Where to get 200 mm long clinker lifeboat?

[Moxis]

For my S/S Maaninka project I need 4 pcs lifeboats about 200 mm long and clinker hull. I wonder if I could find them somewhere as ready made or some sort of a kit, I think I have not energy enough to start to build them from scratch.

[Mirabell61]

Hi Moxis,

 

I think the British web- sites "Cornwall Boat Models" or "model Dockyard" could provide what you are looking for. They have make Quaycraft clinker Dinghi and bouble ender clinker Lifeboat in scale 1:24, lengths round a bout 200mm, but perhaps do not have then on stock right now. May be worth a try..... They will be quite a cost.., but versa scratch build on your own.. ?

http://www.cornwallmodelboats.co.uk/acatalog/quaycraft-boats-124.html

 

Nils

[Moxis]

Thanks Nils I have to consider these. You are right, a bit pricey and not in stock. But on the other hand, I am not in a hurry. But making 4 pcs from scratch, not very appealing. Well, thinking thinking....

[Moxis]

After short thinking I decided to buy a plan from Model Dockyard about 30 ft lifeboat drawn in scale 1/48.   https://www.model-dockyard.com/cgi-bin/sh000001.pl?WD=lifeboat&PN=Harold-Underhil    That results approximately into 185 mm long boat, which is a bit short but acceptable. After shipping & taxation the price is approximately that of one ready made plastic boat. The project has no schedule, no matter if I build these lifeboats for one year longer, after all this is hobby and not work.

[wefalck]

It is a bit on the large side for home-application, but you could create two clinkered solid half-hulls and then take copies of it by thermoforming or resin-lamination, if you want to forgo the joy of making real clinker-boats ...

[Moxis]

Thanks for this idea wefalck!

I thought it too to make only one boat and fabricate a form of silicone rubber or other stuff and then cast or laminate copies of that with fibreglass or equivalent. But this big boats need lot of material, so perhaps they will be more expensive this way than just buy ready plastic lifeboats.

After all it is not a very big work to start series fabrication and build all four boats from scratch. And as said, this is hobby without any schedules, and then I can say to everybody that the whole thing has been made by me.

[wefalck]

Just another thought: wouldn't these life-boats on a lake-steamer normally be protected by a tarpaulin-cover ? So perhaps you make four solid hulls according to the lines plan and cover these in thin strips of wood to simulate the clinker planking and the just put the tarpaulin over them. That saves you doing all the details of a wooden open boat. Or perhaps to do one to 'show off', namely the one that would be ready for emergency lowering, while showing the others covered ?

 

I have nevera actually laminated a hull, but if you did it over a positive form, it would not involve too much material.