I've been off line for a few days but sorry to hear that Colin I'm sure with your expert nursing she'll be back on her feet asap

Is it what the wife doesn't know won't hurt you .
Rick

Please dear God,
Please don't let my wife sell my workshop for what she thinks I paid for it.
Any excuse to buy a new tool!

Coming along Colin, beauty of wood,-everything is repairable. At least you have wood with a bit of 'body' to work with, my Fairacre restoration started with a rotten balsa hull.
JB

I think once the lockdown is over I will have to put a few of the smaller ones, or those needing major work on sale with the proceeds to go to the RNLI, as I still have boats to collect for my vintage display.
None of them will be worth a lot, but could be made good again.
Cheers Colin.

Does anyone know if laser cut windows and frames are available for the sea commander, I think it would finish it off nicely.
Cheers Colin.

53 boats Colin!!! you have set yourself a task, but I'm sure there are some classics amongst them, my lips are sealed on telling your wife😉


Cheers, Pete

Hi Pete,
Yes both are removable for access to the motor and electrics.
It's not easy working on a boat that's 58 years old, but as it was my dad's I just have to get her back on the water.
Most of my hobby is taken up by vintage boat resurrection.
Today I was searching for parts and drawings and found more boats that I had forgotten, so decided to see how many I have In the collection. Don't tell the wife, 53 found so far. But I may have some at my sons house.
Not all the models are sailable as some are vintage toy boats or static displays. But all are over 30 years old and the oldest is 104 years old.
Looks like I will need a bigger trailer for transport to the shows.
Cheers Colin.

Have you made to roof's removable Colin, as on the original, if you need I think I have plans for those
pieces.😐


Cheers, Pete

You'r making good progress Colin.
Keep it up.

Martin555.

I've been working on her between house chores, I managed to relaminate the cabin sides but they were seriously warped, so I cut a piece of 3mm ply and fitted and glued in place to hold the sides straight.
Next I cut out the centre leaving a frame. Then fitted roof bearers to the piece I had removed. I then made art card templates and checked the fit.
Finally I used 1.5mm mahogany ply for the roof skin.
I followed this with a roof frame for the rear cabin roof and proceeded in the same way.
Next I have to make the cockpit windscreen.
That's all for today, cheers Colin.

I am looking forward to seeing the photos Colin.

Martin555.

Good looking model, in good solid condition, mine has lots of problems with delamination which I am slowly working on.
I have to inject all the affected areas with epoxy and clamp till stable again.
So far the Hull, frames and bulkheads are cured. Upper cabin sides are under repair at present.
All the roof sections were falling to bits and only the front roof was reusable. The centre one missing completely and aft one rotten and slit.
These latter 2 is what I am trying to make, without any plans its a bit of trial and error to get right.
But as I have loads of ply offcuts I plod on till they fit.
I will put some pictures on later to show my method or madness.
Cheers Colin.

Colin,hope your good lady makes a speedy recovery.
Stay safe,Cheers Mark👍

Also busy with a refurbishment, but mine needs a lot less mostly tidying up up paintwork with supplying some fittings motor refit and prop shaft alignment and a new speed controller
The previous owner had 8 LCD light bars in it! I removed those😊😊

I read your description of your local lake and had a look at Google Maps. I was in England 4 years ago visiting older relatives. Turns out you are only 30 minutes away. They are in Ross on Wye. Beautiful location and great views.

I will do that Colin. I have some before and staged images so not a problem. I too like the classics and not the plastics, though I will be using a new motor below decks.

Do post some updates and pictures, it would be great to compare with mine.
Cheers Colin.

I am in the process of rebuilding an old Sea Commander as well. Retrieved from a tip shop. Coachwork was rotten so disposed of it. Stripped right back to bare timber, glassed and two coats of resin. Seems like more time spent sanding , bogging, sanding - hopefully painting in a week.

Bought a dremel (a good excuse) to rebuild the coachwork so more fun times coming Will be worth it and looking forward to getting it wet.

I hope your wife gets better soon Colin.

Martin555.

Sorry to hear about your wife Collin

Very very sorry to hear that Colin.
Best wishes for a rapid recovery to Caroline🤞👍
All the best, Doug 😎

Sorry to hear about your wife's accident. Hope she isn't out of action for too long and you are able to cope. Nice to hear that you can at least be doing some work on the Sea Commander. They are quite nice boats, I built one a year or so ago and was amazed at her speed, too fast for an old stick and stringster like me, luckily, Alice likes playing with her. Pleased too, that you are able to get to navigable waters and have a little sail.

