Pierre Delion is a naval architect. Even if today, he specializes in workboats, he has some beautiful creations of pleasure boats to his credit (sailboats and motorboats). On his website, he gives free access to the plans of an easy to build model, a fast and modern cruiser.
The Luco 39 (for 39 cm) project started when an intern came to the firm at a time when it wasn't raining. We are in 2008, and to occupy this trainee Pierre Delion proposes to him to realize the plans of a small boat which would fit in an A3 page (not to pose too many problems to print). At the end of the exercise, the plans are offered as a service book. The only condition to use them is to send one (or more) picture of the finished boat.
Pierre Delion explains: " The exercise is delicate, because we are used to draw big boats. For a 10 m boat for example, we know the weights and their distribution. On a model everything changes. You have to redo all the calculations. It is important to know that when the length evolves, the surface evolves in square and the weight in cube. Reducing the size therefore requires reflection. We must also take into account the anti-drift plane which must be proportionally more important. And the ballast which can be carried lower and thus less heavy... it was thus a very good exercise for the trainee. "
Since this plan is available, this page on the site is the most visited, says Pierre Delion: " Already 10 or 12 people have started building. Even if we had not originally thought of making the boat radio controlled, some people are doing it. To do so, we have to change some data like the surface of the rudders for example. That's what I like about this project: its evolution. It forces us to think about the balance under sail. And all this without incurring huge costs! ".
At the time of the containment, why not launch out in this realization. If the examples show models built in plywood, they can also be made in polystyrene for example. The advantage of the plane is to offer developable surfaces, thus realizable with flat sheets.
Are you stuck at home? Turn your office into a shipyard! And above all, send us photos of your creations...
[Alas, the plans are no longer available on the site of the architect Pierre Delion]
