The “visit a local club” was and is a suggestion made to almost everyone. There are several reasons for this, Drake - and whether or not to fiberglass your transom can be a short answer. Beyond your initial transom question however is that many have purchased boats only to find the kind they bought aren’t sailed locally. After a bit of time, sailing by oneself gets boring, the boat is eventually packed away, and soon you are in your 60’s (me?) telling the young guys about a boat in your garage and wondering if anyone is sailing them.
Consider a wide-angle approach …
1 hour one way (for me) is typical if I want to compete with others. I’m in the Minneapolis area, and a cross-town jaunt is about that long in normal traffic. My guess that some living in Manhatten, Boston, or the L.a. area might have longer commutes.
Let’s agree that they sail (locally) the US1Meter like you are building now. You visit the club, get a chance to see some races, perhaps even borrowing a boat to sail. Your visit includes making friends, getting something to eat/drink, and getting a chance to talk to people.
You get a chance to actually see the item you asked about. Visual is better than a photo. Photo better than text. You now have an opportunity to “ask” a person why they used 3/4 of an inch instead of 1 1/4 inch for that perplexing measurement. You can see variations to consider which way you might prefer to set up your boat. Your new “friends” can actually show you why they added something to their boat and how it works. You can get ideas for bow bumpers and how to make them and fasten them to the boat. You can (perhaps) find out why some bought a particular brand of sail - or why not. You can find out that your 1 Meter my not need a full deck, and that covering with sticky dacron, or monofilament might be a good idea. Ask your questions and actually see how sheets are run, winches and servos set up. All of this for only a period of a two hour drive.
I’m not suggesting a daily commute, but ask how often they meet/race. Here during winter, when many are ice-boating or building, our local club has a builder’s night. You bring your boat, your supplies and your problems, and several may help you make a decision - or show you how it’s done.
It also is probably the only place where you can race against other boats (hopefully) like yours - short of driving longer distances - or even flying.
You probably will gain more knowledge in an hour or two visit than you can gain by reading text or looking at drawings.
You can get pointers on how to encourage others in your immediate vicinity to participate and help them build a class boat like yours - whether a Footy or an “A” Class - now there will be two in town. Also, they will likely help you in getting a club set up locally.
All this and more for a mere 2 hour drive - probably on a weekend. Again - not everyday, but when the mood strikes or when you’ve hit a building stonewall.
As for AMYA - even if you don’t join, purchase the back-issue of the featured US 1 Meter class as photos and articles will also give you knowledge upon which to make decisions. Then, other featured classses will appear, and you may be able to use "their’ ideas on “your” boat. In the end - it is all about learning - and there are more and (perhaps) better places than this forum - [PERHAPS] - but in the end, we all want to see you succeed and enjoy the hobby of building, the relaxation of sailing and the sport of of racing. :shades:
Dick, i am not saying that your advice that you have given was bad at all. And I hope I ddidn’t offend you at all. I mainly ment to generalize from what I seen. Perhaps I could of said things diffently to reflect that. I was just typing what I was thinking.
I agree AMYA is a great support, even ordering back issues. I am working getting a friend or two into building some USOM or even help build a couple of cats or tris. I do intend to get a group/club here locally even if its only 3 of us! its just a matter of time and effort. Surely what I learn here will be passed on to new people.
Drake, if you?re considering getting a club started, you might consider one of the cheaper plastic kits, like the Victoria or soling 1m. Besides being cheaper, they will also allow you get to the water faster.
getting a bit off topic here, but anywyas, the ppl that are interested at this time al lenjoying building things from scratch, so thats our starting point a tthis time.
I think the forum is ok as is. I have determined by comments that there may be some friction in some areas for whatever reasons. Possibly some posts have had language that may be inflammatory to the reader, yet not intended that way by the author. We all express ourselves differently.
I have asked a few questions which have mostly had satisfactory answers. The swing rig info from Claudio was great and has been of great help. Steve also has corresponded with me and has been a tremendous help and a great mentor.
With regard to the oldies and young gun comments, we need both. History repeats itself and we need to be aware of what has happened to avoid making the same errors.
