1/10 Spirit of australia.

[Richie the shipwright]

Hi everyone. Just thought id share a bit of "christmas spirit" with you all. Here are a few pics of one of my current projects, Ken Warbys Spirit of australia at 1/10 scale (860mm). As much as id love to put a jet in it, I will be using brushless power and prop drive. Been doing a build thread on another forum, but id like to share the process with as many people as i can. Im new to brushless/lipo power systems as ive been away from the hobby for a decade, but prior to that i only ever built and ran electric boats ( good old days! 540motors& nicads Woo-hoo!). My work as a shipwright has also taught me a trick or two. This boat is scratch built from a combination of balsa / ply / foam / glass / carbon / kevlar. I am building from a line drawing supplied on forum by marker ( thanks heaps mark!!) Been a fun build so far, the transition at rear from square deckline to round transom was a challenge to get right. The hatch will be foam/ glass. When it comes to powering this one up i will be seeking some expert advice. (Is there a doctor in the house???) Hope you like the pictures, ill post some progress photos later. Hope you all have a really nice christmas!

[nata2run]

This looks really cool, subscribed!! In SA to by the way...

[785boats]

Hi Richie. And Merry Christmas to ya.
Very nice work.
I've always loved this boat & being an Aussie, I've always wanted to build one. But I could never track down any decent drawings.
Any chance of a link to the drawings or a contact for 'Marker'?
I've got to finish off Donald Campbell's Bluebird first. But you've inspired me on this one again.

[egneg]

Hi Richie, good to see you here. I am the one that hooked you up with Doc. Hopefully he will be along shortly.

[srislash]

Cool idea Richie,I of course had to go on a little web-surf research mission after seeing this.Made for an entertaining morning.
Sure you don't want to go turbine(JET-CAT)? Hehe

[nata2run]

Wonder if a powerfull EDF could work?.

[Richie the shipwright]

Thanks people, Ive always admired Warbys achievment. He built this in his backyard and stuck it right up the speed record.. BIG BALLS!!! If your interested in what hes up to now, check out warbymotorsport.com. lots of pics of the spirit, warbys second boat "aussie spirit" (my next scratchbuild) and a NEW BOAT.... Spirit of australia 2! Ken and his son are building it now here in australia. Blowering dam has water in it too apparently. kens son will be driving the new boat, trying to keep the record in the family. There are a few other challengers building boats now too, this record assult is going to heat up a bit real soon. Dunno where marker got the plan, but he saved me a lot of time drawing thats for sure. heres the lines i worked from, bear in mind this is not a build plan tho! i drew out my station frames from the plan, but then removed 3mm from all edges to allow for hull thickness. me know if you need any help. 1/8 scale would be cool.
the biggest challenge i can see with this project is getting Kens beard right. How the hell am i going to scale that down!!?? Dont get me started on the jet path man!! $$$$$$$$$..... Fanta pants gillard and her smarmy little sidekick swanny stuffed that idea for a while!!! I Did see a k-7 a few years ago with a jet in it tho..... That was cool! later speedfreaks...

[srislash]

:roflol: Gotchya...

[785boats]

Thanks for the line drawings. They look easy enough to work from. I've built models from less than that. And yes, it would have to be 1/8 scale.
All the best.
Paul.

[drwayne]

Hi Richie, glad you've made an introduction , welcome aboard !.

To others : I enjoyed an impromptu roadside meeting with Richie earlier this year.. he presented some his scale hydro builds. exquisite !

Ken Warby : my childhood idol !
Hazzah ! He and I share birthdays ( although he has 30? more candles )

I saw an 1/8 'Spirit of Australia' in ~2000 ..powered by OS91DF .. an impressive build, woefully underpowered... like a swamp boat :sad:
Your 1/10 would need 450lb thrust to be true scale ! :lol:

See you around !
DocW

[Richie the shipwright]

D,oh!!!! Everyone will want one now....... cheer doc. Heres a few more pics. (one with my loyal assistant) Shaping/ glassing hatch cover. Normally id make a mould, this is what i call the sacraficial foam method. Shaped foam (and a bit of car bog!) using cardboard templates then glassed the air intake area. Once that was dry it was taped on top of wet glass and the balsa hatchtop. When that cures ill finish shapng the foam, then glass over the lot and hollow it out carefully from the bottom. Now comes the fun bit.....STOP!! (girlfriend cheers!!) Im goin fishin! Hope you all have a relaxing xmas break...... or break from xmas... More soon... (big fish photos i hope)

[drwayne]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=fvwp&v=ezl8Yb8idyY&NR=1

[Richie the shipwright]

I suppose youre gonna tell me youre the guy in the skiboat? *!***!***!***!**..... how would ya feel....??? Got that footage, thanks for posting it.

[drwayne]

I suppose youre gonna tell me youre the guy in the skiboat? *!***!***!***!**..... how would ya feel....??? Got that footage, thanks for posting it.

chuckle, nope. that's not me ! ..
Shared the video for those wondering what you're building !

aint you supposed to be in VH fishing ?

