Just wanted to put my two cents worth in on a topic from the old format. (Love the new format! Thanks Chad!)
I think its a sad world if the average person can’t make a model yacht from scratch, one that works reasonably well, and sail it, or even race it, with other people. Faster and more efficient boats are only better for people who want faster more efficient boats. If they want them, they’re welcome to them, but Allowing anyone to make a model yacht only encourages development I suppose
There aren’t any classes I know of that are geared toward the average home builder who wants to build from scratch. Scratch building has been given a bad rap by most people who say “Oh no I could never scratch build, I don’t have the time and patience!”
I say scratch building can be just as much fun as sailing the boat. Plus you get to tell people ya made it from scratch and they go “Really? Thats very impressive”
[-crzwom] My previous satirical comments notwithstanding there IS a new class: the 3Rater that is a new development class that REQUIRES that boats be homebuilt. You can probably find it at amya.org and /or in ModelYachting(send me an e-mail and I’ll send you a “hot” link to the site) since I don’t have the URL handy. The class aims to produce boats around 30-36" more or less with 600 actual square inches of sail. Draft is limited to 12". Canting keels, multihulls and carbon fiber are currently illegal but spinnakers are legal(unmeasured area) with the same open rule as the 36/600( no ridiculous “big boat” pole restrictions) . Sail Area is measured using a variation of the 10 Rater rule and there are no absurd rules governing planform as in some other development classes. Go to the class website John -it might be the perfect class from your perspective.
One other thing: plans will be available soon for the new F100 canting keel boat allowing for scratch building; see “New Classes”…
Doug Lord microsail.com monofoiler.com
High Technology Sailing
One thing people fail to keep in mind is that production boats are almost always old technology. Molds and other tooling used for production boats are too expensive to update with every new innovation. I think that someone that invests in learning to build could have a significant advantage. I also think its sad that more people are not introduced to this great part of the hobby. It can be every bit as fun as sailing.
Do we want one that’s ‘geared’ to a homebuilder? When we talk about home building, I assume we’re more-or-less talking about the hull, since spars and fittings are out of the reach of most average-skilled builders, unless you want wood spars (nothing wrong with that) or have a minor machine shop in the basement - at least a drill press and lathe.
As a former R/C plane fanatic, there were 3, basically, types of builders - the ARF guys, assembling preframed and covered planes; the kit guys, working on a box of balsa and plans; and the plans-builders, starting with a sheet of paper and gathering the materials that are called out for, then band-sawing and drilling happily. There was a very low number (proportionately) of flyers who were drawing their own plans, then building.
We have the same options - from the Laser to the kit boats to a set of lines that somebody will loft. A boat built from a set of lines is going to be just as competitive within its class as a manufactured boat, all things being equal.
Designing your own? My dad bought his EC12 from a guy up in New Hampshire, and while we were talking, the guy mentioned he 9 ‘experimental’ boats at home. He wouldn’t elaborate Within the rules of a development class, homebuilders are free to play. ALL the early builders were doing it in their basements. As the classes have matured, certain features have become almost standard - but that’s because they work!
Pick a class and have at it! Me? I’ll buy a hull, thankyouverymuch, and fit it out…at least for now.
There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. Kenneth Graeme, Wind in the Willows.
Fittings are not hard at all to make from scratch. Agree that not meny know how, but I have many Ideas which I should publish[:-idea] later on about making fittings.
Hard to get into any class unless already established near place of residence.
While I haven’t yet tackled a hull, or even a mast, I have tried sails, fittings, jib and stay racks, vangs, etc. I’m no expert, nor have I been in RC Sailing all that long (2yrs+).
Even when I fail at a project I learn a great deal more about this hobby. If I focused only on my sailing skills and not my homebuilding skills, I might be a better tactician, but would lose the appeal that this hobby can offer me. The formulation of an idea, its construction and evaluation are as much fun as the proof on the race course. When I fail, I learn. I don’t expect perfection, nor seek it. Just trying something new expands me at a personal level.
I remember a quote;
“The only failure is the failure to try.”
My livelyhood doesn’t depend on this hobby, nor how well I do against other boats in a regatta. But tinkering, experimenting, and fiddling with my own ideas(and those of others) saves my sanity. My ideas may not ever prove themselves on the race course, but the mental stimulation they give me is the reson this hobby has such great appeal. It’s a lot better than spending $300/hr on a therapist.
Yo, John!!! You’re up in Boston? How close is Marblehead? As in MARBLEHEAD CLASS?! That’s homebuilt heaven!! You can build 'em space-age or you can build vintage M plank-on-frame, or you can do baread-and-butter or…or…or…or… Up in that neck of the woods is Dale something-or-other (I apologize for forgetting his full name) who runs a mentoring program, basically for kids, but hey…we’re all kids at heart.s Dale WENNINGER!!! I remember! How’s a $50 M-boat strike you?
