robdurant

When I (briefly) sailed a One Metre class yacht, the 2.4GHz receiver was just sat in a plastic pot along with the battery just beneath the deck, and it worked fine. That was a fibreglass hull and deck (albeit with patches). The orientation shouldn't make any difference unless you're pushing the signal to its limits, as I guess it changes relatively anyway as you move the transmitter around, and as the boat sails in different directions. The one article I found about this (again from a radio sailing perspective) talks about having problems at a distance of 180 metres because of a carbon fibre hull and rain reducing the signal strength.... so that gives you some idea of the capabilities of modern radio control transmitters and receivers. (Here, if you want to go down the rabbit hole... https://www.onemetre.net/Build/2.4GHz/24GHz.htm )

Nordkap's looking wonderful. The paint looks just right to me. I think the idea with the antenna is to keep it above the waterline, and away from things that are electronically noisy (I.e. the motor)... Since the boat is not carbon fibre it shouldn't make a Faraday cage, so you should be okay having the antenna inside the model, and unless you have to I would advise not changing the antenna wire unless you have to. I believe they are matched by length to the frequency. I have always just had the receiver in a tray up towards the deck away from the motor and rudder servo. Having said that I have more experience with 27Mhz and 40MHz... my tests with 2.4GHz seem okay though. A distance test is always a good idea... plug everything in, connect transmitter to receiver, and then get someone to watch the bost while you walk away from it using the transmitter. See how far you get before it stops responding. It'll give you some idea what to expect on the water. Also, doing a first sail (or indeed sailing in general) somewhere where you can wade out and retrieve the model is a great comfort. Hope that's helpful, and apologies if I'm repeating things you already know. Rob

Aah, you've nailed the bit that completely stumped me. That blue colour. I searched and searched and was never really happy with my choice. Your pick looks just right.

Hi Matt, It's a lovely model my dad built a version of Mary Ann (the same hull shape as the krabbenkutter / cux87 etc...) in the 1970s and it has a very different hull shape to the model you have here. It has a rounded stern and more curved run of the deck and a smooth curve cross section from deck to keel. I wonder whether this model has a scratch built superstructure? It was certainly built by someone who gave it a lot of love, care and attention, and was confident and able from all I can see. I have also finished building the hull of nordkap myself, and again the hull is much more curved at the stern, with a pronounced covered deck at the front. Looking at your model it has a chine hull, with the "creases" running down the sides. More like the Kadet and White Star hulls made by billing boats, although these were plastic hulls as I recall. Indeed if you built up the deck edge walls (bulwarks) you might end up with something similar in shape to your model. That's as much as I can tell you, I'm afraid. But congratulations on a lovely model! The other possibility may be that this is a model of a billings bay shuttle (I.e. Billings as a place name - see https://www.knowbc.com/limited/Books/Encyclopedia-of-BC/B/Billings-Bay ), but it is entirely designed and made by the original owner (i.e. not a kit at all). In that case, you've ended up with a lovely model that is entirely unique. Was there a particular reason you were looking for parts? Hope that helps Rob

Brilliant stuff! Great to see you making such good progress.

Fantastic progress. That looks really neat.

Looking excellent A very solid start.

Looking great, Sal. Do think about access to the top of the rudder post once fitted, too. I cut an extra hatch in, which ends up hidden under the superstructure. It will allow you to attach the rudder horn (tiller effectively) easily when you get to that stage. You can see it at the stern in the photo attached... the hole is much more easily cut out before the false deckis attached, and you may decide to modify the frames around that part, too so that you get a good run for the arm between the rudder horn and the servo . I can't remember if I had to. Apologies if I'm teaching granny to suck eggs Rob

A great start. You should be okay for vibration as the rpms should be farily low - it isn't a race boat - but if you want to be doubly cautious, making a part that sits inside bh6 that acts as a support for the prop tube could also damp any vibrations that might form?

Great to see this log. All the best for your build nice hat, too. We live on top of a big hill, so in the middle of winter a hat like that can come in handy. I imagine on fishing grounds in the North Sea or Atlantic it would be essential wear.

Wow, what a handsome model. I fear you are ahead of me and I will therefore be little help to you at this stage, but I wish you every success in finishing the task.

Hi Morten, That's my log Chris has linked to above... sadly I had to pause the build having suffered a brain injury that put the mental requirements somewhat beyond my current abilities, but I still have all the plans (albeit packed away in the loft), and the model sat on my desk next to me. If I can be any help, I will gladly try. Am I right in thinking that you are looking for runs of rigging (i.e. which side of spars / other lines things pass), belaying point details, positions of yards when not carrying sails, etc? To my recollection I never really quite reached that point... indeed it was that task that I found most daunting in this model. As you'll see in the pictures on the log above, I placed the sails but they have no rigging attached, and there is no other running rigging at present. Ultimately, (and apologies if I get this wrong) as a minimum, I guess you want halyards to hold the yard up from the centre, braces for horizontal planar direction from the ends of the yards, and lifts for the vertical alignment going to the ends of the yards? The difference between rigged and unrigged is then that the yard is in its lowered position. The final part of the puzzle would be where to belay all of those lines... some through a block on the deck and then up to the centre pin rails (halyards?), some onto the belaying pins down the sides of the deck. Which side do they belay to? Is it higher yards further forward or aft? All of those would begin to make a plan of sorts.... and for the rest, well.... it's a collier trying to make a profit, not a royal navy vessel trying to pass inspection 😉 Rob

Thank you Bob @Knocklouder and David @dunnock

Well I haven't stopped to write down much about the rigging, but there are far more capable modellers on this forum who have written excellent guides. I have, however, completed this model, which is something of a triumph! Just eight days short of a year since my journey with encephalitis began, to have recovered to the point where I was able to finish this model is both a personal win, and a great testament to the model that Vanguard Models have made here. Anyway - enough talk. Here are some pictures. I'm deeply grateful to all those who have been an encouragement and who have spurred me on through this build. And I'm thrilled with the results. I'm marking this one done Rob

Thanks Andrew, I managed to get the other shroud on the mainmast done today, so things are really chugging along now Onto the mizzen shrouds next. Rob