Please don't think I have gone to the dark side but I have just started the Dumas Sk-Daddle Jr. An 18" ski boat.
It is designed for a Cox .049 but I will put an in-runner electric into it.
It's not a plane but this one should fly across the water.
The justification:
- I have built/finished 3 planes since Covid distancing started. How many more planes do I need? (I know. Just one more)
- we just opened our pool and the flying field is closed.
- I bought the kit at the Aurora Swap meet last year for $20, including all the running hardware... a steal.
- there is rain in the forecast.
- I was into model boats as a teenager and was a member of the Metro Marine Modelers when I was in grades 7-12. Yes, with great mentors like Norm Perkins, Dennis Eason, Bill Burr, Roy Bourke, Bob Ferrant and Ray Davidson. I used to have RC electric, power and sail boats.
There won't be many posts because this is a flying club Forum but..... it is RC and will bring it to the next float fly.
Frank
Hey Frank,
If you want to build it they way it was designed, I have several 0.49s (I think about 4). You are welcome to one.
Frank, you know most of our airplanes fly worse then boats. I want to see you build the "flying" boat. post more pictures.
Maybe?
Rob, Thanks for the offer......but backyard pool and the sounds of our childhood don't go together. Remember this sound and notice the stuff dripping from the bottom. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VV0YZddRBno 8)
Ben, So that is NASA's interpretation of my project. It looks like what you and Bruce would have drawn over a few beers, except Bruce wanted two motors, front and back. ;) Ben, I hope you and your family are keeping well.
Quick photo update after 24 hours. The die-crushed parts make the Guillow's kits look luxurious. 6 of the pieces broke even with careful cutting. The wood ("mahogany") looks like it was harvested from some petrified forest. Should send a piece out for carbon dating. :D
Frank
Hey Frank. Thanks for the video. Man that brings back memories. I had forgotten how messy those nitro engines were. I remember when I could afford it I would buy a fuel called Missle Mist. It would make the little 049 really sing and would allow about a 6 inch prop with a lot of pitch. We used to do a lot of control line combat flying with them attached to the front of Goldberg's Little Satan or one of Top Flite's profile WW2 fighters. Course with control line if you got tangled you just knew it wasn't gonna end well.
I like the boat, but it took you 24 hours to build to that point? I though you were fast! ;D
Rob, Missile Mist. That was much better than the regular stuff. It had 40% nitromethane, regular stuff had a minimum of 20% for Cox engines. A pint of fuel went a long way on an .049. I had a TD .049 and it would sing on a Cox Grey 6x4 prop and Missile Mist. Nothing could touch it.
Interesting to see in the video that an .049 produces 42 watts. Internet info suggests people are putting electric motors in for 150 watts.
Piker- At least my projects can be timed with a watch. Yours are timed with a calendar! ;) You drew the floats for the American Eaglet in '93. So it has taken you two centuries. I know. Nasty. Your delay is not by choice but it is good to see you pick up knife and glue every now and then.
Frank
Quote from: Frank v B on May 04, 2020, 03:45:35 PM
Piker- At least my projects can be timed with a watch. Yours are timed with a calendar! ;) So you drew the floats in '93. So it has taken you two centuries. I know. Nasty. You delay is not by choice but it is good to see you pick up knife and glue every now and then.
Frank
Nasty and SO true! :P ;D
Installed the hull bottom with 5 minute epoxy. The first half was done last night. The second half was done this morning. Only the back half has been glued. The front half has to be soaked with water and bent into the bow. Both sides have to be done at the same time so the frame does not twist.
F.
Photo 40- soaking the bottom plywood to bend it at the bow.
Photo 41- bottom plywood glued and clamped.
Photo 44- The sides glued and clamped. One side was done at a time. Note the severe bending of the sides inward at the deck near the stern (tumblehome). Note: the clamps were used to secure the sides at the deck level. The rubber bands pressed the side against the bottom of the hull.
Photo 45- Stern view of the sides.
F.
Setting the prop shaft. Have picked a 28mm inrunner 3000kv that can run on 2-4S. The prop is small so I went with the higher KV motor. Will probably start it off with 2 S to see how it goes.
Note: I used a solid brass tube connected to the motor so the motor shaft and prop shaft are perfectly aligned. The real connection will be made with a flexible coupling but the straighter to connection, the lower the power loss.
Frank
Very nice Frank. But it won't fly.
Quote from: Skyking on May 06, 2020, 12:30:39 AM
Very nice Frank. But it won't fly.
I've built a few boats in the past.
With a 3000kv brushless motor, it just might fly.
We have to resolve the difference of opinion between two accomplished modellers.
Ken- "....It won't fly"
Michael- "It just might fly"
To resolve the opinions I have a coin.
Heads "It won't fly", tails "it just might fly"
Here is the flip...... heads!
Issue resolved. ;D ;D
Frank
The second half of the deck is on and the cockpit gunwales are in place drying.
- rear decking in place (clamped)
- rudder assembly drilled, blind nuts installed. Found the rudder assembly in a dollar bin at a hobby store a few years ago.
Let dry over dinner.
Looking like a boat.
F.
The real question is, will it float or not? :-\ :-*
Bruce,
Now you tell me. :)
My toy only has to float. Yours* has to float and fly! ;)
Picky, picky.