Also I am interested in the old boats, that is construction type and materials. How fittings were made before we could buy a lot of them. What sailing techniques were used and what boat preparation.
I do not have any old original boat as yet.
I am also interested in making high tech boats and am investigating all possibilities.
I sail a marblehead only. This is because that is the predominent boat sailed where I am. I am interested in all sailing models, but will not add to collection until I have mastered what I have. I purchased an MM33 second hand to start sailing with. It is still capable of better performance than I can get from it.
I have detected a bias to one class as the sailors of these seem to think they are the elite of model sailing.
This comment is not totally from the forum but also personal experience. Also some top sailors seem to be intolerant of beginners or less experienced skippers, they forget they were in the same situation once also. The two types of sailors mentioned above need to be mindfull that others who do not share their boat choice or have the same experience, may still benefit from the knowedge they could share. Who knows, they may even learn something.
Well Nifty, that is a point of view. This is what forum life should be about. Had Drake read early excerpts about the ‘Ballarat Boys’ he would have learnt (from you’se) how to put a club together, from scratch.
Cougar , One of the things I find very time and space wasting is the ‘Quoting thing’, where the previous writer is quoted. I can’t see any point to this.
DTC, We have actually got an opinion out of you? This is truly amazing, well done. If I could express myself in that dead language , you would know the words. Fracasi of rabbit wings
Biography: Vintage Marblehead but any and all class boats. Historian for model yachts, written two books
you have any ISBN numbers?..might be able to buy both and save the “world” from these! It also seems that you didn’t get the “wing” thingy…let me explain…
we need a new class like I need a hole in my head
this is also true for the Nautic12 or whatever you call that! These funny little wings add only drag and the “killer” look…for sure only “dinosaurs” caring about the past will believe in it…go “write” another book before senility gets you! Yours truly… DtC
It’s considered good form. Also some people have a nasty habit of going back and editing posts after they have gotten a response from someone. Thus making everyone who posted after look like an idiot, quoting what you are replying to helps prevent this.
Well I suppose Dan , Cougar asked the question of the forum; I could shout off about DTC and that would be that. It is obvious to me that his contribution so far is Zero but we put up with him because we know deep, deep down he might just have something valid to say in the future. I would put that down that he is a knocker at this stage but there is more to him than that.
I come from the school of hard knocks and DTC is only an apprentice at it.
While we are on this subject with our little freind I have this quote I want to share :
"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the ‘doer of deeds’ could have done better.
The credit belongs to the man in the Arena, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails WHILE DARING greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who have never known niether Victory nor Defeat.
The last time I had to listen to this type of shit was at kindergarten, lets remember why the forum exists and get on with it.
Maybe we could have a new forum area for dummy spits and insults, those who are interested in this behaviour can post there and leave the other topics to info gatherers, subject matter experts, suck it and see experimenters and all other interested sailors.
Well Nev having a dummy spit is not on , neither in practice is ‘ranting and raving’ these also are just words.
I dear say that Dan can quote me dictionary after dictionary to point out to point out what he wants to point out. I was just of the belief that some how we could possibly improve some aspects of the forum. This is what I thought Cougar was suggesting on this thread.
Dan is of the opinion that it doesn’t need improving. and Nev if we are to go forward on this “problems with the forum” we must have more that what has been offered.
Its easy to remember when such activity is going on. My comment was an attempt to show all how the posts are going STILL> You seem to have taken it personally and responded with sarcasm, grow up.
The point is what do you all want from this forum? Continuing as it is will kill it off for sure.
This original post was to ask what is wrong, what it has done is show everyone what the problem is with clarity.
It does not appear some want to modify their behaviour, maybe they cannot see who is contributing to the problem or think they are above reproach.
Everyone is entitled to express an opinion, how it is done and how the response is made is the key to moving on.
I think the biggest problem with this forum, is we have to many people complainers amongst us.
Just a short list of complaints seen on the forum.
[ul]
[li]The topics aren?t interesting.[/li][li]Not enough posts per day.[/li][li]This member said ?this? about my class[/li][li]This member said ?this? about a ruling that I agree with.[/li][li]I don?t like ?this? member[/ul] [/li] The list could go on and on.