Presenting The "Sun Wind HF" Radio Control Vintage Marblehead Sailboat!

Tuh da! I present to you the resurrected 1949 wooden Sun Wind HF Vintage Marblehead radio control sailboat! This Vintage Marblehead sailboat, despite being called "vintage", is a brand new boat based on the original 1949 design, but updated to the newer VM rules.

Original Designer: Gus Lassel
Year: 1949
Original Class: Marblehead
Current Class: Vintage Marblehead (VM) "High-Flyer" Division
Resurrection Designer (converted to RC and to the "High Flyer" ("HF") rules: Steve Deligan 2017
LOA: 50"
Draft: 16"
Displacement Ready to Sail (including batteries, servos, etc...): 16 lbs. 14.5 oz.
Ballast: 10 lbs. made by Jeffrey Gros
Sails: Carr Sails
Hull: Western Red Cedar on laser cut 1/8" plywood frames
Deck: Alaskan Yellow Cedar with Mahogany trim

It took five months to build, but much of that was down time, so not really that long. If I build another one, it will take much less time. For much of this build, I was experimenting and figuring things out. I was also writing my "Wooden RC Sailboat Construction Manual" which should be available soon. Wood boats are fun and relatively easy to make, so hopefully many people will get a copy and make their own boats.

I'm still not sure how I will make the laser cut frames available. My two options are: A) find a company to cut them, or B) just release the files and let people cut them themselves.

UPDATE: (11/11/2017) I had the maiden sail, and it was obvious that the rig was too far forward. The entire rig has now been moved back about 2". It now points much higher. These pictures are of the original placement. See more recent posts for the newer placement pics.

Vintage Marblehead Sun Wind HF wooden radio control sailboat

Vintage Marblehead Sun Wind HF wood radio control sailboat

Vintage Marblehead sailboat laser cut boom

Here is my crazy, funky, a bit artsy, a bit 'techy' looking laser cut mainsail boom. It was made from eight laser cut layers of 1/32" plywood that were then epoxy laminated. It's very lightweight and plenty strong.

It's only early November, but here in Seattle it's cold, dark and rainy... so not sure when she'll have her maiden sail. Will post pics of it on the water when that happens.

Then a proper photo shoot sometime in the next couple weeks.

Aloha!

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