Salvaged this model from a relatives shed - riddled with woodworm through the plywood and in a very poor state.
Estimated that model originally constructed between 1958 & 1965.Plan is to restore to close to original aerokits version - not to micro model internals and any more detail than was originally included in the kit.
First to kill any residual worm - sealed in plastic and put it in chest freezer for 6 months. Most bulkheads and all decking weaked by longitudinal worm movement. Guess is they liked the old plywoods' glue component. Ended up stripping out back to bare hull. Port topside hull ply also weakened but really did not want to get into replacing all hull sheets. Overcoated outside of hull with epoxy and reinforced port side topside sheets by laying in a glass mat and 2 coats expoxy - now feels bombproof.
Here are pics of model as found and stripped out to bare hull before restoration works.
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Salvaged this model from a relatives shed - riddled with woodworm through the plywood and in a very poor state.
Estimated that model originally constructed between 1958 & 1965.Plan is to restore to close to original aerokits version - not to micro model internals and any more detail than was originally included in the kit.
First to kill any residual worm - sealed in plastic and put it in chest freezer for 6 months. Most bulkheads and all decking weaked by longitudinal worm movement. Guess is they liked the old plywoods' glue component. Ended up stripping out back to bare hull. Port topside hull ply also weakened but really did not want to get into replacing all hull sheets. Overcoated outside of hull with epoxy and reinforced port side topside sheets by laying in a glass mat and 2 coats expoxy - now feels bombproof.
Here are pics of model as found and stripped out to bare hull before restoration works.
This blog is a bit of a catch-up as I have been working this restoration for 2 winters now. Real sailing takes priority during the season! Here are some pics of all woodwormed pieces removed (including several bulkheads and transom) and hull cleaned and painted inside - new rudder post and prop shaft installed. As the woodwormed pieces were removed I made card/paper templates by tracing and a detailed location plan of key positions ( bulkheads, side superstructures etc.)
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Hull Stripped out - new bulkheads & cabin structures
This blog is a bit of a catch-up as I have been working this restoration for 2 winters now. Real sailing takes priority during the season! Here are some pics of all woodwormed pieces removed (including several bulkheads and transom) and hull cleaned and painted inside - new rudder post and prop shaft installed. As the woodwormed pieces were removed I made card/paper templates by tracing and a detailed location plan of key positions ( bulkheads, side superstructures etc.)
Here are are more pics bring restoration works up to date so far this winter. Extended the keelson somewhat to suppport and fair-in new propshaft location and hopefully may provide a little more resistance to yaw when power applied ( seems to be a common issue reading others blogs...). Now I need to commit to starting the painting regime for internal places and electrics installation before I box myself "out" ☹️. Then its onto hull fairing and painting, windows (plasticard) and cabin deck structures and cabin tops.....
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Decking on & Keel extension to support new prop shaft
Here are are more pics bring restoration works up to date so far this winter. Extended the keelson somewhat to suppport and fair-in new propshaft location and hopefully may provide a little more resistance to yaw when power applied ( seems to be a common issue reading others blogs...). Now I need to commit to starting the painting regime for internal places and electrics installation before I box myself "out" ☹️. Then its onto hull fairing and painting, windows (plasticard) and cabin deck structures and cabin tops.....
Hi pm (Not Boris by any chance? 😂🤣)
"Extended the keelson somewhat to support and fair-in new propshaft location and hopefully may provide a little more resistance to yaw when power applied"
That's the problem with hi power motors on a single shaft!
It's caused by the side thrust of the prop on the hull which pushes it off course.
Experienced skippers of real ships use this effect to shove the stern onto the dock when berthing😊
Twin shafts with opposite rotation cancel this effect.
So 'Go scale, Go twin young man' 👍
Cheers, Doug 😎
BTW: strictly speaking a Keelson (keels-on) is a beam laid across the top of the keel inside the hull to strengthen it. What you have done is to add/extend the keel in the form of a skeg, which may mitigate but can not eliminate the yaw effect.
Decking and hatches completed - hull faired and primed and faired again....ready for all over primer...…. RC components located..... put a twin "O" ring seal on top of the rudder post to hopefully limit any water ingress..... Now to get down to painting hull, deck and superstructure colours - going with RAF Medium Sea Grey for superstructure and RAF Dark Sea Grey for deck / aft cockpit.
Still waiting for any clarification on cabin top colours from York Boat Club visit this week !!🤞🤞
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Decking and hatches completed - hull faired and primed and faired again....ready for all over primer...…. RC components located..... put a twin "O" ring seal on top of the rudder post to hopefully limit any water ingress..... Now to get down to painting hull, deck and superstructure colours - going with RAF Medium Sea Grey for superstructure and RAF Dark Sea Grey for deck / aft cockpit.
Still waiting for any clarification on cabin top colours from York Boat Club visit this week !!🤞🤞
I couldn’t find the RAF paints and my dark grey doesn’t contrast enough with the medium grey - you can barely tell the difference! Oh well, it’s done now!
I am also worried about water getting in through the rudder post. In a float test without the rudder fitted, the level was just below the top. It’s a new unit and does have a seal at the lower end so I’m hoping when the shaft is in place it will keep water out. I haven’t got enough shaft to add to the casing. Ed
