What do you consider to be the Ultimate Radio Yacht ?:devil3:
Mine would be the 1/10th scale ACC models they have currently in France.
Why do we not have a model equivalent to the Americas Cup?:boxing:
They used to you know. It was sailed using the very beautiful “A Class” vane boats.
It was the “Yachting Monthly Cup”. http://www.swcp.com/usvmyg/bithell/bithell.htm
Usually between the USA and Great Britain although the europeans would occasionally compete.
I have also attached a photo of the Chinese 1/3 size ACC boat.
What a great livery.:jester:
Lets hear what you would love to own if money and transport where not restricted?:vconf:
I’d love an Alden Schooner about seven feet long with working jib sheets and a solid lead outside keel. (sound of Homer simpson expecting a doughnut)
Or I’d like one of those Vintage A-class boats and I’d like a ready source of Cedar planking, ripped to spec, to make it myself. Since money is no object in this fantasy I’d love a really good band-saw for cutting out shadows. I’d like somebody to make me the keel too. IT hassed to be totally vintage with one of those shark fin shaped keels. Man…that would be cool. I do love a hull with gorgeous overhangs. (Homer simpson again)
Can’t help getting carried away-
I’d love a huge pond the size of a football field right next to my house and without a tree or obstruction in sight. In fact even my house would be under ground. Oh- and a garden for the wife.
If the boat is big enoough, you can buy pre-cut Western red cedar strips 1/4 inch thick x 3/4 inch wide x 12-16 feet long. They have a bead on one edge and a cove on the other edge, and are designed for strip-building kayaks. The bead and cove allow the strips to change direction slightly along the shadow templats, thereby giving a round bilge/hull. Since they “nest” (Bead inside cove) you can lay up a hull fast and without a lot of sanding to get a nice curve. As note though, unless you are building a fairly big boat, these might be too wide. Depending on quantity, my guess is that the companies selling this stuff could be induced to reset their rip saw to make thinner strips. Probably a hull would have to be a minimum of 2-3 meters in length to be able to use this heavy of a wood layup. Striping 3mm plywood might be better, but then you have to deal with the edges.
If this is all a dream - then of course you would have enough money to just “buy one” already built - right ? :nuts:
Love to build boats. Done a bunch of strip planked ones. Like to have my own way of ripping 1/8 inch strips. I usually then shape the straight piece and bevel to close outside gap. Like tapered planks for artistic reasons. Love the way the planks describe the shape of the hull that way.
John - for little boats, a bench top size would work fine - Sears at about $150 or so. Bigger boats, you “could” use the little one, but bearings have a habit of going “south” right in the middle of a project.
Any highschools offering night woodshop access near you? Here we have several - plus a 2 year college that allow people to “buy time” and use all shop equipment. Cost is nominal, when you consider it compared to buying all the other stuff. Bandsaw, Tablesaw, Jointer, Planer, etc. Saw some beautiful work come out as “one-offs”. Saves hardware purchase money, schools recover some revenue using unused night space. Ask around - maybe start up a program if none exists. There has to be other wanna-be woodworkers near you who have same limited resources or long-term needs.
The French AC boats look great, but appear overpowered in anything above 10 kts of wind. Maybe they just have not come up with smaller rigs yet. I was pleased to see that they are running a genoa. I wish I could have done it sooner… but glad to see it making inroads. They will be common within a year or so.