New photos from the Maiden Voyage

Did you find a captain?😉

Teddy said, he’s going to wait till the sea trials are over!

where is the teddy captain ???

Video 2

Video 1

First Time being sailed, always a nervous moment or two!

After more than 8 months ago I began working on the Gary Webb, designed sloop Emma. My desire was to build it with a shorter fin to allow sailing in aquatic vegetation scenarios. Not necessarily water choked by vegetation but water where a longer fin with the bulb at the bottom as Gary designed it.

I got to sail if for the first time on a camping trip this past weekend. The lake was large and the wind was steady with the occasional gusts. I knew I could not let it get very far out from shore, because if it didn’t respond well to rudder which had a skeg in front of it, (that Gary’s plan didn’t call for), Well, if it got away from me, there was no chase boat. The lake in a provincial park didn’t allow motor boats, only canoes and kayaks.

It responded well in all areas.

love the hat!😉
Roy

Very nice blouse Ron.
Very appropriate for your ship and this forum.
Please compliment your wife.

My wife made me a new shirt and hat to go with my new build. The sails are made and as soon as we have warmer weather it will me launched.

We had snow again last night 🥴

Hi Ronald I am still looking for a Bear! I want one about 12cm bum to head preferably with a separate head. Otherwise difficult to take head off and insert a servo. I have a 5 gram servo just waiting.

Anyone know where to go? I have been on most web sites to no avail.
Roy

Girl power all the way shipmate. Cheers Colin.

My lovely wife made the cotton poplin sails today!😁

Only paper sails for now but just had to test the rc systems along with a fan blowing gently across the room.

Tried several different “ sailing “ attitudes and adjusted the sails accordingly. The main works well and is very responsive, the jib being paper is not as responsive but I am sure the cloth one will respond better. All in all I was pleased.

No bear skipper yet just a substitute skipper from the yacht club.

Golf clubs were being stored for the winter in the shop area as we needed access to them for a 40% discount on grips this month.

Both my wife and I enjoy the game. We walk the course, it is good exercise, and recommended for seniors. It promotes agility, balance, flexibility and endurance says our physiotherapist who also plays golf.

We are mini members of a nice course and the membership is only $180 per year which gives us half price greens fees. Others will pay $32 while the two of us can play it $32 for the two of us.

We have played golf coast to-coast inCanada, some US states, Ireland, and UK, and looking forward to playing in Scotland.

All the grandsons play as do our grown son and daughter, only a daughter-in-law doesn’t.

Maybe it’s expensive in your area, but I don’t buy my model kits. I buy my Radio transmitters used and play often with found golf balls.

Did I say, we also bike together but those aren’t in the workshop 😁.

I really like the colour scheme.
I couldn't help but notice a set of golf clubs in your photos. Playing golf is seriously injurious to your mental health and your wallet, so be warned !
😉

Next, The Sails!

www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006145349201.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.7.22cbp9TLp9TLzv&algopvid=834d083d-4116-4c3a-9640-bc42676993e4&algoexpid=834d083d-4116-4c3a-9640-bc42676993e4-3&pdpnpi=4%40dis%21CAD%216.08%212.92%21%21%2131.70%2115.22%21%402101fb0b17072107465457347e12c1%2112000036070604870%21sea%21CA%214022103242%21&curPageLogUid=S7cXskitq8kL&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3A

12 CM TEDDY BEARS ALI EXPRESS

Hi Ronald have you found a suitable 'teddy' to be at the helm? I have tried all over in the UK for a Teddy the righr size but apart from very expensive ones got no-where.

All looking good.
Roy

Wow, blue on blue, it looks great.
It looks like you are going to be ready for a weather break
to do a maiden!
Barry

Hull is painted and once the paint hardens it will get several coats of gloss clear on the hull and semi-gloss on the deck and cabin.

The sails will be cotton poplin in a pale blue the same as my schooner’s sails.

Work is progressing nicely Ronald. Make sure to protect all internal wood surfaces from moisture damage because, come what may, water will always find a way in to the hull and it is easier to take preventative measures than restorative ones. 😉

Interior of the hull is fully painted and the deck has been glued in place.

OK, Ron!
You are progressing nicely.
Keep it up.
Barry

Ballast is secured, sail servo and control arm works well, interior seams are fibreglass and interior of the hull has received several coats of polyurethane. Next, I will paint the interior before securing the deck.

There is six pounds of lead inside the wooden bulb. The seams have been covered with fibreglass cloth and several coats of polyurethane were applied.

Your order is ready, sir!

Would you like to use THUMPER or VERA?

your order is ready SIR!

All we need now is someone with a flying boat and a Tallboy Earthquake bomb to dig up all the spuds😋😋😋

😎

You bring the sonar and depth charges⚡, I will tow fishing nets⛵ and we will all have fish & chips for a year😋

EMPTY THE FREEZER MOMMA, POPPA'S COMIN' HOME WITH A LOAD😉

Emma gets radar, submersible anti-sub sonar and depth charges.... and you fellas thought it was ballast!