Frank
* the Savoie Marchetti S55X
Mine definitely will float because it is made of foam. (Naturally buoyant.) Yours once wet may become water logged and sink. Mine should float for ever, wether in one piece or multiple pieces.
Will mine fly? Hopefully it should, even off of terra firma. However, time will tell.
I hope we can get out to some bodies of water to test them both out...
Keep well.
Bruce, you sure are covering all bases. ;D
Decks finished on the Sk-Daddle jr..
Next steps: motor and RC installation.
Frank
ps: I had an e-mail exchange with Rudie Nagelmakers of Beeton today. Once Covid settles down we will get together at their pond. :)
- Motor is in
- Rudder is in so the servo can be located. This is a 1" prop. I have left clearance to increase the prop size.
Letting it cure overnight.
Frank
note: the coupling is a temporary piece of stiff plastic tubing so it will hold the motor in a straight line while the glue dries. Once the glue has cured, the flexible coupling will take its rightful place.
looking at the 049 video, Franks boat will sink with all the fuel leaking out of one of those things.. better stick with a battery. Nice build Frank.
Painting the hull. Chose to paint it white for visibility. The only oil-based paint I had was Trembclad rust paint. This is the 3rd coat with sanding in-between (220 grit). The sanding removed most of the paint to flatten out the brush marks and wood grain. BTW, each coat has to dry 24 hours before it can be sanded.
Had to wait until this morning for Home Depot to open up. Bought sandpaper and clear varnish. Sanded the white bottom with 320 sandpaper before the last coat. After this coat dries I will sand it with 320 grit and then polish it with 400 grit wet and dry sandpaper and water.
The latex paints at home would have worked but most good interior paint do not become scrubbable until after 30 days. I ain't waiting that long!!
Have masked off the deck and am hoping none of the white paint has leeched onto the mahogany deck. It will be clear varnished. The inside will be waterproofed as well with clear varnish.
F.
Re: Have masked off the deck and am hoping none of the white paint has leeched onto the mahogany deck. It will be clear varnished. The inside will be waterproofed as well with clear varnish.
F.
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With that amount of masking it should be protected enough from a virus too! ;D
This is what 3 coats of white paint on the hull and 6 coats of water based urethane on the deck look like.
Sanding in-between coats was 220, then 320 and lastly 400 grit with water.
Now the electronics.
F.
Got the wiring done. Wiring from the motor can be seen below the hatch in the photos.
Photo 72- Built a frame to sit inside the hatch and glued plywood to it that covered half the hatch. Letting it dry first. The photo shows the underside of the hatch.
Photo 73- The hatch view from the top side. The second half of the hatch is to the left.
F.
Tried something new.
Two days ago I received a bundle of deck detail wood from Rudie Nagelmakers of the Beeton Club. He bought a used tug from a friend and came with the wood to detail the deck.
The wood appears to be red Cedar and the yellow detail is to mimic the detail stripe on the decks of real boats. See second photo.
Decided to detail a second hatch for show. The first plywood one is for running the boat because it will be shut with hatch tape, not screws.
The photo shows the decking installation of the first phase. It is drying in this position. Once it is dry, I'll handle the fussy centre joint so the middle details won't move all the planks. Note that the yellow detail strips stick up above the deck. Once dry, it will be sanded down.
Looks neat. A Covid benefit. It soaked up 5 hours so far for a total cost of $0.00. ;D
Frank
Decking on the display hatch finished. Needs to cure before sanding and varnishing.
The photo shows the plywood running hatch on the left and the simulated mahogany hatch in place on the right.
F.
Looking awesome, Frank.
My plan is to one day start building full size boats like that.
I think I'd quite like to build a model boat...
FINISHED!!!!
- installed the drive shaft and coupling
- installed the radio
- installed the rear trim plates
- installed the rudder and connected it to the servo
- new rear deck hatch sanded and varnished (3 coats)
Frank
ps: thanks Piker. Simon, what's stopping you from building a boat?
Beautiful!
Would love to see a short video of it cruising the pool.
I too am building a Dumas boat, its slightly bigger, Ill be lucky to finish it by mid August.
Its 52L x 12W in. I have installed the twin shaft tubes, props are on shafts, still need to install motors.
The wheelhouse is next and then paint. I fiberglassed the bottom last year.
M. Brodey
Mike,
That's a massive boat. I saw it in your shop last time I was there. The American Enterprise kit by Dumas.
Here is a stock photo of the finished project.
A beautiful boat.
Frank
Thanks
Yes, and lot of parts that are not included! Its a challenging project
The SK-Daddle floated.... and no water inside.
Put in a two cell 1200 battery pack and it floated. Even better, no water inside. 8)
Photo 84- beside the pool before the float test. Yes a 72 meg 8 track transmitter.
Photo 86- half throttle down the pool while taking the photograph. I had to be careful. My boss was outside and it is her pool.
Photo 88- a burst of full power.
I only did one pass at full throttle and it easily came up on a plane. It should be a handful on 3 cells. ;D ;D
The pool is a lap pool. It is 10' wide but 40' long. Long and narrow... like all downtown properties.
Worth the effort and the $20.00.
Frank
We need a son at the field.
Mike
Awesome Boat. Great use of radio. Maybe if you upgrade to 2.4GHz radio the boat will fly?
I am using my radio 2.4 DX7