All the best, Nerys

Having trouble working on the boat, wife has injured her foot and is stuck with crutches to get around, but can't do the housework or cook as doctor has said she has to keep it off the floor and best raised to ease the pain.
So I'm on house duties for a few days, just snatching a few minutes here and there to do minor bits.
Having trouble with 3mm ply warping from the heat, and some de-lamination.
Have had to inject epoxy into the splits and clamp with steel angle iron to counteract the warping.
Will hopefully be able to get on with the major work in a couple of days, fingers crossed.
Cheers Colin.

The first clues that we my be able to get out soon and launch our boats is the flattening of virus cases and the opening of some areas. Here in Ont. parks and golf courses have opened so as long as the sun shine we are able to get out.I hope all are doing well and we can start to slowly get our boats in the water.
Rick

Hi Colin,
yep that's more appropriate, 500 metres that's handy, I just hope you can get it through the gate, if you get stopped you could always say the dog likes to chase the boat, and he needs exercise as well 😊.
Wow, 12 feet is a lot of water, hopefully that will prevent any droughts this year.

Bill

Not a rebel, more a buccaneer.
I class it as my exercise period which we are allowed, it's about a 500.mtr walk to the lake and about a mile around as it's still 12 ft high from the flooding earlier this year.
Just hope I can get my trolley through the kissing gates. As walking with my stick I don't think I could carry it.
As my club water is 30 miles away I have to take the chance.
Cheers Colin.

Hi Colin,
glad to hear your meds are helping and that you'll break the curfew, everyone loves a rebel 😊
I love these boats, they have a certain something and the style is timeless.

Bill

Hi Nerys, I walk to my local lake each day with my dog for exercise.
The flat beach area is about 10ft under water, but there's a new bay wit shallow slopes and I think if I use my garden trolley I should be able to wet the Hull for a test run.
If you look on Google earth you can see what it should look like. (SUGWAS POOL COUNTRY PARK)
Cheers Colin.

Pleased to hear you are active again Colin, Arthritis is pretty horrible even the little I get. I think you are the only person I have heard of who has any possibility of or even suggested they might sail a boat in weeks, since lockdown began in fact. Must make you some sort of pioneer or trailblazer.

Cheers, Nerys

Look forward to the report Colin👍
BTW: I like your alu motor tray idea, I think I'll nick it to fit the Taycol Target in my Gina 2 fishing cutter😁
😎

Thanks Doug, I couldn't remember which one was best. So fm it is then.
If all goes well I could hopefully be ready for a test run next weekend.
My local lake is 12ft above normal after the January flooding. So luckily there is a shallow bay in one corner with easy access. I should be able to get my garden trolley to it.
Cheers Colin.

Hi Colin,
Sorry to hear about the digits🤔 Glad they're working again
"which RC set will give the longest range 40 mhz am or fm"
FM without a doubt!!
Think of the old car radios with AM/FM band reception!!
FM (Frequency Modulation) transmits at a constant carrier signal level.
'Information' is added to the carrier by altering (modulating) the carrier frequency up and down slightly.
AM (Amplitude Modulation), by definition, alters the signal level in synch with the modulating signal, i.e. the useful information. Max modulation = Reduced received signal = Reduced range. It's also more susceptible to interference than FM.
Nice to see the Supermarine and converter box again👍😊
Hull looks very like the colour of my Sea Scout hull👍
Cheers, Doug 😎

Just a quick question, which RC set will give the longest range 40 mhz am or fm. As I have both available to use.
I don't want modern as the boat is vintage.
Cheers Colin.

Hi Colin,
I am glad that the new medication is working for you.
And nice that you are able to get on with a bit of model making.
Take it easy and please don't overdo it.

Martin555.

I look forward to seeing the progress Colin

Well it's been a long time since I started this, but lots of things got priority.
Recent events and my arthritis playing havoc with my hands, but after starting a new course of drugs the fingers are now working again although still painful.
Last year Doug rebuilt my taycol supermarine and now is the time to add it to the rebuild.
Have fitted a new propshaft and propeller, also a new rudder and water pick up.
Today I fitted the motor mounting tray and clamp, which allows the motor to slide forward onto the propshaft before a clamping bar is screwed down.
I also refitted the original forward cabin roof.
Next stage is to make a new centre cabin roof, also front and centre windscreen frames.
I will try to get photos as I go.
Cheers Colin.

Apart from old fuel staining and missing cabin roof she is pretty solid.

Should scrub up OK Colin, doesn't seem to be much damage to the hull and clean inside.