Hey guys, just a heads-up regarding my Vivacity build; I'm transferring any future comments (and possibly re-writing some of those started here) to the Build-Blog section as I've 'formally' started work on the build, so I suppose that will all but finish this thread.

Can I take this opportunity to thank all of you who have contributed, followed and given feedback regarding my comments and enquiries regarding this build, and I look forward to sharing my progress.

Best regards,

Nick

If you know the outer diameter of your prop shaft tube Nick, it would be better to cut the slot out for it now and add the doublers to retain the keel shape.

I like the way you have pieced the pine together to make best use of the width you have available and the way you have formed the “buttress” at the bow to give it the best support.

Nice work - no stopping you now !

Bob.

Although still waiting on the prop shaft and tube, I decided to go ahead and trace/mark/cut out the pine keel pieces - feels good to finally get this build underway😊. Pieces were placed together over the plan to check fit. Will wait a little longer to see if tube turns up in next few days, but if not, I'll go ahead and glue-up the keel as it is, then cut it to fit the tube and doublers as and when it arrives.
Next job will be to make up the bulkheads, and then a jig of sorts to secure the keel in place for fitting the bulkheads to it while keeping everything square....🤔.
What do you guys do as far as jigging is concerned, if anything?

rgds, Nick

The size of the prop shaft inner and outer may have some influence on whether the 5’’ of prop shaft hanging under the hull needs any support or not.

Nick is planning to use a 5mm inner shaft (at this stage), and I would certainly prefer to support 5 inches of shaft protruding under the hull for a couple of reasons.

The first is purely aesthetic - it will look much nicer and more “finished”, and the second is rather more practical.

If the hull should ever collide with anything solid such as a submerged log or get knocked during transport, a supported shaft of this size is far less lightly to get bent or damaged - or its mounting in the hull disturbed.

Each to their own (as always), but I would certainly support the exposed 5 inches of prop shaft if it were my Vivacity.

Bob.

On my boat the prop is per nick wards but no brass fitting never had a problem with vibrated I have a oiller on the prop tube and the motor is rubber mounted

As Bob says a triangular fillet is common practice with another being a P bracket as I often use.

Thanks for that, Bob. Yes I had thought of it, and now you've said it, it's probably the best compromise, a more elegant solution than what I originally suggested. I could also wrap a band of brass sheet around the end of the tube and bolt it through this skeg for further reinforcement - I did this with the Sprite (see pic). Looking at the shape of the hull, I can only assume the shape suggested on the plan was to improve the steering perhaps? Can't think of any other reason ...

Thanks again for the feedback,

Nick

I don’t like the idea of having an unsupported prop shaft hanging underneath the hull either - especially not 5 inches worth!

My solution would be to fair-in the gap between the underside of the hull and the top of the shaft only.

I use the technique on all of my Classic Model Power Boats to support the prop shaft and to help prevent vibration if the original design does not already include it.

This idea works, and because the underside of the “keel” remains as per the original design there can be no adverse affect on the steering and the prop shaft is supported.

Bob.

The only thing I could possibly think is that the added keel area would somewhat affect turning ability but add straight line stability. Until it's in the water hard to predict. Rudder may need tinkering, maybe kinda sorta?? My 2 cents but I'm no marine engineer 🤔🤞😉😁

Hi all, just a quick update ....and a question.

Firstly, I've started to draw up paper templates (see pic) for the bulk heads, including provision for the 6mm sq. stringers between the chines to support the slightly thinner (1.5mm) ply skins I intend to use.

I also managed to find a very nice piece of 10mm pine from which to cut the keel pieces - very consistent grain, almost dead straight (rare in depot stored pine, I've found - took me a while to find this one, after searching through the whole pile) and completely clear of any knots.

I'm still waiting for the prop tube and shaft, which I believe is meant to be 9.5mm outer diameter, allowing it to fit nicely between pieces of the keel with ply cladding on the outside. However, having looked at the plan, the original design leaves about 5 inches of the prop shaft hanging outside the keel unsupported, which I am not comfortable with, so I have decided to extend the keel piece as shown in the photo ie extending the bottom line all the way to the plane of the tube opening.

