Cariad Bristol Pilot Cutter

Dave M #12 of 14 14 years ago

Mast broken

Broke the mast on Sunday when putting in car. 😰

Needed to replace in any case as this was my original and designed to use a different fixing for the ratlines which required a hole through the mast to allow a removeable peg allowing a sleeve to be lowered so the mast could be collapsed without de-rigging. As I had abandonded this including the sleeve there was always a weak point. 🔨

Spent yesterday and today remaking and re-rigging.
If nice tomorrow I may be able to sail. 😀

Dave M #13 of 14 14 years ago

Rethink on Ballast

The lead inside the hull made the model very heavy and difficult to handle.
Other club members have been using detachable fiberglass keels on their yachts so got Brian to make me one.
Had a right struggle removing the lead and needed to repair some damage to the hull, but all good now and detachable keel filled with lead and fitted to hull. The support is above the waterline inside the hull and is sealed with o-rings round the mounting post,top and bottom. 😊
Can now sail in most conditions but horror of horrors it was shipping water into the keel. 😟
Being a nice warm day yesterday managed to test in the tank at home and found the source(s). I had planked the deck and the edges were covered in some 1mm ply that was hiding some bad joints round the deck and the uprights. As a result any water on deck was finding its way into the hull. Stripped off all the 1mm ply and ran clear fiberglass resin in the gap between the planking and hull sides, filling any larger holes with scrap wood. Given another coat today and when fully sealed will make good and paint black as per the original 1mm wood.
The second winch used for the foresails was a pain to use and has been removed - the sheets are allowed to set freely and each tensioned with a soft spring inside the hull.

Liked by petercbrown

Dave M #14 of 14 14 years ago

Ballast & planking repair

Just a few pics of the ballast, internal support and the fiberglass repair to the side planks to the uprights. Sail test tomorrow.

5 comments

CaptLarry
Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class14 years ago
The scale rudder looks good, but appears it does not have much steering authority. I use a long, narrow, airfoil shaped rudder on my full sized sailboat and she turns on a dime. The rudder also extends as deep as the keel. Maybe if the keel was more narrow, but deeper the boat would not have so much to piviot on. As you stated a rig to sail, a rig to show.
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Dave M
Vice Admiral14 years ago
I had previously ballasted the model with lead inside the boat so knew roughly where to place the keel and used the original lead to fill the keel. Tried before finally sealing with resin and achieved correct balance by moving the rather large 7.2v 2500Ma battery to the front of the mast. There is also a lump of lead in the very front to bring the fore and aft watermark level. I needed this with the lead inside and it is largely a feature of the hull shape with most displacement being forrard. Allup weight is now about 6.4kg.
The depth of keel is largely fixed by the width but there is a bulb at the bottom which places more lead lower thus increasing the righting moment. I am bending the mast if I push at the top so the righting moment is more than adequate. it will always be a trade off between depth and weight plus overall area. My prevoius attempt worked but the model would not turn as the keel ran the length of the boat. This keel allows me to steer admittedly using 140% throw on the rudder but I may add a false attachment that will Improve the response. I would remove this and the keel for display purposes. 😀
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Dave M Opening post 14 years ago

Following the fitting of new external detachable keel and sealing the area between the bulwarks and deck planking with resin the model now sails without the risk of being overwhelmed by the waves.
New stand also made to make for easier fitting and removal of keel.

9 comments

Geoffrhoose
Recruit5 years ago
My next project 🤞
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Liked by Martin555
hammer
Lieutenant13 years ago
Paignton, in Yongs Park only in the winter as there is a concession for motor boats in the summer. The Exeter club's new pond is almost surrounded by trees over hanging the water, no good at all for boats with no motor. This summer I am going to try the river Teign (salt water tidal). I will have to loan a friends 16ft boat incase things go wrong and the model goes out to sea. Thinking about things, your motor although low down will give your boat a higher C of G to mine. My ballast is chips of sheet lead mixed with cement, spread along the bottom. I must confess I sold Spray on Ebay £250. Was the only fiberglass hull I had. Needed the room. I still have a Sailing trawler,4ft pilot cutter cutter 4ft, Topsail schooner 3ft, all plus bowsprit, & 2 paddle steamers 5ft & 6ft both steam. Only the schooner has a drop keel. 🔨
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Cariad Bristol Pilot Cutter

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Mast broken

Rethink on Ballast

Ballast & planking repair

Cariad Bristol Pilot Cutter