just fine. which is committed to preserving historical artefacts, and an attempt to run serious races with them, in which the pressure of competition may lead to the preservation of only the most recent designs. The real problem is that within the vintage movement the number of boats is relatively small and the spread of their ages and designs vastly larger than has ever been the case in “proper” model yacht racing. It is uncommon to see a fleet at any national championship which spans more than two or three years in date of design. If winning is really what it is about in a vintage class, nothing will control how owners tinker with their boats. What they really should be doing is playing in a different game where all have access to the same high tech equipment. I feel rather like Muggsy Spanier when asked to play more crowd pleasing high notes: “Go get yourself a piccolo player.” My own view is that boats should race as originally designed. If this means that old boats have no chance, so be it. Those who want to compete with their old boats, should consider doing it in the old way, using the equipment and techniques appropriate to the date of the boats. Dick Priest’s “Highlander” was brought out of retirement, carefully restored and very competently sailed through an A Boat championship, twenty odd years after her triumphs in the 1960s. She went nowhere.1 If you do allow increases in rudder area, you will have great difficulty treating different types of boats fairly. For instance, a 25% increase in area on a Braine steered boat with a substantial fin and skeg will make relatively little difference; the same increase applied to a late vane boat with a narrow fin and vestigial skeg will transform its performance around the buoys. But no-one, I hope, would advocate major surgery to a pre-1939 boat to improve its chances in a form of competition for which it was never intended. Its form represents the environment and form of competition for which it was designed. To alter it destroys its value as an antique, and much more important, as evidence of a particular moment in the history of the technology of the model yacht. Combining a racing competition with some form of display scoring seems to me to be fraught with difficulty. A sporting competition is about objective results: times, distances, goals scored. A competition that depends on the opinions of judges is not a sporting competition, no matter how athletic the performance of gymnasts, ice dancers, or synchronized swimmers may be. Consider a report on a baseball game that concluded that though one team had scored more runs, the other had been awarded the game because a panel of judges gave them higher marks for artistic impression, and were particularly taken by their choice of music. This is exactly what happens in the assessment of ice skating performance. Russell Potts Observations by Life Member George Steele I was re-reading the Spring issue of “The Model Yacht” to get an address, and I kept on going and re-read the discussion of older M’s sailing with the new as well as the discussion about converting vane model rudders to radio control. The old M’s sailing with the new reminded me of L.F. Herreshoff’s discussion of the history of rating rules. Certainly “the rule is the thing!” If one wants cheaper yachts I think you need a minimum hull weight rule. “No hull (excluding ballast) shall weigh less than ______.” However, Herreshoff’s history does not fill me with anticipation that any one rule will be successful. Besides, the conception of the “ideal” yacht changes over time as does the characteristics of the ideal woman. Secondly, the “problem” about rudder size when converting from vane control to R/C has another “solution.” That is, three channel R/C. (The scale boats may have this problem too, too small rudders.) When I was young I was taught to let fly the jib sheets at the command “hard alee!” With three channels you can emulate real life and do the same. While racing has a tremendous allure one needs to keep in mind Herreshoff’s truism: racing leads inexorably to much more expensive boats. 1.It should be noted that J.R. Leblanc’s “Cheerio II” swept designs from thirty years later at the 1998 Regatta. Page 14 George Steele The Ancient Mariner Answers Your Questions Editor’s Note It was a dark and stormy night. I was walking the waterfront when a huddled figure in oilskins using a bamboo turning pole for a cane came out of the fog and thrust an old leather chart case at me. “Here,” he said, “your readers asked for this.” Then he disappeared into the mists. Along with the questions and answers were instructions on how to reach him in the future — so send in your questions and we’ll have the answers in later columns. The Ancient Mariner Speaks Marbleheader (name withheld) — Last summer after a start I was on port tack beating to windward and experienced a bone crunching collision with a boat on starboard tack. The skipper of the other boat called me a “Son of a Gun.” Should I have been offended? Ancient Mariner — This is a surprising comment given the