[Richie the shipwright]

Nah leave tomorra..... besides im having too much fun here!! :-) Got busy in shed again...... more pics. one has my 1/16ish u-99 in the background waiting patiently for her front control flaps.(on a 3rd channel.) heeeeeere fishyfishyfishyfishy.....

[785boats]

Looking good Richie. I've also used the 'sacrificial foam' technique for cowls. Much easier than making a mold

I still think the most fascinating part of the Warby story is that after a few attempts, he couldn't break the 300mph. The calculations on the rudder showed that it was creating over 1 ton of drag on the boat at that speed. So between runs he cut 60cm off the bottom of it with a gas axe. That was a $10,000 rudder. Then he went out & did the record breaking run.

Have a safe New Year.
Paul.

[Richie the shipwright]

Yeah i love it, got a cool photo taken of rudder just after he cut it...didnt even file it up after cutting!! so australian... Oh well once again, all the fish went on holidays %#@&@##*& (gotta love fishing)..... which left me a bit of time to start thinking about drive system. This is the only part of this build that wont be "to scale" (except for kens beard) A few ideas.... First idea.. A stinger mounted on the back of the rear shoe/ski and an offset rudder. Second idea... a central rudder and twin driveshafts/props. third idea... conventional center strut with twin offset rudders.... fourth idea.. Central srut and rudder (strudder style). Thoughts please people...???? A bit stumped.... Ive never had to find a substitute drive system for a 350mph boat before......

[drwayne]

350mph ? hahahaha

Realistic performance expectations ?

[785boats]

Richie.
I'd be tempted to set it up like the JAE 21 rigger from Zip Kits.
A strut level with the bottom of the ski.And a flex drive. Rudder offset to the side.
Here's the build manual for the rigger. Scroll down until you hit the strut & rudder installations Pages 18, 19, 21, & 30.
If I ever get around to finishing the 1/8 K7 Bluebird, that's the way I'll be doing it.
The rest of the manual is a good read too.

http://www.zippkits.com/21FE.pdf

[Richie the shipwright]

Knew that'd get a bigger bite than i got on the weekend.... Question... how do you scale down speed? Is it just say 1/10 as fast as the real boat? doc...realistc goals?? What are they again?? wanna go as fast as she'll go without killing ken. (or messing up his beard! ) who knows???? work in progress....was going to start with the 2650 kv 3674 i got from joe.... dunno mabee on 4s? that should be at least a little bit mental?? (until i can afford the setup you suggested in pm.!) paul, its funny... the setup on the jae was what made me think of a stinger. Good suggestion. I figured the rear shoe will dictate where it will ride, so depth adjustments are a bit irellevent. and that the only adjustment i may need is prop angle. that why i was thinking stinger. Think its too stupid to try?

[drwayne]

Speedmaster ( or clone) 3/16 strut would do you well, offset rudder
3674/2650 on 4S ? .. wow, there's your turbine noise right there .. !!!!!

Ken was a lucky bastard the UIM didnt ping him for no safety capsule ! haha
Mandatory everywhere now .

[Richie the shipwright]

Think thats the reason they never ran the second boat in anger too... something about being unable to test the cell that they had installed, without drstroying the boat. looking forward to seeing soa2 having a crack when shes ready. ROADTRIP ANYONE??? Thanks guys, more building soon. Have a great new year everyone. :-)

[drwayne]

Think thats the reason they never ran the second boat in anger too... something about being unable to test the cell that they had installed, without drstroying the boat. looking forward to seeing soa2 having a crack when shes ready. ROADTRIP ANYONE??? Thanks guys, more building soon. Have a great new year everyone. :-)

+1
I dont want to watch this one on TV !

Plus, there's plenty of rc ponds between here and there...

[egneg]

Your 1/10 scale would have to do a bit over 100mph (161 kph) to match the 317 mph (500 kph) of the real boat.

http://scriptasylum.com/rc_speed/scalespeed.html

[drwayne]

This is the calc buried in that code ..

[square root of scale model speed/(1/scale size)] x10 = fullscale speed

Richie's 1/10 model at 100mph ? sqrt[100/(1/10)] x10 = 316mph ... nice

also allows this calc to gain speed of model to be true to scale.
scale speed = [square of true 1:1 speed]x[1/scale size]/100

ergo, my 1/6 scale drag hydro, where 100% runs at 250mph .
scale speed=[250x250]x[1/6]/100 = 104mph

good find Chuck !!!

no idea if accurate, but works a treat for those examples !
cheers :beerchug:
W

[Richie the shipwright]

Man i got a headache, but i think i get it....... Didnt think it was as simple as divide by 10. Oh well guys...looks like the challenge just got a lot harder! kens beard will need brushing between runs for sure. Is that sort of speed possible with a boat this size? Seems a little bit too ambitious.... Great info for everyone chuck, thanks.

[egneg]

I doubt it, but 60 mph is doable when you get it tuned. You will be surprised how fast it looks at that scale.

[Richie the shipwright]

No glassing today... 48° c in my corregated iron inferno.... hotter tomorrow...

[drwayne]

That's rather un-Australian of you,mate !
Come on... epoxy brush in one hand, beer in the other.. where's ya spirit ? !
ha ha hic


No glassing today... 48° c in my corregated iron inferno.... hotter tomorrow...

