52 ft Arun becomes a 54 ft Arun!!!

Whilst building the Rhyl Mersey and Mick's Falmouth Severn I have also been working on a full conversion/refit for a client in Torquay. He bought a 1/12th scale model of a 52 ft Arun from ebay which was in a deplorable condition (he also bought a Waveney at the same time but more of that later as I have it in storage awaiting surgery).

During many phone calls he asked if it was possible to produce a model of the RNLB Tony Vandervell 54-04. I pointed out that the hull was for a 52 ft Arun but the wheelhouse was correct for the early 54 ft Arun so I said I would give it some thought. After mulling it over for a few days I came up with a solution that would produce a reasonable model.

First job was to remove all the remaining fittings and internals from the hull and this was the result.








The hull was of the type with the main fender made as a flange that held the deck onto the hull so the joint was reinforced on the inside with resin and tape so that the offending flange could be removed thus allowing the fitting of proper rubber fenders.

Armed with total body covering and an angle grinder the flange was cut off. Any remaining holes were filled later.








Whilst grinding things off the moulded locations for the deck fittings were also removed as most were not in the correct positions.






After filling and sanding the hull was given a coat of primer and was now ready for modification.

Having a full set of body lines for both the 52 and 54 ft Aruns the difference was at the stern. In fact after the 54 ft mould was made an infill block was made and placed inside the mould to produce the 52 ft hull.

The position of Station 9 on the drawings was established on the model as it was in the same place for both hull sizes.






A template of the rear deck curve was made from the lines drawing and transfered to a section of 12mm ply that had been shaped to fit the existing stern.  this was then cut out and bonded to the hull.








Once set the stern was created with urethane blocks glued in place with urethane glue, think Gorilla glue.








After sanding, coating with glass cloth and resin, and given a couple of coats of primer filler this is the result. The semi tunnels for the props were not done as this would involve literally ripping the bottom out of the boat and was not considered a viable option.









So now we have a 54 ft Arun hull.

another masterfully converted hull.......superb quality matey.

Moving on to the wheelhouse moulding.

All the old fittings have been removed and it is now ready for its refit.






After much filling, sanding, opening up of the side lockers, modifying the rear lockers as well as the front lockers, and priming it is ready to turn orange!















First of three coats of orange.

Next on the agenda are the kick boards for the stanchions.

At the stern as the curve is severe around the quarters I decided to laminate them from styrene. Inside supports were drilled and fitted in position on the rear deck and the first layer bent and fitted with spacers underneath to give the required gap from the deck.






When the first layer had hardened the second layer was added and bonded in place.






The final layer added, the external angle irons added and the kick board is now ready for the stanchions.






The rails are bent to shape, the stanchions threaded in place and fixed to the kick boards. The dropped section is where the launch rails for the Y boat fit over the stern.








The lowered section is filled with a removable gate that on the full size boat hinges down and out.






The two ends were fabricated from an existing stanchion, tubing and rod and fixed in place.






Overall view of the stern rails.






The rest of the kick boards around the deck edge were laminated from lime strip in the same manner as the stern.

More rod bending and brazing !!

A pattern for the pulpit on the fore deck was made and the holes drilled to take the stanchions.






The pattern was also used to make a former and the pulpit built off the boat.






Pulpit located on the deck and the ends bent out and down then finished off with the extra supports.

The access ladder at the rear of the wheelhouse, removed at the begining, has been refitted along with a new half landing.






The rear windows have been refinished and fitted along with a new rear access door.






Take a length of sink waste pipe, a bit of styrene sheet, a bit of styrene channel and a piece of twisted wire,






and after a couple of hours work and some paint you have.................











The bin for the salvage pump!!






This lives under the half landing on the rear deck.

Beautiful detailing.  I follow with interest. 

Cheers

ken

Indeed Ken outstanding detail. 

again brilliant stuff Mike.Keep up the good work!
Mick F

After having a day off from building yesterday (it was my birthday) it was back to the Arun with a vengance.

Another raid on the spares box produced styrene sheet, tube and a couple of 1/16th scale Tiger tank wheels.






After drilling, cutting and painting we have the rope reel for the stern deck.






In position on the rear deck, starboard side, ready for the tow rope.






The safety rail around the hatch on the rear deck has been made and fitted.






The stanchions have been fixed onto the kick boards.






The rails on the top of the wheelhouse have been made up and fixed in place.

The wide red trim tape arrived this morning so I decided to fit the new rubber fenders and stripping onto the hull. I also fitted the white boot topping between the upper blue and the anti foul.

More parts made and added to the boat.

The liferaft canister and its support frame have been fitted onto the rear starboard shelf.






The anti slip patches have been fitted onto the access steps.






On the foredeck the anchor support has been made and the anchor added. This is removable by pulling the locking pins.






All of the windows have been stripped down, reglazed, repainted and refitted.






The covers for the fuel fillers have been made and are ready to fit later.






Again on the foredeck the large exhaust vent has been made and fitted.






The safety rails have been threaded up and the bottle screws simulated with fishing swivels.






The MOB frames have been made and fitted onto the sides of the superstructure ready to rope up later. The masking tape is to allow the positions for the handrails and deck lights to be marked out ready to drill and fit.






Finally for now the station name has been added to both stern quarters.

 

Nice work

Been busy with details since the last post.

A couple of days of bending ,brazing and burning fingers have produced the basic mast.






The spare anchor has been painted and lashed to the forward rails on the Port side.






The support frame for the back rest on the upper steering position has also been made and fixed to the handrails.






The fire hydrants made and fixed into their recesses on each side of the wheelhouse.






The main rails for the Y boat launch system made and fixed onto the wheelhouse roof. The sections also slide apart and will connect to the rest of the system when I have built it.








Lower handrails and deck lights fitted .

More of the small parts fitted.

At the rear of the wheelhouse the large filters have been made and fitted along with the rest of the door fittings.






At the front the screen wipers have been fitted.






The boat now has its full identity with the addition of the numbers, RNLI logo and nameplates.






The mast and the bases for the large whip aerials are now in place along with the new working radar.

Added a few more of the detail parts today and completed the wiring of all the lights for the wheelhouse.

Took the almost completed boat out side this evening to see how she looks as an entity and not bits.

Here are the results:










A clip of the lights in action, the sequence being deck lights on, nav lights on, blue light on and radar operating followed by switching off in reverse order.




Will be refitting the motors, shafts, props amd rudders tomorrow.

Outstanding Mike a great example of a Master class build Well done.

Absolutely superb. 

What a pleasure to see it all together.

Cheers

ken

Ditto both of the above   a really nice job

Thanks for the nice words guys!

With all the r/c gear fitted it was into the test tank today to check the ballasting etc.

The boat has now been delivered to its owner in Torquay!

yer going to have to get a bigger bath matey...........beautiful model.....bet he was well satisfied.

neil.