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DMI Samson by Walter Biles - RADIO - repurposed kit hull for Recovery Tug


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This Tugboat hull was given to me with a two-view sheet plan, started but never finished.  I wanted to have a recovery vessel in case my RC sailboat capsized or got hung up in a lake or pond.  A friend suggested it might be of use for that purpose.

 

It will be a working RC boat, and specially re-designed for it's purpose. Pictures of hull and plan to follow when ready.

 

The deck was badly deteriorated and poorly supported.  I have torn all of it off down to a planked hull framework.  I have started evening up and reinforcing the deck framework.  This is its current condition.  It has a slot through the keel for a prop shaft, and a place where a rudder would go behind the prop although it it will need to be framed for installation.  The opening for the deck house should be okay now that it has been re-assembled and reinforced. 

 

Subdeck pattern

Hull

 

post-254-0-58893200-1379712137_thumb.jpg

 

PLAN (All I have)

 

post-254-0-77195100-1379712139_thumb.jpg

 

Walter Biles

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An interesting Idea Walter.

 

Michael

Current builds  Bristol Pilot Cutter 1:8;      Skipjack 19 foot Launch 1:8;       Herreshoff Buzzards Bay 14 1:8

Other projects  Pilot Cutter 1:500 ;   Maria, 1:2  Now just a memory    

Future model Gill Smith Catboat Pauline 1:8

Finished projects  A Bassett Lowke steamship Albertic 1:100  

 

Anything you can imagine is possible, when you put your mind to it.

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Thank you Michael.

 

I am going to build an A frame boom with an extention on it with a downward angled pin on the end of it, so I can back up near it, and literally drop the boom on it, to hook over the rail or sail rigging if it is capsized.  I just want to make the boom long enough that I can keep the tug from tangling up in the boat, or whatever is holding it.  I will also have a braided rope bumper over the nose and sides to be able to herd it back from trouble. 

 

Walt Biles

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Bob,

 

When you find this, I am wondering about whether I should try to use waterways around this tug boat or not.  Near the middle of the boat the water level will only be about 1/2 to 3/4" from deck level which has no crown to it.  Should I maybe just build up the gunnels and hope I don't ship any water?

 

At this stage, I should be able to do just about anything I want with it.  I could even add some framing and make the deck a bit higher, and with some crown, so I could use the waterways.  I was a bit shocked when I measured off the waterline on the plan and marked the hull.  I wonder if that is just one of those river tugs not meant for high waves.

 

Walter Biles

Edited by Walter Biles
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Walter,

 

Build a good looking boat and don’t worry about the deck getting wet.  As long as the water doesn’t get inside you’ll be fine.  You can keep the water out of the boat if you build up a high (1/2 to 1”) wall around the deck opening and seal it well, then build the cabin to sit down over this wall to hide it.

 

Bob

Every build is a learning experience.

 

Current build:  SS_ Mariefred

 

Completed builds:  US Coast Guard Pequot   Friendship-sloop,  Schooner Lettie-G.-Howard,   Spray,   Grand-Banks-dory

                                                a gaff rigged yawl,  HOGA (YT-146),  Int'l Dragon Class II,   Two Edwardian Launches 

 

In the Gallery:   Catboat,   International-Dragon-Class,   Spray

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Thank you Bob.

 

I went ahead and added almost an inch to the deck level and gave it about a 3/16th" crown. I just extended the sides up and attached to the frame tops and just added a new bulwark around the edge. It will be shaped almost the same, just more consistent in height and angle. This gives me more battery and servo space also. Something I will probably need with that boom rig. I think I am going to have to do a winch drive, with a return line, so I can get the travel needed. I think if I take in from the returning slack I can feed it out to the top to control letting it down and vice-versa on lifting it back up. The only other things I will need will be a rudder servo, and a motor control. I am still looking for a prop to fit. It needs to be between 1 1/4" and 1 1/2". I need a bigger one at slower rpms to get the positioning control and once I make connection, enough power to move both boats with the towed one dragging. I don't expect at this time to do more than tow it back to shore. Unless I get a brainstorm how to do some robotics, and I don't have enough experience for that yet.

 

I only had two planks above the waterline to the deckline. This should give me 6-7 plank strakes. I can now add waterways to get the water off the deck that may get there so it can't find a way inside. I think it looks more uniform in its deck line now. It still will not be near as deep as the boat is wide.

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  • 1 month later...

I have ordered some taps and dies for some Jorgenson style clamps.  I will be going to town on Friday and will see if I can find the maple and the brass for the clamps. 

 

Walter Biles

Edited by Walter Biles
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Walt,  Bring the tug with you.  I'd like to see it.

