My newly built Dumas Ace Sloop
Its built according to the instructions/plans. I built one back around 1983 and had it until 2002. It somehow got "lost" between moves. It sailed fine all those years. Very nice, simple and easy to build. Designed as a free sailer it wouldnt be hard to convert to R/C. It features mahogany frames & skins with balsa stringers, the mast is hard birchwood. The boat measures 17 inches long with a 5 inch beam. Only thing wrong with it is the instructions dont really show or explain well how the rigging goes, unless you built a sailboat yourself before, rigging this one involves some guesswork...Today was its maiden voyage, and it sailed along very well. very simple "cruise control" involves use of an adjustable line tied to a rubber band tied to the front of the tiller, with a adjustable line from the boom to the tillers arm, so in theory, the boat will sail straight in almost any direction. After some trial & error, I got it to sail along the shoreline about 20 feet out, about 200 yards before the wind made it sail to the other side of the lake...Heres some pics, enjoy...