circumstances. Either you didn’t hear the last word of the phrase clearly or the other skipper was confused. “Son of a Gun” is a term of affectionate regard. In the early nineteenth century women were allowed to share the gun deck accommodation with men aboard Royal Navy ships in port and sometimes at sea. As chance would have it, women would often give birth at such times in the only space available on the gun deck which was between the guns. The term “Son of a Gun” caught on for boys born afloat alongside a gun and literally cradled under the breast of the gun carriage. They were born on the job and learned to be competent sailors at an early age. Harry Mote — What is the proper name for that 6 foot by 12 foot brick structure on the southeast side of Spring Lake that we use to put in and take out our Traditional Marblehead Model Yachts? Is it a Pier, Wharf, Dock, Quay, Mole, Cay, or Key? Ancient Mariner — It’s not a Pier as that is a structure for mooring ships, that projects out at roughly right angles to the shore and is usually built of timber and supported on wooden pilings. A Wharf is a structure of timber or iron that parallels the shore. A Dock is an artificial basin closed by gates or a lock which is built to handle ships where tidal range is a problem. A Quay is a solid masonry wall built parallel to the shore used for moor- ing ships (getting close). The last two, Cay and Key, were apparently thrown in to muddy the waters (thanks, Harry!). They both mean a low insular bank of sand or coral. Even Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall knew that. It is interesting that Quay and Key are both pronounced the same as that jagged piece of metal that we open doors with. Of course, we don’t moor ships at our structure in Spring Lake. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that we should call it a ”Launching Pad”. Howard Royce — The Vintage Rating Rules require a hollow garboard of not less than one inch in radius. What is meant by this and why the requirement? Ancient Mariner — The garboards are the group or strake of hull planks nearest to the keel. On older yachts they were designed to fair smooth into the vertical keel to provide an aesthetically clean transition. The one inch radius requirement was included in the 1954 M class rules on which the present VM class rules of are based. Modern yacht designs have gone to fin keels to reduce wetted surface with either no fillet at the transition from hull to keel or one so small that its dimension is less than the thickness of the boundary layer so as not to create significant drag. Beauty is once again sacrificed for higher performance. Bob Sturges — While sailing at Spring Lake someone used the term ”Broad on the Bow”. was this a feeble attempt at gender humor or is this a bona fide nautical expression? Ancient Mariner — This is a valid nautical expression to indicate direction relative to the centerline of a boat. Broad on the Bow means 45 degrees from right ahead. Broad on the Quarter is 45 degrees from astern. This expression is believed to have come from Captain John Smith (of Jamestown fame) when he sighted a mermaid 45 degrees on the starboard bow in the Caribbean after long months at sea. He was bewitched by the sight of this beautiful woman swimming with sensuous grace alongside his ship. Smith is reported to have shouted “Wow, what a Broad” and was about to go overboard when he was restrained by the first officer. Things turned out for the best as he later met Pocohantas, daughter of the American Indian Chief Powhatan, who at one point saved his life although she later fell in love with and married the English settler Page 15 Not a Spring Lake double-ender, but the kind of long skeg boat the Ancient Mariner is discussing John Rolfe. That’s the way it was in those days and that is the way it will always be. Pete Peterson — Some of the older boats, particularly the Spring Lake Double-ender, are difficult to maneuver and tack. Larger rudders have been tried to no avail. What is going on? Ancient Mariner — Unfortunately hull design has a lot to do with the ability of a boat to turn. The Spring Lake Double-ender has a full skeg that extends from the half keel to the rudder at the stern as shown in the picture. When the boat is turned this large underwater section must be rotated sideways through the water as the boat’s turning center is close to amidships. The lateral resistance of this section makes the boat difficult or slow to turn. Increasing the rudder size doesn’t help much as the side resistance is proportional to the square of the turning velocity and a greater rudder turning moment is quickly matched with a higher side resistance with only a small increase in turning velocity. Hulls that have a rocker or a fore and aft underwater convex shape turn much faster as the underwater hull section is reduced towards the ends of the hull producing less turning resistance. A separated skeg rudder in combination with the hull rocker as illustrated by “Sunkiss” in the drawing is much more maneuverable. The use of a spade or fin rudder