Here's my question; do any of you think this will have any kind of adverse affect on the boats performance? It might make the design look more conservative, I suppose, but I don't think performance will suffer, but I could be wrong - your thoughts...?

rgds Nick

Ive seen this article my boat bears little like the drawing of that version mine inside says Vic smeed design 10/7/61 on a brass plaque Colin who posts here boat is based on his fathers yacht we both have the same deck layout unlike that articale my version is 61 inch his is 54

Model Maker did have a habit of doing articles over multiple issues sometimes, and I have noticed that they didn't always tell you where it was going to be continued 😂

By coincidence I came across a scan of a magazine on Facebook containing an article on Vivacity. Not sure all pages are there as it stops abruptly?

Chris

Hi all,

firstly, many, many thanks for all your comments - I've taken on board everything resulting in a welcome (and almost certainly necessary) reality check!🤔 I must admit feeling a little foolish about perhaps giving the impression I am attempting to build Vivacity on the cheap. I too have traditionally always bought the best I can afford, but to be fair, I've never attempted a boat this size, and so was initially a little overwhelmed when I started to tot-up just how much the wood alone would cost.

However, it was never my intention to buy it all in one go, having usually bought just enough to get me to each stage, spreading out the cost over months or even years, so it hasn't been noticeable (I tell myself...and my wife...although I know she does the same with some of the pricier materials she consumes in her knitting addiction!😁)

Also, slightly in my defence, I hate wasting materials so if I can find a way to use up leftover wood in not too critical areas I will. I have used Basswood successfully as stringer and bulkhead material on smaller boats, but listening to you guys has made me realise this is a bad idea for Vivacity because of her size, so I will stick to the original plan of splicing (to get the necessary length) and laminating quality spruce strips on the chines, taking care to stagger the splice-joints. I have used this method before with spruce, using a 4:1 ratio of length to width of the joint - it produces joints stronger than the wood and allows continuity of grain strength. The spruce from my model supplier is of excellent quality.

With regard to bulkheads , I will be purchasing some brand new ply, although the type of wood is to be decided - I'm not going to get the Gaboon - the bit I have in the garage will make a nice stand. My choices from the model supplier are Birch, Hoop Pine, Bass ply and poplar. My recent models (Sprite and Springer tug) have used Hoop Pine ply for outer skins and other structural parts, which is strong and stiff, but MUCH more economical, when compared with Birch. It is more than strong enough for bulkheads. The only disadvantage I could consider is the fact it has a more open grain than birch ply, but this only means a little more surface preparation before painting, no biggie. Using oil based undercoat and enamels, I got a really good finish on my Sprite, one I was quite proud of, I have to say...

I am still tempted to use a new sheet of 9mm 5-ply from the DIY supplier for the bulkheads, as it has a nice surface finish and will provide a greater gluing surface for the skins - still haven't decided on which option, but NOT going to attempt to build bulkheads from 'scraps'!😉

I received an email reply back from the guy who makes model boat tubes/shafts today - he says he can provide me (I'm assuming he meant build up for me with the 3 bearings and oil tubes...?) with a 450mm (18") tube and shaft, so that's another component sorted, and he suggested he might be able to fabricate a 75mm brass prop, but needed to do a little more research... .

Finally, the keel piece; I'm going to go with the 10mm pine, as there are various doublers along its length, and the prop tube is 9.5mm in diameter, so will 'sandwich' nicely into the skeg which I will clad either side with 1.5mm ply to encase the tube. If you look at the plan, there are strengthening doublers at various points on the keel - and we don't have to contend with a thumping IC motor.

Bob, thanks for the photo of the double universal jointed shaft extension - I've actually used this idea successfully myself to iron out slight discrepancies in shaft/motor alignment, but with much smaller joining pieces between the universals. I hadn't thought of using it to deliberately extend the drive train - a very useful bit of info for future reference!👍😊

Thanks again for the advice - please feel free to keep it coming, I learn something new everytime I come onto this site, which is what it's all about, isn't it?😀

rgds,
Nick

Last week at the Southport Club I saw a really nice cabin cruiser that I pictured here, and this week the same person had another interesting model boat that he had designed and made.

Here is a picture of the inside of his boat to show the idea of using a separate extended prop-shaft - (an idea that he also used on the boat that I pictured on here last week).

The extended part of the shaft is just a bar suspended between two universal joints.

If the shaft and the extension shaft are perfectly aligned there may be no need to use any universal joints - or maybe a solid coupling on one end of the shaft with a flexible coupling or a u/j on the other?

This could help to overcome the problem of not being able to find a prop shaft long enough for your Vivacity.

If you also wanted to lower the propshaft angle, this idea could also help to achieve this.

