Naikoon Class Tugboat Models

[Quatchi]

Hi guys,

Nick and myself are planning to build two little 1:60 scale model tugs. Nick wants to learn the basics of model RC boat building so he can one day build his own RC ferry model. We thought it would be cool to build sister tugs at the same scale as my Queen of Chilliwack model so that the little tugs could work the ferry. The tugs are of our own design, our design can be found here.



We have modeled them on a deep sea tug hull, but we are thinking the tug will be multi-purpose, they will be able to docks ships, tow barges, run supplies, and salvage. The idea is that they should be able to do any job the north coast throws at them. We have labeled it the "Naikoon Class Tug", with the intent of giving them north coast names.



The tug is 460mm long and will weigh approximately 1.72 kg. They will run on twin RS-395 DC motors pushing 45mm brass props. Batteries will be selected at a later date. We are hoping that they will be operating for the summer boating season, but are unsure of that so far, I still have to put a lot of time into the 'Chilliwack to get her running for that same time as well.

Cheers,

[Quatchi]

I got some pictures of the Form laid up. I am building a plug so I wasn't to worried about the quality of the forms, as long as the profile was right.







So, It coming along, might start sheeting tomorrow night.

cheers,

[Quatchi]

I got the planking done. It went alright, not the neatest job ever, but it is a plug. I used 3/4" and 3/8" wide 1/16" thick balsa strips, if i were to do it again I wouldn't use anything over 1/4" wide, it wasn't quite flexible enough in the width axis to follow the curves to make a pretty hull, but it is the correct profile.









I might get a change to put a single layer of fiberglass on tomorrow and start smoothing it up.

Cheers,

[Quatchi]

Hi Guys,

I've been doing lots of work and not much posting about this boat. As you have seen she was planked a couple of weeks ago. She was shaped and fared before the new year and then I applied a single layer of 3/4oz. cloth to her and then a coat of resin to fill in the weave of the cloth on new years eve. Then I smoothed her out as much as I could with just the resin and cloth and then I pulled out the two part glazing putty and high build primer. I finally got her smoothed out this morning and then tonight I waxed and polished her three times and then sprayed on a thin coat of PVA.







Over the last two weeks my drive parts have started to show up in the mail.
-The receiver is a Futaba RF606FS I had in the Queen of Chilliwack before I made the Assain hack.
-The ESC's are Mtroniks Marine Viper Micro 10A.
-The motors are RS-395 printer motors with Graupner 2.33:1 gear reductions.
-The couplers are Dumas 1/8" units machined for the 4mm shafts.
-The shafts are 4" 4mm Raboesch units.
-The Servo is a standard Futaba unit, I'm hoping it will be overkill and I can possibly downgrade, but we will have to see about that.
-The rudders are 50mm Robbe Parts, I'm still waiting for the second one to show up at the LHS.
-The props will be 45mm Raboesch 4 blade type D units. I'm hoping that this motor will turn them alright, I think they will be fine as I've got a smaller motor turning a 40mm prop in my fishing boat.









Seems to be coming along. Might get a floating hull in the coming weeks.

Cheers,

[Quatchi]

Just applied my gel coat layer.







Cheers,

[Quatchi]

2 layers of heavy fiberglass mat have been applied. I will build and glass in some supports tomorrow and then pull the plug tomorrow night.







Cheers,

[Quatchi]

Hi,

I got the mold done a few days ago, but I was knee deep in work for the Queen of Chilliwack, so I didn't get around to posting. It looks great, only a couple of little boo boos in it to fix. I got her waxed and PVA applied to make my first part this Wednesday night hopefully.







Cheers,

[Quatchi]

OK, been at it for a while now and haven't been posting. I have now pulled 4 hulls from my mold, all with varying results and performance levels. I have finally got my hull and will be naming my tug MV Ketchikan, after Ketchikan, Alaska.

i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc278/queenofchilliwack/Naikoon%20Class/IMG_2711.jpg

In the picture above we see the mold at top and from left to right HULL 000 (plug), HULL001, HULL 002, Hull 003, HULL 004(MV Ketchikan).

The plug consists of two layers of heavy fiberglass mat and polyester resin laid up over a thick brushed on gel coat interior surface.

Hull makeups from outside to inside:

HULL 000 (plug):
-High build sandable Primer
-3/4oz. cloth with epoxy glue
-1/16" balsa planking
-1/8" plywood doorskin forms
RESULTS
-weight: 100g - forms removed
-broke apart coming out of mold
-not rigid or strong

HULL 001:
-Died epoxy brushed into mold
-3/4oz. cloth with epoxy glue
-2 oz. cloth with epoxy glue
RESULTS
-weight: 100g
-extremely flexible
-no strength whatsoever
-use of regular finishing epoxy is bad

HULL 002:
-Sprayed died polyester gel coat
-Brushed black died gel coat
-2 layers 2 oz. cloth with polyester resin
RESULTS
-weight: 170g
-to much gel coat, cracks
-layer of black gel coat not worth it, the black looks cool though
-fairly rigid, but I'm sure the rigidity came from the very thick layers of gel coat
-layup was messy with excessive resin use

HULL 003:
-Sprayed died polyester gel coat
-3 layers 2.5 oz. cloth with polyester resin
RESULTS
-weight: 150g
-gel coat perfect
-new cloth from fiberglass dealer much better to work with
-not enough resin, part was saturated but was not rigid enough
-very clean layup

Hull 004 (MV Ketchikan):
-sprayed died polyester gel coat
-1 layer mat with polyester resin
-1 layer 2.5 oz. cloth with polyester resin
RESULTS
-weight: 240g
-gel coat a little thin, but covers entire hull
-use of fiberglass mat requires a lot more resin, but provides for the most rigid hull built
- layup looks really good
-this one is what I was looking for and will be the hull I use to build my boat.


Overall I am very happy with my results, this is the smallest part Ive ever tried to mold. I was constantly worried about making it as light as possible, but it turns out strength was sacrificed far to much to make it very lightweight. It turns out my strongest solution was probably the one I would have though would be weakest. I always thought the strength was in the cloth or mat, but I have found with this project that overall strength comes from the cloth/mat, but the rigidity comes from the resin. My first three hulls were simply to thin to have any rigidity, but probably have an immense impact strength.

Cheers,

==========

[moderator edit: to change over-width pic to a link]

[Quatchi]

As I move on in my build of MV Ketchikan, I am constantly reminded of the simplicities of straight drive shafts compared to the RADs in the Queen of Chilliwack.

Here are some detail shots of my hull for MV Ketchikan.











I will probably be installing the deck supports soon, and then the shafts will get installed and I have to build the rudders and the struts.

Cheers,

[yosipanji]

so.., where the end result ..., I think it would be a good tug boat model ..