The Dabbler

The magazine forthe Dabblers Model Boat Club.

Definition of DabblerTaken from Merriam Webster 1828 dictionary.

One not deeply engaged in or concerned with something.Example; Watch the members’ at Sumners Pond on a sunny club day – I say no more!

A duck that feeds by dabbling tail high.Example; Watch any power boat being launched – knees down, rear end high!

ISSUE 3

Happy New Year

Fellow members, this again is an issue based on the redesigned layout, which from the very few comments returned to me seemed to be acceptable.

The daily, weekly, monthly diary sheet will continue to remain on the main Dabblers web pages @ https://dabblers.wikispaces.com/, as that is the most efficient way to keep the

members diaries up to date, on a regular / weekly basis.

I was pleasantly pleased that my pleas for member’s input late in 2017, which were pretty amazing up until September, but since then no more have been sent to me?

Perhaps this was not such a good idea?

However my pleading and badgering has not ceased and will hopfully continue to encourage a few more members to consider writing something, go on have a go!

If you provided something in 2017 Thank You!If you provided something and have not seen it in print yet, I probably saved it over for the

latest issue just incase I got a drought.

I remember – By Steve Charnley

I remember as a 16 year old in 1970, cycling every Sunday morning, all weathers to watch the model boats at Victoria Park in Tower Hamlets, East London, E3.

Then, they were mainly straight running boats, battle ships, tugs. Shoe boxes, anything that would float and run in a straight line, targeted between bouys over 30-50 Yds away for scoring. BUT occasionally they had ‘A’ and ‘B’ class tethered Hydro planes.

Watching those 100 MPH missiles, were my inspiration to want to have a go at something.

Occasionally Radio controlled boats appeared and I remember one particular power boat called a Beachcomber, the drawings are still available now from Model Boats drawing selection, it was a wooden gem at 50+” long 14” beam, polished wood with a 32cc petrol motor.

The radio was a large grey box, as I remember with biased black toggle switches for the controls; none of the current computer radio stuff that now has ball raced sticky things for control.

Leaving school at 17 with ‘A’ levels, I undertook a 7 year apprenticeship in Building Services Electrical Engineering.

Not having much money, I was earning £700 a year, my modeling took a back seat but I still managed to build a 36R Gosling yacht, my first foray into sailing.

Then came a change of employment, a new family, all of which had to come first, especially when the mortgage rate reach 15%.

We moved to Crawley in 1978 and after the 15% mortgage rate started to drop, I did join Crawley and District Model boat club and stayed there for quite a few years.They met in a timber hut at Tilgate Forest, and sailed at Bewbush Lake near the Ifield Mill.

I remember first joining Dabblers about 20 years ago, but that was put to an end when I was made redundant.I returned to the Dabblers 3 years ago.

In 2013 whilst at work my heart stopped and I collapsed and head butted Manresa Road in Chelsea, SW London, ended up in a coma for 3 days and in Hospital at ICL London for 5 weeks.Open heart surgery and 4 years in the Gym 6 days a week later, I am relatively fit and presently collating the clubs news letter for my sins.

Like many people in a similar position, my memories of 40+ years ago are now disappearing, those from 5-10 years ago are becoming less apparent, and the 10 days before and after collapsing have been completely wiped; now I write everything I need to remember in a lovely note book, but then, yes you guessed it, I have to remember where I have put the note book, a great solution when it works!

Derek Palmer wrote for us in the News Letter No1, this time we have a few articles, he said that you should do what you can, while you can and help others if necessary, all we all have to do is encourage the members.

I now build yachts and my 2016 stripy wooden Bit Pop is slowly becoming more competitive, but it seems to prefer a good blow, its definitely not a light air boat. However due to the patience, help and support of many Southwater Dabbler members one day I will win a race, and to them I say a big THANK YOU!

To ensure my modeling memories are not lost, I photograph everything I build on a daily / weekly basis, depending on my progress.

My wife of 42 years, is very patient with me, as I am allowed to build in the house on our very well protected dining room table, on just ONE condition, that if we get visitors, the mess (cheek my works of art) as she calls them, can be cleared away in 5 minutes or less – she’s wonderful really, but I have found a better solution, don’t answer the door if the bell rings when shes in!!!

Did anybody else ever visit this East London venue venue in the 60/70’s?

I hope you all had a good summers Dabbling and that it continues for many years to come.

Could you write a few words like this, if so please contact me! [SC]

Miranda – By Colin Rist

This is "Miranda".

She was built about 40 years ago by my late father in law.

She is now something of a family heirloom and I am the current guardian.

