First Rate Sailing Yacht

First Rate Sailing Yacht

Many boys affirm that life would be robbed of its greatest joy if they had not a model yacht to sail on the nearest park lake. Without a doubt, model yacht sailing has its thrills and fascinations, and not the least interesting part of the pastime is the construction of one’s own little craft. If you want to make a yatch that looks trim and sails well then lets start making it. It is not a difficult matter.

First of all get some wood 1 1/2 inch thick, a trifle more or less hardly matters. You will want one piece 2 feet 6 inches long by 7 inches wide, and another 12 inches long by 6 inches wide. when you have procured them, draw in pencil the shape shown in Diagram A and B, and saw them out. In Diagram A, it will be noticed that an oval in the centre is cut out. This is done quite easily by using a key hole saw.

Having cut the two pieces of wood as directed, they are placed A on B, as shown in C, and temporarily glued in position. Now comes the hardest, though most interesting part of all. These rough planks have to be trimmed up until they assume the correct shape of a hull. There is no special way of doing this, but a sharp pocket- knife and a chisel will prove wonderfully helpful. Shave off little bits at a time and do not let the cutter run away with itself when the grain is favourable- for that will be the way to perforate some part of the hull. when the outside has been shaped, the inside must be similarly treated- and when both are done, a good deal of rubbing with glasspaper will be necessary. The dotted lines in diagram C will give a fair deal of the shape at which to aim.

When the body has been carved, it will be advisable to strengthen the glued joint. Of course, if you depend on the glue alone, it will come unstuck when placed in the water. Therefore, run into position few long, thin screws, and be very careful to arrange them so that they are entirely hidden. As every boy knows, it is the keel that balances the boat; so if you are hoping for a steady boat, you must have a good keel.

Length = 1/3rd of the boat
Depth = approx. 1/2 the length
Shape = Convex in front, concave behind, as shown in the Diagram D.

Make the keel of wood about 1/3 inch thick and fix it by inserting wedges through the curved base of the hull; or, if preferred, use three or four long, fine screws, driving them in from the inside. When the wooden kneel is fixed, it must be balanced and this is done by wrapping stout sheet lead around the part shown black in Diagram D. You can only tell how much lead to use by trial method; but these may be undertaken in a bath filled with water, though you will probably feel that a final adjustment may be necessary ater you have given the yatch one or two trial run on a real pond. the lead should be wrapped closely and evenly round the wooden keel and held by driving very short, fine, panel pins through it into the wood.

A rudder may be cut out of wood the same thickness as that for the keel. shape it as illustrated, then make two eyelits of stiff (not thick) wire, similar in shape to “screw eyes”, and force them into the front edge of the rudder, one near the top and one near the bottom. The rudder is then fixed in position by a nail passed through the eyelets and driven into the under face of the hull.

The last of the constructional work is to fit a deck, if one is considered desirable. Naturally, a boat floats better if there is an interal cavity, but there is not a wonderful difference, and many boys will elect to leave this part out of the scheme.

The rigging calls for one or two considerations only. the main mast should be about as high as the deck is long, and the bow sprit should project about a sixth of this same length. The boom ought to project a very little only.

Now we have an admirable yatch which should sail in a masterly way. why not use red silk for the sails, and let the hull be painted white with a streak of red.