Stitch
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Stitch launches into a boatI am building a boat, an activity that never ceases to amaze me. A year ago I was was never going to collect marine engines and 3 months ago I was never going to make a boat!
However, once I started collecting SEL engines, I just needed the marine engine to complete the set, and the same for the David Auld collection ... You all know how it is ....  Also, all the efforts at boat building that I have seen from forum members have been too tempting 
The man I bought the first David Auld marine engine off kindly lent me a plans for the Basil Harley designed launch, 'Mabel".
Here are my efforts to date.
Bulking up!
Mrs is out of town and I have taken over the dining room. Wooden pegs make great clamps!
I can't decide whether or not to use the SEL or the David Auld engine
Side on!
Sides cut out and glued on. Stern filled in, bottom cut away. Now ready for sealing and a good sand to get her into shape. The brown marks on the side are filler. It pays to keep the finger nails short when using balsa. I ended up inadvertently gouging the sides.
Now ready for the deck, cabin and engine fittings etc. I have decided to go with the Auld. The boiler is too small for the SEL and it doesn't run too well. The Auld is perhaps too powerful.
Can anyone help with the following question? The Auld engine is rather powerful and I need to find a way of mounting it to the bottom of the boat. I was going to epoxy rubber engine mounts to the aluminum base plate on the bottom of the boat, but the smallest I can find are 12mm high - too high I think.
cheers
Shaun 
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johnreid
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Not much help here, but it sure looks like you are making great progress. Scratch build too! Impressive
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Les Marsh
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You are doing a grand job there, as for the rubber mounts being too high, can't you cut them down to make them smaller?? 
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mogogear
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Too new at this to be any help... I have lost of ideas about mounting power plants... but they have not been fleshed out by those in the know...
BTW- excellent job by a "landlubber" 
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tmuir
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Looking good so far.
Any chance of a photo of the plan so we can get any idea of what the finished boat will look like?
Sorry I can't help with the engine mounts. I know zero about boats but I'm starting to think I may have to build one eventually.
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bessytractor
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if the boat hull wasn't balsa and was something sturdier I would advocate screwing the base to the hull. Unfortunately with balsa thats a no-no.
Great looking hull though.
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Wallace
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That is looking great so far Shaun 
Nice work.
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MooseMan
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Very clean work mate, and I love the "Mabel" hull.....
I'd recommend you actually drill thorugh the base of the boat, secure the engine with bolts that way and just insert a couple of washers to keep things watertight - that seems pretty much the standard way or working for this kind of flat-bottomed hull. As your hull is balsa, I would get some thin birch ply and glue that in where you will mount the engine, both inside and underneath the hull, just so you dont pull the bolts through, and also to reinforce things a bit. You're going to want to be able to remove the engine with ease, as the inside of the hull will get dirty with oil and condensate very quickly - pushing a boat round is hard work for an engine as it is constantly under load.
I've heard of lots of different methods for waterproofing the hull, but I think the general consensus is that proofing the outside with sanding sealer is essential. I've just tried something else for the engine bay of my big boat - I used a floorboard varnish that contains teflon, and it's absolutely brilliant - wipes clean in an instant, it's essentially non-stick.
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bessytractor
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Moose has had the best idea so far. And as he says, sand seal it, you cannot go wrong with that. Maybe spray it with car primer if your going to spray paint it in order to make it more waterproof.
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Stitch
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Thanks all for the replies and the advice.
I forgot to mention that it was a bit of challenge in building the hull to plan. The piece of balsa for the hull was supposed to be 1/2 x 4 x 48 in inches (that was what it was labeled). When I got it home, I found that it was cut to metric scale. Not a big deal, but it meant all the bulkheads had to be recut
Tony. The plan is huge, but I have ordered an original of the 1979 issue of Model Boats and will put a pic from that when it arrives.
Moose. I think you are right and this is the approach I will take. I was hoping to avoid drilling holes in the base, but this reluctance was a bit silly. I have plenty of birch ply and will follow your suggestions. The varnish with teflon sounds like a great idea What was the brand name of the product you used?
