IOMICA Forum

I have been more than happy with the Hytec 1/4 scale servos like the 5735 and 5745 set up with the CF lever arm as used by Trevor Binks at the Van. Can. Worlds, which he won. My 5735 has been working perfectly since new seven years ago and I have also fitted out another three hulls similarly. Recent...

Hi Dave, A wee warning here. Don't cut fast and loose with the carbon fibre as a permanant part of the hull. Its a no-no. CF is OK for fin and rudder and for some mast fittings such as kicker and sheeting post but even here the sheeting post tube which is bonded into the hull must either be glass/ep...

Hang on a minute, I thought this was an INTERNATIONAL Class. Do we measurers not ALL already fill out and forward to the National Registrar, TWO forms, one for the hull AND one for the rigs, and in the UK there is also a form called Appendix 'C' which records all the actual weights etc which is held...

The minimum size for sail numbers that can be seen by the majority of sailors with 20/20 or corrected eyes over the distances needed for IOM racing is 100mm or there abouts, that being the size required for the IOM. Now in countries with large numbers of registered boats, with numbers in the thousan...

Barry If you have a keel stepped mast and free movement fore and aft at deck level, then with the rig set up for windward sailing, gently press the mast aft at the deck level. This should flatten out the wrinkles. Take note of how much you have moved the mast back, then screw your ram back to there....

A small, but important, point when installing such a powerfull servo is to fit a fuse module with a suitably rated fuse. I have this fitted in both my IOM's with lever arms and have saved myself quite a bit of damage . When in a situation where my boat has becomed entangled with another, and the mai...

Hi Anders, I have also been using a Hitec arm winch in my ISIS for as long as Steve, (I have ISIS hull #041), but it is the previous model, the 5735. I have had absolutely no problems with it and am using 6v to drive it. I have three 6v Ni-Cd packs, with the 3/4 size AA cells, that I bought from Ken...

This Saturday 8th July we are holding the annual Scottish Wooden Hull Champs at Brechin Castle Centre Model Boat Club. All measured and certificated 'Wooden Walls' are welcome. Briefing at 09:45 for a 10:00 start. The usual breaks for refreshments in the on site supa-dupa caff' will be scheduled to ...

Hi Charles, Polyform 'A' series are the best IMHO but stay clear of the bright/fluoroescent colours. 15" or 18"are about right. Try the blue, black, maroon or even white and paint on four vertical constrasting stripes (easier to see a contact at a distance). Now the following depends on the availabl...

Hi Gilbert, Try Ken Binks at:- www.kbits.co.uk He has a padded boat bag called a Yot-Sok which is really 'The Bizz!' A pal of mine has one. Blag one as a Christmas Present. Costs about £53 but has some good features, carry handles, zip opening, padded rudder storage, either on or off the hull, and ...

Mike, Ah, Javelin dinghy. Been there done that. I built the first ever Javelin kit in the late '60s, No9, with no written instructions. Had a very large phone bill with frequent calls to Paul Wright in Essex. Great boat, well ahead of its time. Now please don't hold the following statements against ...

Peter, I heartily agree with you. Being 'T' boned by a Port tacker is bad enough without a couple of hidden 'pin punches' adding injury to insult. If this was a mode of construction that had caused a punch damage, then the owner should be 'bombed out'! 10mm is small enough bow protection without any...

Hi, I'm at the same stage as John Ball in trying to get my bulb and keel fin to the optimum weight. The only thing is that my bulb is underweight by about 55gm. It was supplied with rather a deep slot, and I think that the only way to 'up' the weight is to melt some lead and pour it into the slot, a...

Prior to buying ISIS hull No41 from Barry, I built a cedar planked Kite. I also cut down the planks myself, but not from pre-machined cladding, I managed to get a piece about 6"x4" and had a large band saw cut slabs at about 10mm thick. This meant that I had to finish at least three sides of the 3.5...

