Sailboat/ferry for Dutch fortress c. 1914 by FreekS - approx. 1:5 - RADIO

[FreekS]

I intend to make a model of a 6 meter barge/sailboat that my grandfather designed and built when stationed during WW1 on a fortress of the Dutch “water defensive lines” around Amsterdam. As the Netherlands (thanks to this defensive line of fortresses) remained neutral in WW1, the troops stationed there had much time on their hands. My grandfather was studying shipbuilding at Delft engineering school when he was called up into the army. 
 

in attached article (which first appeared in 1914 in magazine “de  watersport” which went out of business in 1937) he describes building a footferry that doubles as sailboat on the shallow canals and lakes surrounding the fort.
the name of the fortress (and his own name) were withheld in the article! 
 

I would like to build a radio controlled model of this “boat” if I can. At first glance, at 6meter long, 0,7meter long, and 0,25meter high (freeboard plus draft), the boat could be quite unstable. Masts are not that high (3 meter), and sails not that big, but it’s nearly a canoe! 
 

At 1:5 scale it would be easy to transport (150 cm long), but still very narrow (14cm) and shallow (5cm). I’m estimating the allowed weight including ballast at 1:5 to be about 2 kg. Given the design, I don’t thing a deep “central false keel” with lead bulb (as I did on Corsaro 2) would work on this boat and I need to put most of that weight into the sword and rudder.

 

Any thoughts on scale, stability, tricks and tips are very much appreciated before I get going!!

Hope the attachment is readable, here are some of the images

 

Sailboat - Ferry WW1 -english.docx

[FreekS]

Started on the hull - as in the description these consist of three planks for a flat bottom and two sides perpendicular to that. Found some hardwood that fits that which drove the scale to 1:5,3 at 115cm overall length.

 

next will be to prepare the hull for the masts, rudder, keels and a “false bulb keel” in case I need it.

 

this is becoming a “why spoil it with a plan/drawing” type of build!

 

regards Freek

[Harvey Golden]

What an interesting design-- it looks very practical, combining advantages of a punt with sailing canoe capabilities.  I enjoyed reading of the steering/daggerboard experiments.  Thank you!

[FreekS]

With the hull made, I made two “sword holders” and the three “daggerswords” that my grandfather experimented with, one just a rudder, one just a sword and one a sword with rudder. The hull has got bulkheads fore and aft onto which the mast holders will be mounted. 
 

All reasonably easy work - drawing directly on the hardwood and using a manual jigsaw mostly. In the centre of the hull is a small piece of hardwood onto which the lead bulb-keel will be mounted when I test her out.

 

next steps will be basic painting in WW1 Dutch army paint (basically wherever they could lay their hands on) and then I can stark working on the deck.

 

from the description and sketches I cannot determine if the boat had any standing rigging at all - need to try that out!

 

[KeithAug]

It certainly is an unusual design of vessel.  It will be interesting to see how well it performs, particularly in any degree os swell. 

[FreekS]

Here is an aerial photo of the fort - part of the “stelling Amsterdam” (now a Unesco world heritage site). That would be the canal/river that my grandfather would have sailed on. Good place for wind - no currents, might get choppy but no long swells.

The hull is complete and painted in the main colours the army would have available in 1914 (green and black). 
 

I cannot discern any standing rigging on the one picture I have, and for ease of taking the masts and sails off for transport I decided to forego it. The Carbon masts are stiff enough without it. One mast has a cross brace for a Latin sail, the other will get one plus a boom for another Latin sail. 

 

belaying pins hold the running rigging, which secures the mast while sailing, and the three “daggerboards” built can be secured in their housings with messing pins. 
 

winches, rudderservo, receiver and sail material have arrived for the next steps.

Edited July 3, 2022 by FreekS

[Jim Lad]

What an interesting model, and with a very close family connection.  Like Keith, I'll be very interested to see how she performs.

 

John

[FreekS]

Ok the boat did get wet today and I got a few pictures! 

I had a 1.2 kg lead bulb as „fake keel“ in addition to the daggerboard and rudder. Total weight was 2,5 kg and it seemed to give reasonable stability.  
 

The technical installations (two small winches, a rudder servo, battery and receiver) were inside a “fake ammunition chest” in the centre of the boat.
 

A small amount of water came into the boat but nothing to worry about.

However the sheets got hung up  the first time the winches pulled them in and pulled the tensioning springs of the sheets apart. Learned something - and apart from a pair of springs no damage done. 
But as a result I could not let the boat go - just had it drift around in the harbour where still the wind would occasionally move it nicely. Look forward to the next attempt. Might reduce keel ballast weight a bit.

Edited July 13, 2022 by FreekS