Colin - that's why my tug has working water cannon on it - the kids love it, even the big kids! Reminds me of a destroyer at a model show many years ago in Reading UK - the owner was an authorised naval explosives guy, and his destroyer towed a line about 20 feet long, along which he had .22 rifle charges, which could be set off remotely - very spectacular, and just like depth charges, especially when a U boat was on the water at the same time.

Until some humpty says look at the toy boats!!!
Then they are likely to get very wet very quick!!!.
LOL.😁👍

Sounds like we are looking at a nuclear option - surely we are peaceful model makers????🤕🤕

Tungsten is another option, heavier than lead as well

You could use gold! It is heavier than lead and is not as dangerous as depleted uranium.
Sure, maybe it will cost a little more than lead, hahahahahahahah.

I have heard the the best ballast are depleted uranium slugs, a good source being rounds from an A10 Warthogs auto cannon. But not accessible by us poor mortals.🤔

Hi,

I had the same problem with my two masted schooner but the fix was easy.

I used one of my Marblehead keels. Weight was spot on and the length was good.

Regards

It looks like you might just have a solution to the 2 issues of the keel bulb!

Since my last post much has been done to design and begin making the carrier of the lead BB shot that will become the ballast.

The project is to make a fin which can be used in an Emma sloop sailing where aquatic vegetation limits the sailing enjoyment.

Some of you have no issues with melting down tire weights or pounding lead pipe into useable material. I am not one of those people.

My design is to create a streamline “Bulb” of thin plywood that is attached to the bottom of the fin, keeping it in context of the original design project.

When you look at these pictures keep in mind that each pocket will hold lead BB shot epoxied in them.

It is hoped, that the finished “bulb” will carry 3lbs per side of the fin giving the Emma a total weight in the neighborhood of 13lbs.

For you who are currently sailing an Emma, with the original design, you are using a 1 meter length mast and carrying the full sails as Garry Webb designed it to be.

My mast is shorter at 36” and will carry less sail area accordingly. If, after trying the ballast, it demonstrates being successful I can add a top sail if deemed necessary.

So here are some photos.

I agree 100%. You need the right tool for the job. 👍

Ronald,
I have been enjoying watching your progress.
I am very curious how "Emma" will handle with the shorter keel. The lake I use has a very
shallow slope. I have to go out in it quite a distance to have clearance for just a one foot deep
keel.
I have the plans for two of Gary's boats and have cut out the parts to build but have been mulling over the deep keel as designed. I also had thoughts along the line you are perusing
for the keel.
I had also thought about making a set of "B" sails to handle the stability of a shorter keel.
So, I will be delighted to see what results you find.
Barry

Hi Ronald I mistook the shadow at the base of the mast for a metal tube, apologies.
Roy

How lovely, cherry dowel, In our local 'shed' B&Q you have to hunt to find a straight piece!

I see you are pushing the mast through a brass tube, after a small learning curve, damp mast going into close fitting brass tube. It was locked in place for 3 weeks! I always have a brass tube over the wood where it goes into another tube.

Carry on with pictures, all very nice.
Roy

So nice to have tools to make various parts. I used block plane to make the mast. The wood is a cherry dowel I had in my stock pile, booms are too.

Used the lathe for the booms.

At the waterline as shown in the plan.

So how does it sit?

Began water testing yesterday and after 4 attempts, the interior is staying dry this morning. I had to put epoxy mixture on several seams both inside and out, and even then water was seeping in somewhere near the trunk connection and frame 2.
Last night I added more adhesive to interior seams which this morning are indicating that it is now water tight and supporting 12lbs .

The exterior has fibreglass cloth and sealer which was applied over a week ago. The water was seeping in from inside the fin’s slot. I applied more epoxy to the inside of the trunk being careful not to change its shape or then the fin was going to need trimming.

It is my first build with a removable ballast fin.

Well actually Gary didn’t say 10lbs but more like 15 max!

“ Actually I would be quite interested in the outcome.
I do have a couple suggestions which might benefit the project.

First, add weight, a pound or so to the ballast. Let her total weight increase to about (max) 15 pounds.
This will help somewhat to offset the reduction of the fin depth.
She will float about 1/4" lower in the water, but that'll be OK.

Second, the addition of a Skeg ahead of the rudder can be a good thing as it will increase the effectiveness of the rudder. However, the "balanced" rudder is no longer desirable with the Skeg. This just means that the small area of rudder ahead of the stock is not needed. Just build the rudder without it and let the Skeg extend right back to the rudder stock.

Keep me tuned in, enjoy time building, have no fear.
Cheers,
Gary “

I used 12 lbs to push it. Probably will sail with 10 lbs to start.

So do you think 12 pounds is the correct ballast for waterline?