[Richie the shipwright]

Sorry doc.... Call me a softcoc# if you like... finding it hard to stay out of my 50000 litre test tank at the moment... let me see.... Sweating it out in 52°c in my shed... or floating around the pool studying hydrodynamics with a couple of ladies.....hmmmmmm..... These hratwaves are hard to take.... 50° in shed at 11.30 am!!! By the way i only use vinylester resin. Due to overexposure with epoxy in my early career building offshore ocean racing yachts. i have no choice but to stay away from epoxy...... makes my skin fall off!!! Vinylester is a modified epoxy resin six times stronger than polyester for the same weight. (epoxy is 8x stronger) It uses the same hardener as polyester, is fuelproof, and doesnt soften with heat. . a great material. You should NEVER LAMINATE ABOVE 30°C. Doing so will cause excessive exothermic heat and make the resin crystalise and become brittle. NOT GOOD!! Oh well, Nothing for it friends ...... back to the test tank i guess... :-P

[drwayne]

I made space in my beer fridge for a party of one...worked well till the beer supply ran out. B)

49.3'c in shed( fkn hot)... 43.2c in shade on rear porch/verandah( bloody hot ) .. 28.4c inside house ( feels wonderful, compared to outside )

and the weatherman says this is the start of a heat wave !

woohoo.... !! :flame42:

[srislash]

I made space in my beer fridge for a party of one...worked well till the beer supply ran out. B)

49.3'c in shed( fkn hot)... 43.2c in shade on rear porch/verandah( bloody hot ) .. 28.4c inside house ( feels wonderful, compared to outside )

and the weatherman says this is the start of a heat wave !

woohoo.... !! :flame42:I used to have an urge to visit "down under". But I don't even enjoy the Okanagan here at 32+ Celsius.

[drwayne]

I used to have an urge to visit "down under". But I don't even enjoy the Okanagan here at 32+ Celsius.

Ha ha you pussy !

Our spring is a great time to visit.
Arrive here Sept-Oct and the weather's nice.
Though our winters are not as cold as some, Im not a fan of cold toes.
We live in the driest state on the driest continent on earth. Fact. <10.5" avg rainfall per annum.
http://www.sa.gov.au/subject/Water,+energy+and+environment/Water/Water+resources+in+SA/Rainfall
Our summers are legendary ( as is our beer drinking for rehydration )

[siberianhusky]

LOL moved from Texas to Canada almost 2 hours north of Toronto, during the summer, thought I was going to die from the heat!
Give my 36-40 any day with no humidity, 32 with 100% humidity in Ontario is sick, you're dripping wet and don't dry off, feels like you're trying to inhale a thick viscous soup of air and water. 6 months later it's -30 and so dry you need to keep your guitars in a humidor! You go outside and your nose freezes shut and eyelashes freeze together!
Cool boat by the way, can't wait to see some video, have to live rc through the southern folk for a few months more.

[Richie the shipwright]

Dude, dont listen to doc....Bikini season is the best time to visit..... Youll soon forget all about the heat... ;-)

[srislash]

Dude, dont listen to doc....Bikini season is the best time to visit..... Youll soon forget all about the heat... ;-) Ahh,bikini's. Boy I gotta get a girlfriend. Or just come down single,LOL.

[drwayne]

Dude, dont listen to doc....Bikini season is the best time to visit..... Youll soon forget all about the heat... ;-)


Ahh,bikini's. Boy I gotta get a girlfriend. Or just come down single,LOL.

Stick the bikini's in ya ear, mate !

Go South .. at Maslin's they wear nuthn but skin .. tanlines only from sunglasses !!
Hafta watch for sharks tho' .. patrolling the beach and frolicking in the surf !

Application of sunscreen is quite an adventure down there !

[Richie the shipwright]

Lotsa sharks ON the beach down there too.... :-) Filthy pervert.... I love your work doc..... Gunna have to start callin you jaws??!! If you do bring your own girlfriend mate youll be getting slapped in the head too much to enjoy your "winter holidays". Might wanna bring a wingman instead!! (and some beer for jaws... oops i meant doc). :-)

[srislash]

Do they allow one to "import" Canadian beer? We have a good selection.And strong compared to some.

[drwayne]

Lotsa sharks ON the beach down there too.... :-) Filthy pervert.... I love your work doc..... Gunna have to start callin you jaws??!! If you do bring your own girlfriend mate youll be getting slapped in the head too much to enjoy your "winter holidays". Might wanna bring a wingman instead!! (and some beer for jaws... oops i meant doc). :-)


hahahaha

If Srislash makes it to Oz, we'll fill him to overflowing with local Cooper's Ale (http://www.coopers.com.au/), spray his drunken carcass with sunscreen, then leave his intoxicated ass on the beach at Maslin's (http://www.surf-forecast.com/breaks/Maslin-Beach) for the birds to squawk (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=CCvk9IIta50) at. [ substitute video, no nudity]

Same applies to any US rc boater buddy keen on some 'Southern exposure' !