with no skeg gives the best turning performance although it can be a weed catcher. Harry Mote — The lack of heeling stability has been a problem with schooner models scaled down from full size schooners. Can you explain the reason for this and give possible solutions? Ancient Mariner — When a schooner is scaled down in size, all features including length, width, draft, sail luff, and sail foot, etc., are scaled down proportionately. This means that the sail area, which is proportional to the product of sail luff and sail foot, is reduced by the square of the scale factor. Hull volume is the product of three lengths and is reduced by the cube of the scale factor. The differences in the scaling of area and volume causes the stability problem. This is illustrated in the diagram. Transverse stability is determined by two force couples, a heeling couple and a righting couple. A couple is a turning moment formed when two equal and opposite forces are separate by a distance. These two couples must be equal and opposite for a given angle of heel in order that stability or equilibrium can exist. The heeling couple is formed by the sail force acting at the center of effort of the sails and the hull lift force causing heel to leeward. Since the sail force is proportional to the sail area, the heeling couple is equal to this force times the separation distance and scales as the third power of the scale factor. The righting couple is equal to the boat’s displacement acting through a separation distance from the equal and opposite buoyancy force. The separation distance increases with angle of heel to a point as the center buoyancy shifts outboard. Since displacement is equal to underwater hull volume multiplied by water density, this couple scales as the fourth power of the scaling factor. A simple example will illustrate the problem: If a four foot model of a 100 foot schooner is to be built, the scale factor is 25. Heeling force is reduced by the cube of the scaling factor or by 15,625 and the righting forces by the fourth power of the scaling factor or by 390,625. What this means is, that when the righting force would be equal at a given angle of heel for the full size schooner, for the model the righting moment is 1/25 of the heeling moment at that angle and the model must heel at a greater angle to achieve stability. In any kind of wind the model may well heel over on its side at a 90 degree angle before equilibrium is achieved. This problem can be minimized by modeling small schooners to produce the smallest “Humptulips,” similar to the “Sun Kiss” mentioned by the Ancient Mariner. Page 16 Foam Board as an Aid to Construction As a beginner in the art and craft of model yacht building, it occurred to me that some ideas I’ve borrowed from other projects and recently applied to the construction of a wood-planked hull might be of interest to readers of The Model Yacht. If you’re a bit impatient by nature like me, you’ve probably thought about simplifying building methods and using substitute materials where possible without harming the finished product. Maybe you’ve felt it’s wasteful to make temporary (shadow) frames of so-called “scrap” wood for a planked hull unless more than one identical hull is to be made. I thought so too, and looked around for a wood substitute to make temporary frames. In the arts and crafts world, there is a material called foam board (or foam core) which can be obtained in 1/8”, 3/16”, 1/4” and possibly other thicknesses. It consists of a light foam core covered with smooth, thin, hard-paper surfaces suitable for drawing, painting, or inking … and “matting” of art work. I visited a local art framing shop and found a 3/16” x 36” x 42” sheet of foam board for about $5.00, and figured it might be used, instead of wood, for making temporary frames (shadow formers) and here’s what happened: Transverse equilibrium of a sailing yacht. FH = Sail heel force acting at Center of Effort (CE). LH = Hull lift force acting at Center of Lateral Resistance (CLR). AH = Heeling arm. D = Displacement acting at Center of Gravity (CG). B = Buoyancy force acting at center of bouyancy. AR = Righting Arm. Heeling Couple = FH x AH. Righting Couple = D x AR. I photocopied ten hull-frame patterns from the building plan and transferred them to the foam board with a glue stick. I then cut them from the foam board with a small reciprocating saw of the type used by model builders, which left enough unused foam board for at least one more boat, and possibly other projects. possible scaling factor. The model can be sailed in light conditions under full sail and in heavier air with reefed sails. One can also violate the scaling of features by producing a deeper weighted keel or by reducing the length of the sail luff and/or sail area. As shown in the sketches, the frames are supported on a flat 1” thick by 18” wide by 60” long balsa-wood building board obtained from Guillows … the folks who kit small balsa wood airplanes. This board is ideal because it allows you to stick “T” pins into it for holding parts in place, it handles hulls up to five feet in length, and it also makes a reasonably sturdy building jig. Page 17 Steps 1. Stretch a length of masking tape from one end of the board to the other in the center and mark it on the plan-view centerline of your hull, pretty much as you do now. Then use a pencil to mark ten station lines at right angles to the center line for positioning the frames. 