Airboat Free Plan May 2023

I have reviewed the article and plans and can find all the info needed to source the requisite materials but not the actual craft dimensions.

As a digital subscriber I cannot print off the plans. If I could print the plan I could take a known dimension say the prop and calculate everything from that - but I can't.

Can anyone help, or is the answer so obvious I have just missed it?

When Glynn introduced the plan a couple of years ago he said that it was 21in x 8in.

As a digital subscriber I also wish that some dimensions were always given.

Original Airboat Announcement

Edited By Chris E on 30/04/2023 16:31:09

If you are digital subscribers you should find that the plan is now appended at the end of the issue as a PDF file. You should also have access to the Digital Archives which also have the plan in PDF format - I have just checked and it is there.

If you look at the plan, you will see that in the page corners Glynn has included scales in both inches and metric from which you can take off the model dimensions.

Hope this helps.

Colin

Colin

You are, of course, correct but if you try & scale things from the scale printed on the plan you will find that accuracy is somewhat limited - well I do anyway. For a simple model like this my method would be to print it A4 and then scale a hand drawn plan. Fortunately with this model the odd 10mm is unlikely to make much difference.

Not complaining as I am delighted to get the plans at all but is ensuring the overall dimensions are included in the text asking too much?

I decided some time ago that if I really wanted a plan, & accuracy mattered I would buy a hard copy of the magazine if I could find one.

Edited By Chris E on 30/04/2023 17:12:13

Not sure what you mean by accuracy being limited. If the plan has been scanned square as it should have been then all you need is a pair of dividers to take off dimensions. Chart and dividers is the method I used to navigate all around the Solent when I had my 1:1 scale boat. Still went aground occasionally though but that was down to the tide.

Long before that I was using the method in modelling. The Norman Ough Warship drawings, among others, were printed in the magazine back in th 50s & 60s and included a scale on the drawing that you could use to measure the full size item and then apply the scale you were using for your model to it.

I'm no draughtsman by any stretch of the imagination, but I've never had a problem as long as the original drawing is not distorted. This did actually happen with the Canadian rip off of the Bilsdale paddler plan but I had the small reproduction in the original magazine to cross check it.

Very useful things dividers.

Colin

Edited By Colin Bishop on 30/04/2023 17:49:40

Colin

I am sure that the magazine is printed square & I was not implying anything else.

I also use dividers, as taught for my Yachtmasters certificate, but when I look at a digital plan I don't have the visual reference of size that those with the full sized plan benefit from. Printing the page and then getting the dividers out to find out how large the model is when reading the magazine seems unnecessary - hence Rogers question.

Edited By Chris E on 30/04/2023 18:24:04

Hi Colin and others

That was some help thanks though it didn't quite work as easily as implied. On the iPad It saved p78 as a PNG image, which I was then able to save to photos, and print that off. I can now see the scales (too feint to read the numbers/letters, but now I know what they are that's fine.

However I could not use the same methodology to save/print p77. Instead it would only save p76, the advert.

As this is just the GA that should be ok, but hopefully the feedback will be useful.

Hi Roger,

I thought it was supposed to be a PDF file which is what I am getting on my Windows PC. I agree that the scales are faint when printed out and will raise this with the IT people. It was OK on the screen but I needed a magnifying glass on the print so fair point.

I don't know if it works differently on thge Apple IoS. I will ask for this to be checked.

Chris, your point re overall dimensions in the text is relevant. In Glynn's defence, I understand that he originally wrote the article before the digital download option was available. So something to be borne in mind for the future.

I will pass all these points on to Lindsey.

Colin

Colin

No attack on Glynn intended. He is generally one of the best at supplying basic information about his models.

Just to observe the obvious. When you print an A4 of a plan all models end up appearing the same size so a scale does matter. The airboat was a relatively small model which makes life easier but try A4 printing the March model - USS Kettlewell - and you will not find using the tiny corner scales very easy. Glynn fortunately gave the dimensions in his text which made enjoying the whole plan article so much easier.

My screen would not like the idea of using dividers on its surface for scaling purposes.

Hi All,

I have the May issue with the plan still stapled in , not my sort of boat at the moment , my airscrews have aeroplanes behind them

£6.20 + postage ??

Regards Ray