Just something else for you to consider Nick.

Bob.

I bought a Harbour defence launch built before the MAP plan came out from the estate of a friend. I admired the boat when he ran it but he had problems I did not know about. When I tested it in the workshop I found the prop tube and the rear bearing in the water were not aligned and the resultant drag had each motor taking 5 amps (10 in all) just to turn the props. I opened up the middle bearing with a tapered reamer and replaced the motors and now each motor takes less than 1 amp (at 10 volts) on full power and she goes faster!

Which makes me wonder if the solution to the problem maybe a shorter shaft to the exit from the hull and a support bearing at the prop end. You can make the support bearing housing from a second shaft and harvest a bearing from it.

Roy

Hi Nick when you look at a prop shaft and tube they are very simple. There are bearings at each end which knock out easily and the long tube and the shaft. The shaft will probably have a thread at one end.
If you can put a thread onto a shaft, this the most difficult part as it needs a thread cutter and a lathe. If you can source these then make your own. I found that cutting the thread as a tight fit onto a prop or u/j was the best way to keep everything 'square'.

You need a small prop shaft and a longer length of tubing of the same internal diameter and knock out the bearings, these are to be inserted into your longer shaft. Beware as the shaft diameter can vary within the tolerances used. The rest follows.

I have done this myself when I replaced the shaft on an old boat (not my build) when I realized the water end of the prop shaft was running on an extended 4BA thread in the bearing. It was a bit of a game finding the right shaft diameter but OK in the end.
I can cut threads but they are almost impossible to get right without using a lathe.

Hope this might help.
Roy

I agree with you Roy, using quality materials is better than taking a short cut, though if your quality wood allows for using a thickness planer then do it with care.

If you look at the investment you make in time why would you use cheap woods. I always buy good quality.
On my last build, still not finished I thought I would use B&Q small section wood for stringers on a chine hull and take it down to the required size using a 'thicknesser'.

BAD idea!

The wood even when steam bent does not bend evenly as the strength in the wood varies along its length.
Just wish I had never had that idea!!!

Regards
Roy

Hi Nick,

I can’t help you with any knowledgable advice on your selection of alternative woods for the construction of your Vivacity as I have generally used plywood for all my build and restorations to date.

Gaboon plywood is something that I have used when building safety pellet traps for a target Airgun club back in 1971/2.

These pellet traps have had ten bells knocked out of them over the years, and my original one is still in use (!) - so the type of plywood is durable, but I have no idea about its resistance to damp or water ingress, but if you seal it well after the build is completed it should be OK.

As for using real wood - well it is used for building fuel size boats (Vivacity is almost as big 😂) - so why not use it for model boats if it proves to be more cost effective?

I see no problems using 1.5mm ply skins either, as long as they are supported well enough with good solid bulkheads and I will look forward to seeing you build review as it unfolds.

Good luck with finding an 18” long M5 prop shaft so you can get started on your build.

Bob.

Hi all,

further to my last post, I've just done some more pricing/research and as a result have made some decisions (prompting some more requests for your thoughts on my observations if at all possible) with regard to Vivacity.

My continuing analysis of the brushed versus brushless question has, I believe, reached a sensible conclusion; - there is no longer any point pursuing a geared brushed set up with this size of model, when there is a viable (and actually cheaper, I have found to my amazement) brushless set-up which gives more power, is lighter, and with sensible selection of motor kv/lipo battery capacity and capability to deliver higher currents without over-revving an appropriate prop, will almost certainly allow the model to perform admirably. One solution I have just costed out came out between 30% and 40% cheaper than a brushed set-up, using a high capacity 4s Lipo, which should easily be able to generate 750watts, double that of the best brushed motor. Yes it will require a smaller prop, but the max speed at this set up is around 9000rpm (4082 motor with 600kv rating, at nominal 16+ volts charged from 4s lipo = around 9600rpm without load- I suspect an M5 60mm 3blade brass prop will perform well at even half this rpm, and even if the current is up to the 52 amp max this motor can take, the costing includes a 90amp watercooled ESC ). Remember, we are looking for 'majestically' rising up on the plane , not skimming the surface of the water, more 'carving' through it🤞 at a 'reasonable' pace.

With all the above in mind, if I cannot acquire the desired 18" tube and shaft, I CAN get a similar diameter M5 thread 350mm (14") one; all this will mean is the motor will be set further towards the rear and possibly lower in the hull with a steeper shaft angle, but not as steep as the Beachcombers, so it should still work.