[drwayne]

not offensive, not po.rn .. a seaside shot of summer surfing.

enjoy !

http://photos.peacefmonline.com/photos/news/201205/683709983_224596.jpg

[Punisher 67]

Welcome to OSE Richie and congrats on the boat build

Ken Warby has been my all time hero for quite some time or better put from the first time I ever heard his story - Against all odds the man builds a wooden / fiberglass boat in his garage and powers it with a gas turbine bought for $65.00 at a military surplus and goes on breaking and holding the world record for the next 36 years .

Below is the full Warby story well worth the read .



Ken Warby was born in Newcastle, Australia on May 9th, 1939 to Neville and Eveline Warby. He is the middle of three boys and has an older sister. He attended his hometown Manual Arts School as a teenager, then went to Newcastle Prep for training as an tech apprentice.

While still a kid he heard about Donald Campbell setting a series of 200 MPH plus World Water Speed Records and was so impressed he announced to his mother he would someday do the same. He found drawings of Campbell's boats, the Bluebird, and made a model, which he powered with the small jet cylinders that were available to kids in those days. “I frightened a lot of frogs down at the park,” he says.

Warby built his first boat at age 14. It was powered by a 1934 Ford four-cylinder engine. “It was poorly made... wrong wood, wrong glue, and the wrong engine.” The boat’s top speed was 20 MPH. In 1957 at the age of 17 he acquired a second hand boat with a side-valve Ford motor and continued to mess with it until he was drafted into the Australian National Service. There he was assigned to the Royal Australian Engineers. Upon release went into training in the steel industry as a mechanical engineer.

Rekindling his interest in boats, Warby and a friend acquired a Rebel Skiff, which they raced for four or five years. These were mainly club races, which provided a good boating and racing education, but he needed a better boat. In his early 20’s he acquired a black hydroplane Raider. Equipped with a 272 Ford V8 it was capable of 80 MPH. He won a number of races with this boat, but drove it into the ground. He also raced for other boat owners, sinking a couple of them in the process, and spent his extra time as a boat race referee.

In 1965, with his friend Mike Crawley, Warby purchased a boat named the Monte Cristo. This fine handling rig with its powerful Ford V-8 engine became the terror of the club racing circuit. It ended up winning just about every important race in Australia. Finally he won the APBA 266 Cubic Inch Australian Championship. Warby kept the boat for three years, which was so unbeatable that he claims, “If the engine fired, I won the race.” Warby continued to work in the steel industry, got married and had three children.

In 1968 Lee Taylor Jr. broke Campbell’s world record setting a mark of 285 MPH. Shortly after that Warby he drew up the first sketches for what eventually became his world champion jet hydroplane, the “Spirit of Australia.” For power he went to a military surplus sale and bought two jet engines, Westinghouse J-34s, which had once powered Lockeed Neptune antisubmarine airplanes. He paid 100 dollars for each of them. His bid may not have been the highest rendered but the surplus dealers were impressed he wanted them for a boat, so they worked a deal

In 1970 Warby moved to Sydney to take a job as a sales manager for a company dealing power tools and industrial gear. That year he began putting down the Spirit’s keel. He had so little money for the project that when he traveled for his company he would sleep in his car and pocket the hotel money so he could buy materials. Altogether Warby invested only $10,000 in the boat.

When it came time to address the engine, he realized he knew very little about them. So he called Australia’s Richmond Air Force Base to ask if anyone could show him around a jet. Two volunteers came forward, Peter Cox and Rex Crandel. With their help his boat became jet powered. He also sought the help of professor Tom Fink of New South Wales University who had some involvement with Campbell’s Bluebird craft. Fink helped Warby wind tunnel test a model of the Spirit. When it tested even better than the Bluebird, he asked Who designed this." I did Warby replied. At first Fink thought his leg was being pulled, as he was dumbfounded that a “novice” could have come up with such a design achievement.

The Bluebird's design flaws caused the craft to lift off the water when reaching speeds over 250 MPH. Once airborne it is all over but the funeral, which is how Campbell lost his life in 1967. Fink’s design advice resulted in a new metal cowl over the engine and the placement of a tail from a Cessnea 172 airplane. Warby's good basic design combined with these improvements produced a boat capable of staying on the water at speeds over 300 MPH.

By 1974 the Spirit of Australia was completed and a number of high-speed runs were made. Very quickly Warby broke the Australian Water Speed record with a run of 162 MPH, soon followed by another at 166 MPH. But there were mishaps. After striking something in the water and sinking, the first of the $100 engines was ruined. Having no sponsor Warby was still financing this project on his own, so this was a considerable loss. Fortunately he still had the other $100 engine. Shell Oil eventually helped him a little by providing free fuel but no one else wanted to become involved.

[Punisher 67]

Continued

In October of 1977, at Australia’s Blowering Dam the second engine carried the boat to a new national record of 245 MPH. At that point Warby decided he needed a windshield installed.

More misfortune... a misplaced screwdriver ruined the second $100 engine just days before Warby was to make new record-breaking run at Blowering Dam. Back home, sitting in the mud in the back yard, he had a spare engine he’d purchased for 65 dollars. After transporting this engine to Blowering, the team worked night and day cleaning, installing and getting it operational. The next day Warby raised his national record to 265 MPH. Fink noticed a certain amount of drag on the rudder so two-and-one-half inches were removed. This resulted in the Spirit of Australia setting the world record of 288.60 MPH, November 20th, 1977. Warby has always found it remarkable that he set the record with a sixty-five dollar engine.

