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From model to a real boat


rdbass

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Hi Folk

would like to purchase a catboat model from woodenboat store. Anyone can tel me if it would be possible to realize a full size boat basing on the model itself. If yes how. Are there any books on this topic?

Bye to all of you :D

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I would think,that building a scale model from the plans of the real boat might be a one up from that. Alot of models are only seen on the outside so they dont always have the same parts a real boat would. If you build one from scratch via the plans of the actual boat,you will get a feel for things such as,dimensioning lumber,lofting,making fair curves and working with numbers from table of offsets,etc. After you build the model,it will be a relief to use full inches on the tape measure for the real one.I am not sure about license fees for building a model from plans as if that may be considered building 2 boats, where the fee in some plans only grant license to build one. I used lines drawings or free plans online or in books to build 2 models. Lots of fun.

Oops,I built 3. The first was a lapstrake pram with bent ash frames planked with teak. Made the copper nails out of wire. Kids wore that one out in the bathtub.Didn't have to steam bend the tiny wood,just soaked it in water for a day before I installed them.

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If you were thinking of scaling up to a full sized version from a model kit, I would advise against it. Generally they do not scale directly. Going from a 1/12 scale to full scale just doesn't work out. But as mentioned, lots of reduced scale versions are built from full scale plans.

Some of the model kits do have full scale plans available from sources other than the model kit manufacturer. In these cases, yes, it is good to build a model first as it acquaints you with the sequence of building and gives you a feeling for the actual boat.

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Many thousands of yachts, in every imaginably configuration have been built directly from models. These models (typically half models) were scale reductions of the proposed craft. A pond yacht isn't a scaled down version of a 60'er, it's a pond yacht and the ratios are very different. It would not be possible to build a super sized version of a RC boat for example, regardless of how well this little boat sailed.

You could build a scaled up version of a pond boat, but it would be "in the likeness off . . ." just as is done in reverse with them (an Americas Cup pond yacht for example). These "likenesses" have major hull shape revisions made so a miniature version will float upright with the wind in it's sails. A direct scale down of the same base yacht wouldn't without these modifications.

The same is true when you try an increase or decrease a current design, say make a 20 foot boat into a 30 footer or a 60 footer into a 20 footer. Some slight length changes can be made with little penalty, but much more then 10% difference and the boat needs to be re-drawn to the new size.

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Pipefitter said

I would think,that building a scale model from the plans of the real boat might be a one up from that.

Right on the mark!

Buy the plans of the boat you "think" :lol: you want, study them, buy all the correctly scaled Bass or Balsa wood & have some fun. Here's one book that may help.

http://www.instantboats.com/dmb.htm

And a thread from the B&B forum here:

http://www.messing-about.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4374&start=0

Good luck & post photos of your progress!

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I built a lobster boat and a garvey from lines drawings.Used WRC as it works alot like a hard balsa.If nothing else,it is a great lesson in patience and perseverance.I was hoping it would cure my boat building itch but it just made it worse.I was more confident on my real boat after doing a couple models.

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I designed a houseboat some years ago, that was a riverboat look-a-like. The owner had difficulty with conceptual drawings so I had a model built. It was 1 1/2" to the foot, so an 1/8" was an inch. This scale permitted much of the structure to be built to scale and the boat in 3D was large enough (about 6') to easily picture himself on the deck strolling about. The model is still on a stand in his wife's home (he has since passed)

A 1/16" to the inch is (3/4" to the foot) is a more common scale and keeps the model at a size that can be easily done by the average person. A 50 foot boat works out to be about a 3 foot long model. A 20 foot boat works to be 15" long at this scale and the right size to display on your mantle when you're done.

You can learn a lot for the model building process about the actual build. For some it's an excellent way to get intimate with the inner works of a design.

http://www.messing-about.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=674&papass=&sort=1&thecat=500

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Not to ge a dissenting voice here, but....

The challenge I see with take offs from models is that there are a lot of differences at that scale between what is there and actually needed at full scale in construction. And any plans that come with a model are not likely to scale up to full scale for construction purposes. Even with a "scale" model. The width of a pencil line becomes pretty big when it is scaled up to full sized.

Not that the take offs for hull shape are not or cannot be accurate, they can be wonderful to work wtih in scaling up. But interior fittings and actual construction are another matter entirely. Takes some real experience in scaling up a lapstrait hull. Patterns for a model just don't scale up accurately to full sized. Down from full sized is closer to working right.

We did a lot of half hulls and full hulls at true reduced scale for tank studies. But we always had to do a full sized plan for the actual build. It is nearly impossible to work from a model at that small scale and have accurate parts layout. On a one off build where everything is cut to fit, it is a somewhat different story.

Models do provide an excellent means of visualization and help a lot in learing what is needed to put together a particular boat. And yes they make wonderful mantle displays. And exceptionl incentive! :wink:

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Models don't scale well in either direction. An unnoticed surface flaw on a model will result in a huge deformation on a scaled up yacht and the subtleness of contour in a large yacht will become lost in sanded dust on a model. All conceptions in this fashion need to be verified on the loft floor, if not on a bit of software before hand.

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