With regard to timber for the frame, My local DIY depot supplies some very nice warp-free 10mm thick pine in various widths and lengths - I'm fairly sure it will be stiff enough for the keel pieces (plan shows 1/2" or 12.5mm pine), although I was surprised they did not have 12mm - I'm sure they used to stock it. Anyway, the 10mm keel has doublers in a couple of places, and the 9.5mm diameter tube will be sandwiched nicely between these where appropriate as well as doublers adding stiffness wherever else necessary according to the plan.
I also found some 5ply 9mm ply board in 600x1220 sheets at a reasonable price - indoor grade, but as all the interior will be sealed with at least 2 coats polyurethane varnish, nothing should de-laminate, so I'm now looking to use this for bulkheads, but with a view to cutting out unnecessary material....OR...

...still considering using strips to 'build-up' bulkheads - while rooting around in my garage, I found the left-overs of a sheet of 12mm Gaboon ply left over from about 15 years ago, so it's about time I found a use for it. It's not wide enough to cut out all the bulkheads directly, but if I cut this into 25 or 30mm wide strips on my band saw, I can glue up some of the bulkheads as described in the previous post. The extra thickness won't matter as it is very light material, and it will give a greater gluing area for the ply skins. It has 9 laminations so is quite strong/stiff. And it effectively costs nothing!👍👍

The chine and gunwale stringers I'm still planning to laminate from 3/8 x 1/8 bass strips cut from sheet and spliced to make the necessary length, but I'm still not 100% convinced this will be strong enough - any thoughts regarding this would be appreciated. Other 1/4 sq stringers can also be cut from 1/4" bass sheet, again splicing to obtain the required lengths.

Keeping the initial build costs down as above should allow me to splash out on the plywood skins when the time comes. The plan prefers 2mm ply, but as this 'odd' size is almost twice the price of the 1.5mm, I'll stick with the thinner grade - the plan does suggest fitting extra 1/4sq stringers halfway between the chines to support the thinner ply panels. The last time I ordered 1.5mm ply (for the Springer tug and Lesro Sprite) I used Hoop ply, much cheaper than Birch and seemingly just as strong, so I'll go with this again, but it's a wee-ways off yet.

I welcome, and look forward to, any feedback regarding all the above.

Considering all the research I've done, I now have a fairly good idea where I can get what I need, so I'm at this point in time about 80% sure I will stick to building Vivacity before the Beachcomber, although I already see the Beachcomber as a very different kind of model, much more 'performance' orientated - more on that another time.

All that remains is to wait for a reply regarding 18" prop tube availability etc AND, of course, feedback from you all - it makes some sense now, but if any of you might do things a bit differently, I'd like to know, just in case I've missed something obvious..🤔..it wouldn't be the first time😁!

Looking forward to your comments,

rgds Nick
PS I've attached again a pdf of the plan so as to remind myself this is what I'm letting myself in for!?!🤔

A bit of an update regarding my research;

I'm just waiting to hear back from someone about whether they can supply an 18" tube and shaft assembly, and potentially a large brass prop and how much it will cost etc - if I can get the shaft/tube sorted, I can make a decision whether to proceed with Vivacity or Beachcomber. The latter has a much shorter tube steeply angled, although the motor type shown on the plan probably had something to do with this - I may have to get a slightly longer one to install with shallower drive-angle (better thrust/efficiency) as a brushless motor is more compact than an old-school petrol engine!😉
I will also have to decide on whether I use large slower moving prop or smaller fast revving prop for Vivacity - Bob's comments about his mate's Beachcomber brushless set-up have proven very useful in my research...the brushless option has fewer question marks around sufficient performance in terms of power output, and a lower power brushless set-up using perhaps a high capacity 4-cell Lipo may end up (ironically) being cheaper than trying to get a 24volt geared brushed set-up to produce sufficient power. The latter is potentially hamstrung by both weight and current limitations, but should work producing good torque at low revs with a large 6-cell lipo; these are expensive BUT much lighter than 2 x 12v lead gel batteries in series which are also limited by how much current they can give without getting too warm. A lot hinges on prop size, more than I realised initially, although I may have found another source of boat props from an outfit that supplies RC boat parts to the guys who race large offshore petrol boats (30+ cc Zenoah powered ) and electric brushless boats - they do 3 bladed props up to around 74mm I think, though again, they are not cheap! Still, I suppose it's a one off cost ... .
Speaking of costs, I was trying cost out the wood materials for Vivacity - I stopped after I reached several hundred dollars ☹️, as I was using a model supplier.