Now gaining some attention, a sponsor came forth. Soon Fosseys, the name of an Australian linen store, was painted on each side of the boat. In truth, the 7,000 dollars they contributed did little more than pay for feeding the Warby team.

Warby’s world record resulted in him being named Australian Sportsman of the Year. Noting this fame, Royal Australian Group Captain Bob Bartram contacted Warby, asking him to come to visit his base where the Air Force refurbished jet engines. While visiting he met Lt. Wing Commander David Appleby who today as retired Major Appleby is in charge of Warby’s boat crew. One thing led to anther and soon Appleby and his apprentices was looking at the $65 engine in the Spirit. The examination found it was 30% rusted an corroded, so it was not operating at full power. The official story is that Bartram’s operation rebuilt that motor, but it is more likely that they swapped it for a newly rebuilt unit then, so government auditors would not raise an eyebrow, switched the I.D. plate. Warby says, I’ll never tell. Whatever, the Spirit of Australia was now at full power. October 8th, 1978, at Blowering Dam, Warby and his craft raised the World Record to 317.596. The record has remained there ever since.

Now the endorsements came. Bill McRae, Chairman of Speedo, an international bathing suit company, invited Warby to a board meeting where he handed him a 50,000. dollar check. Shortly thereafter Australian leader, Malcolm Fraser, made arrangements for Warby and his boat to tour America. Before departing he took the boat through a run of over 400 MPH, but because it was a one-way trip, it did not count as a new record. To achieve any such record a run must be made each direction, producing an averaged speed.

In 1980, while Warby was in the U.S., American, Lee Taylor, attempted to break the record in a rocket-powered boat on Lake Tahoe. He died when at nearly 300 MPH the craft went airborne, broke in half and disintegrated. In 1991 Craig Afrons, a good friend of Warby’s but who had little experience on water, met the same fate at Sebring, Florida. He also went airborne. That's the big problem, says Warby, These are boats, not airplanes... they do not fly very well.

In 1983 the Australian National Maritime Museum purchased the Spirit of Australia where it hangs on display today. No longer having a boat, Warby began to pursue other interests. For a while he raced jet dragsters, quickly becoming the terror of Australian drag strips. After that he messed with jet-powered trucks, but because there were banned in America this did not become a successful venture. In 1990 he disposed of the dragsters and the trucks and moved to the United States. Today he still lives in Cleves, Ohio, where he owns a redi-mix concrete business.

Around 1997 Warby began making plans to build a new boat. Working in his spacious garage in Cleves, he eventually produced the Aussie Spirit. It too was fitted with a Westinghouse J-34 engine for which Warby admits he paid far more than $100. In 2003 he took the boat to Taree, Australia, where he put it through a number of runs. Water conditions were unsuitable for full speed operation but were fine for proving runs that revealed the boat had rudder problems. You do not want to drive at 300 MPH when you can’t steer, he says.

While in Australia Warby was honored with the presentation of a permanent plaque at Blowering Dam commemorating his world record. Back in Cleves he reworked the rudder in time to take the boat to the Crescent City Kilo in Florida. The lake there was too small for him to attempt a world record, but considered it worthwhile to have America see the boat run for the first time.

Ken Warby is now 67 years old but finds himself guided by the same spirit that drove him as a kid when shooting those model boats across that frog filled lake. He admits the sport of pursuing the world’s water speed record is dangerous, in fact with its current 80% death rate it is the most dangerous sport in the world. And yes, it is expensive, and requires considerable wisdom and technical expertise. But for those who might consider achievement at this level, Warby says, You have to ask yourself, ‘How bad do you want it? When you find yourself sitting at one end of a measured course with an 8,000 horsepower jet engine just a foot or so behind your head, and realize you have about a 50-50 chance of reaching the other end alive, you have to ask yourself ‘How bad do you want it?’”

Having held the World Water Speed Record for almost 36 years, one has to surmise there have not been many boating enthusiasts in the world that have wanted it as badly as Ken Warby did, and apparently still does.

[srislash]

not offensive, not po.rn .. a seaside shot of summer surfing.

enjoy !

http://photos.peacefmonline.com/photos/news/201205/683709983_224596.jpg
Thanks for setting my goals for the day Doc.

[Richie the shipwright]

Peter, thankyou so much. Awsome read. im really enjoying hearing everyones personal views and opinions on this remarkable story, almost as much as im enjoying the build. Stupidly hot weather is slowing the build atm but im itching to get her done. 1 am here now and 23°C... im off to the shed (cool as its going to get for a whole week!), 36°c tommorrow.... #%&*#@!!!! is it beer oclock yet?

[Richie the shipwright]

Managed to get a bit more done. finished adding carbon in tub, added the foredeck and glassed the outside of hull. So the glass would go on nicely i had to radius the deckline. I will now lay a few rovings of unidirectional glass along the deckline and sand it sharp again. (no filler). Now pretty stiff!! The weight is now 1.15kg including hatch and wing assembly, will lose a little bit of this when i i hollow the hatch out. Was aiming for about a kilo but not really too worried, id rather she be STRONG!! with a leopard 3674 and sf200 speedy sitting inside she is about 1.75 kg. Also made a ken stand-in (with texta colour beard) just for these photos.... :-)

[Outkast]

Looking good Richie, If it runs well make some moulds, I'll have one up in Qld!!

