Thank you everyone, Yes, I am very lucky having Alice, I really couldn't manage without her.
This keel is a bit of an experiment as far as I am concerned. Having a shallow box section, the weight is spread over the whole length. Consequently the pendulum effect of a bulb and fin will be lacking. Whether this will matter in the overall performance of the boat I do not know. She is fairly beamy for her length, which of course, makes her stiffer, but I think it's going to be a question of 'we'll find out on the day' and I wish that day could come pretty soon!

Cheers, Nerys

Hi Nerys,
It is nice to know you have help when you really need it.

Martin555.

Nice job Nerys,
We all need a little help sometime, with me I have to get the wife to help with the small detail.
It's nice to work together.
Cheers Colin.

Thanks Rick, I don't know how I'd manage without her, and not only in model building.

Cheers, Nerys

Wonderful you get the help making it easier for you.
Rick

Actually, Martin, although I made the keel it was Alice who did the donkey work fitting it, I haven't the strength these days to handle anything that's a bit on the heavy side, so anything that needs a bit of brawn, I'm afraid I have to shout for the indomitable Alice.

All the best, Nerys

You have done a great job Nerys,
You may have to take up bodybuilding if that fin gets any heavier LOL.

Martin555.

My experimental fin keel has now been made and temporarily attached to the hull. The fin is filled with lead shot and weighs approximately 5lbs, which is the weight I estimated she would need.
I shall now carry on with the rigging etc, the mainsail is made, I imagine there is probably another week's work to completion.

Cheers, Nerys

Don't know if it is going to work yet Martin, it's only my thoughts on how to add ballast and do away with melting lead for the bulb. Think I've become chicken in my old age, because, as a school kid of about ten, I owned a set of moulds for lead soldiers (still have them), I used to melt scrap lead (3p a lb) in a saucepan on the cooker, pour out soldiers galore and sell them in school the next day.

The brass tube should come Wenesday, then I will be able to go to the next stage.

Nerys

Hi Nerys,
It is good to see you have made a start on this Bulb and Fin.
I will be following this as i have not seen one made before.

Martin555.

This is progress to date. Not a lot to show. One sheet of brass has been epoxied to the tapered sides. I didn't have the right size brass tube to go through the hull and am waiting on a delivery before carrying on. I've made the top plug which will have two bolts going through and up into the hull.As you can see there will be a reasonable amount of space to contain lead shot. If it isn't enough weight, I'll laminate a bulb from lead sheet and attach.

Cheers, Nerys

I am glad it is working out.
Can you possibly post some photos so that we can see the results.?

Martin555.

Ian and Martin, It's looking good at the moment, I've made up the the two side pieces, nicely tapered and have epoxied the brass sheet to one side. I'll fit the top end piece next after drilling the holes in the hull for the brass tube, I can then make sure the keel bolts line up properly. After that, it's the other brass sheet, fill with lead shot and fit the bottom piece. Actually, talk too soon, it's working out well.

Cheers, Nerys

Good luck with it Nerys.

Looking forward to hearing the results Nerys.

Martin555.

Thank you both, Ian and Martin, I have actually considered both your ideas. I have a roll of flashing and a quantity of lead shot and my present plan is to make a hollow fin of brass sheet 300mm x 100mm x 0.7 epoxied to wooden streamlined sides and filling it with shot mixed with resin. The top and bottom will be solid wood plugs, the top will have bolts built in for putting through brass tubes for attaching to hull. If this is not heavy enough, I will make up a layered bulb of flashing as suggested by Ian and attach that. I'll let you know if it works as I am almost ready for that stage in proceedings.

Thanks for your help, Nerys

Another way to go Nerys would be to laminate lead sheet as sold for flashing. I have done this in the past. You cut the sheet to the shapes you want and glue with epoxy. Leave to set under weights. This may be denser than lead shot. The resulting shape can be refined with a surform or rasp. It is even possible to plane lead using paraffin as a lubricant.

Of course, the problem with all this is getting the flashing. It is sold in rolls in DIY stores or builders merchants but not sure if those are open in Wales yet.

I have tried making lead shot with absolutely zero success! A friend described pouring molten lead, slowly, from a height into a bucket of cold water to make shot. It isn't as dangerous as it sounds but it doesn't work. You end up with many small misshapen lumps of lead. If anyone know better how to do this I, for one, would be interested.

All the best,

Ian

Hi Nerys,
Just a suggestion if you made a half mould and lined it with a bit of a plastic bag, then mixed up some slow setting glue mixed in plenty of lead shot, placed in the mould and tapped down then allowed to dry.

Repeat for the second half.
You could then glue or bolt the two half's together.
A bit of filling with some P38 car filler and sanded to the final shape.

Also you can make them whatever shape you wanted.

Martin555.