Monday, March 30, 2009

more pics



custom mast ram




found a 1/2 inch pvc pipe holder in hardware store and fit it to be a new mast ram with a 3/16 inc SS bolt and two nuts. one nut will hold pvc ram into the molded piece that stabilizes mast.

Cut down a 7/32" brass tube to about 1/2 inch and drilled ans set it through bulkhead. Set tube with wood epoxy inside and flush with outside bulkhead. Mast ram will sit inside this once set and i'll be able to adjust mast rake and fine tune better with other bolt. I also took some more detailed pics of insides where recessed pot will go to hold battery and receiver

Thursday, March 26, 2009

more pics





Just about done and ready for a test sail






Going to pretty up and add a few more things including, new sails/mast rigging, mast ram, recessed battery/receiver pot, turning blocks instead of screw eyes, pretty up deck with paint and clear coat,. Recycled old AC boat parts including sails, mast, rigging.

Right now only need to add bow bumper (AKA cut up flip flop) in order to sail.....

Thursday, March 19, 2009

foredeck finished







Waiting to order more parts (story of my life). Fordeck installed, mid-deck will be installed after I get more parts (recessed pot for batteries and receiver).

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Getting closer to end






Recycled my old 48" AC class RC boat as it sailed poorly with homemade sails. Used ballast, sail arm servo, tangs from mast and gooseneck. Used tanks to do the jib tack leads and installed the jib sheet leads. Got fore and aft deck birch ply 1/32 and 1'64th inch for fore and afte deck respectively. Trial pained the stern with a cobalt blue metalic finish. Will fade it from back to front from blue to white. Ordering remaining fittings and would be sailing in less than a day once these and sails arrive.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Mast box set





Here is second to last step before decking goes on. All is needed it to add balsa to inside of gunwales for deck to be installed and glued on, add mast ram, and install recessed pot for receiver and batteries. Still need to order rigging and sails. Will be using very thin marine ply like 1/32" or 1/64" for deck and cut outs for access holes for mainsheet post, rudder, rudder servo, sheeting servo and mast box.

Monday, March 2, 2009

Sail servo and final bulkheads installed






See how servo is angled to keep it under deck. Will be using a sail arm servo for sheeting. Did a dry run with it before adding deck. Dead ended to fore bulkhead with arm pointed right back to the bulkhead. Single turning block will go on end of arm, approx. 85 mm from center. Control sheet will run through bulkhead and just above deck to turning block at stern then to mainsheet post. When fully sheeted in, will tie jib sheet right to control line at the back block. The control line will be the mainsheet. May add some elastic from the mainsheet post run to the point where both sheets attach to avoid a birds nest below.

Sail arm moves forward to sheet in. Without fine trim, I have 12 inches of travel. Probably a bit too much, but will install a stop point on transmitter knob, i.e. balsa glued to it, if it is too much. Got to order sails, rig , paint, lead ballast and then will likely be ready to sail. So far, seems very light. Yet to weigh it, but I am sure it is under where it should be.