[Richie the shipwright]

Thank you sir. Unfortunately i probably wont be moulding this one. A few too many freaky curves and undercuts to worry about. The top cover would be really hard to do. (plus shes going to be pretty unique) You never know tho... Stay tuned!! :-)

[drwayne]

Looking good Richie, If it runs well make some moulds, I'll have one up in Qld!!
She'll be right, mate !

Thank you sir. Unfortunately i probably wont be moulding this one. A few too many freaky curves and undercuts to worry about. The top cover would be really hard to do. (plus shes going to be pretty unique) You never know tho... Stay tuned!! :-)
I know a bloke with a laser profiler ( 3D digitizer ) who is able to create a 3D image, and then print 2+ pieces in plastic for the plugs !
He works a/h for my friends Jack and Johny...
:thumbup:

[Richie the shipwright]

Troublemaker!! Like i need another freakin project..... hmmmm....Mabee 1/8 scale.....Think you mite have had a big swig of that rocketfuel gbeer i gave you?? DRINK IT SLOWLY DUDE!!

[drwayne]

The brilliant thing about 3D digitizing/modelling, is you can scale up or down before a plastic replica is printed........
Voila, 1/8 it could be.

That bottle scares me.. Im going to open it with a few friends in case I get drunk/legless and fall off my chair !!!

[Richie the shipwright]

Chicken!! You could always try some in someones gasser. Make it go fast and smell nice. :-)

[drwayne]

Chicken!! You could always try some in someones gasser. Make it go fast and smell nice. :-)


hahahahahohohoho yo crack me up

[Richie the shipwright]

I get the laser digitizer thingo....and the 3D image bit.... but how do you "print" a plasic plug?? Ive seen multi axis cnc machined plugs done before, is that what you mean? Got me all intrigued now.... To quote that other fanta pants politician we once had....." Pleeeease explaaaain"?

[drwayne]

google it.
3D printing

[Richie the shipwright]

Wow man that is some really cool technology mate!! saw something similar on a tv show once, think it was Star Trek! :-) Ok... that'd do the plugs alright, but.... Actually moulding them is a different story. To make any mould there are a few rules. 1. You must be able to acess all areas of the mould (to actually lay the gelcoat/glass) with this hull shape, NOT EASY!! 2. You must be able to GET THE PART OUT!.... this would envolve a multi piece/split mould that you can take apart to remove the finished product. Split moulds are a pain to make, (lots of flanges). This one wouldnt be just a simple set of hull, deck, hatch moulds i can assure you. joining the mouldings togeather would need to be done while still IN the mould. Yeah i could do it... but itd be tricky as hell. Any more "magic" machines out there i should know about amigo? mabee one that can actually make a finished fiberglass hull by voice command??...... ahh computer.... 1/8 scale carbon fiber hydroplane please..... Dr Spock could do it... :-)

[drwayne]

A lego build !


Wow man that is some really cool technology mate!! saw something similar on a tv show once, think it was Star Trek! :-) Ok... that'd do the plugs alright, but.... Actually moulding them is a different story. To make any mould there are a few rules. 1. You must be able to acess all areas of the mould (to actually lay the gelcoat/glass) with this hull shape, NOT EASY!! 2. You must be able to GET THE PART OUT!.... this would envolve a multi piece/split mould that you can take apart to remove the finished product. Split moulds are a pain to make, (lots of flanges). This one wouldnt be just a simple set of hull, deck, hatch moulds i can assure you. joining the mouldings togeather would need to be done while still IN the mould. Yeah i could do it... but itd be tricky as hell. Any more "magic" machines out there i should know about amigo? mabee one that can actually make a finished fiberglass hull by voice command??...... ahh computer.... 1/8 scale carbon fiber hydroplane please..... Dr Spock could do it... :-)

[Richie the shipwright]

Bouyancy test no1..... crikey!!! it floats!! Ummm...Thats gotta be a good thing?

[drwayne]

Is it a bird ?
Is it a plane ?
If it sinks, it's a Brit .
I guess as it floats. it's the WWSR holder !!
or Richie's model of .....

http://users.tpg.com.au/pcapps//kenw.JPG

Ken Warby. 1974. Open face helmet, open cockpit, Legendary 317Mph :scared:

[drwayne]

I survived your home brew ginger beer. :smile:

[Richie the shipwright]

Im glad.. Hope you liked it. That batch has been matured for three years!! I even necked one myself the other night. WOO-HOO!!

Sorry for being a bit slow with the thread guys, been busy as with work. Have done a bit more on the spirit, flange for inner hatch is now done, and a bit more work on the main hatch. just need to make a windscreen, then ill start making a 1/10 ken! Im also considering a flood chamber in the rear of the boat, to get the bow up during launch. The bouyancy testing i did showed the back end is really bouyant. Everything will be further back in the hull than i expected. going to go with a jae rigger style drive setup, offset in driveline will only be abot half an inch, Better than no offset. More photos soon i promise! :-)

[drwayne]

Sure it floats now, but once you install motor, batteries, esc, Ken etc etc ad nauseum it will not be so buoyant.
The flood chamber will remove much needed bouyancy, mate.
Trial without the flood chamber.
There are simpler ways to launch a wet nosed boat than filling it's bum with water.