 

Bob

Every build is a learning experience.

 

Current build:  SS_ Mariefred

 

Completed builds:  US Coast Guard Pequot   Friendship-sloop,  Schooner Lettie-G.-Howard,   Spray,   Grand-Banks-dory

                                                a gaff rigged yawl,  HOGA (YT-146),  Int'l Dragon Class II,   Two Edwardian Launches 

 

In the Gallery:   Catboat,   International-Dragon-Class,   Spray

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  • 2 months later...

Well, I finally got back to work on this boat.  I have a bunch of pictures of it.  I'll try to get them posted soon.  I now have the double planking done on the hull.  I also have the rudder shaft installed and ready for rigging a servo to it.  I installed the prop shaft stuffing box and prop shaft and the motor.  It will only turn about 180 rpm on the shaft, so I have enlarged the spacing for a 2" prop, which I hope will be 4 or 5 blades to maximize thrust. 

 

Walter Biles

Edited by Walter Biles
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  • 3 weeks later...

Here are some more pictures of the tug boat.  Since I am modifying it considerable from it's original design,

I am intending to rename it to a more appropriate name when I am done. 

 

This is the deck frame as it was originally structured and the pattern for the sub deck as it originally fit.

post-254-0-96997200-1395039830_thumb.jpg

 

I left the original deck structure after having strengthened it, and added an inch above that deck with new frame

to raise the original height of the deck.  This makes it with about 7 planks of freeboard instead of about 2 1/2.

 

post-254-0-52804700-1395039829_thumb.jpg 

Here is a view of the frames rising out through the sub deck to make the bulwarks.  They will be filly closed with allowance for the water to spill overboard. 

 

post-254-0-07815400-1395039826_thumb.jpg 

post-254-0-10218700-1395039832_thumb.jpg

 

post-254-0-30995800-1395039833_thumb.jpg 

I added water drains along the edge of the deck to allow it to clear any shipped water more readily.  The scale boat on a pond or lake would have been experiencing sea sized waves, and I did not want to get that into the control areas. 

I also restructured the after deck for a more squared ster n, which would be more able to be planked tightly. This is where my boom structure will be located also. 

Below shows the installation of the motor and prop shaft stuffing tube. 

 

post-254-0-68370400-1395039834_thumb.jpg 

post-254-0-20870400-1395039836_thumb.jpg  post-254-0-62624800-1395039837_thumb.jpg 

The last shows the planking to almost halfway down.

 

post-254-0-29109600-1395039839_thumb.jpg 

I have now finished the second layer of planking in 1/16" basswood as shown in the next 2 pix.

post-254-0-97915800-1395040252_thumb.jpg 

 

post-254-0-91865100-1395040372_thumb.jpg 

This is about the only reasonably good picture of the motor and the stuffing tube.

 

post-254-0-53749700-1395040375_thumb.jpg 

This boat is now as far as I can go for now.  I'll be getting back to it as I can do so.

 

Walter Biles

Edited by Walter Biles
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Coming along nicely, Walter.

 

Bob

Edited by Cap'n'Bob

Every build is a learning experience.

 

Current build:  SS_ Mariefred

 

Completed builds:  US Coast Guard Pequot   Friendship-sloop,  Schooner Lettie-G.-Howard,   Spray,   Grand-Banks-dory

                                                a gaff rigged yawl,  HOGA (YT-146),  Int'l Dragon Class II,   Two Edwardian Launches 

 

In the Gallery:   Catboat,   International-Dragon-Class,   Spray

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Bob, Thank you. 

 

I am trying to come up with a good Tug boat name for this one.  I want it to be descriptive of it's purpose, I have been thinking about "Lil Helper" That way if I need it to go on a recovery run I can just say something like "It's time for my LIl Helper" and I've said it all.

Edited by Walter Biles
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Sounds good to me.

 

Bob

Every build is a learning experience.

 

Current build:  SS_ Mariefred

 

Completed builds:  US Coast Guard Pequot   Friendship-sloop,  Schooner Lettie-G.-Howard,   Spray,   Grand-Banks-dory

                                                a gaff rigged yawl,  HOGA (YT-146),  Int'l Dragon Class II,   Two Edwardian Launches 

 

In the Gallery:   Catboat,   International-Dragon-Class,   Spray

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  • 10 years later...

Hello Walter,

 

I have just purchased a mostly completed D.M.I. Samson. The builder did a very good job and it should finish nicely. The only problem is that I am missing some of the paperwork. Fortunately, one large sheet illustrating the overall profile and deck arrangement came with the model (as shown in your photos). This model deserves to be completed properly. Do you still have your set of plans and instructions?
 

Many Thanks,

 

Ray

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