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Charon Boatman of the River Styx by bensid54


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  • 1 month later...

Here is Michaelangelo's version.  He's more interested in the damned souls and devils than the boat, but Charon has a paddle and you can see a thole pin in the gunwale on the port side.  I suspect since this is a supernatural character, the propulsion wouldn't follow normal laws of physics.  Perhaps he just has to dip the paddle in and the boat goes.

Google Charon and there are lots of different versions.

 

post-17589-0-73499800-1447793260_thumb.jpg

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  • 1 month later...

I would propel it with a small motor and prop and rudder concealed low in the boat, and have him dip the paddle occasionally to appear that he is rowing.  I don't think a single oar would move the model, let alone steer it.

 

Bob

Every build is a learning experience.

 

Current build:  SS_ Mariefred

 

Completed builds:  US Coast Guard Pequot   Friendship-sloop,  Schooner Lettie-G.-Howard,   Spray,   Grand-Banks-dory

                                                a gaff rigged yawl,  HOGA (YT-146),  Int'l Dragon Class II,   Two Edwardian Launches 

 

In the Gallery:   Catboat,   International-Dragon-Class,   Spray

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I think the propulsion needs to be spooky quiet and not very fast (I assume he didn't zip across the Styx at 50 knots). My suggestion is a motor and prop below the water with Charon having a single oar for steering. 

 

post-12980-0-55975500-1451529555.png

 

This would be quiet and add stability. 

 

I look forward to seeing this build (I enjoyed your last one :)). 

 

Richard.

Richard

Current Build: Early 19th Century US Revenue Cutter (Artesania Latina "Dallas" - messed about)

Completed Build: Yakatabune - Japanese - Woody Joe mini

Member: Nautical Research Guild & Midwest Model Shipwrights

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Thanks for the compliments and ideas, having the running gear under water would reduce noise however if I had to beach it that configuration may give me trouble. Noise is a big factor because I would like to have him go silently along the shore line and turn his head to focus his red LED light eyes on people.

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I won't make it too ghoulish or too creepy but I will give it a certain degree of shock value, I will have a lot of fun surprising those on shore. I'm not building it for a childish fixation on horror or Ghoul shows, I am building it because no one ever does to my knowledge, I never was one to take the beaten path.   

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I think I may have it figured out! As in some images of Charon go he uses a pike pole ( I think that's what they're called) to move his boat slowly up the river Styx. So I thought why not use a pike pole that really isn't, that it would actually be a paddle. I would keep the paddle submerged at all times. How will this work you say? I would have the paddle propel and steer the boat, for movement forward and reverse I would have the paddle 90 degrees to the boat during the power stroke then zero degrees on the return stroke. To steer I would angle the paddle to around 45 degrees to one side or the other of zero paddle angle then the paddle will push water to one side or the other pushing the stern of the boat to one side or the other thereby steering the boat with his pole, I think this could work.

Edited by bensid54
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Sounds like an interesting engineering problem.  What scale will you be building in?  I remember seeing a 1:8 scale skiff where the figure sailing the boat turned his head and waved to the people on shore.  Your build will be fun to watch.

 

Bob

Every build is a learning experience.

 

Current build:  SS_ Mariefred

 

Completed builds:  US Coast Guard Pequot   Friendship-sloop,  Schooner Lettie-G.-Howard,   Spray,   Grand-Banks-dory

                                                a gaff rigged yawl,  HOGA (YT-146),  Int'l Dragon Class II,   Two Edwardian Launches 

 

In the Gallery:   Catboat,   International-Dragon-Class,   Spray

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I really have no idea what the scale will be yet Bob, it all depends on the size of the mechanics once I've built them. One thing I would like to know is how big would his boat be so I can get an idea on how big my servos etc. should be. I have a programmable control board on order that should do the trick for paddle angle and a gear reduction motor on order too but I forgot to order the speed control. I may just have the servos do all the motion but that will depend on figuring out how to use the board, lot's of engineering ahead to be sure but I am leaning in the direction of servos.

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The classical idea of Charon is that he was just a ferryman . . . as in the images here and here. Maybe a bit forbidding, but not ghoulish.He was part of the ancient world's catalogue of mythical figures, not something to scare kiddies with.

 

On the other hand, tastes have changed and what you portray is totally up to you.

 

Steven

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I looked at several renditions; my guess would be 16 to 18 feet, not more than 20 feet, exclusive of the upturned prow and stern.

Why would he need to be only 6 feet?  He could be a little bigger, yes?  To overawe his passengers?

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Thanks for the info Steven, I guess like many things stories and legends change or become altered to make them more interesting. I'm looking for the shock factor here. I think it will be great fun to put on the Fat Shark goggles and paddle by people beside the shore and have him look in their direction, red LED eyes and all.

 

Thanks jbshan that was the ballpark I was looking for and yes he can be bigger than six feet or even shorter and hunched over. I was also debating whether I should give him a skull and skeleton hands or just have every part of him covered by his cloak except for the LED eyes.

 

I'm going to see if I can find pictures of the Charon that they used in the 1981 version of Clash of the Titans so if anyone has any leads that way I would appreciate the help. 

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This is all I could find.  He is always shrouded in fog and is hard to see.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKsOpYkwqbQ

 

Bob

Every build is a learning experience.

 

Current build:  SS_ Mariefred

 

Completed builds:  US Coast Guard Pequot   Friendship-sloop,  Schooner Lettie-G.-Howard,   Spray,   Grand-Banks-dory

                                                a gaff rigged yawl,  HOGA (YT-146),  Int'l Dragon Class II,   Two Edwardian Launches 

 

In the Gallery:   Catboat,   International-Dragon-Class,   Spray

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Thanks Bob I saw that one and the more I watch the video the more I pick up, I noticed it has a small battering ram at the bow and is shielded like the Bireme, the stern is loosely based on the Bireme too. For hull style I think I want to go with the type used for Viking ships as I've seen in some renditions. The Ferryman uses the pole to push the boat across the river so my one idea will hold water, I'm really starting to lean in that direction. The Ferryman himself will have all the mechanics and electronics under his robe so I think he will end up being a foot tall which will make the boat almost three feet long.

 

uss frolick my favourite of those songs is "Too Much Time On My Hands" back in day I could relate to that song because those were recession years and work was scarce even for a tradesman, my favourite Styx album was "Pieces Of Eight". I'll have to check out that ship you mentioned.

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