Fairey Huntsman 31

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

It's a nice design to work on. Most 'fast launch' models are rather generic in many ways but with the Faireys you feel you are building a near scale model with opportunities to customise the detail to reflect full size practice. And it performs well too – what's not to like?

Boatwise I think they equate to the E Type Jaguar.

Colin

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Yes, and I'm glad I converted to the aft cabin version (prompted by selling my 47" model) from the Sport large cockpit version. I think the Sport looks good but I've already got large cockpit models with the Huntress and Huntsman 28 and wanted to encompass the different designs and styles even if they are all Faireys!

My next two builds (Faireys of course! ) will be completely different though, well one more than the other.

Chris

[Will Mason 1Participant @willmason1]

She's looking really good Chris.

You say you aren't the fastest worker, but with how many models on the go, 4 or 5 isn't it, I think you're making great head way.

By the time some sort of sealer/varnish goes onto that roof, it's really going to transform it.

Seeing whatever you're working on transforming and getting closer to the finished item really boosts motivation I find.

Keep up the great work and I'm really looking forward to seeing your next two Faireys, whenever they're revealed.

Will

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

2 ready for painting (have been for a long time ) and 3 being built. The 2 future builds are in my albums and are the Fisherman 27 motor sailer and Faun river and lake cruiser. Both plank on frame so a whole new challenge.

Rooves on the current builds are all planked but will be painted, apart from the aft cabin of the Swordsman once done. Would be quicker and easier in ply sheet but you can't beat planking for dealing with the compound curves.

Chris

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Aft cabin roof trimmed at the rear and sanded flush at the front and did a preliminary sanding to the sides of both rooves.

The tops will then need to be sanded nice and smooth ready for the lightweight cloth and Eze-Kote. This will have to wait for the time being though as I'm dropping back onto the Swordsman.

Chris

[Will Mason 1Participant @willmason1]

That looks really good Chris.

The planking gives it that added bit of detail doesn't it.

I know Faireys have been done by so many people, but they're still such a good looking boat, both 1:1 and smaller scale.

Will

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Yeah, you can't beat a bit of varnished planking!

Yes, many Faireys have been built and especially the Huntsman 31, but I had to have the classics (Huntress, Huntsman 28, Huntsman 31 and Swordsman) in my fleet as well as some more unusual ones.

Chris

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Today I gave the roofs (better stop using rooves as outdated evidently) some more sanding with finer and finer grit to get a nice smooth finish. I also gave the edges another sand so now flush with the cabin/cockpit sides.

Chris

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Back to the Huntsman as well to fit the strakes. The hull is only a couple of inches shorter than the Swordsman but much narrower and so I've used 3mm section rather than the 4mm.

Easier to fit the strakes as they are virtually straight and there is little curvature where they fit on the hull bottom and being a smaller section they have less resistance to building.

Progressing well.

Chris

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

C@ck up avoided, well rectified!

Good job I posted because when I added the photos I thought the spacing of the strakes didn't look quite right and indeed they weren't. Only out by a mm or so on the bow area but enough to be noticeable.

Glue hadn't completely dried and I was able to move them over a bit but I couldn't get the line right so I ended up pulling the ones nearest the chine completely off.

I finished gluing down the other four anyway so not too bad and will refit the other two tomorrow.

Good job I hadn't left them overnight!

Chris

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Apart from a very small amount of filling and glue removal that's the strakes finished. Glad I went for the 3mm as they look in proportion, the 4mm would be too prominent.

Back in its temporary position (replacing the DaveM Huntress) in the lounge!

Chris

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Having progressed the Swordsman I'm back on the Huntsman 31 now. Same position as it needs the rudder and prop shaft installing to get it ready for painting. Not sure if I mentioned it before but the original intention was to fit a 5mm shaft with a 10mm tube due to it being a long 'un but whereas it's Ok on the lardy Swordsman on the svelte H31 it didn't look right and would add quite a bit of extra weight so I decided to go with a 4/8mm and got it ordered. I'm cutting it down a bit but also I'm thinking that Raboesch wouldn't make one if it didn't perform as it should. The 4mm shaft is rated to 15k. rpm which is more than I will be running it at.

First job was to make a base for the motor mount out of 5mm ply. I like my mounts to be fully removeable and to provide increased bearing and something to screw into I glued timber bearers either side of the keel. Once set I drilled a pilot hole very carefully through the bearers as very close to the hull. I then reduced the length of my usual brass screws and screwed the base into place.

The threaded part of the prop shaft was too long so this was cut down ensuring the prop tightened against the locknut. The prop shaft was then positioned in place so that the prop was fairly close to the rudder. As you can see and as expected the prop shaft is too long so the shaft and tube was reduced in length so that the motor mount sits mid-way along the base.

