Published by the Open Canoe Sailing Group

If It's Too Cold To Sail, Make A Model (WalterG)

I have been asked to write about my reasons for making a radio-controlled model of my double outrigger canoe. As I explained in my article on Model Boats in GOSSIP issue no. 122, May 2001, scale models are a cheap, quick and practical way of developing sailing boats. The best way to try out the models, and modifications to them, is to use a radio control system. For sailing canoes with simple rigs a two-channel controller is sufficient, one for the sail and one for the rudder.

My reason for building a model of my double outrigger canoe was to allow me to do experiments on sail rigs. As most of you will have seen I have been experimenting with swing rigs. My first was a Balestron or Aero type fitted to my Old Town, see Gossip No 71 Dec 1996. (Good heavens eight years ago!) Having decided that the gymnastics of racing a mono hull canoe were getting too much I opted for a double outrigger. The 42 square feet sail required for racing, though more or less adequate in strong winds, left the boat under canvassed in light winds. Fitting a mizzen redressed this to a certain extent but the performance of this excellent boat emboldened me to think of a jib.

I dug out my Aero rig bits, and started messing about, sorry I meant, started preparing a scientific evaluation.

I needed more info so I rang Fleetwood Model Boat Club and was put in contact with Roger Stollery, the inventor of the Swing Rig. I met him at Birkenhead Model Yacht sailing club where he was racing his swing rig Marblehead class. Most of the boats were using this rig. He sent me a lot of information on the Swing Rig (on display at the winter meet) plus I was able to obtain from him a rig from a 3ft bottle boat, and this I have fitted to my 3ft model. 3ft is recommended as the smallest size to minimise the effects of scale.

I designed the boat using a computer programme that gives you the plywood patterns and will give you scaled down versions for models. The boat was built of balsa sheets on balsa and plywood bulkheads, the decks and hatches are 1.5mm ply and the main hull is sheathed with glass tissue. Comments were made at the winter meet about the deep keel and lead bulb. All model sailing craft including catamarans and trimarans have them. Why? Well it is in its simplest form square ft versus cubic ft. A half scale float will have ⅛ of the volume; a sail to fit a half scale mast and boom will have ¼ the sail area. There are more factors than this but it would take more than this article to explain, even if I could! The bulb also simulates the movement of the crew leaning out.

The model on its stand. What the exact purpose of the underpants on the gatepost is, I don't know.

On the water the boat performed much as a double outrigger would, fast on a reach or a run, sluggish going about, but the fact that I sent her out several times right across the bay and successfully brought her back was very encouraging. The radio control unit is a Futaba Attack 2 channel with a larger servo for the main sheets. This was adequate on previous 2ft models but not enough for this boat. A rotary winch would be more suitable. I now have a stable platform on which to mount different sail plans and in particular to learn more about the swing rig. For far less than the price of a new jib I can now quickly and cheaply try many things before applying them to my full size craft.

Wally's baby mixing it with the big boys.

Anyone Else For The USA? (EddieP)

The Atlantic Division of the ACA are hosting the National Championships in September at Harriman State Park, just 25 miles north of New York City, for both ACA Class National Champs, and 'C' Class. The sailing will be on Lake Tiorati, with a private campsite. Lodges will be available at Lake Sebago, a few miles away.

Racing takes place over 4 days, September 10th - 13th inclusive. The ACA, in the person of Bob Celifarco, the ACA Sailing Chair, have inviting us, and the invite includes (I've asked about this), transport from Kennedy Airport, accommodation with hosts, transport around the champs, and the loan of boats ('good racing canoes'), to thank the Brits for their hospitality at Lake Windermere in 1996. I asked about this event - far easier for the Americans to organise the logistics for, rather than the St. Lawrence/Ontario. As I am not personally available in July now, so if anyone is interested, would they get in touch with me NOW please?

When To Tack? (SteveR)

I wrote this article a couple of months ago as a response to the editor's article "When to Tack". Originally I decided not to submit it for publication, because I felt that it concerned itself rather too much with racing, and as such was of limited interest to most of the membership. However, after

Home | Table Of Contents | Contact