Walter Biles

Bob, Nice job! Walt Biles

Byron, I am glad you found some useful information in it. I am also just getting into RC Scale Sailing boats as it seems many of the RC enthusiasts here seem to be from the questions here that I have read. I found much in this book to help me understand how to set up the control mechanisms from RC as used in Sail boating, which is a new application of RC to me. All of my RC plane knowledge seemed to fall short when I tried to figure out how to apply RC in sail boats. I am sure I will find much more in it than I got from my first perusal of the book. Since my first scan of the book, I have not had time to completely read it. Walt Biles

Thank you Pete 38 I had dug out the box to find it so I could edit it in. Walt Biles

John, I recently found National Balsa, Ph#(413) 277-8500. His (Eric) address is 60 East Street, Suite C, Ware, MA 01082. Their online address is www.nationalbalsa.com . I believe it is a mom and pop business, and they have an office there. They will cut any of the woods that they can get access to, to 12" to 48" length, and up to 12" width. Special orders are possible. They also do strips, I believe. I ordered 7 lbs of basswood from them on the 29th of April, and got it about the 10th of May. Their shipping on the 7 lbs. in a 4"x4"x36" box was only $9.99 for UPS Ground. The whole cost came to $60+ including shipping. That was 25 sheets of 4"x36" in 1/8" and 1/16". For the quantity that I got, I thought it was a good price. They sent me a list of other woods that they handle, but I lost the list. They are on Eastern Time zone, USA

Tony, John, Tom, Jay, & Wefalck, Thanks for the replies to the earlier. I'd have gotten back to you earlier, but my wife's health has had me away from home for some weeks now. I'll see about getting some pictures soon. I really wish I had a small lathe capable of turning brass, and other such materials. But not having gotten anything like that when I could aford it, I have to create my own tools now. That limits my capacities for the metalic materials. I did find some brass ones on one of the sites, but only in 1/4" or smaller. That might work in the mast. I may order a few when I can afford them. Thank you all for your assistance and comments. Walter Biles

Uncleb and qwerty2008, I may have found a book that may help all of us RC Sailors get the information they have been seeking. "An Introduction to Radio Controlled SCALE SAILING MODELS" BY Phillip Vaughan Williams. I did a brief review on it in this section There are diagrams of servo-sail control in this book. Walter Biles

This book by the above named author is a book which should interest many of our scale model RC builders. Although I have yet to read it in it's entirety, my scan through the chapters of this book has definitely made me glad to have it. It covers all configurations of sail types, square, or fore aft. There are diagrams of servo-sail control in this book. It covers various types of keels, and ballast, as well as construction techniques. It is not just about racing boats. It is about scale RC model sailing boats. In the very first chapter it tells much to help one understand how the lines of the hull and the lines of the sail can be used to calculate the ultimate stability of a model boat. It gives nomenclature, centers of hull bouyancy, centers of sail, and relative wind speeds and how they can be used. This I did know existed, but this explains it. It could be useful material to develop reefing for various wind conditions. It gives diagrams of how to achieve sail control for all sorts of square, bermuda rigged sails, Jib sail rigging for RC and a lot more. There is a pretty good glossary, listings of source information, types of rigs in sail boats, and much more that ought to be of interest to RC sailing enthusiasts, as well as RC Scale Modelers who just want to be able to sail their craft. It covers sailing techniques, and a variety of sail control systems. I got the book through Amazon.com and my used book only cost about $8+ and shipping, which from the secondary shipper was only $3.99. It was copyrighted in 1999 by the author. I believe that I am seeing what I am going to need to make a useful setup for my RC Sailboat. I thought many of you may be interested in checking it out. Walter Biles

Thanks for that information, Mark. I think I'll get a small quantity of each to have on hand. Is there something effective for epoxy? I need to put these info points into my journal so I can begin remembering where to find out when I forget, which I do a LOT. I love that capstan. What are the notches around the bottom for? Walt Biles