2. Make sure that the vertical centerline of each frame coincides with the hull centerline on your board, and that each frame is lined up parallel to each station line. each frame must be vertical, but if you don’t have a set square or drafting triangles, use old playing cards as your “right angles.” 3. Secure the frames in position with short lengths of 1/2” square balsa or similar wood blocks glued to the bottom of each frame and pinned to the building board. Since we’re not using the usual wood frames, it is necessary to be careful when using foam board and not bend or “lean” it out of vertical when planking your hull. It doesn’t have the rigidity of wood so is best used for lighter structures. 4. Proceed with planking in the usual manner. Tips Because I wanted a very light hull, I planked mine with 3/32” x 5/16” balsa strips which I “T”-pinned to each frame as I went along, and glued the strips edge-to-edge with aliphatic resin glue like Titebond. To avoid gluing the balsa strips to the frames (which would be removed from the finished hull) you can cover the edges of the frames with masking tape. Finally, my hull was double-planked (that is, another layer over the balsa strips) with halfinch wide strips of 1/64” aircraft plywood. If you like a natural wood-finished hull, the plywood looks great, and may also be made darker by staining with a wood stain if you first scuff its surface with sandpaper to ensure an even penetration of the stain. from doing the same. You’ll find that any permanent frames you make this way will fit perfectly inside your planked hull at each station for added strength. It is also possible, but may not be desirable due to lack of waterproof qualities, to use foam board as a permanent frames … but I’ve not yet tried that. In case you do, you might think about cutting out the center of each frame, leaving just a 1/2” width around the inside of the hull. In some cases, you might leave out the holes for strength. Frames might be waterproofed by use of an epoxy or polyurethane “varnish,” but — again — I’ve not tried that. Possibilities for the use of foam board in other boat-building applications depend on your ingenuity. Try them and write your own articles for The Model Yacht. Jim Gray 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, III Southeastern Vice-President: Thom Mclaughlin Traditional/Scale Coordinator: Harry Mote Vintage M Class Coordinator: Charles Roden Classic “50” Coordinator: David Lindsey Historian: Earl Boebert Historian: Charles Williamson Archivist: Jim Dolan My finished hull weighed five ounces and was ready for adding the internal braces. You can use the foam board frames as patterns for permanent ones by tracing around their outside edges. They can also be used as forms for laminated permanent frames by gluing thin strips of wood over each one. The masking tape you used to prevent the planking from sticking will also prevent the strips Page 18 Page 19 An Old Pilot Schooner This boat was described in the 1930’s by Captain Helvig Dronquist. Here’s what he had to say about her: In addition to the men who made trading voyages around the World years ago, there were others who seldom left their native waters. These men also made history for themselves as fearless seamen and skilled navigators. They were the coast and harbor pilots. These men stayed out in their small schooners in all weather, to bring in the ships whose crews needed their skill and knowledge of local conditions to avoid the shoals blocking the undredged entrances to the harbors at that time. The vessels in which these pilots defied the winter storms along the Atlantic coast were not large. Many were only sixty or seventy feet over all. The largest measured barely a hundred feet on the waterline. As they had to be handled in close proximity to larger ships in rough water, it was neces- sary that they could be handled easily and with certainty, and so the forefoot was partially cut away. The depth of the rudder and deadwood in these pilot boats increased very considerably -even for a coastwise vessel. The masts carried an extreme rake to permit runnng before the wind in heavy weather. The length of the bowsprit was kept down to the minimum necessary for the sail carried. For quick handling, a tiller was used instead of a wheel and a cockpit provided a certain amount of shelter for the helmsman. Black hull, yellow bulwarks, mahogany or pine rail. Inside of the bulwarks either yellow or whiite. The deck planking was wider than usual, and there were planks around the openings. Masts were yellow ocher with either white or black tops. The sail plan would have to be modified for R/C, but what a sight she would make on a pond! Page 20 Page 21