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To All,
I am currently building a Caldercraft 1/48 scale Round Table Class minesweeper from WWII, the Sir Kay. From those who have preceded me in this build, the main rap against this particular model is its extreme tenderness, i.e., it tips over in the slightest cross wind or tight turn. As the Round Table class boats were based on a trawler to begin with, the free board is very low. To make matters even worse, there are lots of white metal castings for all the various deck equipment including all the mine sweeping gear which only makes the center of gravity, c.g., even higher, i. e., farther away from the center of buoyancy, c.b. With the already low free board, this is definitely bad juju.
People have replaced some of the deck equipment with resin castings made from the white metal masters. Some have replaced the wooden decks and cabin sides with Gator board which weighs far less than wood. Some have replaced parts wholesale with styrene . All of these ideas have helped - some - but not, to may taste, enough.
So why am I posting this issue on a submarine forum? Good question - here's why.
As I see it the problem is one of the c.g. being above the c.b., actually way above. So if I could just lower the c.g. and at the same time raise the c.b., I may improve the situation a lot. But how to do this?
Here's my idea. Put flood holes in the hull, say in the bottom of the keel where they'll be little noticed and then put closed cell foam under the deck to float the whole thing. But wait you say, won't that put all your innards (electronics, motors, etc.) under water. Why yes it will.
Aha! Put all my electronics and other stuff in a modified (no ballast tank) Sub Driver which, when properly weighed down, will be, for the most part, under water.
So basically, free flood the hull, lots of weight (lead) down low, lots of foam up high but under the top deck where it can't be seen, all the "goodies" in a modified (no ballast tank) 2.5" SD, use Gator board instead of wood up top, use styrene where ever I can.
Now it's your turn - I need a sanity check before I go and do something monumentally stupid. Feed back please.
Thick hide like a rhino,
Dan
P.S. If this idea makes any sense and is do-able, I may try an SD with a ballast tank with a SNORT in a model of a Great Lakes freighter to simulate when it's empty or full.
I am currently building a Caldercraft 1/48 scale Round Table Class minesweeper from WWII, the Sir Kay. From those who have preceded me in this build, the main rap against this particular model is its extreme tenderness, i.e., it tips over in the slightest cross wind or tight turn. As the Round Table class boats were based on a trawler to begin with, the free board is very low. To make matters even worse, there are lots of white metal castings for all the various deck equipment including all the mine sweeping gear which only makes the center of gravity, c.g., even higher, i. e., farther away from the center of buoyancy, c.b. With the already low free board, this is definitely bad juju.
People have replaced some of the deck equipment with resin castings made from the white metal masters. Some have replaced the wooden decks and cabin sides with Gator board which weighs far less than wood. Some have replaced parts wholesale with styrene . All of these ideas have helped - some - but not, to may taste, enough.
So why am I posting this issue on a submarine forum? Good question - here's why.
As I see it the problem is one of the c.g. being above the c.b., actually way above. So if I could just lower the c.g. and at the same time raise the c.b., I may improve the situation a lot. But how to do this?
Here's my idea. Put flood holes in the hull, say in the bottom of the keel where they'll be little noticed and then put closed cell foam under the deck to float the whole thing. But wait you say, won't that put all your innards (electronics, motors, etc.) under water. Why yes it will.
Aha! Put all my electronics and other stuff in a modified (no ballast tank) Sub Driver which, when properly weighed down, will be, for the most part, under water.
So basically, free flood the hull, lots of weight (lead) down low, lots of foam up high but under the top deck where it can't be seen, all the "goodies" in a modified (no ballast tank) 2.5" SD, use Gator board instead of wood up top, use styrene where ever I can.
Now it's your turn - I need a sanity check before I go and do something monumentally stupid. Feed back please.
Thick hide like a rhino,
Dan
P.S. If this idea makes any sense and is do-able, I may try an SD with a ballast tank with a SNORT in a model of a Great Lakes freighter to simulate when it's empty or full.
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