As I can't build at the moment due to the recent surgery I have had on my right hand but as I can type with two fingers. One on the left hand and one on my right hand 😀 I thought I would start a new blog on the Bob-About and show what I had achieved just prior to my surgery.

As a beginner to RC boats, apart from boats with motors I wanted to try my hand (if you pardon the pun) at RC sailing. Not in competition but as a leisure pursuit. It was recommended to me that I might like to build the Footy and/or the Wee Nip so I purchased both.

I decided to start with the Footy because being small I thought that it would be easy to build as a first sailboat for a person who, although had experience of building static display ships and had just finished building Aeronaut's cabin cruiser Diva, had no knowledge of sailboats and the sailing terminology. I was wrong. On receiving the kit I found the instructions which were on both sides of an A4 size piece of paper very limited for the novice and also poorly written. The plans that also came with the kit were comprehensive but not aimed at the beginner. I did point this out to SLEC and asked if they had other details and perhaps more photographs than were printed on the instruction sheet that they could email. Their reply was that the plans and written details were all they had been given when they took on the selling rights. The copyright of the plans were given in 2002 some 20 odd years ago. So I felt that an update was long overdue.

When I commenced the build the first problem I encountered was building the hull which I eventually overcame with the help of forum members but as I progressed I could see that with my lack of understanding and the very poor instructions added to my frustrations and I was in danger of giving up and throwing the thing out the window! Well, with further discussions with SLEC they answered my queries and sent me some photographs that they had taken to help me which I was very grateful.

I was now able to complete the building of the hull. Install the rudder tube and the tube to take the mast. Once the adhesive had cured I gave the hull three coats of sander sealer. When that was dry I installed the angled tube at the stern to take the cable and cord to control the sails and the servos were fitted in place.

The boat now sits waiting for me to start fitting the rigging and sails when I can use my right hand. That in turn will be the next challenge as I have no clue what to do! 😁

Hopefully, in the first couple of weeks of April my hand will be healed enough for me to start again.

Greg 👍

Hello Dave B,

Thank you. I like your comment about the typing and thank you for your kind comment about that thing on the end of my arm 😁.

Greg 👍

Hello flaxbybuck,

Thank you for your kind comments. I will be posting more about my building exploits for the Footy but I don't see the surgeon until April and I have a nasty feeling it won't be until May before I can start building again. But we can live in hope.

So keep an eye out for the next exciting episode of How I built The Footy And Saved The World! 😁

Greg 👍

Hello John,

Thank you for your kind comments. Although it has been frustrating as a beginner to get a clear understanding of how to build this little boat I know that the end result will be me getting a great deal of pleasure sailing the Bob on the pond. The frustration I have now is not being able to complete the build and move on to another project. Unfortunately, I have no alternative but to be patient. 😁

Greg 👍

Hello Bill,

Thank you for your kind comments. It is good to be part of this forum as you don't feel alone when it comes to building RC boats. Members have been so friendly and helpful. Unfortunately, I joined another forum. This one was for RC model aircraft. The responses I have received to a couple of questions I posted have been less than friendly and made me feel a bit stupid but there are other members that been absolutely brilliant.

I am certainly looking at other projects beyond the kits I already have. One is an RAF fire boat but there are so many to choose from that I am sure I could get carried away and become very poor. 😊

Greg 👍

Hello Cy,

Thank you for your comments. I can't wait to do more to the boat but I have to be patient. Too much too soon could set me back. One of the pitfalls of get old! ☹️

Greg 👍

Hello Bill,

I think choosing a forum or club to be a member of is the luck of the draw. They will all tell you that they are friendly and welcome beginners and I am sure they are sincere when they make that statement but unfortunately it is down to the members to support their mission statement which on occasions they don't do. Fortunately I have had only two uncomfortable experiences. One no more than a couple of weeks ago. That one was with a RC aircraft forum and the other with a model railway forum a few years ago.

99.9% of people are just the best. They are helpful and friendly and some become internet friends. It is really good to talk to like minded people. But sadly, there is always going to be the minority of people who are not so friendly. And on this forum that just does not happen.

The weather is better here today. I just wish the hand was! 🤕

Greg 👍

I have made some progress in building the Footy class Bob-About sailboat. I have now completed the installation of the two servos. Fitted the rudder and connected it to the servo. Made the sails and fitted them and the rigging. I found the instructions for rigging the boat and the correct way to connect the control of the sails to the servo unclear so I had to take some advice. But all looks good now.

The next job will be to install the electrical gear and connect and test.

Once the above is done I will then fit the keel weight and add some coach lining. Or not, as I am undecided at the moment. This will be followed by applying some coats of yacht varnish to the hull.

Once I have installed the electrics I will post another update.

Greg 👍

Hello flaxbybuck,

First, sorry for the delayed reply.

With regards to false booms, you are correct in thinking that they are fixed and rigid. After cutting the main mast and false booms to length a whole is drilled in the main mast at the appropriate position as shown on the plans. A whole is then drilled in one end of each of the two false booms. You then cut a small piece of steel rod (which comes with the kit) and pass it through the whole in the main mast and bend it to the correct angle as per the plan. Once I was happy with the angle I glued the rod in place with Epoxy resin. When the resin had hardened I then fitted the two false booms in place with Epoxy resin and made any final adjustments before the resin had set.

I hope the above helps.

Greg 👍

Hello Ronald,

The building is going okay. I have the electrics to finish and then apply some coats of yacht varnish to the hull. But you are quite right, the jungle, sorry, garden is starting to become foremost in my mind. To be able to get the Brownie points from my wife to be able to continue building models we went out yesterday and purchased a load of plants. So I have those to get in. 😁

The other thing that is slowing down my model building is that I have a small business selling on Etsy which I need to update and do some work on. So, I'm working on the garden and business at the moment. But I'm bound to get bored and back to model making soon! 😊

Greg 👍