He built her from plans published by Basil Harley in 1930s.  Harley's design was based on "Water lily", a Thames steam launch built for the Thornycroft family.  "Water lily" is now in the National Maritime Museum at Falmouth.

The engine is older than the boat and is quite rare.

It is a Bowman Bryant 2 cylinder, non oscillating, valve less steam engine.

The designer Bryant did not like oscillating steam engines, because he thought they were messy.He got around the problem of valves by having the piston connecting rods eccentric, so that the piston rotated slightly in the cylinder.

This allowed ports in the piston and cylinder to allow the input and discharge of steam. It is still going strong after 60 years.

Osprey – by Dennis Lascelles

A 1930’s sea-going Motor Yacht.

Similar to some boats legendary used in the Dunkirk exodus.I have owned this boat since I was 15, over half a century ago! I do not know how my father acquired this boat, but when it was given to me, it was not a model to sail on a pond as it was not motorised.

It was mainly solid wood. There was no compartment for a motor. It did not have a prop shaft or working rudder. Anyway, I tried floating it in our bath and it seemed to float stable, so I set to and dug out holes for the workings to motorize it.

Its first motor was a 1960’s Taycol Meteor 12 volt which actually still ran up to a few years ago, and powered this with two 6 volt Ever Ready lantern batteries. In the early days, I just sent the boat from one side of the lake to the other. I remember carrying this heavy 38” boat on the bus to sail it at the time at Bromley library gardens. Though I have acquired other models, I’m glad I have kept this one. At last a radio-control was installed in 2010.

I have no idea why this boat was built, perhaps just a model of a real one, or even a scale model of one that was going to be built? Or perhaps this was a model to show prospective clients to build a real one back in the 30’s or to discuss their refinements.

No ancillary items on the model were obtained from a model shop as there were no model shops around at that time. Over the years I had bought….. railings, horns, life-belt and a few minor things, plus the captain who had to lose an inch in height to be in-scale, but everything else had been completely hand-made, even some original curving wooden hand rails, ( unfortunately beyond repair ) and the rowing boat, like the main hull, carved out of a single piece of wood).

One can see these wonderful boats on the ‘Little Boats Assoc‘. Internet site celebrating Dunkirk-70 years on.

This IssueWelcome again to the Southwater Dabblers New magazine – this time No3.

Thankfully a few members were prepared to provide something for this issue, and assisted by providing some nice photographs as well. But as I indicated above, since September this has totally dried up, and to put this into perspective, without the willingness of our members to contribute, this may well be the final issue - sorry I failed!

Like all club paticipants, I would like to respectfully remind everybody, this collation exercise is a voluntary role, I am not a roving reporter, nor am I a trained journalist, so the support of the Dabbler’s whole membership is a necessity for the success and survival, and I do not apollogise for continuingly badgering the membership for input.

That input will replace things that I might otherwise try to find for you to read.

The next issue No 4 is planned for May 2018, which still needs a few articles, please come back to me before the end of February 2018 with your offerings.

With summer pending I guess you are all likely to be full of enthusiasm, some of which could be passed on?

It remains my intention to encourage contributions from the Southwater Dabbler’s club members, and I will continue to update my requests between issues by way of circulated email notes which I am hopeful will eventuary generate more input.

In my eyes, its simple, there really is no reason not to offer something small for inclusion; just a fewwords or notes passed to me on a sailing day or via email can be developed into half a page of information for everybody else’s benefit and enjoyment.

When using supporting photographs, please do not embed your pictures into your text, keep them seperate, preferably in a .jpg format and if possible keep your text as ‘Times New Roman’ font, size 9.

Unfortunatly not all news in 2017 was good, back in early October we were advised by the committee of the passing of two active Dabblers members,

Colin Newne and Don Buck.

The club’s committee, members and friends remember them fondly and send only positive thoughts to their families.

Colin Newne Don Buck

The Southwater Dabblers 2017/18 CommitteeRemains unchanged See Web site for personnel and contact details.

Future eventsFuture Events for members to attend and support

The following is not an exhaustive list of what’s going on in the UK, so if you know of more local events from January 2018, please let us know for incorporation?

The Alfold Model Show 2nd/3rd June 2018

The Floral Fringe Fair Knepp Castle 2nd/3rd June 2018

The Sumners Ponds Model Show 9th/10th June 2018

Wiston Steam Fair 7th/8th July 2018

Club Events / DiaryDon’t Forget to check the club web site weekly for the latest Diary of what’s happening.

