Part 3

 Greetings from Alberts Workshop. Read on for an update of progress on 'Cats Paws'. 

With the keel fin nicely shaped and firmly glued to the keel it's time to design and build the keel weight. We've come this far without a proven design plan so why change now.? It's a one off......lets start and go on a journey....

A bulb keel, that's what I want. Think it will look the business. Made in the old skool way....by hand without the aid of AI or C.A.D. Out comes the 'rack of't eye', and a bit of old sandpaper for a finishing rub down. So, before your very eyes a wood off-cut firmly clamped in the lathe will be transformed into a casting pattern. (Hopefully).

Pour in some old fashioned lead and hey presto!!!! Done. (Not quite that quick, there's more too it than that.

So, as I said, wood firmly clamped in the lathe, face well away from the expected firing line (should it decide to break free and fire it's self across the workshop) after a bit of cutting the final shape started to appear. A shape looking more and more like a Flash Gordon 1950s rocket. I like it.....a lot!

Finally smoothed with the old sandpaper it was time to mix a batch of Plaster of Paris and cast some moulds. I wrapped the pattern in cling film to aid release rather than try a wax and polish.

3 moulds were cast to a half way depth. I needed the finished lead weights to be in halves so I can clamp 2 of them to some sort of plate attached to the keel fin. (the third was a spare....)

These were set aside for drying which has to be a thorough job or there may be a risk of explosion when the hot lead meets the damp mould. Wooweee!

Next job will be metal casting. You've got to agree the excitement is building as I venture deeper and deeper into the unknown. Stay tuned and join me next time when there's bound to be smoke...fire....molten metals...and hopefully no exploding plaster!

Alb over and out.

Part 2

After the hull had dried from the extensive deep water trials the next step was to lengthen and finalize the shape of the keel. This is where thanks to a lifetime of Crackleport family hoarding the ideal piece of wood could possibly be already in stock. Rather a large stock I may add.....all stored at my Dads old workshop. What rich treasures he left.....and mum still about to guard it! A piece of old wardrobe to the uneducated but to the knowledgeable a premium, reddish-brown hardwood. Mahogany is it's name. Highly valued for furniture, cabinetry and boatbuilding due to it's exceptional durability, stability, straight and fine grain.....Awesome, just what we need!!! Cos we're building a ship of sorts.

More gorilla glue and clamping followed. 12 hours later shaping could resumed with the flap disc fitted angle grinder. No plans....no set squares... just using rack-of-the-eye. Good job my racked eye can see through fine sawdust. Clouds of the stuff wafting down the street. What a shape lay in wait though, just a case of slowly, slowly, grindy, grindy. At the rear we have a whales tail shaped water deflector....and the main keel finished looking as curvy as the best female curves you've ever seem....so smooth too. (Explaining female curves for the under 35s- From a time back when doughnuts and Big Macs weren't invented and Apron Bellies flopped over jean tops wasn't a fashion statement.)

The whales tail easily swept into a brass rudder, with the mounting axle going through a brass tube which exited on deck. Workshop supplied brass too I may add. Been in stock maybe back to Grandads time. Soldered with an old skool copper iron and fluxed with Bakers Fluid No3. Just like he would have done.

Pictures of progress below...Keep looking in and checking out the build of 'A Yacht Called Cats Paws'. Built from Bit's and Bob's and no safety net.

Part 1

Welcome to my blog. I'm Albert Crackleport, and I'm hoping to document the building of a model yacht for the youngest 'Crackleport' in the family on the following pages. The mission is to spend only when necessary, use what's at hand and see if some time in the future the finished creation can take to the water and catch some wind.  At this stage there is no plan....it's all in the mind. I've a limited knowledge of working wood...and very few wood working tools. But, if it looks right then it should work..shouldn't it? How it all happens doesn't have to be conventional does it?

'Cats Paws'. I'm re-using a name that was once painted on the back of one of my dads boats. A dingy designed in the 50's. Enterprise class. He built it in one of the bedrooms of our family house and had to cut the window out and lower it into the garden when finished. (mid 60's)

Forward to today...I had quite a few 5" x 2" off cuts of wood about 20" long left over from a building project. I can see a hull in them with a bit of shaping. 2 were stuck together with gorilla glue, clamped tight and when dry the shape of the hull was drawn on the resulting block/. A nice racy curvaceous shape including top part of the keel. The hull would be solid just like the vintage 'Star Yachts' that were a common sight sailed by enthusiastic schoolboys at seaside boating pools in the 60's 

Using the combination of a wood rasp and an angle grinder fitted with a 60 grit flap disc seemed to be working.....clouds of dust were covering the garden and possibly neighbours gardens too but luckily I had no complaints. Phew....got away with that one.

A quick float test in a wheel barrow confirmed it was sat pretty straight in the water. Well, why wouldn't it Albert? It's only a block of wood!!!! Ready now for the next step.

Keep a lookout for more news on 'Cats Paws' and in the meantime I'll be keeping my eye out for more bits 'n' bobs to progress the build.