Water test with 12lbs and in turbulent conditions it only came away with some minimal water in the very bottom of the hull on each side of the Trunk.

A-bit of epoxy on that area along the exterior of the hull and some on the inside.

I want to make sure the hull is tightly sealed before gluing the deck in place.

Cabin is done.

Do like the double rudder arm!👍

Rudder and Servo testing 👍

Hull has fibreglass on exterior surfaces including rudder and skeg.

Decks have been fitted but will not be installed until after the installation of the RC components.

Lots of other parts to be made yet.

Would you consider sheathing the keel fin in lead sheet to avoid the problem of weeds in a keel bulb?

Jan 2 0920 hrs

Fin design fits
Hull is ready for interior work, decks are only shown as where they will be after trimming. 😁

Coming along very well.

Coming along

Got the information about keel bulbs. Hull is coming together quickly👍

Bottom panels are glued together and drying.

Hi Ronald, it's incredible, the system of joining the sides and then widening them with frames of various sizes made me remember that I used to do it with rods as a child.
I took marsh reeds, cut them and made a rudimentary skeleton. I didn't complete the planking logically but used plastic bags or domopack to waterproof.
They were all lost, they weren't RC.

It well worth the build and will stand up to some very rough weather as well as calm. I used a drum winch on mine . Sails were made from rip stop nylon

Down on the work bench the hull takes shape. I drilled the small holes as shown in the instructions, then using thin zip-ties the bow and stern are secured.

There is lots of natural tension so only limited clamping was needed to hold the frames in place while the glue dried. I use exterior wood glue, as CA bothers my breathing and eyes.

In the photos you can not only see the hull but also the clutter on the workbench which was all removed to give me more free space to work. This is a larger vessel than my previous projects.

Ronald, you are SO Canadian! No snow? GET BACK TO WORK!! Time is awasting!!

Hi Ronald, you work outdoors (you breathe clean air) with professional equipment, great, have fun then!

Here in Ontario we have No snow today, No rain, No breeze 😀. I moved the truck out of garage. turned around and lowered the tailgate to create a workbench. Changed the blade on the bandsaw and began cutting the parts for the sailboat Emma. Deck, bottom and hull sides.

Hi Ronald.

"The operator is still learning how to use, he had the speed to slow for the thickness of the wood which resulted in scorching the surface"

I too had a similar experience. I almost threw it all away but there was too much material and there had already been so much work.
I struggled to use charred (and therefore partially reduced) keel and frames at the ends.

I follow your progress.

These long fins and keels are great when you don't have to contend with weed. Either I need all weight in the hull, or a very carefully shaped fin with an integral rudder that does not catch weed.

Roy, Gary does not add any weight inside the hull, all weight is in the bulb at bottom of fin. My sailboats have both with weight in hull and outside the hull.

I'd like to see your builds. I will send in a PM Garys reasoning.

Hi Ronald I have a sailing fishing boat which is shaped like box with blunt ends and a very small keel.
All the weight is inside the hull and I was surprised how well she sailed. Holding her own in a good wind but making rather a lot of leeway. The faster you sail the more effective the keel area is.

You still have a good righting moment as the hull leans over and my next small, scale, sailing boat is going to get rid of reccomended inserted keel.
I am going to increase the underwater keel area a little and build in the keel weight on the lower edge.

regards
Roy

I cleaned up the leading edge of Fin.

Before it came to a sharper angle but After use the French curve, it is cleaner.

I got to my local library yesterday as they bought a Glowforce laser cutting machine. The operator is still learning how to use, he had the speed to slow for the thickness of the wood which resulted in scorching the surface but overall I was pleased with the results.

I am consulting with the designer of the Emma, Gary Webb, through this project of building and sailing the boat using a weedless fin and rudder.

I know by using a shorten fin and broader surface the sailing characteristics will change but a narrow fin with a bulb at the bottom is a sure weed catcher.

Another benefit will be launching and retrieval, a shorter fin allows for launching in shallow water.

Ronald

Looks like the top of the keel is awfully close to the boom.

update on my Emma style yacht

That retractable system is brilliant and very well thought out. Great paint job.

This guy engineered a retractable keel fin and rudder for his Irene schooner.


Details here:
https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?2550991-Bearospace-schooner-Irene/page106#post42165469

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?2550991-Bearospace-schooner-Irene/page113#post42575811

Interesting idea Ron !

JB

Beautiful ship and love the location. Videos are a credit to you and worth while for inspiration. Thanks.

Gary Webb's Bearospace designs are awesome and easy to build. I bought one his Irene schooners plans and built that. After a year of sailing that I modified it by adding topmasts and more sails.

Here's a playlist of videos of the boat in action.

