1/16 Scale Scratchbuilt Scow Sloop "Elsie of Havre de Grace"

[RiverRat1964]

This is the current status of my RC scow sloop. The real "Elsie" was built in 1874 in Philadelphia. She was rebuilt in Havre de Grace, Md. in the 1890's and sailed from there for another 50 years.
I have put some old servos in that I had laying around (2x drum for the main and jib booms and one servo for the rudder.) This is the minimum I need to sail her. I had her out on a local pond last week but there was no wind ...so! My van that I can transport her with has been in the shop and it has been raining here a lot so still waiting. Hopefully, I will get the van back today or tomorrow and there will be a nice windy day for another test run.

 

[RC MODS]

That's pretty awesome...much respect for the dedication and passion it takes to craft such a rig!

 

[CertifiedMike]

She's a beauty!!! I hope she sails well too! Either way, very nice to look at. Excellent job!!!

 

[WickedFog]

Amazing man. I love seeing hand-built boats.

 

[Tunedfrog]

Very cool.

 

[RiverRat1964]

That's pretty awesome...much respect for the dedication and passion it takes to craft such a rig!

Thanks, RC MODS. I have been working on her on and off for about 4 years now. A lot of trial and error but I finally got her pretty much the way she actually looked.

 

[9x19]

Nicely done!

 

[TeknoJ]

 

[Doom!]

Pretty cool!

 

[RiverRat1964]

Had the "Elsie" out on the water today but instead of too little wind, it was too much wind. She nearly capsized a few times.
On a positive note.....SHE SAILS.
Still have to work out a few bugs but I am happy with her performance. Sorry, no pics or videos. I had my hands full just trying to keep her under control in those wind gusts.

 

[CertifiedMike]

Had the "Elsie" out on the water today but instead of too little wind, it was too much wind. She nearly capsized a few times.
On a positive note.....SHE SAILS.
Still have to work out a few bugs but I am happy with her performance. Sorry, no pics or videos. I had my hands full just trying to keep her under control in those wind gusts.

Congrats!!!

 

[1/48 fleet]

Very nicely done. I look forward to seeing photos of her while she is underway.

 

[RiverRat1964]

Made some changes today. The last few tests on the water showed a lot of sidewards drift and difficulties with rudder control. There was also problems with her heeling over almost to the point of her capsizing.
I made a new keel that is wider with a heavier weight on the end. The old one was 1.6 kg and the new one is 2.5 kg. I also made a deeper and wider rudder. Hopefully these changes will improve the boats performance. Still have a lot of work to do on her.

 

[DavidB1126]

Havre de Grace, Md

I know where that is. Drive past it when I go to the carpet track.

 

[RiverRat1964]

I know where that is. Drive past it when I go to the carpet track.

Have you ever visited Havre de Grace? You should. Lighthouse, Maritime museum, Chesapeake Bay Skipjack Martha Lewis, Decoy Museum, Susquehanna & Tidewater Canal Lockhouse Museum, the Promenade and some great places to eat.

 

[RC MODS]

Have you ever visited Havre de Grace? You should. Lighthouse, Maritime museum, Chesapeake Bay Skipjack Martha Lewis, Decoy Museum, Susquehanna & Tidewater Canal Lockhouse Museum, the Promenade and some great places to eat.

That's cool...my old boss lived and operated our office out of Annapolis and always kept his Captain's license up to date for his own personal fishing boat so he was allowed to take others out for rock fish season. Worked around the DC and Baltimore areas for years. If your mast is any taller 'Elsie' won't make it under Hatem Bridge! ..

 

[RiverRat1964]

That's cool...my old boss lived and operated our office out of Annapolis and always kept his Captain's license up to date for his own personal fishing boat so he was allowed to take others out for rock fish season. Worked around the DC and Baltimore areas for years. If your mast is any taller 'Elsie' won't make it under Hatem

That's cool...my old boss lived and operated our office out of Annapolis and always kept his Captain's license up to date for his own personal fishing boat so he was allowed to take others out for rock fish season. Worked around the DC and Baltimore areas for years. If your mast is any taller 'Elsie' won't make it under Hatem Bridge! ..

The mast is actually to scale. She made it under the Hatem Bridge (Rt. 40) but they had to open the draw on the old Pennsylvania Railroad bridge for her to go up river to the granite quarry or pick up lumber at Port Deposit. The Captain, Buck Palmer, had a hand held horn he would blow through 3 times to signal the draw to open. The Maritime Museum in Havre de Grace has the horn in their "Elsie" display. One of the museum personnel showed it to me but the secretary begged us not to blow it because is so loud.

 

[RC MODS]

The mast is actually to scale. She made it under the Hatem Bridge (Rt. 40) but they had to open the draw on the old Pennsylvania Railroad bridge for her to go up river to the granite quarry or pick up lumber at Port Deposit. The Captain, Buck Palmer, had a hand held horn he would blow through 3 times to signal the draw to open. The Maritime Museum in Havre de Grace has the horn in their "Elsie" display. One of the museum personnel showed it to me but the secretary begged us not to blow it because is so loud.

The boat I mentioned earlier was a 40' designated wooden fishing vessel that was fiberglassed over in the 1980's. I think it was from the early 1930- 1950's that was handed down to him from his father. I had been on it many times, it had a Chrysler 440 in it and for years he wanted to throw another motor in it..The relic 440 was donated to a maritime museum in St. Michael's, Md and he ended up throwing a Caterpillar 3208 diesel in it. That thing woke that boat up. Had a Caterpillar representative come out and oversee the install..The torque, smoothness and fuel savings were ridiculous compared to the Chrysler.

 

[RiverRat1964]

The boat I mentioned earlier was a 40' designated wooden fishing vessel that was fiberglassed over in the 1980's. I think it was from the early 1930- 1950's that was handed down to him from his father. I had been on it many times, it had a Chrysler 440 in it and for years he wanted to throw another motor in it..The relic 440 was donated to a maritime museum in St. Michael's, Md and he ended up throwing a Caterpillar 3208 diesel in it. That thing woke that boat up. Had a Caterpillar representative come out and oversee the install..The torque, smoothness and fuel savings were ridiculous compared to the Chrysler.

I am not really an expert on larger boat engines so I checked out a few sites concerning the Cat 3208. Seems like your old boss made an excellent choice in engines. Seems to be very powerful and reliable.
I, myself grew up out on open, wooden skiffs with outboard motors. My dad wouldn't run anything but an Evinrude. We'll, sometimes a Johnson. Sure do miss the water. (Wudder)
This is a static model I built from memory of one of my dad's skiffs set up for crabbing. We used to run trotlines on various rivers on the Eastern Shore. We would stay a few weeks at my G. Grandmother's house on the "Cabin Creek" and crab in the Choptank River. If you are familiar with the "Suicide Bridge Restaurant" in Secretary, Md. my family used to own the land on bothsides ofthe bridge opposite the restaurant. Have some great childhood memories from there.

 

[RC MODS]

Dang! That's another great looking build with awesome details, Hun ( little Baltimorian slang )