I'm possibly going to try alternatives bit by bit to a) spread out the cost and b) bring it down considerably; as this large boat is to be electric powered, I question whether some of the components are critical in terms of their strength, as the electrics should provide few vibrations compared with a thumping two-stroke petrol engine.
E.g.- some of the chine strips I can probably build up from strips of basswood cut from hobby sheets up to 100mm wide which are relatively cheap ie laminate 3 x 1/8 to make up 3/8 etc. Although more time consuming, the thinner layers will be easier to bend and when glued up should be stronger despite being perhaps a potentially weaker wood than spruce or Ramin.
I also wondered about making up bulkheads from glued strips rather than just solid, with reinforcing gussets in corners and thin ply either side of the joints - as long as they are rigid, they should be lighter than solid 1/4" ply and much cheaper... .
Another possible avenue is to buy a whole 8 x 4 sheet of 1/4" Gaboon ply (not cheap, but nice and light with enough wood to laminate up to thicker sizes where necessary and cut strips for chines etc so may prove cheaper in the long run) for all the carcass work, allow the real investment to be on the ply skins.

I was thinking of looking today at availability 12mm x 75mm pine and just going ahead to make up the keel piece as the Vivacity plan suggests - once I hear back about the tube/shaft etc. Timber prices in NZ have rocketed over the last few years, so you have to shop around.

Thoughts anyone? Would be interested in hearing your suggestions regarding sourcing materials cheaply.

Best regards, Nick

Thank you Chris,

I am not at home as often as I used to be, so having the bulkhead shapes would save me some valuable time 👍

Bob.

Bob. When I have a minute I'll draw up the bulkheads etc. for Sprite, should be pretty easy.

Chris

Thanks for the heads up most appreciated.

The only classics of the age and type you all like is in my harbour named called Dolphin. I think the kit / plans were from the Northern model dockyard, that is a guess.

The original model had a large air scoop on the foredeck to feed the i/c engine.

I concentrate on the smaller models now but after I stopped building model aeroplanes (school days). I started on Keil Kraft kits as featured by Dodgy Geezer on the internet. I loved the smell of Taycol motors and then we were swamped with Japanese small electric motors. Most used was the Kako 4 in a Veron Caribean Coaster.
Much of them sold by Rip Max, I remember the shop being opened and was in there as often as possible.

The coaster had an ED Mk IV radio control set, valves and reeds, but it never worked for me as I was not then versed in interference from electric motors. The first successful radio I had was a David Olley switch for the channel set. Later the brand was changed to Fleet radio control when proportional radio arrived.

I built my first multi channel set from a Micron kit, very good it was too, but on 27Mhtz FM, still got it.

Roy

LesRo Sprite.

Hi Nick,

Thank you for sending a copy of your Sprite plans.

Unfortunately it is like almost all kit plans in that it does not show any of the bulkhead or cabin former shapes.

I guess the kit makers did this to stop anyone copying their designs, and to be fair it is not really needed when building a kit - but sadly this kit is not available any more…so they would have been very helpful!

Bob

It's here royrc. 🤓


https://model-boats.com/blogs/156760

Nick, I can't take credit for that I'm afraid, as it's how it arrived when I bought it.
At present there's a brushed motor installed, 540 size, but my plan has always been to convert all of my boats to brushless, whether ic or brushed to start with.
Embarrassingly, I haven't had it on the water yet (just like all my other boats 🙄).
Will

Hi Roy,

it's under the Build Blogs tab - very interesting stories so far - would love to hear yours.👍😁

Best regards,

Nick

Hi where is Bob's Classic boats thread?
Roy

Hi Will,

is that a re-purposed shower curtain rail for your Sprite stand handle? Hats off to you for ingenuity - I try to use up 'scraps' or old hardware whenever I can, the only downside being I've become somewhat of a 'hoarder' of odd bits of leftover wood/board/mdf/ply etc. and random hinges/brackets/bits of tubing/fixings etc.

Great to see your Sprite so might add a few more pics of mine to Bob's classic boats thread after re-engining it. What motor/battery/prop set-up are you using in yours? Got any pictures of it running?