Mark, I have just been reading through your build, and love what I have seen, except for the fingers, sorry. I was wondering what glue you were dissolving with the alcohol on the capstan. That could be useful information to me. I have been away from my build for the last couple of weeks (my wife's health issues). I hope I can remember what I was working on when I get back home in another week or so. Keep up the good work (CAREFULLY)! Walter Biles

I have read through the RC related sections and it sounds like most of us are looking for the same information. Those that have asked, mostly hear the same thing. I think I will have to re-open my access to one of the sailing forum sites when I can get the time. Linda is back in the Hospital again with a leg infection. She may get out tomorrow or Monday. I'll bring my boat along when I go back up to my daughter's, and show you how far it is. Walt Biles

Great looking 'America' build Popeye ! ! I was noticing the reefing lines on the jib above the boom. I wonder if you could describe how the reefing process would take place. I have an idea how it would work if there was just letting it down a vertical mast and then tying it against the boom, but seeing yours made me wonder. In spite of my navy repair experience, I am ignorant of how some of those things are done. Walter Biles

Bob, I finally found that glass cloth I had remembered having. It was in my old box of plans etc. It should be the perfect weight to coat the hull. Also I found that Walmart carries the resin for the fiberglass in the automotive section. I may use that and disposable paint brushes for coating the outside of the hull. Then I'll sand lightly and build up a smooth resin layer like I used to do in the navy. I think if I work outside I can probably finish the hull in 1/2 hour to an hour. I may even paint the inside below the waterline with it. That would seal up the hull below the waterline. Walt Biles

Thank you Russ, Janos. I checked JB. I suspect that the shipping alone would overshadow the price of the parts, which I can't calculate. Then I checked Bluejacket Shipcrafters. They had up to 1/4" diameter sheaves. Those are almost the size as the ones I made from the hanger. I will keep them in mind. I saved both sites in favorites. Walt Biles

Does anyone know where I could order some small brass sheaves for RC Running Rigging? Walter Biles

Jay, I do think they would hold up better than wood, which I have seen used. That would be okay for non-functioning demands, but was looking for a better lasting sheave. I am going to try to re-setup my rig to take some pictures of what I did. Also to take some pictures of the wood ones and the plastic ones. I have to do file swapping from 1 computer to the other because my main desktop has some problems with camera downloading, so it will take me a few days. I've been concentrating hard on my builld a lot. Walt Hey Wefalck, Do you know where I could find some of those little brass sheaves? I've seen some somewhere either on MSW 1.0 or this one. I tried every kind of search I could think of to find some, but I could not come up with anything. I am wanting to try to make the sails raise or lower if I can afford enough channels for my radio. I would really like to have some to try my ideas. That was why I was trying to make some. Walt Biles

Wefalck, Thats true. I live out in the sticks and can't get to a decent hardware store or anything. We don't even have a model shop within 90 miles of us that has anything usable in ships. I looked for most of a week and a half and tried dowel stock before finding that stuff. It is amazing what you can come up with when you are "away from it all". Walt Biles

I discovered something that can make pretty fair pulley sheaves. My wife had some plastic hangers that we bought from Walmart, and one of them got the hook broken off of it. I had been trying to do wood dowl sheaves in my drill chuck and turning them with some files then parting them with my razor saw on back drag. I tried some of the straight sections of the hanger stock. I used a drill bit to drill out the center for a pin to go through, then made the rope groove, and parted them. I could make 5 or six with the stock without getting out from the chuck far enough to wobble much. They came out pretty well, plus they are less prone to split like the dowels were. I could actually make them thinner to where just the room for the rope groove was all that was necessary leaving just the lip at the edge of the rope groove. With a bit of practice I think I can have all kinds of sheaves. Make sure those files have good sturdy handles. You will not want the file to be too fine. A little bit of tooth to the file works better on the plastic or the file will fill up quickly. I used a good sturdy tool rest and braced the drill pretty well so it could not move. I used the razor saw to part the sheaves. Walt Biles