On a power boat a dagger board can be the size of a large postage stamp but a sailing boat depends on the speed of the water flow over the keel for how much area is needed.
The least possible is best and try and keep to an aerofoil section for resistance and form drag in the water.
The green fishing boat in My Harbour has internal ballast and a relatively small area keel and it needs to be sailed with a view to the slow tacking through the wind.
Interesting to see what you are doing.
regards
Roy

My nephew teaches metal shop at the local high school close by, he will take one of the square bars and add the dagger, by welding on a 1/8” thick (12 gauge) steel.

I know the dagger is used when sailing a broad reach as it keeps the schooner from drifting. It is the same as the Wianno Senior, it too has a dagger which swivels down if the skipper desires. I found the model needed it as might the schooner. Will soon find out.

Ron

I understand what you mean. My 1meter Baby Bootlegger and it takes a bit of turning in narrow spaces. I think it was the powerboat Miss America that had a separate small dagger/rudder up forward. A huge benefit. I guess I was looking at the lines of the yacht as well.

Hello a dagger does give a pivot point for the action of the rudder. Consider how any alteration to running straight is. eg a car, the front wheels turn to the left and the car pivots around the rear wheels.

I have an air driven skimmer and turning the large rudder with a prop blowing air on to it makes the skimmer drift sideways as it tries to change direction. If I put a small dagger board underneath it would turn easier but that does tend to get rid of its advantages.

Unless you have a long keel boat when things are a little different. I would try a dagger board and see the effect when tacking, it is much easier.

When sailing a dinghy the dagger board is frequently lifted (right up when running downwind).
Hope this helps
regards
Roy

I am no expert but agree with your decision. Interested to see how it goes.

My newest schooner has yet to be in the water under sail. I added 1/2” square steel bars to the keel today. If it rides to low in the water now, I can remove one section at a time. The initial water test with one bar was fine, I am trying not to add a dagger board as seen in the drawing.

That is an interesting thread. I am sticking to the plan but at least I have a proven option.

Hopefully winter will sort out the weed. Thanks.

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?2990671-Bearospace-Sloop-EMMA/page5#post39042999

On the RCgroups Emma thread - Gary the designer - discusses different lengths of keel.

Yes, if I were to build Emma, it could not have a bulb either for just the same reason…weeds!

Thinking about that scale model it would be a great test bed for a full keel. Especially as we are battling weed growth after someone emptied fish pond grasses into our waterways. It grew extremely quickly and 6 months later we have been able to rake a path out to clearer water.

you could try and build one at 3/4 size this will make a yacht about 25" long apx

Going well and looking good. I tend to get impatient however am learning the values of patience and thinking before cutting.

I agree with the length. One meter length is a handy size however a lot could be put off with longer vessels.

I am well into the Emma build and hope to have the hull and deck finished in the next ten days. Hull has been coated in resin and painted both internally and externally and electronics fitted.
Photos will come.

I have not seen any new video posting by Gary from Sail Tails lately. His sailboats are built across the globe. Yours is coming along nicely. Do you think it could be done up in a 30” hull size or even 24” ? Many of his design are rather long.

as for my emma style yacht this is as far as have got too still lots more to go

Hi Jacko, I am finding it a great project. I am not a carpenter and have been known to go by the rule of thumb and crossed fingers.
In this case I am following instructions as closely as possible to give it the respect it deserves.

At the moment I am working on the rudder section and do not have a good drill press. Luckily I have a friend who has.

I am having to handmake the tiller arm as well as the servo arm as unable to source the servo arm locally. 1/8 aluminium plate and a lot of hand filing and shaping.

Looking forward to seeing yours take shape.

hi I to am looking at the emma yacht looks like a nice yacht to built ...

He certainly knows his trade and has done a great job in detailing his plans for simplicity. I will certainly be looking at another of his yachts when Emma is finished. (Subject to spare bedroom space for storage.)

Like others I believe most of the enjoyment is in the build. Sailing successfully afterwards is the cream.

People have asked about how Gary adds the “steering Bear” to his vessels? Here is the How To link:
Bear at the Helm


Enjoy

Ron

Gary was right, when he emailed me to say his designs are built and sailed all around the world 🌎

A month has passed and Emma is coming along well. I am using 3mm ply and purchased a full sheet from the hardware for less than AUD$40 which gives me enough for two boats.

Happy with that as it is a lot more economic than balsa or other timbers and as long as it is well sealed it will be fine. I think the glue costs are more than the actual hull. I have given the external a primer/builder (cleaner to work with.)

I have progressed so far to making the box for the electronics. Plenty of room there with oversized boxes but everything is fitting well. I like the fact that the box section is totally removable making it easy to get to receiver, batteries and the sail servo.

I am about to start work on the rudder and rudder stock etc., followed with finishing the mast step, deck fittings and a few internal strengthening fittings.

It will be interesting to see what the next month brings