25th July ’14
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RC Footy Bottle Boat |
This project started with a “Footy Pop Bottle Boat ” which is a class of RC Sailboat requiring the hull to fit in a 12 x 12 x 6 ” box all else is acceptable. It did sail worth a dam . Next I decided to build a Footy to a specific plan – The imported radio parts for this have be stuck in Canada customs over six weeks :()
I next looked on the web for easy to build boat a bit bigger ( onefootitis ) and found the “WEE NIP” a Strathclye class boat designed by Graham Bantock specifically for young people to make and enjoy being simple , inexpensive , and reliable. I sent to UK for the How to DVD and printed off a set of plans downloaded from the web here – http://www.traplethouse.com/mmi/weenip.html.
My first boat is well under way the hull being cut from a sheet of .043 thick Aborite aka Formica that I had lying around. I managed to find some aluminium bolts suitable for mast and booms and will be to the original design fitted with a Una Rig sail arrangement. The keel and rudder fashioned from .100 thick aluminium sheet and the 830 gram bulb fabricated from .o8 thick lead flashing from a roofing supplier.
Pictures and progress report Here :
Having got through the initial testing = no leaks , and sailed the Wee Nip just once in the sea off Gabriola Island with the Una rig I am delighted with my effort. However, the Boatyard is temporarily closed while I concentrate on making our recently purchase a 1974 Boler Camping trailer “Ours “.