Krick Gaff Rigged Racing Yacht 'Antares'.

Having only just been introduced to this site by Martin555 I am half way through this build, but I think I have got enough information and photographs to go back to the beginning.
Up until recently my real interest was in scale warships from HMS Hood to coastal craft. Looking for a change, but still wanting to retain the scale and detail,  it was suggested that I try Antares.
She is based on a 1920's boat 1:20 scale. Length 1260mm, beam 220mm, mast height above deck 1240mm, overall height 1530mm.

The kit is quite expensive (approx £400), but the rigging kit (approx £190) is really an essential. The sails kit is also approx £180, but it was suggested by Jotika, where I purchased the kit, that for £20 I could get the necessary amount of sail cloth and make my own - all I needed was an old sewing machine. More of that later!

Having said that, the kit is of very good quality - see image 3.

I have said enough, I think by way of introduction, so those of you who want to see more of this very 'interesting', in all senses of the word, build, please tune in next time.

Ps. I am still getting the hang of posting photos, so my apologies about the orientation of image 3, or is it image 1?

There is nothing to do with the fibre glass hull except fit it out - image 3


 The rigging kit and although I haven't priced each item, it cost me £189

Hi Cormorant,

That looks a very nice kit altho a little expensive.
But when you break it down it to hours of enjoyment and the time taken to build then it is not to bad.

All hobbies are expensive nowadays.

As you say the rigging kit is essential to be able to trim the sails when used for Radio Control.

I am looking forward to seeing further updates.

Keep up the good work.

Martin555.

Hi Cormorant,

The little black beads (I know it is not caviar) in the keel I am assuming is lead beads that is mixed with something to hold them in place
What are they mixed with and dose it come in the kit ?

Martin555.

Lead shot. Another 'extra', but luckily a sailing friend had 'some left over', which he was quite happy to donate to a good cause. The required amount is 3200g poured into the fin and sealed with two part epoxy. It is important not to use too much epoxy in one go as it gets hot when curing.
I forgot to mention that the 'Propulsion Set' (motor, shaft, mount etc') is also an extra. 

I have stopped adding up the cost of the 'extras'. Too scary.

Hi Cormorant,

The way the prices are adding up no wonder it is not caviar LOL!!!

Martin555.

Before I continue, please remember that (to quote Morecambe and Wise), "I read all the instructions, but not necessarily in the right order".

Now the sub-deck, which is in two halves and built onto a building board get it flat. Stringers and formers are added to give the deck camber when it is glued on. Hatchways and deck openings are laser cut.

The planks on the deck are laser engraved, which I don't like, so I decided to plank using pear wood. Pear was advised as the lack of grain would not affect the scale. I used 6mm x 0.5mm planks and 10mm x 0.5mm for the centre plank and the edges.

I have planked decks before and have been very pleased with the results. It is important to start from the centre, ensuring this plank runs accurately fore and aft, then work outward.
Then it all started to go pear shaped (sorry about the pun). For some reason, after fixing the centre plank, I decided to glue to edge planks  on. Working outward on the port side I found there were annoying gaps when I got to the edge plank.I filled these gaps as best I could.
Please don't ask me why, but I thought it would look better if I worked outside in on the starboard side, so any gaps would be in the centre of the deck and not be so visible! This, of course, led to a variation in the run of the planks on either side of the centre.
I can only put this down to my age! 
It didn't help, when at a later stage in the build, I found that the toe rails covered most of the anomalies  around the edge.
Anyway, you will see from the photos that the finished deck doesn't look too bad and as Martin 555 points out, a lot of this can be hidden with coils of rope here and there.

Once the deck was in place on the hull it was time, or so I thought, to glue the skirt around the edge. No! Before the skirt, the three chain plates need to be screwed onto the hull and into the ply reinforcement I spoke about in an earlier post.
Luckily, it was just a matter of prizing the skirt away from the hull and the chain plates, made from thin brass, slid through easily. Drilling and screwing the first two chainplates was fine, but despite carefully measuring, I had glued the ply reinforcement inside the hull too far forward. This meant that the third chainplate had nothing to screw into. I was unable to gain enough access inside the hull through the relatively small hatchways to glue any more reinforcing, so I had to use M1.6mm nuts and bolts. Those of you who have used nuts and bolts of this size will know how difficult and fiddly they are to handle!

Enough of my ramblings for the time being.



Please tune in in a few days if you would like to hear more of my deliberate mistakes.

Happy building!

Hi Cormorant,
Considering the problems you have been having with the deck I think the deck came out very well.
As for the nuts showing on the outside of the chainplate maybe a strategically placed fender would hide this little problem too.

Martin555.

Another good tip. Thanks Martin.

How have you simulated the caulking between the deck planks it's really nicely done.

Thank you.
I used a sharp 2H pencil. Prior to this, the final sanding of the planks was done 'crossways' so the sawdust filled in any gaps. The first thin coat of varnish was also applied crossways which sealed in the sawdust. 

Another way of simulating the caulking is by running the side of the pencil lead along each side of the plank prior to gluing in place.

Well I'll go to the bottom of our stairs! Why didn't I think of that thank you so much for the tip it's much appreciated.

Hi Cormorant,

It is all this detail work that really makes a boat come alive.
You are doing a great job keep it up.

I know what you mean about a love hate relationship with your boat as for mine I just love to hate it LOL!!!

Martin555.

Next job is to make a start on the mast and spars, and I started with the jib boom. This comes as a square strip of wood which needs to be rounded, up to the point it fixes to the deck.
It is held onto the deck with glue and brass plates, which are screwed down.The fitting on the end is made up of four straight brass strips which need to be bent to form what you see in the photo.
I tried gluing these together, but found the joints not strong enough so I soldered them. Now soldering two pieces together is fine, but of course there are three more joints with very little space between them. To prevent the joints coming apart as I soldered the next one, I used small a small paper clip on each joint. Having previously tinned the inside of the brass at each joint I just added heat to melt the solder. This may seem common sense to all you proficient solderers out there, but quite an achievement for me.
My metal working is such that the inside diameter of the fitting was slightly on the large side to fit over the end of the jib boom. I got the fit as snug as possible and then used two-part epoxy (as my mate would say, "fill it up with glue").
The bobstay chain can now be attached.
To complete the set up the prow shrouds are attached to the front of the boom and fixed to the foredeck with chain plates. You will see that 0.5mm wire rope and tensioners are  used, which is the same for all the standing rigging.

Hi Cormorant,
I think you have reached the part where it starts to get a bit more tricky, getting the rigging to work properly.
You are doing a really great job on her.
Keep it up.

That instruction manual look quite comprehensive.
What Varnish are you using ?

Martin555.