Int'l. Dragon Class II - by Cap 'n' Bob - 1:48 scale - small - Finished

[Cabbie]

Thanks for the plans and explanations Bob

I will study them until it makes sense to me.

Were you trying to glue the .5mm veneers together? If so

you are a brave man. Thanks Chris

[captainbob]

Chris, I'm not that brave.  That's why I gave up.

 

Bob

[popeye the sailor]

have you given though to get mahogany in thicker strips?   I've known some kits to use it as the supplied planking.   not that I would use it.......I've always thought of it as a finish wood.  I've done the method you've described,  doing the double planking.......I've liked the way it comes out      I don't think you really need be concerned with the thickness issue though........I think faring the hull frame will help you with that 

[captainbob]

Popeye, I have 3/32 X 1/4 strips but that’s kind of big for this boat.  Prescott is a small town, about two hours drive from Phoenix or Flagstaff, the only hobby shop is in the next town, 15 miles, and they deal in planes, no wood and no plastic stock.  There is a Hobby Lobby there also, but as you know they only have balsa and basswood.  I could order wood on the web but I like to see what I am buying. 

 

As for the dragon hull I planked it with 1/32 sq. basswood strips.  It is surprising how much easier it is to work with .03” then .02” thick wood.  I then decided to just paint the hull.  I guess I need to build instead of saying ahead of time what I plan to do and then not doing it.   So here’s the hull as of now.

 

Bob

 

 

Edited July 3, 2015 by Cap'n'Bob

[GLakie]

She's got some lovely lines Bob. Very nice!! 

 

Cheers

[Jparsley]

Very nice Smooth and sleek a sexy lady

[Michel]

Very lovely.

[Omega1234]

Beautiful. Beautiful. Beautiful!!!! Nicely done, Bob.

[popeye the sailor]

looks great Bob..........I like basswood as well.   I've seen hulls done in mahogany,  and they look nice as well.   I used to order my wood from the Billing's outlet / warehouse in Wisconsin {Tom} ,  but I haven't ordered any since they closed.  what I was using was a wood called Obechi.    I've been getting stuff from Hobby Lobby

[BenF89]

Looking really great - it is a very nice hull form. It's too bad it seems most modern sailboats are following in the footsteps of the old ocean liners - grace and form and seaworthy arrangements giving way to chunky people crammers that don't fare well too far from port.

[captainbob]

Thanks to you all.  The dragon is a lovely boat, I hope I can do her justice.  Now it’s time to show you more.  I’m building the deck off the boat.  The top of the sub-deck will be even with the sheer line of the hull and the deck will overlap the hull.  I’ve started by making the sub-deck to just fit inside the hull and the edge plank overlaps this and will be sanded to the hull edge when the deck is installed.

 

Bob

 

Top of deck

 

Underside of deck

[Omega1234]

Great progress, Bob!

[pete48]

Nice work Bob, she's going together pretty quick, She looks great

 

Best Regards,

Pete

[cog]

Very nice Bob. I like the solution to get the planked deck flush.

 

Cheers

[captainbob]

Patrick, Pete, Carl, Thanks for the encouraging comments. 

 

I finally finished the planking of the deck.  The white wood is .030” square bass wood and the dark is an unknown .020” thick veneer that I stood on edge when I glued it all to the sub-deck.  After the glue had dried I cut, planed, sanded and scraped to get it all smooth.  Then the opening was cut for the cabin and cockpit.   The cross member in the hull is the aft cabin bulkhead support.  Most Dragons you see pictures of now days are made for racing but I decided to build this as a cruising boat.  So the cabin is a little larger and the cockpit is a little smaller. Also the new racing boats do not have an aft bulkhead on the cabin, as you can see below.

 

Bob  

 

 

 

Current racing configuration.

[Omega1234]

Hi Bob

 

That deck, with the planks nicely cut into the margin plank running down the center is sublime!!!!! How did you do it, at such a small scale???

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

Edited July 18, 2015 by Omega1234

[Mahuna]

Bob:

 

Between you and Patrick you're intimidating me with the small scale excellence.  Looking forward to seeing your latest in person - maybe this coming week.  I'll PM you.

[popeye the sailor]

looking sweet bob.........very nicely done 

[captainbob]

Hi Bob

 

That deck, with the planks nicely cut into the margin plank running down the center is sublime!!!!! How did you do it, at such a small scale???

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

 

Patrick I wish I could take credit for that but it's an optical illusion due to the king plank and the brown planks being the same color.

 

Frank, Patrick is the master.  My 1:48 scale is huge compared to the scales he works in.

 

Thanks Popeye.  Your Titanic is looking good also.

 

Bob

[Mark Pearse]

Hi Bob

 

she is very pretty & really looks just like a dragon: elegant & patrician lines. I read that they were designed to have 2 bunks, I imagine they're pretty tight down below. 

 

One question: earlier you said " The cross member in the hull is the aft cabin bulkhead support." I don't really know dragons, but that looks like a traveller rail to me, for moving the main sheeting position up or down. Maybe they've put it on top of a bulkhead or something.

 

Another question - is that 2 pieces of noodle as a working stand? 

 

ta, Mak

[captainbob]

Mark I agree The cabin would be very tight with just the bare essentials, if that much.  To answer the question, both are correct.  The cross member in the model will support the cabin bulkhead.  The cross member in the racing dragon is for main sail control. 

 

Bob

[captainbob]

Well here I am again.  Eight days to build the Cockpit area, planked floor, benches and cabin bulkhead.  I got this far and it did not look right so back to the drawing board.  The cabin hatch was too small so the benches were too close together.  Make another bulkhead, it doesn’t work either.  Turned out the width of the deck opening was too narrow.  Once that was fixed everything went together.  So that’s what caused the time over-run.  Now on to the cabin walls and cockpit rails.   Until next time.

 

Bob

 

[GLakie]

She's looking splendid Bob!  A fine job! 

[Jim Lad]

Just catching up, Bob.  She's looking 'the ants pants'!

 

John

[Jparsley]

I want one when your done

[Omega1234]

Hi Bob

 

Beautiful, nice and crisp work. A minor set back and you're off and running again.

 

I'm looking forward to your next update.

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

[Mahuna]

Solving problems is one of the things I enjoy about our hobby - good work!

[Mark Pearse]

Clear now, & very interesting Bob - have you ever seen one configured in this way?

[captainbob]

Hi everyone, thanks for all the good words.  Sorry for the delay, it was just a little thing called life that got in the way. 

 

Jparsley, I don’t blame you, I want one too.  Full size of course.

 

Mark, in the 60’s I lived on a boat and there were two cruising style dragons nearby.  I still remember how gracefully they moved in and out of the harbor.   

 

Bob

[popeye the sailor]

no need to apologize Bob on time issues........same thing is happening to me       I think your making great progress.   minor adjustments aren't really a bad thing........they are what will give you a stunning build when your done