Things can change very quickly and a quick check could save you a wasted visit to the lakes and for this reason the diary will not be included within the news letter. [SC]

Potential Sailing;JANUARY @SOUTHWATER

Wed   3rd Jan 10-30am start DF 65  Fiesta

Sunday   7th Jan 10-30am start One Metre

Wed 10th Jan 10-30am start One Metre

Sunday 14th Jan 10-30am start One Metre

Wed 17th Jan 10-30am start DF 95

Sunday 21st Jan 10-30am start DF 95

Wed 24th Jan 10-30am start DF 65  Fiesta

Sunday 28th Jan 10-30am start DF 65 Fiesta

Wed 31st Jan 10-30am start One MetreFEBRUARY @SOUTHWATER

Wed   7th Feb 10-30am start Dragon Flite 95

Wed 14th Feb 10-30am start One Metre

Wed 21st Feb 10-30am start DF65 Fiesta

Wed 28th Feb 10-30am start One Metre

Visits.

12th September 2017 – By John Nichol

We were invited to Frensham IOM - Open meeting on 13/09/17.

It was a fairly blustery day with no lack of wind, and most sailed their IOM on the “B” suite of sails.

A couple of boats dared to put the top rig on, but found to their dismay that the “B” rig was the optimum rig for the day.

It was a good social meeting with members from various clubs in attendance.

It was a pleasure to attend, and we were all made very welcome. Thanks to Frensham for their hospitality.

End of September 2017 - Somewhat of a Challenge

Back in September some close friends of ours, said their son in law was a part owner of a canal narrow boat, Narrow being the operative word and suggested we could have a week away in it.

Well we were all game for it and planned our voyage / expedition.We just over estimated the internal space and underestimated what we could acheive.

The planned round the world voyage was limited to the Oxford canal, starting at the mooring in Cropredy, then south via Banbury and onto Oxford.

Aweek in the boat, an hour by car or train?

If any of you are knowledgible about this style of craft, to calculate your journey time, you add the journey miles to the number of locks, plus the number of moveable bridges to be lifted, you then divide that total by 4 and it gives you your approximate minimum journey time in hours.

Well 7 days later, having passed under 120 or so fixed bridges, two chain lift bridges, one electric lift bridge and 38 locks, it could have been quicker to walk!!

Our muscles ached, we were continually hungry, but fortunately the weather was extremely kind to us.

The shallowest weir lock was about one foot deep, the deepest lock was 12 foot deep and they each took one boat up or down at a time, so patience became a bye word.

If any of you know me, my physic is broad, going to the loo was like sitting in a cupboard, my shoulders were wider than the space, if you dropped your trousers, it was quite likely you would never see them again, lean forward to search for them and you headbutted the sink, which was about 9” x 6”.

We are all seasoned caravaners, but this puts a new perspective on small spaces.

The narrow boat fraturnity we met on our way were very helpful, friendly and only once when our boat bridged two oposing canal banks, one lady was heard to say, god I must photograph this, I’ve never seen that done before!Fortunatley I was not onboard at the time I was controlling an electric bridge, otherwise she would have enjoyed a swim!Technically the boats are flat (very) bottomed, roughly 60 foot long pencil cases, 6.5 feet wide 6.5 feet high and no keel, so they tend to go where they want and if it’s windy just don’t ask what they do or where they go!However, we moored in Banbury 100M from the main shopping centre. FOC, we stopped against some farm fields in the mist and moored at Heyford and went into Oxford by train. £13.00 return for 4 adults. Yes for all of us!All in all, it was brilliant week, we had some great laughs, plenty of food and drink, orange juice of course and we all did plenty of exercise on the locks.Would I go again, probably not, but if your are fit and thin have a go, put this on your bucket list.The picture below shows us trying to move a 1600Kg lock gate which had blown timber bearings blocks, it took three of us to encourage any movement!

Activity photographs and new builds

Amazed would be an understatement, that only two new boats are being built by members during 2017

Therefore due to a lack of members being willing to share their progress nothing is included, If this drought continues I’ll provide some more photographs oh mine next time?

The following offering is from Clive Cooper, who claims to be a novice builder or in this case assembler.

A scale yacht kit called the Bellissima, from a German manufacturer (it just sounds Italian and sexy).

It is designed for novices.

One thing I am very impressed with, is how clean Clive’s building board is, sorry Clive, No Tools, No scraps, No drawing, No construction parts.

I am definitely doing something wrong – compare it to the disorder on my table in my last pictures!

Equipment disposalStrictly £20.00 and below or Free.

This section may help you clear your drawers and boxes.Do you have any modeling items to donate to good homes; do you want to dispose of items for a small price?Please provide medium resolution photographs of your items and up to 20 words describing what you wish to sell, provide a fixed price and a means of contact, telephone number or email?Any sale that generates from this will be undertaken solely between the seller and buyer, the news letter is just a means of advertising for our members.Item inclusion will be limited to two newsletters if they are unsold, so please keep me informed of your progress.The list has been updated to remove the items sold.

