Scale Sailing’s Kittiwake K2
Anyone have some experience with either of these boats? How well do they sail? I’d like to know how difficult they are to build, and how much time and additonal materials are needed to complete them.
They both sound fairly easy to build (I’ve not built a kit boat yet). I’m leaning towards the Victor right now, since the plastic hull probably makes for an easier build than the veneered foam hull of the K2. The wood hull of the K2 looks pretty nice though.
I’d probably go for Graham’s K-2 kit over the Victor, but more than likely I’d also (perhaps more seriously) consider his new boat coming out with the new “Opus” rig.
I like the construction of the K2 better, the foam core is reasonably light and once the wood is applied it is very robust & resistant to damage, plus the foam acts as a safeguard against sinking, should you accidentally take on any water through the hatch or sheet fairlead. As for his new Opus rig, I had a chance to see it close up at the NCR in Orlando a few months back, and I like it’s simplicity. My own boat uses a McRig because it is much simpler to make than a typical sloop rig, and I’m happy with the decision to use it. I’ve made other decisions building my boat I’m not so happy with (especially the one to use water-based Polycrylic to seal the balsa - NEVER again!). Also, at the NCR, I think Graham had the most beautiful setting sails on both the new Opus rig he was testing out and also the boat he actually raced in the regatta. He is a fine craftsman, and a very nice guy.
The V12 is a good boat, but I’m more comfortable with wood construction than plastic, plus I don’t care for the keel bulb’s square corners.
I have both and was able to lend them to new skippers at an event I organised earlier in June it was great to see both boats on the water.
Given my build experience with plastic, I think if I did it again I would have done a plastic deck on the V12 rather than the wood one, but thats just a personal choice.
Other wise I have enjoyed both boats ~ excellent fun
Rgds
AndyT
Not had my hands on a K2 but infinitely prefer the original Kittiwake to the V12 (and actually I’m a plasic lover - can never understand this obsession with dried out pieces of dead vegetble: let’s have so honest-to-god squashed dinosaur!).
For a new skipper, I would definitely recommend a non- sloop rig such as single sail McRig or Opus rig mentioned by Bill. Just look at the rigs used at Euro GP 2009 and how well the McRig performed…
Our club (www.tanglewoodmyc.com) has experiened a lot of growth in the Footy class (from 1 to 15 boats in six months) and those with sloop rigs seem to have more difficulty getting all the adjustments set right vs McRig which is mainly launch & go.
Half the fun of the Footy class is the opportunity to try out your own ideas about boat design. A hull can be made fairly easily by carving and sanding a chunk of pink insulation foam (the fine grained stuff, not the large bubbled expanded polyurethane). Add a stick mast, a plastic shopping bag sail, keel and bulb (made from non-toxic drinking-water-pipe-solder), rudder and the usual electronics, and away you go. If you do it wrong, all the bits are cheap, and the electronic bits go in your second boat.
If you start off knowing very little about boat design, you’ll be just like the rest of us, and spend the rest of your life learning—and isn’t that what a hobby is all about?
To ffastffrank,
What is your “Direct Drive Rudder”? Have you published any pictures or descriptions of it? My interest is due to my efforts to develop my own 'in-line-tiller-steering which has a photo in the current thread-“Thinking inside the Box”.
I use a metal lathe to machine a coupling that connects the rudder shaft to the servo shaft. The servo motor sits upside down directly above the rudder shaft. This eliminate any other type of linkage.
If you look at “Goldfoot 007” on the “Footy” Facebook Group page you will notice a hump near the stern which protects servo from moisture. Look for photo 13 of 14 which shows it best.
There is also some other photos of Goldfoot on the “Tanglewood Model Yacht Club” Facebook Group.
Joining Facebook is free, so join by going to www.facebook.com. After joining FB, click on the icon of 2 people (Groups) near lower left of PC screen and search for “Footy” and the other group “Tanglewood Model Yacht Club”. Joining these groups is completely open and free.
I see. How do you manage the connection of rudder post (above water level) with the splined shaft of the HS-55 servo? Without getting everything too high? I could visualize glueing or using a socket and screw, to fasten the hub of a servo arm to the top end of the rudderpost, and then merely pressing the servo down into the hub, with some blocks to prevent the servo from itself turning.
An ingenious idea. Its the “too high” I worry about.
The coupling adds less than 1/4" above the top of the rudder shaft. I use carbon fiber rudder shaft. Just keep experimenting. I need a few secrets. If you look at my stern heights in Facebook “Footy” & “Tanglewood,Model Yacht Club” photos, you can see I try to keep them low to minimize height & weight.
To ffastffrank: its Harle. I looked at your facebook entry and saw your ‘hump’. Is it an openable hatch? But you must have the height of the coupling plus the height of an HS-55 servo above the waterline—unless you have a watertight rudder post opening. And the top of the ‘hump’ counts as part of the deck line for the measuring ‘box’.
Not objections, you understand, just design paramters, and all is compromise in any design.
I’m thinking about a canoe stern as a possible, perhaps even revive my efforts on Phinichthy, Photos here. It (She?) should carry a cloud of sail, at a 4 lb displacement.
I put a sticky material over the rudder servo housing so it can be removed for access to the servo. Same type of material used to cover the decking. A set screw works good. There is some height of the total package, thus the hump.
There is a new Footy on the market. It’s not really a kit, but rather a turnkey boat, and comes built, ready to sail, and includes the radio. Check out the new Blackstar Footy at: