Recent Posts
π¬ Re: Moonbeam with J class sails
4 months ago by
π¬π§ Derek 151 (

Petty Officer 1st Class)
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Andy,
Part of my message was omitted. It should read -
You will see that the email addresses are slightly different. Not sure which one to use but I was successful with the first one and that is the one that I have listed in my 'Contacts'.
Derek.
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π¬ Re: Moonbeam with J class sails
4 months ago by
π¬π§ Derek 151 (

Petty Officer 1st Class)
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Hi Andy,
I no longer have any direct contact with Dave Metcalf as I now live about 100 miles from him. However, early last year I did contact him through -
davemetcalfmodelboats@btinternet.com. Another mention is on MB website -
https://www.modelboats.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=144789. |
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π¬ Re: Moonbeam with J class sails
4 months ago by
π¬π§ Derek 151 (

Petty Officer 1st Class)
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Hi Andy,
I read the other build blog - took me about 2 days, but what a description of a superb build. I know Dave Metcalf quite well as, at one time, I used to belong to the same model club as him and some years ago I bought a slightly damaged Moonbeam hull from him. I built it as a bermudan sloop similar to your conversion with, if I remember correctly, sails from Sitek. I had thoughts of building another one if I could get hold of a hull but I think it is a bit of a pipe dream really as advancing years and health problems are against me.
Derek.
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π Nerys @ 90
4 months ago by
π¬π§ Derek 151 (

Petty Officer 1st Class)
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Belated happy 90th birthday Nerys. I am a little bit behind you as I don't achieve mine until September if I make it, as now beginning to feel the adverse effects of old age, but I can wish and hope.
Derek.
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π¬ Re: Moonbeam with J class sails
4 months ago by
π¬π§ Derek 151 (

Petty Officer 1st Class)
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Hi Andy,
I have just been reading your build blog on the Model Boats website and found all of it very interesting. Just a suggestion - I wonder if it would now be a good idea to add some more of your latest thoughts to that blog for the interest of Model Boats website members.
Derek.
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π¬ Re: Moonbeam with J class sails
4 months ago by
π¬π§ Derek 151 (

Petty Officer 1st Class)
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Hi Andy,
Many thanks for your reply - they certainly look good.
Derek.
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π¬ Re: Moonbeam with J class sails
4 months ago by
π¬π§ Derek 151 (

Petty Officer 1st Class)
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Hi Andy,
I am intrigued by your use of the J Class sails - I think that they look great and she obviously sails very well. Where did you get your 'J Class' sails from - were they from Nottingham J Class?
Derek.
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π Yo Ho - Pirates of the Floridia (Springer #3)
6 months ago by
π¬π§ Derek 151 (

Petty Officer 1st Class)
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Don't know about your side of the pond but in the UK they are available on eBay.
Derek.
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π Tools, etc., For Sale.
7 months ago by
π¬π§ Derek 151 (

Petty Officer 1st Class)
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Many thanks, Colin.
Give me a little while and I will come back to you with the postage cost. I will probably try Royal Mail and Hermes and try to decide which would be best.
Derek.
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π Tools, etc., For Sale.
7 months ago by
π¬π§ Derek 151 (

Petty Officer 1st Class)
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Attached are photos of some items I want to dispose of.
There is a Proxxon Multitool (cost now Β£137), a Proxxon hand held belt sander (cost now Β£160) & some sanding belts, a set of screwdrivers in a fitted case with lots of fittings. Proxxon tools are made in Germany and are all well made but very expensive. The tools have had very little use and only on model boat building.
A Spektrum DX6i Tx and 4 compatable surface OrangeRc receivers. All in working order but, unfortunately I have not been able to find the charger (I have been using a multi charger) and it will require 4 new AA batteries, all contained in original packaging with full instructions (the 4 receivers on their own would cost over Β£40 new). There are also 2 fishing boat plans plus other bits and pieces that I will include for anyone who buys as one lot. I would like Β£120 for the lot or, separately, the tools etc., for Β£100 and the radio set for Β£20.
Unfortunately, they can only be collected from my home address near King's Lynn in west Norfolk, which rules out a lot of members but if anyone is interested please PM me via the website.
Derek.
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π¬ Re: The Fairey Fleet
7 months ago by
π¬π§ Derek 151 (