Ref 0001

A bagful of usefully sized used folding aero propellers for electric motors.Many sizes, some with hubs etc£20.00 for the lot.Email contact @ cratitan etcSold as seenRemove issue 3

Ref 0004

Graupner 700 BB Neodym 12v brushed motor and attached reduction gearbox with speed controller. This is a handful of German engineering!Very powerful ideal for a tug.£20.00 for both items.Email contact @ cratitan etcSold as seenRemove issue 3

Ref 0009

Speed 400 brushed motor and reduction gearbox£4.00 requiredEmail contact @ cratitan etcSold as seenRemove issue 3

Ref 0010

Speed 600 8.4v brushed motor and alloy cased reduction gearbox£5.00 requiredEmail contact @ cratitan etcSold as seenRemove issue 3

Considered good buys

I recently needed a new DSMX receiver.

Having considered a new Spectrum unit, I looked at the price and then scoured the internet and yes I found a ‘Lemon’. DSMX compatible receiver with a satalite for under £17.From my experiments it seems good.

Do you have any good buys to share?

Reminder to all members

Should you happen to enter into any of the Dabbler’s friendly or point’s boating events, where the canopies are erected, signs are lashed, courses are set out, this prior organising takes time, and it benefits the club in the long term!

Once the event is finished please be prepared to stay and help with the course dismantling and clearing away and/or at least ask if help is required before disappearing up to the car park or the cafe!

Don’t leave it to the willing few, become one of them!

5 -15 minutes of your time would be most appreciated and is not unreasonable to expect.

Other bits

Take care when visiting Southwater; Horsham Council parking payments have been reinstated.Currently it is Free until March 2018, but from then it will cost you by the hour or £3.00 per day, however make sure you check the signs by the payment machines, as the payment times and rates are bound to be revised without notice at any time.

Should you notice any spelling or grammar issues in the text – sorry!Don’t shout about it, just let me know over a coffee at Southwater or Sumners, everything will improve with time and practice, especially as my spell checker becomes less American!!

If you have any real criticisms on the content, there is a very easy positive way to improve and resolve it, write and submit something, get involved, don’t rely on me and everybody else?

Consider this - If everybody who is a Dabblers member wrote just 10 lines, about 100 words , there would be enough content for two years worth of magazines, I can provide pencils and paper with lines if required? [SC]

One for the JIF, JG, IOM and other yatch racers, by an experienced sailor [well that’s what he told me]?

In our friendly racing the most common difficulty with the rules concerns rounding marks.

It has been suggested that we are all guilty of opportunist sneaking ‘IN’ at the mark, but the rules say that to be entitled to room at the mark, an overlap must be established alongside the boat in front of you before you are within 4 boat lengths of the mark.

With IOM’s that’s about 12 feet.You know 12 feet, just short of the length of your car.If you are not overlapped at this point you must sail around the outside, or slow down and follow astern.

Not really sure how this can be applied within the Dabblers sailing, as some members are often heard to say, I can’t see the mark, or which boats mine, let alone be expected to judge a 3.0-4.0 metre gap @ 50-60 metres away?

So knowing the rules and applying them is unlikely to make much difference.The full rules on mark rounding are more complicated than this, but this will definitely stir some emotions and would be a good start. [CC]

Something else to shout at me about.

Did you know Do you care?

The Magazine will only besucessful if you all considercontributing at some time.

If your offerings could be sendvia my email tocratitan1@hotmail.co.uk by25th February 2018 some will beused in Issue 4 and the balancewill be held over for a later date, if the presses continue to roll?

Have you visited another club, a show, entered a competition, been successful or had any failures that you can write a few lines about to warn or help others.

Are you able to provide a Technical Document or offer some particular Technical advice? Do you have a particular skill or expertise in any modeling subject that you could share, one on one or to a group?

Can you provide current photographs of your lake activities, your new builds, and your visits?

Do you need some specific assistance; here could be your chance to request it from someone you have never met.Maybe something on a building project, a specific technical issue, problems with your batteries / motors, radio transmitter programming or the need for a supplier.Do you need a drawing for a particular type of vessel?

Do you have any small boat modeling ancillary items you want to donate to a new home Free Of Charge or to sell for £20.00 or less, here maybe your chance to dispose of them. Completed models are excluded as they will remain on the web site via Alan Woodroffe, but small single items could be included here. So provide a clear photograph, a short description, your ideal price and of course your preferred contact number.

Please feel free to print your own copyPlease do not re-circulate to any persons, companies or other clubs that are not direct members of the Southwater Dabblers.Enjoy your dabbling!

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