When I return this pickaxe we can swap notes !
regs
thirsty Doc W :smile:

[Richie the shipwright]

Sorry to poke a stick in your spokes doc... but in the photo i posted.... everything IS IN THE BOAT!! weight- 2.05 kgs. She is going to need a wet botty..... with cg set at 1 1/2- 2" behind sponson the bow is lower than i want.

[drwayne]

keep yer stick outa my spokes, ya daft wallaby ....... :banana:

Ive had a few hydros that floated nose down bum up like a horse's hoof on brokeback mountain ...
A little trick to get their head above water before you give it all, is to offer a quick stab from the go finger to pop up the nose.
Then more go finger to keep it up once broken free
If balanced right, the ride will remain static under power.
Hydros in flight are more about aerodynamics than wetted areas, mate.

Buzz has/had a 7.5outboard PratherPirahna(?) that didnt float above , which performed super good.

[Richie the shipwright]

Yeah i hear what youre saying, Ive built a few that were nose heavy too. Theres a lot of boat forward of the sponsons with this one. The real boat was really messy until it got up on plane, so i kind of expect the model to be the same. At rest, the bow on the real boat sat higher, the sponson decks were slightly above the waterline. I want my model to sit the same way....and it does with the rear chamber almost full of water. This will drain out quickly, as soon as i hit the go button. Makes sense to me. Dont worry...the back end has PLENTY of bouyancy amigo!
Also for anyone interested, I got a response to an email i sent to ken and dave warby. Both impressed with the model, and kind enough to offer some advice, and answer a few questions. They confirmed the boats original cg location for me, and that the fastest she ever went was during tests using an afterburner. How does 402mph sound!!! He lit the burner at 200mph.... YEE HAAR!!! Also told me to keep them posted with the build, and offered further help if needed. Great guys!! Their new boat is having engine fitted this week and should be finished and ready for testing later this year. Bring it on!!! AUSSIEAUSSIEAUSSIE!!!!

[seehuusen]

That's showing the OZ spirit so close to Aussie Day :D
Well done on the build too mate!! Looking forward to seeing more of the build :)
402mph is crazy fast!! WOW!!

[Richie the shipwright]

HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY TO ALL YOU PATRIOTIC AUSSIES!!! OI...OI...OI!!!!

A few pics of my yard ready for a good old aussie bbq. Sorry i cant invite you all... :-( :-(


Party safe everyone. :-)

[drwayne]

Noice !

[Richie the shipwright]

Few photos of some progress ive made. Think i have the layout of everything sorted, the cg is now where it should be. The base of the tailplane is now also the cover of the rear "flood chamber". I can also access inside of transom from here. Rudder pushrod will pass through this conmpartment in a sealed tube, to servo mounted near motor. Will test boat without flood chamber first, if all goes well ill leave it sealed up. Motor is offset as much as it can be while still keeping the stuffing tube in the rear shoe. As i said before... better than no offset!! Ready now to start gluing in mounts etc, dryfit hardware then get into some painting. The green lump of plasticine in the photos is my temporary lipo pack. (dont own any yet!) :-)

[rcboatmanwithkids2880]

Hi Richie ,

You're doing a great job in replicating Ken Warbys " Spirit of Australia " , I believe we have much to inspire us as R/C modellers in Australia . When you look at such raceboats as " Gods Gift " , " Top Gun " , " Plus One " which have still to be replicated in this form . Though they don't come as reverent as " Spirit Of Australia "

It would be great to see more Australian members on OSE.COM consider the wealth of spectacular raceboats in Oz , and create a build thread on this site , displaying our own home grown crop !!!

Brad
Oz

[Richie the shipwright]

Hi brad... Its funny you say that, I have been recently researching Australias hydroplane racing history. And im really glad i did!! Much history... even a few Jones designs! Already found a few boats that I really want to build. One lovely roundnose in particular... But its a secret....shhhhhh!
There are quite a few of us here at ose, its just a shame in australia that we're all so spread out. Scratch builders are an endangered species it seems, Be really great to kick up some vintage 1/10 scale rooster tails....OZ STYLE!! Curse you yankies for hogging all the scale racing fun!! :-)

[rcboatmanwithkids2880]

Hi Richie ,

Nothing against the U.S.A , though I'm Dinky Die Ozzy !! .

I grew up waterskiing at Wisemens Ferry on the Hawkesbury River in Sydney , and In my late teens drove , which I later owned a BB Chev powered Sanger Drag Boat , so i have no interest in hotted up cars " its all about H2-O " for me , and have seen the great raceboats of modern times blast through the Wisemens Ferry Valley , leaving awesome memories of them in my mind . That's why I feel a connection with history in this regard ." Plus One " as you might know is a Jones Hulled Bridge To Bridge record holder from around 1985 , and has an amazing colour scheme .


