aydingocer

Deck components 236 and 221. Sanded, rounded (#236) and glued in place.

Next: Fenders on both sides using 5x5mm mahongay strip.

Cut to size:

Shape the edges

Glue in place. There is a significant color difference with these strips compared to the hull but most of it will be painted in white therefore I don't worry about it too much.

Build day 31 - Sanding and more deck components

I continue with fine sanding and then the plan is to assemble more mahogany deck components. The reason why I did not include them to the sanding process is that I thought it would be better to sand them individually and glue afterwards since they form bumps and bulge over the flat surface, otherwise would make sanding process more painful.

For 240 grade sanding of the deck I use this sanding sealer:

Sanding sealer brushed and waiting to dry:

After waiting for about 30-40 mins (as instructed) I sanded the deck using 240 grade.

I found Git Rot at a hard ware shop It is used for repairing rotten wood on windows etc 

I will try and find some where I am as I am not home in RI at the moment If I find some soon I can send it to you. as regular postage from the states is not to bad 

Andy

Thank you in advance. That'd be great. I will look into local shops and see if there is it or any equivalent, before bothering you.

Build day 30 - Sanding. 

2 hours today.

Hi

A great build I have been following from the bridge on the power boat I now drive.  I use to drive a Riva Super Aquarama When I was the Mate on a 115 foot motor boat called Henry Morgan after the pirate. We TOWED it around the Mediterranean, Spain Italy France It was called "Bananas" if the weather was bad we just did not go any where saved use from hours of bad weather.

 Anyhow When I built a model that was going in water I used a product called "GIT ROT" a very thin liquid that socked right through the wood layers and sealed them all together forming a solid hard water proof smooth finish, that was easily painted below the water line and could be varnish above the water line Added very little weight and there is no risk of horrible fiberglass ruining your hard work

Best

Andy

Hi Andy,

So you have the front seat experience of an Aquarama! Cool!

I have checked the online stores for this GIT ROT but it is available only in US shops which either do not ship to Finland or at ridiculous shipping rates. I will ask the marine shops around if they have that or soething equivalent.

/A.

Build day 29 - Sanding. 

2 hours today.

Today I spent around 2 hours for consecutive filling of the gaps. Nothing much to show. Just for the record.. and of course for the honour of 100th hour . 

Build day 28 - Sanding. 

3 hours today.

Aydin,

That decking is looking fantastic, I hope you used epoxy for laying the strips. Or are you to cover the deck with fiber-glass as well?

I am concerned you will have issues with the water otherwise. It would be such a shame if you get problems.

Have you done any interior water protection at all?

I hope you have as you have put down the deck already.

Everything needs to be protected, sadly to say but necessary since you are to RC her.

First of all, thanks everyone for the encouraging comments.

Hi Per,

Yes, deck will be covered with fiber-glass / epoxy solution just like the entire hull. I will also put Hempel yacht sealer in the cockpit and the engine area from inside. And then, paint where required (yes, unfortunately some part of this beautiful mahogany will have to be covered with paint, especially below the waterline) . So, that's the plan. 

Below I am adding a series of photos showing the final planking process and the current status before starting smoothing work. I will try to post some photos during sanding when I can. Thank you for watching and see you later!

Aydin

Build day 26 & 27. 

2nd planking complete.

5 hours in both days.

Enjoying this build immensely. One question though - those strips for the deck seem to be mahogany? The real boat appears to have contrasting wood to mahogany. 

 

4939580_0_311219691600_1.jpg

There are several models of this boat (1965, 1972 etc), probably the difference is because of that. The kit (which is claimed to be museum quality by the manufacturer) is supplied with mahogany/lime for this purpose. I think it is the 1965 model.

Anyway, a quick search in Google returned this Riva Collection museum in Italy: http://collection.bellininautica.it/en/museum/collection/

There are Aquarama boats in that museum with similar planking as in this kit.

/Aydin

Build day 25

5 hours today.

Today I had more spare time with my Riva. I glued the upper deck plank sheets and was even able to proceed on the front deck planking strips. After today it looks like my Riva has started to reveal its beauty, though slowly, but surely

Deck 2nd planking. Most of it is uses 1mm thick mahogany sheets. Rest will be done using 1x1mm lime and 1x3mm mahogany strips.

The parts:

Before:

After dry-fit:

Now I see what you meant. Between the stich rows/lines you've got 6mm, not between the stiches. Hmm, I know it's very hard to get an accurate stich in faux leather, even with a good needle. Your second image does look better than the first. It seems as if the tension of the thread in the first image is higher than in the second, which leaves an ugly hole. So you've made some very nice upholstery

Actually the second photo above does not have the faux leather on yet. They are just pure plastic seats right out of the box. That's why I will still give a try how they would look after I cover them with my leather sheets. Chances are I just give up the idea if it won't look good and just use them like that instead. I may also use some paint to color the sides to turquoise like in the upper photo.