Chris

Edited By Chris Fellows on 27/01/2022 17:14:29

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

The motor and prop shaft was then reassembled using the solid connecter to see how it worked out and to be able to mark the position of the holes for the motor mount. I couldn't use my usual (and OTT) M4 SS hex head bolts as the holes in the mount were very close to the edge and I couldn't open them out much and so I dug out some M2 allen head bolts and dome head nuts. The heads were recessed into the underside of the base using a drill bit and a small stone in my Proxxen drill.

The mount was then bolted to the base. Unfortunately the final position of the motor meant that the rearmost screw holes were covered by the mount and so I drilled some new ones. I could have screwed the base down first and then bolted the mount to it but I prefer to mount the motor and bolt it down outside of the hull.

The P bracket was cut down to finish inside the keel and the motor and prop shaft assembled again. I'd got some wriggle room as the slot for the prop shaft had been cut out and filed for the 5/10mm one and the prop position relative to the hull was how I wanted it without any further filing being required. The prop is a little closer to the rudder than I like so will cut a bit more off the shaft before gluing the prop tube and P bracket in place.

The rudder tube was bedded at the keel end with epoxy putty and held in place with a washer and nut at the top.

Chris

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Beautifully neat work.

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

As long as you can get the prop off without having to remove the rudder it should be fine.

Colin

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Thanks Richard.

Doubt that I can Colin and another reason to move it a bit further forward.

Chris

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

7mm was cut off the shaft and tube and before reassembling for the last time the tube was roughed up to key it and some P38 was laid in the slot. Assembly was carried out as quickly as possible and then the tube pressed into the P38 and taped to the hull. More P38 was then pushed down around the tube and roughly faired to the bottom of the hull and then left to set. I've been using epoxy putty on my other builds but I've almost run out now but also the P38 is better as a bedding as easier to push into.

With the hull then the right way up 20 minute epoxy (the slowest I've got but Ok) was mixed up and dribbled around the tube and into the hole for the P bracket.

P38 then needs to be sanded and some additional applied under the tube and that's the hull ready for painting.

Chris

 

 

Edited By Chris Fellows on 02/02/2022 14:59:10

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Hull not quite ready for painting (though it could be!) as I wanted to fit the rudder servo as per my other builds. Virtually the same as that in the Swordsman, though less work as I didn't have to cut a recess in the keel to drop the servo down a bit.

Again the servo mount was constructed from bass sheet with beech bearers with one of them screwed in place to enable removal of the servo if required.

As with the Swordsman the mount fits nicely over the keel and just needed pieces of very thin ply each side to give a snug fit before gluing.

With the Huntsman 31 I've decided to go for a single arm and horn as this model is much lighter than the Swordsman and has a smaller rudder. It will be easy enough to change to a double arm set-up later if necessary.

Chris

PS George – the carpentry is better on this one!

Edited By Chris Fellows on 31/03/2022 21:17:15

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

I've done something stupid!

My removable servo mount won't allow removal! When gluing the mount in I had to fit the servo as it sits on top of the keel and as the mount was slightly out of square compared with the adjacent bulkhead I clamped them together.

What I should have done then is removed the servo. This morning it was stuck fast as some of the glue had been pushed up onto it. It does show, that not only is aliphatic resin a very good wood glue but it can stick to plastic as well!

I'll try the servo later on by piggy backing off the Huntress and if Ok, no problem. I'll cover it up whilst sanding and painting.

You live and learn!

Chris

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Just tried the servo and it works fine. It's a high-torque, metal geared Hitec one, which won't have to work that hard in the H31 and the boat probably won't get used that much anyway given the number of boats I will have to use and so hopefully the servo will never need removing.

Sheepish Chris

 

Edited By Chris Fellows on 01/04/2022 16:36:38

[Will Mason 1Participant @willmason1]

Oops!!!

An easy mistake to make though Chris.

As you say, as long as it remains reliable, then it won't cause a problem.

Will

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

I think a combination of how infrequently they are used and how little they are loaded when they are used make servos pretty reliable and long lasting. Its probably not worth risking the damage you might cause trying to remove it now so I'd put it down to experience and carry on.

[geconParticipant @gecon]

Some glues simply have no simpathy and take no consideration.

I assume you know where the glue has stuck. If you can get some vinegar or acetic acid down to the area it might release it. Depends a bit on how much area is glued. And it may just 'release' other joints you don't want to 'release!

So long as it all works fine it's best not to 'fix it'.

Looks great -irrespective!

George

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Thanks guys. It's going to stay as it is. It works, so it's staying put! Would have saved myself a lot of work if I'd just glued it in place at the start!

Chris

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Chris,

Well you know my method is to scribe the side of the servo case for bonding & epoxy it in

When are you starting the Fisherman ??

Regards Ray

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