Topic: E.S.F. Surveyor build

[swiftdoc]

I started the build of my E.S.F. Surveyor last weekend. It is the first kit with laser cut parts I build. The laser cut parts speed up the process of cutting a lot.

I installed a bow thruster made by Raboesch. The balloon is for protecting the flange of the motor from glue.

The quality of the hull is really superb. It is the best hull I have had so far. The two halves of the mould are exactly level and the surface is very neat.

[radio joe]

That's a nice looking hull Arno, I'll follow your build with even more interest as this is the first laser cut one I've seen, I'm interested to see how it fits together, as we all know you have to measure and remark the printed plasticards,. At 1:20 you'll have some good size fittings, I'm just thinking, a destroyer in 1:20 scale, imagine that. LOL. Joe

[paul swainson]

I like the Port hole you have taken the photo off, as you know I like my port holes its part of the ships character.

[Dennis]

Hey Arno, been looking at this kit for a while. Will be following your build with great interest.

[swiftdoc]

I will add rivets made from the heads of small brass nails later but will keep the brass finish and use only satin clear varnish.

[swiftdoc]

CAPTION COMPETITION

...horrible storm in the Wash...superstructure blown off...lost parts of the running gear...Deans quality hull saved our souls...




P.S.: The Wash = area where the E.S.F. Surveyor was in service
The figures are made by CAP maquettes (France). I will paint them in dark blue as the original.

[radio joe]

Or they could be saying    "Hurry up and get the decks on Arno, we're fed up with standing on this sanding block".  Lol.

[swiftdoc]

You're probably right, Joe. I can hear them every night moaning about that in the cellar. 

[colin]

CAPTION COMPETITION: reminds me of a film.... The Italian Job; in the voice of Michael Cane " Your only supposed to blow the bloody doors off "

[swiftdoc]

I decided not to use the brackets that came with the kit for the proptubes but doubled up the skegs in that section. Later you will not see the tubes any more. I will use body filler for that when the epoxy has dried hard.

I have to admit that the idea was not mine as one of the Deans prototypes showed the same which I saw on the pics delivered with the kit.

[radio joe]

Hi Arno,   following with interest, she looks a nice beamy boat, should be very stable , she is of particular interest to me as I worked for Halmatic, though not at the time she was built, I joined the company in 2005 when the firm I was working for (Camper & Nicholsons) closed down, and I worked on similar craft, Halmatic was taken over by BAE Systems and shortly after was moved to Portsmouth Dockyard till my retirement. Joe

[swiftdoc]

Hi Joe, glad to hear that you have some first hand knowledge. Unfortunately you cannot find any photos of the E.S.F. Surveyor on the internet. I have sent an email to the Eastern Sea Fisheries Joint Committee but they sent only a photo of the Three Counties, their current research vessel. Do you think the skegs were like mine on the original?

You are right: when I put the hull in my bath tub for cleaning she was very stable and will probably be able to take a lot of ballast.

[radio joe]

Having worked on similar vessels I'd say your skegs were spot on as you probably know the shafts were built into the skegs and the skegs were linked to the rudders, this arrangement enabled the vessel to sit on the bottom at low tide, many of these vessels were based in harbours that dried out at low water 

[swiftdoc]

Thanks a lot, Joe. Looks very much like what I have done. I have made the rudder protection from a brass profile. Will post some pics later.

[cabinboy]

as regards to photo,s of the orginal vessel . I suggest you have a word with Ron Dean .as i took some  photo,s of the orginal vessel . and gave them to Ron . He may still have . If not i may have some hidden in the darkest corners of my workshop. among the spiders . I remember seeing her berthed at Sutton Bridge , A long time a go.