Sadly, Ali Express cancelled my Brushless motor order for the Sprite and refunded the money (something to do with supplier messing up the tracking) so I've had a set-back and need to order another different motor - might do that now while it's on my mind. 🤔
My Beachcomber plan also just arrived in the post, so need to look at potential power systems for that one as well, bearing in mind Bob's mate's Beachcomber power set-up - still can't decide between which of Vivacity and Beachcomber to attempt first - may come down to ease of power system acquisition/cost etc...

Nick

Nick/Bob, this is my Lesro Sprite.

Will

Hi Nick,

When I see the Beachcomber again I will take note of the batteries being used - and if possible - take some pictures of the interior to show the battery positions etc for you.

Thanks for supporting the Classic Model Powerboat thread.

If all those that run these popular types of model boat submit any comments (or pictures) of their current, past, (and future) power boats it could be a very popular and well supported thread that could probably interest most of us!

Bob.

Many thanks, Bob, yes that's definitely a big help👍😉!
If at all possible, can you find out what size/type of battery he was using and the capacity (at this stage I am assuming it is a Lipo; the nominal voltage and capacity indicate a potential rpm range and discharge capability - any indication of how long a sailing time your friend gets from this battery/motor/prop combo?

By the way, Will should be forwarding to you soon a Lesro Sprite plan, correctly scaled to pdf. Apologies for not sending it direct to you, but I didn't have your email...s'pose I could try attaching it here, just not sure if the correct scaling will apply - let me know.

Just going to add a post to your new Classic Power Boats section...😀

rgds, Nick

Hi Nick,

My colleague at the Southport Club has got back to me with the details that you will find helpful regarding the drive train in his Beachcomber.

The brushless in-runner motor is 4080 1900KV and has a water-cooling jacket fitted.

The ESC is a water-cooled Flycolor 150A .

The prop shaft is 5mm and the propeller is a plastic X50.

This boat has very good performance and drives really well, so this power train works well in his Beachcomber and will hopefully give you some guidance when you get close to looking at powering your own Beachcomber.

Hope this helps,

Bob.

Hopefully I will get to see Maybelle again and if I do I will try to get the measurements and propeller sizes for you.

My guess is that she is about 4 ft long, so not quite as big as Vivacity or Beachcomber, but still a comparable style and type of model IMHO.

Plans for the Sprite would be interesting - my collection of LesRo models is almost complete, but as you have probably guessed, my main interest is in actually running them and the Sprite could be a nice small model to adapt and use as a rescue craft for any stranded boats!

That my excuse anyway!

Stay safe,

Bob.

Hi Bob, how big is Maybelle (ie length/beam?). Would be interested to know the current draw at speed - it looks like the two 6v/5ah batteries are wired in series to make 12volts. Also, did you get a look at the prop size? Any discussion/comments on motor rpm...?

The boat is very nicely finished - particularly like the varnished wood-planked deck and superstructure - giving me lots of ideas👍😊.

I've been looking at brushed 997 motor/planetary gearbox combinations from Ali Express - some of these could work using a large prop with either 12 or 24volt (2 x 12 in series lead acid, or perhaps a 6-cell high capacity lipo - comes down to cost versus weight, I suppose...).

Keep the info/comments coming - your input gives me lots to think about, all useful.

rgds,
Nick
ps dropped off Lesro Sprite plan today to get it scanned - assuming it turns out ok scaled on pdf , I'll be sending it to you and will in the next day or two.

Be interesting to see the pdfs of these boats chaps as a loner of vivacity

Hi Nick, inside “Maybelle”, the brushed motor that powered it can be seen in these pictures.

The owner advised that he thinks it is an American made motor, and from what I could see, it could be of some interest to you ?

The brand name of the motor is Litton, but the specification details that can be seen printed on the motor label are mostly hidden by the brass mounting strap.


Bob.

Here are some pictures of the lovely boat that I saw at our club today and mentioned in my previous reply.

The boat is called Maybelle and reminded me in some ways of the Vivacity…and is why I am showing these pictures here.

Like Vivacity it is all wooden built, but to the owners own design.

Bob.

Hi Nick, you mentioned the possibility of using a heavy duty brushed motor in your next large boat project and today at the lake I saw this very nice looking large motor boat.

The boat was being driven very slowly by its elderly owner - who could possibly be even older than myself !

After chatting to him he showed me a throttle rate switch that he had fitted to his transmitter.

He had fitted this rate switch to restrict the motor speed as he did not like to go very fast, but he was willing to (briefly) flick this switch to show me what his boat could do.