Petty Officer 1st Class)
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Hi Chris,
I assume you are aware that Dave Milbourn died some time last year I believe. I'm afraid I can't even remember what month.
Derek.
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π Dual independent speed control set up
7 months ago by
π¬π§ Derek 151 (

Petty Officer 1st Class)
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Hi BobbyN,
Many thanks for your reply to my query. I am not in a position to need a dual throttle control at the moment but I will certainly bear your system in mind for the future. I have never seen anything like it in the UK.
Derek.
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π Dual independent speed control set up
7 months ago by
π¬π§ Derek 151 (

Petty Officer 1st Class)
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Hi BobbN,
That looks an interesting set-up with the twin throttle sticks. I presume that this is an aftermarket fitting and not FlySky. Can you give some details please?
Derek.
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π Notifications.
7 months ago by
π¬π§ Derek 151 (

Petty Officer 1st Class)
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Many thanks, Dave. That solved the problem.
Derek.
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π Boat Show
7 months ago by
π¬π§ Derek 151 (

Petty Officer 1st Class)
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I would tend to disagree with johnf in his remarks about 'far from perfect kits' as, anyone who has built a Model Slipway kit would confirm that they WERE excellent kits with highly accurate parts, etc., and his GRP hulls were second to none. Unfortunately it went the way of many others when the owner discontinued them when he retired. Models By Design also produced some excellent hull/wheelhouse mouldings but the story of their demise is entirely different.
Derek.
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π Notifications.
7 months ago by
π¬π§ Derek 151 (

Petty Officer 1st Class)
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Can someone please tell me how to stop the number of 'Notifications' I am receiving? Every time I open up my computer I get dozens of them downloading to my Inbox. I find many of them interesting but they are taking up too much of my time, opening, checking for any interest and then deleting them (and one thing I no longer have is 'time'βΉοΈ).
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π Boat Show
8 months ago by
π¬π§ Derek 151 (

Petty Officer 1st Class)
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Hi Andy,
Many thanks for that info. Sorry Bob has passed on - he was only a few months older than me. I do not want to contact the MYA as I am not in line to join that organisation or to buy a boat/hull but I wonder what happened to his superb moulds - I would hope that they have not been destroyed.
Derek.
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π Boat Show
8 months ago by
π¬π§ Derek 151 (

Petty Officer 1st Class)
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π Boat Show
8 months ago by
π¬π§ Derek 151 (

Petty Officer 1st Class)
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Got to agree with Nerys and others about the 'J Class' yachts - they are absolutely superb. Must have a look at the website for the 'Folkboats'. You will see from my photo that I had a lovely yacht, built on a Bob Underwood hull. I made the mistake of selling it on many years ago and have regretted it ever since, especially as the purchaser hardly ever sailed it and I am sure it now languishes in his garage gathering dust and deterioratingβΉοΈ. I tried to get another hull from Bob but he said that he had virtually given up to concentrate on his miniature engineering side of the hobby. I don't even know if Bob is still alive - do any fellow members have any knowledge of him? He resides (resided?) in Bradford On Avon. He must have some of his superb yacht hull moulds tucked away somewhere - what a sad waste. I am now too old to start building another model yacht and no longer belong to a club. Bob's hulls are easy to work on and it would be good to know that someone else has acquired his moulds. I still have photo copies of his catalogue.
Derek.
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π¬ Re: Tubes/conduits and balsa blocks
8 months ago by
π¬π§ Derek 151 (

