I am pushing the boat out really early in fact in its embryonic stage for this build blog and I might regret it but hope not.
It has been my dream of some weeks that my preferred build for the future would be a great looking motor sailor and the one I settled on was Inga 1v and with encouragement from roycv who has in his harbour a splendid example set the ball rolling.
There does not seem to be much interest out there for this model mainly due to there being is no kits available, nor plans, nor plastic hulls being produced simply lots of pictures and of course some beautiful completed models.
First step and many thanks to tiggy_cat for sending me a set of plans for this model which arrived today. They are produced by Revell and are for the topsides which is great but leaves me with one of the challenges of my life that of drawing, stealing, borrowing whatever a plan of the hull shape. I fear that if I attempt to accurately draw the frames for the hull it might end sailing sideways.
Anyway as somebody once said

I have started so I will finish

interested then watch this space. Regards ChrisG

I have found among my books a copy of Scratch Building Marine Models by Richard Webb which shows several hull building methods including planking which interests me and the fundamental art and basic rules of drawing a hull. On the back of this I have ordered A3 sheets of graph paper, a new pristine A3 cutting mat with grid lines, also a flexible French curved ruler and a set of 3 French curved rulers.
I am seriously falling into the category of "all the gear and no idea" 🤣🤣🤣
Incidentally I also found The Model Boat Book from the 1940`s which has some beautiful classic sailing and power craft featured, one chapter from a forgotten time is "A Jetex Power Hydroplane" with full plan and photo of it being admired by Sir Malcolm Campbell. The hydroplane was shown running, tethered in a circular boat pond after the fuse was lit. Imagine the fun that our parents and grandparents had, a circular purpose built boat pond !!
Sorry, rabbiting on again have a good but possibly wet weekend regards ChrisG

The plot thickens. With a lot of help from Ian, tiggy_cat, instead of coming up with a hull he has found me a 25+ year old model in need of serious TLC but complete with rig and sails just short of receiver and a dubious battery.
I collected it from the previous owner and it is all I could have expected or wanted for I consider a modest price.
My first impressions having it at home is beautiful hull, nice wooden masts with sail grooves for the luff and seemingly good set of sails. Lots of cosmetic work and maybe some rebuilding on the topsides, I cannot believe the weight of the hull, I am in danger of getting a hernia.
Early days but I now have my pattern for drawing and cutting frames for a plank on frame hull. Can I cope with a renovation as well as building a second Inga 1v from the plans?
Suggestions please 😂😂😂 Regards ChrisG

Thank you all for your interest, I enjoy sharing ideas with you all as much as I appreciate the help and experience that you are all willing to pass on.
I have several questions to answer so, the hull weight of the model including small battery and electrics comes out at just under eight kilos, I guess about 75% is probably the keel, That is a complete guess.
I have no wish for two of these yachts but would like to tidy this one up whilst building another using the plans I have plus the opportunity to measure the finished hull and using it as a template for the next plank on frame attempt. When finished one model would go as I havn`t space for two nor do I want two.
As for my french ruler, I have already tried using it but find although it will follow a shape quite accurately it has a tendency to spring back very slightly when not restrained which gives an inaccurate drawing line.
However I have a cunning plan said Baldrick 👍😋😋
I have had for many years lots of lengths of lead solder strips of about 600 x 5 x 2 mm Used for stained glass windows. These as well as being extremely flexible hold their shape when moved and can be used to make a pattern on card or direct onto ply. I would make a card cut out for a double check against the hull before marking and cutting 3.5mm ply for the frames.
Regards ChrisG

Hello Mike
Yes it works, I had to strip the model and secure anything loose then found when upside down the model can be supported by a shoe box thereby protecting the stanchions.
As you did I marked the keel and gunwales and used 100mm for the main body of the boat and an extra measurement of 50mm at bow and stern.
The Nimbus 1mtr yacht, and my large fishing boat also the yacht Romanza has spacings of 100mm between frames.
The results are as good as I wished for and certainly good enough to transfer onto card for a double check prior to ply for cutting out.
I will end up with 12 frames and the stern I am still undecided but am tempted to glue a solid section just aft of the end of the keel and carve and shape the lovely rounded curve of the stern. 🤔🤔
Regards ChrisG