There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. Kenneth Graeme, Wind in the Willows.
just thought that I would post a quick one here as I have just uploaded a picture of my measly little us1m homebuilt. If I actually do her due dilligence and get my butt to the water to sail more than once every other week at the actual races, she can keep up with, or better some of the venoms and other proven designs. Last race, didnt do so well, but that was my own damn fault! http://www.rcsailing.net/uploads/~tb/rev1c.jpg
Theres another little point to home building, in my case anyway. Its a damn sight cheaper! There’s no way I could afford a ready to race boat in say the IOM class, those things cost almost half as much as my full size boat when you add up the costs, mad when my boat is 5 times longer! And anyway, experimenting is half the fun!
yeah greg,
the rev 3 is comming off the drawing board and strarting the plug sometime soon. Think this one is going to a female mold soon. Not quite as radical of a shape. I guess it would be someplace between my skinny and the venom. took back a little more planing area and moved a little volume forward and down. Still kept some of the things I liked about the boat you have seen though.
Hi all
we are new to the rc sailing game and we have been building our own rc yacht we are calling the W780 we decided to build our own for a couple of reasons
1 Costs
2 So we can mass produce these boats from a mold
3 So we can enjoy the close racing that 1 design
offers
I do agree that production boats do have a limit as far as updating technology goes but i believe that the reason that we all sail is to just beet ya mates and to do it in the same type of boats is just more FUN
Anyhow we have at least 8 of the w780 in production so far (we have been at it for 3 weeks)so look out world the w780 is coming
see ya fom the boyz from oz
Dick,
Jims boat has a rather standard roach profile, its just the camera angle that makes it look as such. The picture was taken from pretty much right at the top of the mast. if you look at the following pic: http://members.tripod.com/~rcsail/P1010027.JPG
you will see the same sails on the water.
and by the way . . . greg, its todd with 2 d’s. no bigge though. Thanks for taking the pics! they turned out great!
Time to start building again. Giving the lines of the rev3 one more little tweak before kicking off “tooling.”
i scratch build my own IOM boats and would rather design and build my own. I take pleasure out of saying “that is my boat out there” you can buy a real fast boat for about $2000 but , as I always say a good boat with a good skipper will beat a fast boat with a bad skipper. we should all come to a conclusion that there is a class where scatch building a boat is still there. the us 1 meter
cougar
just thought that I would post a quick one here as I have just uploaded a picture of my measly little us1m homebuilt. If I actually do her due dilligence and get my butt to the water to sail more than once every other week at the actual races, she can keep up with, or better some of the venoms and other proven designs. Last race, didnt do so well, but that was my own damn fault! http://www.rcsailing.net/uploads/~tb/rev1c.jpg
Sorry for the false start. What hull design did you use. I would like to build a US1M but I would like to build a boat that is at least competitive.
us1m is most definatley a home building class, i’m in the middle of building the hull right now. rigs are rather easy too they take some thinking, but for my vic i used the stock bottom section and the top pice of a stripped down fly rod for the top. its really nice cause it spills air well so it doesn’t loose control as easy. its my trainer boat. the more us1’s in the detroit area though the better i want some stiff comp. when i get the thing done.
`alex
i love tinkering with these boats it takes up time i’m sure my girfreind is going to hate it soon
<blockquote id=“quote”><font size=“1” face=“Verdana, Arial, Helvetica” id=“quote”>quote:<hr height=“1” noshade id=“quote”>Sorry for the false start. What hull design did you use. I would like to build a US1M but I would like to build a boat that is at least competitive.<hr height=“1” noshade id=“quote”></blockquote id=“quote”></font id=“quote”>
I would start with a Mistral, you can get the plans on line at the AMYA site, in the USOM class page with the construction guide. It?s a fairly old design but a still valid all around boat, it?s still been sailed and the ODOM is a direct evolution.
If you prefer something different there are other plans available on the same site and Jim Linville, the class secretary, has a collection of plans available that he sells for 3$ to cover mailing and copying expenses, he has the plans for the Zipper III the newest design available.
But I would start from the Mistral first, most important thing to be competitive beside a light, straight and smooth hull is a good keel and a good rig, then is just a matter of sailing the boat and learn how to set it up.
Hope this helps, if you have more questions, just ask.
Gio
i have to step in here
and just say this is a very good thread. you people are doing some good work here.
keep post good info. and we will improve this board
well done guys
i love that boat. looks great
better than my crummy design
i think i will need better sails
cougar
JOHN
I know I for one would be interested in a few posttings about how to make fittings.
Jeff
<blockquote id=“quote”><font size=“1” face=“Verdana, Arial, Helvetica” id=“quote”>quote:<hr height=“1” noshade id=“quote”>Originally posted by John Storrow
Thanks for the suggestions.
Fittings are not hard at all to make from scratch. Agree that not meny know how, but I have many Ideas which I should publish[:-idea] later on about making fittings.
Hard to get into any class unless already established near place of residence.
thanks again
<hr height=“1” noshade id=“quote”></blockquote id=“quote”></font id=“quote”>
Within the rules of a development class, homebuilders are free to play. ALL the early builders were doing it in their basements. As the classes have matured, certain features have become almost standard - but that’s because they work!