Petty Officer 1st Class)
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Hi Andy,
I would suggest that you mount all of the bow blocks with the grain running fore and aft as that way you will find them easier to cut to shape and sand. Looks like it is all coming along very nicely.
Derek.
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π Fleet Review
9 months ago by
π¬π§ Derek 151 (

Petty Officer 1st Class)
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At the time of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II I was serving in the Royal Marines and was with the Landing Craft Wing at the Royal Marine Barracks, Eastney. For the Coronation itself I was a member of the street lining party, firstly on The Embankment and then in Whitehall - a most memorable day. For the Fleet Review our landing craft were used as 'liberty boats' to take the crews of the ships at Spithead for their 'runs ashore' - another memorable day. Today will be a very sad day for me personally as most of my life was spent serving our Queen as a member of the Royal Marines and the Metropolitan Police and I am a great believer in our new King and the members of his family.
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π New Glue on the Block
9 months ago by
π¬π§ Derek 151 (

Petty Officer 1st Class)
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If anyone is interested this is the link for Alien glue -
https://www.stick2products.co.uk/products/alien-glue-co-uk |
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π New Glue on the Block
9 months ago by
π¬π§ Derek 151 (

Petty Officer 1st Class)
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Hi Roy,
Where did you buy this glue?
Derek.
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π¬ Re: Alwyn Vintcent Steam Tug 1:32
10 months ago by
π¬π§ Derek 151 (

Petty Officer 1st Class)
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That looks like an excellent kit. I shall follow your build with great interest.
Derek.
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π Newby.......
10 months ago by
π¬π§ Derek 151 (

Petty Officer 1st Class)
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Welcome aboard, Andy. If your model boat building skills can match, what is obviously, your excellent taste in best bitter you should have no problems.ππ
Derek.
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π¬ Re: "Mods"
11 months ago by
π¬π§ Derek 151 (

Petty Officer 1st Class)
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I am sorry to say that I cancelled my order for the 'Katie' hull and plans. I came to my senses and realised that it was too big and complicated for me to start at my ageπ.
I will just continue with a trawler, which is well under way and, hopefully, after that the tug 'Lady Laura'.
Derek.
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π¬ Re: Katie Sailing
11 months ago by
π¬π§ Derek 151 (

Petty Officer 1st Class)
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I am quite envious Andy. She looks absolutely brilliant. You must be very pleased.
Derek.
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π Tug Lady Laura
11 months ago by
π¬π§ Derek 151 (

Petty Officer 1st Class)
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I have just bought the David Metcalf kit of the tug Lady Laura from the new owners/distributors Tony Green Steam Models. Checking through the kit I have already found a few problems - the vac-moulding for the 2 halves of the funnel appear to be quite badly distorted and, even when I get round to cutting them out, I feel that they will be almost impossible to join together (the plastic is quite thick): mention is made to refer to construction diagrams but, among all the paperwork and drawings, I can't find any diagrams apart from ones for the rope capstan, the anchor winch and the tow hook (and these are not numbered). I have emailed TGSM with the queries but I was wondering if any members have built or own this model and can help or comment please?
Derek.
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π¬ Re: "Mods"
12 months ago by
π¬π§ Derek 151 (

Petty Officer 1st Class)
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Couldn't agree more Andy.
Derek.
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π¬ Re: "Mods"
12 months ago by
π¬π§ Derek 151 (

Petty Officer 1st Class)
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Andy, I think that I have already had a good look through the modelboatmayhem and modelboats.co.uk items that you mention. There is a rather nice build of a Bristol Channel Pilot Cutter in this months 'Model Boats' magazine and I am corresponding with the editor with a couple queries about it, but certainly not criticisms. I am looking forward to seeing what the outcome is.
So far as length of time building model boats is concerned, I moved on from model aircraft when my reactions were slowing down and I have been building model boats for some years now. I think that I am at an age where I really should not consider any new builds but could not resist the temptation of a BCPC. Fingers crossed, will have to see how it goes. I must say that I shall probably find some of your photos very useful.
Derek.
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