Starlet by Vic Smeed - Lockdown project

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RichardT
Posts: 18
Joined: 03 Mar 2019, 17:15
Location: Surrey

Starlet by Vic Smeed - Lockdown project

Post by RichardT »

Here's my ancient but serviceable Starlet (the Vic Smeed one from the '60s not the earlier '40s one). Originally built with a modified RCS Guidance System single channel to provide proportional rudder and sails in/out on two buttons. Back in the day it used mark/space and fully on/off to drive relays and a damped WW2 aircraft indicator linked to a motor/gearbox for rudder with Marx mini richard for the sail winch. Very effective and sailed at Prince's Park Eastbourne, didn't matter about radio interference, there just weren't any other boats around! Now updated to 2.4 Ghz with later homemade ali case (+ Arduino and Frsky DIY), first sail at Chipstead lake Sevenoaks a couple of weeks ago. All inspired by Phil_G, P Luby and other members of the forum so big thanks to them.


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Phil_G
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Joined: 15 Feb 2018, 23:32
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Re: Starlet by Vic Smeed - Lockdown project

Post by Phil_G »

Nice Richard, I have (somewhere) a Vic Smeed 'Wing Ray' which is a yacht with a model aircraft style wing instead of a sail. Goes very well, I must try to find it. It might be in my mum's loft :D next time I visit I'll have a look... you might know Ken Binks from Eastbourne, well known model yachtsman (amongst other things like aerobatics European champ!), he checks in from time to time.

I've not seen or heard from Paul Luby in several years now. I understand from his close RAF mate Paul Blakebrough that he packed it all in and shows cats instead. Serious cats, proper pedigrees, expensive hobby!

Trevor is Ken's brother, he used to fly the slope S/C comps as Ken was entering multi. He disappeared, I did wonder what happened to Trevor. Its Ken who I thought you might know, Kens a member here.
Yes Vic was a prolific designer, very highly respected in these parts (apart from one design in hundreds of successful ones, the 'Popsy' which was a pig :D )

Re single channel NRFing, thats our bag remember, thats why we're 'mode zero' - no sticks!

Cheers
Phil
PS I righted your capsized photo!
RichardT
Posts: 18
Joined: 03 Mar 2019, 17:15
Location: Surrey

Re: Starlet by Vic Smeed - Lockdown project

Post by RichardT »

Phil, Vic Smeed seems to have designed just about everything, a quick search of Wing Ray brings up https://www.modelboats.co.uk/forums/pos ... sp?th=1554 ! Some nice pictures. His enthusiasm must have rubbed off on me, still going after 50 years! Other projects are on the go, larger yacht restoration with plan to use your NRF24 design (much respect for that, a lot more practical than the single 'channel' and the bits are unbelievably cheap!). Along the same theme I’m trying to use inexpensive components to make something close to the commercial stuff viz. a sail winch out of bits from the hoard with some hopefully clever programming.
As you say Trevor Binks is very well known in the sailing community, I may have unknowingly run into him at Eastbourne in the early days. The plan is to take Starlet back down to Eastbourne for a nostalgia-fest and see who else has a club badge from 60s!

Clearly lack of enough lead on keel caused capsize!

Cheers - Richard
RichardT
Posts: 18
Joined: 03 Mar 2019, 17:15
Location: Surrey

Re: Starlet by Vic Smeed - Lockdown project

Post by RichardT »

Hi Phil,

As a bit of background I met both the brothers Binks at Eastbourne for the first time in September 2020, they seem most active in the sailing arena. Ken is a distributor (manufacturer?) of boat bits. In the open invitation racing meeting that day they were 3rd (Ken) and 4th (Trevor) of 17 so there is clearly a rivalry and they are the ones to beat. But then again Trevor is a previous world champion (2003) in the IOM one-metre class so doesn't have much to prove!

Cheers - Richard
JefO
Posts: 25
Joined: 22 Oct 2022, 22:07

Re: Starlet by Vic Smeed - Lockdown project

Post by JefO »

In the early seventies, my friend and I used to sail our freesailing yachts at Southchurch park, Southend, Essex. He had a Smeed Starlet. I had forgotten the model's name until I saw your thread title. Then the memories came flooding back. Seeing the photos in this thread confirmed the model as the same.
On a different tack I am clearing my parents place and have been distracted by another Smeed yacht, which I built with my father - the 36R Gosling, in the early mid seventies.
I didn't remember sailing it more than a couple of times, but found everything in fine fettle, including the Vane steering gear.
It has had a few outings now, and my wife and I have found sailing it very therapeutic.
It is in astonishingly good condition.
If I could figure out how to save a photo here...
Jef
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Flynn
Posts: 64
Joined: 17 Feb 2018, 14:48

Re: Starlet by Vic Smeed - Lockdown project

Post by Flynn »

Open your 'reply' button - half way down the page is an 'attachments' tab, click on that, followed by 'Add Files'. Locate the picture you want to upload and select it, once it has been transferred click on 'place inline' and it will be inserted where ever the curser is in your text.
You only ever need two tools....WD40 and duct tape.
If it doesn't move when it should use the WD40 and if it moves and it shouldn't use the tape.
Tobe
Posts: 665
Joined: 16 Feb 2018, 06:19
Location: Varberg or Stockholm, Sweden

Re: Starlet by Vic Smeed - Lockdown project

Post by Tobe »

Please try to keep pictures if possible under 1MiB but if not I'm more than happy to resize and / or turn them straight
The important thing is however that you post and share your pictures everything thing else is irrelevant and easy peasy to fix
Cheers

Tobe
Cheers,

Tobe
JefO
Posts: 25
Joined: 22 Oct 2022, 22:07

Re: Starlet by Vic Smeed - Lockdown project

Post by JefO »

Thanks for the excellent info Flynn and Tobe.

Here goes then!

This is a 36R Vic Smeed Gosling using vane gear steering, and giving my wife and I some gentle exercise!
Attachments
P1000282 sml.jpg
P1000284 Jane sailing sml.jpg
IMG-20220710-WA0005.jpg
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