A quick progress report, I wish, as there hasn't been any other than to bring it home to me how difficult drawing plans of a ship is. I have been drawing, cutting out and more of the same on and off this week and have just consigned the weeks work to the bin and have re-started from the beginning. I even sent for ply wood for the frames on Monday thinking I would be cutting on Wednesday, what a joke.
I have attached a photo of some of the paper and cardboard cut outs that are just not good enough.
Anyway fresh start and clear head tomorrow.
Regards ChrisG

🤞😂, fingers crossed and a smiley face, bit different from my last progress report.
As I suggested I was to throw my drawings in the bin and start afresh which is was what happened. My original drawings were on A3 sheets of graph paper and whilst it seemed ok the problems became apparent when doubling cut outs to check symmetry, the A3 area involved was too large to concentrate my mind and sight on what I was drawing so on the new drawings I encased them in a drawn box with dimensions which the object needed to fit in. This enabled comparable port and starboard measurements to be compared progressively and easily.
The shapes were then traced onto ply and cut out on the scroll saw. These frames were mounted onto the building board after calculating various heights above the board to determine slope of the deck and with sufficient space to access screws for removal when planked.
Lots of head scratching now, how do I proceed, no plan and difficult shapes bow and stern, especially stern. I have done lots of planking in the past but have never designed a whole model yacht.
I have traced the bow and stern section onto 12mm ply and have fitted them onto the boat frames, can be seen in the photo`s I hope.
I am currently in the process of fitting a keel to ensure all of the frames are fixed upright and at right angles to the building board and are sturdy enough to allow planking to commence, the bow will almost certainly be fully planked but I am unsure how to build and fashion the stern.
Still considering this next process.
I do hope some or most of this is understandable, regards ChrisG

After a few relaxing days away I am pleased to be back to resume my build. Nothing came apart while I was away and all glued and fixed parts I had done to the hull seemed ok.
I started planking and realised this one is going to be a slow build, with the planks I am using being 8mm deep and 3mm thick they are not anxious to bend so I have sent for lots more clamps to hold the lot together whilst the glue is working.
My stained glass window lead solder rods make superb rubber band anchor points, easily cut and shaped but will still find their way into the keel when the time comes.
Now I have finished with the donor Inga1v, it has been relegated to the garage where it is due to undergo a complete renovation, I think this will warrant a separate blog to reduce confusion.
Regards ChrisG

I just wish to share my good news and a coincidence, I glued the first plank to the hull of my model on the 2nd August 2023 and have glued the last hull plank today on the 2nd October 2023, and gentleman believe it or not it was not contrived.
To be honest I am rather pleased as I was getting rather bored doing the same task day in and day out which proved necessary due to the plank sizes all 62 of them each 8mm wide and 3mm thick and waiting for glue to go off.
My plan now is to sand it, fill that which needs it and probably resin the inside to waterproof it. Not sure how I will finish to outside of the hull, maybe try resin coating that as well as weight on this build needs little consideration.
I will say that it is a monster, just glad I have a large car with a big boot.
Best regards ChrisG

Sorry I think I posted this in the wrong place.

After a great deal of gnashing of teeth and cussing and swearing a friend managed to thwart Microsoft and Apple from stopping me from being able to download photos. This as a result of an obligatory so called upgrade, bless their cotton socks.
So hopefully those interested will be able to see what I have been up to in the last couple of months.
Planning the future of the build is great fun and quite complicated but is helped enormously by having the doner model to copy and measure and lots of support especially from mturpin013, who is also deeply involved in his own lovely Inga 4 model.
Thanks for the interest and support ChrisG