Hi Gilbert, How is the Mandarin refurbishment going? For a race starting timer device you couldn't beat the Mainlink Systems magic box, which has the countdown message in various forms recorded in 'solid state'. They have a web site ww.mainlinksystems.co.uk/ where they list all their chargers etc. G...

Gilbert, If you send me your address via email to: - ralphgknowles@yahoo.com I will send you the original plan for fitting out a Mandarin. It is not very up to date as far as fittings are concerned, no Sailsetc gear, but you did indicate 'an old Mandarin'. Have one myself and completely refitted it ...

Hi Signatus,

I would think a £5 note or maybe 8 Euros should cover it.

Cheers

Ralph

Hi Signatus, You may not be aware that th MYA is run by amature volunteers, it is not a business, but a country wide 'club'. Funds are not available to send out plans etc. to all who request them. My advice is to send an self-addressed envelope with your request, along with a bank cheque, or possibl...

Hi Snooks,

You've built a bonny fair hull. You should be proud of it. Looking forward to a few more pictures of it both in and out of the water?

Well done.

Ralph

Hi again Andrew, Ref pistol grips. I dont know of anybody who uses a pistol grip. I dont think the squeeze of a finger could be as sensitive as the slightest touch of a thumb, especially on the steering stick. If you have ever sailed a dinghy or a yacht you will understand that steering by tiller re...

Andrew, Have a look at www.kbits.co.uk Ken Binks has been dealing in all sorts of control 'bits' for some years now and has written some good informed technical details of both Hitech and Futaba servo's and winches. Give him a call after reading his publication, and I am sure he will be glad to help...

Try www.sailsetc.com and click Products then Sails then Materials, and at item No 78 you will find 'Eyelets' and 'washers' at £1.50 or so per packet of 100 pieces. You will also have to buy a small punch and die to fix them. Find the phone number and give Lorna or Chris a call. They will gladly hel...

Hi James, I've only heard of Woods Metal being used in the manufacture of copper plumbing fittings. In its heated form it is used as a hydraulic medium in the forming of 'Ts' and elbows. I think there would be a problem of how to adhere the fin to the metal which I presume you would be using as a 'g...

Hi again James, Have a look in Ken Binks site for a list of Futaba and Hitech gear and also a very good piece about their uses. www.kbits.co.uk Note the bit about NOT using the sheet as a vang, this will burn out any type of winch. I have used the Futaba P-S5801 drum winch on my home-built Bantock K...

Jamestj, Hi there. Do I detect that you are trying to re-invent the wheel? The power reqirements for an IOM have long been sorted out using three or four makes of winches and servos. I use K Bits modified lever arm Hitech winch and have it fused at 1.62 amp for a 6v supply. There should be no proble...

Hi Bfox1, The rule of thumb appears to be that if the part can move, or be moved, then it is not part of, or, a structural member of the hull. Therefore the steering rod, rudder,keel fin, servo arm, or a movable part of the sheeting post are allowed to be of carbon construction. The likes of the fix...

Hi Roy, As far as I know, in GBR, no fee is charged for measuring an IOM. Certainly in Scotland, that is the case. In GBR we have six District Senior Measurers. My SDM approached me to volunteer to be an accredited Official Measurer. I think this was due to the fact that I has recently built a Banto...

Hi Roy, A small bit of clarification here I think. In GBR also, no fees are required for any certification on new builds or owner change. All that is requested is a stamped addressed envilope, so that the work, which can be quite conciderable, can be halved, as Jim does not have to write addresses a...

Hi again James, Yes it did touch a nerve. I was caught out in the same way as Lester and yourself a couple of years ago. Having been full of enthusiam after buying my first IOM and raring to go, new to the club and unfamiliar with the 'Process', I waited for a few weeks for my cert. and only when a ...

James, The MYA is run on an amateur basis, with all officials doing a power of work out of the goodness of their hearts, but not out of their pockets. Little funds are available for postage, which is now very expensive. Do you want an expensive association, I think not. I think a stamped addressed e...