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Rapier 2.
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About this boat
This is another Rapier (my second) that I am restoring after buying it unseen.
Being the second original LesRo Rapier that I acquired after completing the restoration of Rapier 1, I was surprised by some of the differences that I found.
Firstly, Rapier 2 had a very small electric motor powering it and unusually it had a “straight runner” type of rudder with a ratchet fitted, so it had obviously been intended to be used as a “pond boat” that had never gone very fast or had a radio control system fitted to it.
The builder also failed to join the bottom skins to the transom and left a gap where they ended and the transom started (!) so it could never have been very water-tight!
Despite the above, the inside of the hull was dry with no water-stains, so maybe this boat was never actually run at all?
The other big differences between this boat and Rapier 1 was this it was built “straight” and had no twist in the hull……and it was not fuel soaked !
Having gained some experience restoring Rapier 1, and being very surprised with that boats unexpected speed and handling, I was keen to rebuild this second Rapier to look a little “different” but share some of Rapier 1’s features - such as the ”wrap-a-round” windscreen “mask” to replace the poor original kit cabin front design etc…..
Bob
Being the second original LesRo Rapier that I acquired after completing the restoration of Rapier 1, I was surprised by some of the differences that I found.
Firstly, Rapier 2 had a very small electric motor powering it and unusually it had a “straight runner” type of rudder with a ratchet fitted, so it had obviously been intended to be used as a “pond boat” that had never gone very fast or had a radio control system fitted to it.
The builder also failed to join the bottom skins to the transom and left a gap where they ended and the transom started (!) so it could never have been very water-tight!
Despite the above, the inside of the hull was dry with no water-stains, so maybe this boat was never actually run at all?
The other big differences between this boat and Rapier 1 was this it was built “straight” and had no twist in the hull……and it was not fuel soaked !
Having gained some experience restoring Rapier 1, and being very surprised with that boats unexpected speed and handling, I was keen to rebuild this second Rapier to look a little “different” but share some of Rapier 1’s features - such as the ”wrap-a-round” windscreen “mask” to replace the poor original kit cabin front design etc…..
Bob
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I will cut some option shapes for an open rear cockpit as well as a revised shape of rear cabin, but an open rear cockpit on a Rapier would be quite unusual (if not unique) and I would be interested to see what the “mock-up” can look like.
Bob.
I think some more card cut outs of the superstructure sides, both with, and without a rear cabin could be called for.
Obviously the 'with' version would need to be a more modern design, in keeping with your modernised forward cabin and wheelhouse.
Actually seeing what it could potentially look like would make the decision much easier I would say, than having to imagine how each one would look.
I would definitely be interested to see how a Rapier would look as an aft cockpit version though.
Will
The electric motor and mount shown on the left is the one that was removed from Rapier 2 soon after I bought it.
The water-cooled adjustable alloy motor mount and brushless in-runner motor is the power unit that will replace it.
Bob.
The delay in the completion of Rapier 2, has been caused by not being able to decide what to do with the rear part of the superstructure.
The cabin and wheelhouse design has been finalised and built, but the aft-cabin now needs some fresh design input.
I don’t want to “cop-out” and build the aft cabin the same as the kit Rapier, I want it to match the revised front cabin and wheelhouse theme.
An open rear cockpit would probably work well (and be different), and maybe I could even chop the transom to give it a slope (like the Project 3 hulls that we have already have drawn by Chris). This would add a fair bit of construction work, but it might be worth the effort?
The razor saw is ready to “chop” and the bandsaw is ready to cut new shapes………but………
Bob.
When I restored Rapier 1, I was also building my second Remora (the first was lost in a move up from Devon in the early 1980’s) and I noted the forward rudder position that had been given to the model by Vic Smeed who had designed it as a “steering” design for the then popular “steering competitions” that were raced during the early days of single channel radio control.
The Remora had its rudder further forwards than most, and this contributed to its impressive fast steering response.
I copied this idea when I restored Rapier 1 and gained an impressively fast steering from this boat and remembered to do it again on Rapier 2 by blocking the original rudder and water scoop holes with dowel, and re-drilling them further forwards.
The original propshaft exit was also blocked off and filled with some scrap wood as it was too far back and needed to have the new M5 shaft re-positioned.
A new larger rudder was fitted in this revised “forwards” position along with a new water scoop, to allow Rapier 2 to have the same excellent fast steering response as its predecessor.
The water scoop used was the black moulded plastic type. I wanted to re-use the original 1960’s brass scoop that had been fitted during its original build, but it had gone brittle and snapped off as I tried to unscrew it.
Sadly, I cannot find a good source of brass water scoops (I much prefer them), but the same moulded plastic type was fitted to Rapier 1 and it has always worked well, so I am sure that this one will be OK.
Bob.
Whilst the Rapier 2 superstructure was undergoing some re-styling, the underside of the hull was also receiving some attention.
Firstly, the bottom skins were extended to reach the transom and fill the gap to make it water-tight, and all the old paint was sanded-off.
After the paint was scraped-off, some 6mm square obechie were split to make some strakes that were fitted along with a pair of 1/8” x 1/4” gun whale stringers and similar sized deck edge stringers.
A simple spacer was knocked-up to measure the width apart that would look best between the strakes.
The thin 4mm propshaft was removed and replaced with a 5mm Maxi-shaft along with a new rudder and water pick-up scoop.
The hull bottom was then given some undercoats of white spirit based paint that had been tinted with some red gloss to make it ready for the final red gloss finish.
Bob.
The extended rear canopy may or may not remain as I am not fully convinced that it looks “right” , but I have not finalised the rear cabin shape yet …..or even it it will have a rear cabin or an open cockpit.
Bob.
A new front cabin windscreen shape was cut and added along with new cabin sides.
The central cabin on the LesRo Rapier was intended to have a single piece of plywood skin glued on it to act as a roof. Although very simple it looks a bit like an “after-though” as if the designer suddenly lost interest in the design and wanted to give up!
As I was going to make a much better roof that could also be removed, I also added a rear canopy to the wheel-house whilst I was at it!
Bob.