The stiches look good, but how do they compare to the boat. If, as you say the stiches are 1mm wide and 6 mm apart it sounds a bit wide to me.

Hi Carl,

The "stitch lines" on the seats are 6mm apart from each other (see photos). 1st photo, as I posted earlier, belongs to the earlier version of the kit, where the seats are actually stitched. The second photo is what the contemporary kit (i.e. mine) contains as seats.

The seats that come with previous versions of the kit (photo credits hobbiesguinea.com):

Seats in my kit:

The stitch sizes (i.e. around 1mm) was the smallest size possible on faux leather using a special nail (we actually went to a tailor's supply shop together with the tailor to buy that sawing machine nail, can you believe ). I think it has even better looks-to-scale than the older seats in the first photo. 

Wonderful!

 

I was in Venice 2 months ago. Perhaps you like to see this....a Riva water taxi.

 

 

 

Cheers,

 

Robin

Wow, looks great! Maybe I will pay a tribute visit to Venice after I have completed  

BUILD DAY 24.

Back from vacation and today I had some 2 hours to spend on my Riva. I finished the remaining 2nd plankings on the body.

Next I will continue with deck's 2nd planking.

Here is also a teaser for  your eyes, to be used on my seats. As I told earlier the seats which come with the new version is plastic (as opposed to the earlier editions which were apparently fabric covered). I have been looking around how to make them look better. As a try I bought a few (A4 size) faux leather sheets and asked a local tailor to make the stitches for me (by local I mean a tailor in my parents' neighbourhood in Turkey). He did an excellent job with making fake stitches. The stitches are 6mm apart from each other and about 1mm in length.

I have no exact plan yet on how to implement them to the seats. I still have a lot of tasks to do before it comes to that.  Here is how it looks:

2 hours today.

Hi Aydingocer,

Going on vacation just as your coming to the best bit!

I will get withdrawal symptoms!

Have a good vacation

Regards

Red

 

Thanks!

BUILD DAY 23.

4 hours in two days.

Thanks for comments, Brian and Per.

I have investigated several build logs in the radio control kit forums and epoxy resin + fibreglass seemed to be working fine, as you guys mentioned, if done properly. I will work on a few samples before I hit the first brush stroke on my Riva, sure.

DOES ANY ONE HAE PICTURES OF USING THIS FOR BOF AND OR POB, WOULD LIKE TO SEE HOW IT WORKS AN WHAT PIECES NEED TO BE REMOVED TO SLIDE IT FROMM FRAME TO FRAME, ANY HELP WILL BE APPRECAITED. THANKS Don

Hi Don,

I have used my build slip mainly for gluing the bulkheads and then mostly as a stand after that for planking. During planking I used a pillow which was making it easier for me (as I often intend to take the hull to my lap for close work).

Buy anyway here are a few photos.

On the first picture below you will see the screw holes at every 10cm intervals, on both sides of the base board. You also see the "panel" which is standing vertically. There are 2 "rails" on either side behind this panel. These rails are fixed to the panel (in other words, the white vertical panel and the two rails slide together on the base board). The rails have screws, which can be tightened/loosened using washers. While the screws are in the same hole the rails will allow the panel to move around 10cm back and forth. So,

- as you will work with the next frame, you move the panel accordingly.

- when the rails do not allow moving any further with the screws in the same hole, then you remove the screws, move the panel to the next location and put the screws to the next pair of holes.

Second photo below shows how you use the measurements on the panels for reference:

You can catch a few more photos in the early pages of my Riva Aquarama build log where the build slip is in action:

http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/13427-riva-aquarama-by-aydingocer-amati-radio-a-new-challenge-for-a-so-far-static-ship-builder/

Br;

Aydin

Adydin,

 

Save the sanding dust from the second planking.   Then mix water and white glue together in a 50/50 mix or so it has the consistency of milk.  Add sawdust to make a paste (more like a slurry than a paste though) and put it in the gaps.  Let it cure and then re-sand.   You might have to do this a couple of times.  Do it before putting the epoxy on the planks for sealing.

Thanks a lot Mark! I think the diluting of the white glue with water is what was missing in my formula.

BUILD DAY 21-22.

8 hours in two days.

That's the outside, I take it you have very little maneuverability on the inside, which was what I meant for the epoxy resin. Just coat the inside by rollin' it arround. If you get water inside, you'll have a problem too, so you can't rely on outside only, as it doesn't always come through the outside. However, that tutorial is good, thank you

Ah, yes, you mean the inside. For that I have in mind to use epoxy based sealer, such as Hempel 599, which is used in yachts.