Due to my study commitments I have been missing for a while , though I am member , and have a build thread going on OSE.COM titled " Dumas Hotshot .45 Build In Progress "

Currently my wife and I are in the last throws of renovating our rental property here in Broken Hill ( NSW ) , then after moving back to Western Sydney , I will race my build with the Model Boat Club of NSW .

I take it you live in Adelaide ?? , i have elderly cousins that live in a few suburbs down there including " Paradise " . Good luck with the build , it's a beautiful replica !!! . Let's hope it inspires more Ozzy replicas !!!

Brad
Oz

[Richie the shipwright]

Mad max country! Not much water in broken hill... ya poor bugger! Yep windor gardens, 5 mins drive from paradise.

Not down on our american model boat brothers at all man, just jealous as hell of the standard of racing they have! Lucky buggers! I also owe a lot to joerg aka "Jfromjags" for some killer advice and imput he has given me for this build. (on rrr).

Sounds like you had an awsome place to grow up, I bet you miss those good old days mate.

Hope you get back near the water soon bud. Being away it for too long is just bad for the soul... :-)

[rcboatmanwithkids2880]

Hi Richie ,

Being in the last throws of renovating , I do feel the waterways of Sydney calling me back , though my interest in real boating have changed ( matured ?? Lol ) somewhat , in that I am ambitious to buy a Sailboat for my young family to enjoy the waterways of Sydney Harbour including Broken Bay . With my new career blossoming as I write this , due to my study into Workplace Health and Safety , I may have picked up a position with a National Organisation as a " Safety Officer " , so hopefully it comes to fruition , so I can get back to one of my passions in life , foremost being my beautiful wife Natasha and our young family ....

When it comes to F/E Racing appeal , It may be due to population of the U.S.A being over tenfold , so therefore personal pursuits seem to be more represented in society . Kind of like when our NZ brothers and sisters land , and see whole bunch more life here , as we are over tenfold of them. ( I Love NZ )


Back to what matters though Richie , your build of " Spirit Of Australia " is such a nice replica , I just wish as Australians Modellers we could buy an F/ E of it . About ten years ago , I emailed Ken Warbys son , regarding my admiration for his Father Ken , which I received a nice reply .

Keep up the fine effort mate , we have much to celebrate in Oz regarding our Raceboat history , and I am glad that you are enlightening the rest of the world through this forum. !!!

Brad
Oz

[Richie the shipwright]

Thanks a lot Brad. My early boating was all sailboats, (Holdies,herons,and the odd sharpie) which eventually led me to my current trade. Been envolved with many keelboats and ocean racers since, a few that even raced through bass strait in the sydney hobart bluewater classic. (with my crazy brother on board!!) So I understand fully the call of the wind...However motor racing and powerboats were always a big interest, And modelling has always been an obssession of mine as well as a way to learn about all types of boats.
You never know, I may yet do a mould for the spirit, till then... heres one of my own design 1/2m yachts for a bit of sailing inspiration. (yes i have moulds) and my 24" aussie themed shovelnose hydro i built a few years back.
All the best for your new career man. :-)

[Outkast]

Richie
Looking good. Great to hear that you managed to get in touch with the Warby's. I managed to track down and get a copy of the pic of me with Proff Thomas Fink that assisted Ken with the dynamics of SoA and find that unfortunately it appears that Tom has long been resting. Was a good trip down memory lane to find that out though contacting many old work mates that I haven't spoken to in years..

Steve

[Richie the shipwright]

Glad i fired you up!! Memory lane is always a nice place to visit. :-) I did a bit of searching on tom fink, and figured he had gone. I Didnt think to ask ken! Thanks for the info.
Work on the spirit is progressing, a bit slower than i expected tho....
Ive made up a new motor mount, Got most of my hardware together,and been messing around with the windscreen a bit. Lots of fabricating!!!
more pics soon. :-)

[Outkast]

Richie

No probs. Its a few years after he was involved in the record, but Prof Tom is the bloke on the left, me, the ugly bloke on the right (wish i was still that skinny). I was reminded along the journey that Tom was also involved with Donald Campbell and his last fatal attempt at the record. Sorry about the poor quality, just a snapshot of a hard copy with the phone. Waiting on a new scanner as last one and the computer it was attached to are a little flood damaged...
93647

Steve

[Richie the shipwright]

No tie?? So australian! :-) Looks to me like a pretty trendy early 80's beard you had going there too... I'd Frame that photo and put it on display in your mancave my freind, a genuine conversation starter. Thanks for sharing it. :-)

[Richie the shipwright]

A few photos of my hardware mock up. some feedback would be great.... I bought strut with 3/16 propshaft, and two different length rudders to try. Strut is a bit bigger than i was expecting. I set it up with a slight offset (1/2") to the right and parallel to the trailing edge of rear ski, also spaced it out from the transom by 5mm. Offset to the left, the longer rudder sits 50mm below the bottom of the strut. The other rudder i have is 15mm shorter. Prop in the picture is an x442.
What do you think guys... On the right track or what??

[Chrisg81983]

Looking real good richie

[urbs00007]

what happened with this build? was the electric motor not enough power?