Bessy: I agree mate and she will have a liberal amount of sanding sealer applied.
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MooseMan
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Shaun, the varnish I used is "Sadolin Extra Durable Floor Varnish". It comes in a lot of shades. I can always post you a little pot (goes a long way) if you can't find any.
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oldstuff
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Stitch, what a fine project! Looks great so far. Keep the updates coming!
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Stitch
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| MooseMan wrote: | | Shaun, the varnish I used is "Sadolin Extra Durable Floor Varnish". It comes in a lot of shades. I can always post you a little pot (goes a long way) if you can't find any. |
Thanks, Moose. That is very generous of you I will have a hunt around and see if it is available here and get back you.
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Graham-Jilly
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thats looking great Shaun
a realy great job
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rangerssteamtoys
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Good start. I hope to finish my midwest project this summer.
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Stitch
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Thanks for the comments, Oldstuff and G&J.
It is warm and sunny here today, so I am applying sanding sealer. My God it reeks (and I am outside) 
Good luck with the midwest, ranger. I have been having a look at getting one of them
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marmite
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stitch launches into a boatWell done.
I had those plans sitting around for a couple of years for a Siato engine and boiler I have, I just never got around to building it. It's good to see you got into it straight away. I'm now feeling rather inspired to get on with it.
Look forward to the next instalment.
Marmite
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Stitch
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Re: stitch launches into a boat | marmite wrote: | Well done.
I had those plans sitting around for a couple of years for a Siato engine and boiler I have, I just never got around to building it. It's good to see you got into it straight away. I'm now feeling rather inspired to get on with it.
Look forward to the next instalment.
Marmite |
Welcome to the forum and great to see the kiwi contingent growing!
A saito engine? Would love to see a pic of that
I really do have you to thank (blame?) for getting me into marine engines and building a boat
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Cranko
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Hi Shaun, Just looking at the hull design I think the auld may be a little tooo much for it but it will fly if it does work . Another NZ member I see
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Stitch
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| Cranko wrote: | | Hi Shaun, Just looking at the hull design I think the auld may be a little tooo much for it but it will fly if it does work . Another NZ member I see |
John, you may be right and I have suspect this might be the case. The running gear arrived yesterday and I hope to finish her off within the next couple of weeks and give it test run. In any case, I have a much slower SEL set up that I can use.
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Roundy
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hi guys i m some what new to the boat game too now u have the bulsa hull do u hv 2 coat it in epoxy or fiberglass or just varnish and set sail lol?
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Stitch
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| Roundy wrote: | | hi guys i m some what new to the boat game too now u have the bulsa hull do u hv 2 coat it in epoxy or fiberglass or just varnish and set sail lol? |
Roundy, have a look at some of other threads i - there is a useful and lengthy discussion on how to prepare and paint boats. There is some merit in fibreglass, but it beyond me at this time. The key to to make as water tight as possible,
For mine, it has had 5 coats of cellulose sealer on the inside and about 7-8 (I lost count) on the outside). It will then be painted with enamel and then have a few coats of clear lacquer.
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Roundy
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thanks very much stich
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mogogear
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I was advised that if you are to use a wood hull- the sealer advice given is spot on. Then you could also add inside strength by mixing up just the resin for fiberglass work. Then coat the inside of the hull ( but add none of the fiberglass cloth). You may have to do this in sections, but that it would add that firm base to the wood structure especially if you were adding a power plant platform etc It looks like a clear coat to the inside. So you might paint what you want painted on the inside before the resin coating.
There are several kinds of model wood- and balsa is sure to be the softest of them all..also once you have the outside of the hull painted- use a water base clear coat - ( when wet it is milky colored) also find the type for outside use( it has UV protection in it) use several to 6 coats of this- but a personal preference.
I am very new at this myself- so take the first advice in addition and do some searches in the forum to make sure I have not misquoted others wisdom!!!
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