This is the best place I could think of to put this posting. My apologies if it isn't, moderator, please feel free to relocate it, just let me know where it is so that I can continue to partake in the thread.
As a kid, I designed, built and raced my own RC model yachts (as well as being very very seriously into the full sized stuff - including a brief stint as trial bowman on Australia II in 1985 during the America's Cup defence preparations). I wanted to become a yacht designer, but my life took a different turn and I wound up becoming a veterinarian!
In 1984, I drafted the plans for a 1/12 scale sailing model of Australia II. I got the basic profile and deck line from photos that I had taken while the real boat was on exhibition following its return to Australia from the US. I started building it not long after.
Well (to cut a long story short), life got in the way, and other things grabbed my attention. The hull was completed to the "ready to be filled and faired" stage, then languished up until today. In the meantime, I raised a family, carved a veterinary career and got seriously into paragliding (summer sport) and snow skiing (winter sport), and lived a landlocked existence. However, now that the kids have grown and left home, I have time on my hands, and I am thinking seriously of resuming this project.
The hull is built of planked balsa, WEST resin soaked, faired with microballoons and sheathed in unidirectional fibreglass. The keel attachment area is reinforced with balsa sandwich and more fibreglass. The keel will be cast in a single piece and bolted to this area. If I can't find an appropriate aluminium extrusion, I will get one of my hang glider manufacturer mates to hand build a mast out of carbon fibre.
At this stage, the rig will be to scale and have an overlapping genoa. We are looking at 4 channel control (rudder, mainsail, left genoa, right genoa). However, a pipe dream is to be able to set, gibe and retrieve a spinnaker under RC!
The overall displacement is 19 kg, with 14.5 kg allowed for ballast. The hull underbody is significantly fuller than that of the original to allow for the extra ballast required to hold the rig up under model yacht sailing conditions.
As much as possible, this yacht will be a scale replica, right down to the details of the deck. The only thing not to scale will be the underbody fullness, and a fatter keel foil section (for the extra ballast). It'll be a challenge, as this means ****pits (which will fill with water and require a drainage system). Sealing of any access hatches will have to be spot-on as will the protection of the electrics if I don't want to get them pickled.
I guess she is about the right size to be measured as an "A" class yacht, but she would then have to be raced under a reduced sail area (because of the "D" penalty she would incur because of the full hull lines). She wouldn't really be competitive anyway - the modern racing yachts have way better weight management, and hulls/foils specifically designed to sail fast under model yacht conditions.
Here's some photos of her as she appears today. I'd love feedback and any advice!!