Thank you, Popeye, Bob, I am really enjoying this build. I can't imagine still being at it if I hadn't found this forum for help and interest. Something about sharing the hobby with others with similar interests just makes all the difference. Well, I am happy to announce that my wood order came in this late afternoon. I still have to get the pulleys installed, and I think I will get some plastic tubing at the hardware store to act as guides for my control lines. I want something big enough that I can re-string the rudder if necessary without fighting the line through each bulkhead. I will also need to do that for the routes to each sail. Walt Biles

Thank You, Popeye. She is beginning to look like the boat I remembered. The cabin roof parts will still come off, as will the floors and cockpit deck, and the main deck. I can still get into the hull to do the control installations, but if that plank material doesn't come soon, I may be stuck for something to do, soon. I have been making dowl pulley sheaves for the rudder operations. I have about decided for double line control pull - pull so I can get something installed. I need to make some sort of sheet line guides for the 3 sails. I am taking Bob's idea and just make the foreward mast stay the hanging point for a single Jib on a stay. That will make me lots of sail, and enough controlable booms to deal with. It should simplify the rigging without the double jibs with an overlap on the foreward one. Anyway, It's my boat, I can change it if I want. Anything to simplify the operation. I can always make the next one closer to scale configuration. At least I'm getting a good education in building the Meridea.

Continuing with some aft views. An elevated foreward view. A cabin side view.

Here are some additional pictures of my recent work. The first 3 art of the Cabin Framework showing the paper pattern prefitted. This next two are of the temporary fitted side walls and the cocpit side shield and cabin roof. Walter Biles

Does anyone know where to order some of those small brass pulley sheaves? I will probably need to use some to change the direction of pull to get close in line with the rudder arm. I am not seeing any of them where I have been on the sites so far. Walter Biles

I got the cabin sides cut and the window openings made. I am going to make a thinner outer side with the window openings to sandwich the plastic material between. That will help me get enough thickness to the side walls so there won't be any gaps at the floor, and make it easier to do the windows. All the cabin roof is planked and ready to install at the right time. I am still waiting for my wood for planking. I need to figure out just where the best angle of control line approach will be best to avoid any binding or other untidy mishaps. I am begining to go back to what someone mentioned about a pull - pull connection. I am beginning to think it may be my only way. That rudder down in that hole must have been operated with a set of gears, I'm thinking. Anyway, Pull - pull is the next area for investigation. I think the lady said my planks should arive about This next Thursday. I hope I can get this solved by then. Then I need to get the sail control lines routing tubes figured out before starting more planking. This boat/sail control leaves me a bit puzzled about how to plan it out. It is a whole new way of setting up controls to me. Walter Biles

Thank you Bob, Popeye, and Michael. I appreciate your kind comments. Since I am temporarily out of planking material, I am working on getting the cabin framed up. I have the bulkheads at each end with the cabin walls, I have added 1/4" square uprights from the inside of the bulkheads and cut roof boards, joined by two stringers surrounding the mast from front to back, and a 1/8"x1/4" stringer along each side notched into the uprights. Later, after my planking is done, I can remove the deck plywood one last time, and ballast the boat. Then I will do some adjustments to a couple of the tops of the bulkheads to make the deck lay just right. Then I can start getting the floors installed with backup ply for improved screw hold, and start installing control tubes for rudder and boom lines (It occurs to me that I had better do this control tubing while the planking is still out of the way!). I have a 5/32"x3' wire sharpened as a drill bit that I use to drill to install control tubes. Since it is flexible I can make a shallow curved path through the frames when needed. I hope it will work on my boat. I don't think I will have any problem for battery storeage space in this. I have the roof frame glued together, except where the edges join the side stringers, so I can make the after roof into a cover that can be removed for servo adjustments, leaving the roof from the mainmast foreward for mast bracing. I have an extra roof board in the roof where I can separate them by cutting with a razor saw for the foreward edge of the cover. I'll just need to make appropriate catch and latches for locking the cover on. I have an idea about that. Walt Biles

Lami, I cannot see the last 11 pix, either, Just a picture name/number. Walter Biles