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I was talking recently about the imbalance of kits of sailing craft against kits of power craft and the availability of Ready to Run yachts. This was exemplified to me when I had the pleasure of sailing with the Barry Model Boat Club recently and was delighted to see that there were at least a dozen sails on the lake, but apart from my 'Bella' they were all DF65s, 95s and similar Ready to Run yachts. The power craft came later. Nothing against the R to Rs , pleased that people enjoy sailing enough to want one, but it would be nice to see more general sailing boats on our lakes.

Cheers, Nerys

Looking forward to seeing her progress.

I know we have moved off subject a little but it makes for a good discussion!

Can't believe I produced these drawings 4 years ago as they were going to be one of my next Fairey builds. Though I have produced drawings for another Fairey since then.

Anyway, not a full on yacht but it has sails! It's a Fairey Fisherman 27 motor sailer. just need to make more progress on my existing builds then I'll make a start on building it.

Chris

So right Nerys, here's mine which I have had since Xmas 1954, and still let my granddaughter use in her paddling pool.
Cheers Colin

I am not saying that the only way to build sailing craft is with a kit, my contention is that if there were more kits of such craft, more would be built and make died in the wool, stick and string sailors like me happy to see more sails on the lakes. In fact, I spent a very happy afternoon this week, sailing the second model I ever built from a kit, An Aeronaut 'Bella'. a lovely sailer . I quite agree, scratch building whether literally from scratch or from a moulded hull are fine. Whether it is cheaper than a kit, I'm not sure, but I can think of one kitmaker who charges a 'handling' or 'administration' charge of, if I remember correctly, £30 on an already very expensive kit, in addition to carriage. Enough said.
I consider myself to be a model Thames Barge builder and have used moulded hulls as well as building from scratch. Unfortunately the source of the moulded hulls appears to have dried up with the retirement of 'Mastman'.So, it's scratchbuilding for me from now on. I do not use plans either, I work as the real barge builders of old did, and knowing barges as well as I do, I build by eye, if it looks right, it must be.And I've yet to have a failure.
I digress, our hobby has come about from the great Victorian tradition of the pond yacht. Marbleheads and One Metres spring to mind but such aristocrats were nothing compared to the simple model carved from a solid block that every boy received for Christmas. I don't doubt some of our members still possess theirs, or one they've bought since. This is what I'd like to see, loads of very simple model yachts swarming on our lakes. Whether built from kits or not, who cares.

Footnote; yes Ron, a scrollsaw is a great tool to have.

Cheers, Nerys

Ron - Lime/Linden/Basswood dependent on where sourced, so a useful timber.

Chris

A few of my scratchbuilt models, all at 1:48 scale. You can't get kits for two of them. I even draw my own plans.

I have both and a thickness planner just never considered that source of building material. What is the typical wood used in making blinds?

Using blinds has been going on for sometime as a cheap supply of quality timber but unless you already have a band or table saw it is not cheap!

Chris