His (own design) wooden built motor boat suddenly burst into life and was able to demonstrate a very respectable turn of speed with a brushed motor running on a pair of lead acid batteries!

Bob.

Hi Nick,

Like you, I have been sent pdf drawing for both the Vivacity and the Beachcomber by Will (many thanks 👍) and my observations are very similar to yours.

I did briefly see Eddie (the owner of the Beachcomber that I drove recently) at the lake this morning and sadly he did not have it with him today, but I was able to ask him if he would let me have the details that you would like to have to help you choose your brushless motor, ESC, shaft type and rudder size.

Hopefully Eddie will message this information to pass on to you, and even more hopefully, he will bring his Beachcomer to the club sometime soon so I can picture it and its drive train for you.

Bob.

Hi Bob,
thanks to Will (many many thanks, mate!👍😀), I now have pdf copies of Vivacity and Beachcomber, allowing comparisons while I wait for the Beachcomber paper plan in the post.
Beachcomber certainly gives the impression of being a sleeker and potentially racier design in terms of performance. I'm already building up a picture of what brushless power system I could use, although I'll wait for your input before any decisions are made (there is also the small matter of having to save up my 'pennies' as I have a backyard boating pond project on the go which is soaking up any spare cash at present🤔! - see photo).

I'm still toying with the idea of a heavyweight brushed motor system for Vivacity, as long as I can find a suitable grunty motor (with gearing?) to turn a large prop, as the deeper hull lines of Vivacity suggest to me that she should 'majestically' rise slightly up on the plane carving through the waves at full speed, rather than skip over the top of them as Beachcomber's shallower hull might suggest... or perhaps I'm delusional?!?

What do you think? Interested to hear how you envisage these two classic designs performing in comparison to one another.

One thing I am going to focus on with Vivacity is lightening the structure somewhat - I think there is plenty of scope for removing unnecessary timber from bulkheads etc, rather like in the Beachcomber design, and using lighter sizes for the superstructure. Some of this may, of course, be limited by whatever timber I can lay my hands on when the time comes.🤔

Right , better get back to laying that sand in the pond...

Looking forward to your comments, Bob,(and Will and everyone else...😀)

Nick

Thank you Will, I will enjoy looking at them 👍

Bob.

Bob, if I get a chance tonight, or in the next couple of days, I'll send you the Vivacity plan, same with the Beachcomber too if you would like.

Will

That is a good point Roy !

I will see if I can find some plans for the Vivacity - I have seen (and driven) the Beachcomber, but I have never even seen a Vivacity so I have no idea how it could drive with a suitable brushless power train.

I doubt that it would give a such a sporty drive as the Beachcomber?

It could be that the thickness of the various bulkheads etc could be reduced a little if using brushless power, but I like to build my models "strong" so maybe I would just stay with the "petrol engine spec" sizes and weights of wood if I build one.

A brushless motor would certainly have more power than an O&R 23cc type motor that would be typical of the type used back in 1971.... and it would certainly throttle better!

I actually bought a new Ohlison and Rice engine to use in a Vivacity back in 1971, but if I could use a petrol engine anywhere now, I would choose a 30cc Zenoah engine in preference these days as I raced them for many years in large scale cars and think they are a far better engine.

I would really like to see a Vivacity as I like the drawings and the pictures that I have seen - especially without the rear well and the covered rear deck with lifeboat - that looks really nice.

......I wonder if it could make white water............?

Bob.

Just a thought but many of the old plans were designed so that you could hold the model between the knees while applying a starting cord to an i/c engine. So the hull etc was that much stronger.

It might be that you may want to check over the actual strength of the scantlings as they are likely to be over-strong for the job.
Roy

Many of the old plans are under the X plans and Sarik prints all the plans now so going on line to them will tell you if they are available.

At the time of the magazine the only free plan was the Christmas one.
Roy

I drove home to pick up some mail and tidy the gardens etc and found that both copies of the two magazines that I ordered had been safely delivered .

Now have an original copy of the Model Maker August 1961 that featured the Vivacity and a copy of the Model Boats April 1967 that featured the Beachcomber.

I don't have the plans for either of these classic model power boats yet, but I understand (and hope) that they are both are still currently available.

Bob.

Nice videos of the VicSmeed Moonglow Nick.

Modern brushless motors and LiPo cells have hugely changed the performance available (without any real effort) for these classic model powerboats.

Thanks for sharing the videos with us,

Bob.