What a transformation, a beautiful finish on the deck and cabin.👍👍👍

Cheers, Pete

Tony,
Just came across your post of the homemade outboard motor.......now I have one more item on my "to build" list!
Thanks for posting it.
Joe 😎

Tony,
I think that scanning the few pages about the Starlet could be done.
As to building - I might sometime in the future. Not decided yet. I have a 31" Trojan Cruiser kit in mind. All the best.
Daniel

Daniel,
If you would like the rest of the magazine items about Starlet, they were also published in a booklet Simple Model Yachts. Send your email in a message should they be of any value. The problem with many of these old magazine articles are that finishing materials, adhesives, electrics and r/c have all moved on. Nevertheless there could be something of value.
I wish you every success with the build

First class transformation.
👍

Hope you are going to build it, keep us updated.
Cheers Colin.

Hi Colin, Hi All

Through tony29h (who liked my post!) I became aware of this Forum about the Starlet.
Amazing as it may be - looking back at the few (about 15) journals of the Model Boats I kept for over 50 years I stumbled upon the December 1966 magazine with the Starlet plans still inside!
See pictures.

All the best, Daniel

Thanks guys. I will certainly pass your comments on. He is a perfectionist and all his boats are built to an extremely high standard. He hand paints and varnishes his models and thinks nothing of doing up to 20 very thin coats to get a fantastic mirror or satin finish. Not to mention making all his own brass fittings ! Envy - certainly not but we love his work and passion. 😀😍

WOW! what a difference.
Please pass on a well done.

Martin555.

What a contrast, lovely refurbishment.

Cheers, Nerys

Beautiful, excellent finish.👍
😎

I have attached a couple of photos of my friend's Vic Smeed Starlet that he was given in a poor condition and that he refurbished - a before and after view.

Really if you want an outboard for your Starlet, you'd have to keep in period. A good old 5hp Seagull is what's needed.

Cheers, Nerys

Starting a thought often leads to great things.
Cheers Colin.

Hi Tony,

No, my Starlet isn't on my site- I haven't got any decent photos of her but that may change. As I said I changed the topsides to look like a YW Senior - Vic would turn in his grave! I was once sailing the boat on the Thurne in Norfolk and I suddenly heard a shout, 'starboard!' It was a full sized classic Broads yacht bearing down but the helmsman shouted, 'Is that a Senior?' So I was quite pleased.👍

Jane always berates me for not having her in commission as she liked to sail her, so I thought I would tidy her up - and have just ordered a cheapo outboard from Hobbies in Dereham - £10. I don't expect much but it may do - I'll report back.

I like the outboard you posted from Peter Holland. I can't quite make out the details, perhaps you could attach it next time you email. It looks like a belt drive which would be very do-able I think. I remember seeing Peter Hollands strange contraptions in the MAP books of old. Looking forward to more news of Royal Falcon. Stay safe Tony, I gather things aren't so good in your part of the world.

Thank you Colin for setting this train of thought in motion, and sorry to hijack your thread somewhat!

Best wishes to all,

Ian

Ian,
If you can't locate a suitable outboard, it shouldn't be too difficult to make one. Attached is an old W.P. Holland design from 1957. Would need some modernising and no doubt there will be others designs.
Wonder what happened to W.P. Holland (Peter Holland). He was mainly an aero modeller who also designed wacky robots and a few boats.
Is Starlet on your website? couldn't see it, did it go under another name?

Colin, wishing you every success with the smaller 'Star Baby'.

I always thought it would be fun to have an outboard on a bracket on the Starlet- would need to find a suitable outboard though.

Ian

Hi Ian,
Sounds like your wife has good taste, go for it. I found an article on the model boat magazine website which shows how to add a small motor to the starlet to help on calm days.
Cheers Colin.

Yes Colin, sounds like the smaller one which is, I believe, 25''. There seems to be a lot of stuff on the internet about these boats and plans are still available should you need them. I think the original Starlet came out in about 1966 and there was a booklet called Simple Model Yachts by Vic Smeed which was published in 1970 which has a description of the building of Starlet. If I have any of this wrong I know there are folk with more knowledge of this subject who can put us right!

I have just been having a look at my old Starlet with the thought of bringing her back to life - it was my wife's favourite boat to sail.

Ian

Thanks for the information, it seems that it may be a star baby as the details I was given said 25 inches long.
I'll have to Google it and see.
Cheers Colin.

Hi Colin,

The Starlet was a Vic Smeed design. It is a hard chine yacht 34" long with a fin and bulb keel. Sarik still do the plans. I built one years ago as a gaff rigged YW Senior lookalike and it sails well.
The original rig is a bermudan sloop and I believe there is now a drawing for smaller version called, I think, Starbaby.

Ian

Thanks Nerys,
Brain on standby, I should have thought of that. Hope you and Alice are well and staying safe.
Cheers Colin.

Google it Colin, several images will come up. Looks like a model of a nice traditional small sailing cruiser. Blurb about kits etc on there too. I'd go for it. Your wife won't notice just one more.

Cheers, Nerys