Whether you’re a seasoned sailor or just dipping your toes in the water, we’re confident that the 3DS1M kit is for you! Not quite sure yet? Well, we’ve got the answers to all your questions!
What, exactly, do I get when I purchase a 3DS1M kit?
- Vacuum-formed High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS) white hull and deck, installed and transom installed. Hull/deck are sealed against leakage. Tight-fitting traditional-style hatch cover with gasket included.
- 3D-printed plastic inner reinforcing space frame is installed under the mast, set in the hull, and bonded to the deck. The space frame incorporates the keel trunk AND the radio board in one piece. There is even a “shelf” for a battery that is glued forward to the frame. Even includes Velcro to mount your battery!
- A combination 3D-printed aft plastic space frame and rudder support, bonded into the hull aligns and supports the rudder.
- Openings in the radio board are included for a sail servo (when ordering- state which sail servo you will use), fit a standard sized (IE: HS-322) rudder servo. Even a 14” extra long rudder control rod is included.
- Reinforcements built in at forward and aft mounting points for deck hardware.
- A symmetrical keel shell, sealed together and with the keel spar, ready to be filled. The keel and rudder are perfectly aligned using a jig.
- Includes a solid rudder with a stainless steel shaft.
- Complete instructions
- Source list for hardware, sails and spars
What are 3DS1M boats made of?
HIPS- white high impact polystyrene- same as were the Old boats. HIPS and ABS are virtually the same plastic material.
Did you use new tooling?
Yes—100% new. Three generations of previous Soling 1 Meters (all NOS parts) were computer generated, dimensionally averaged, then digitally smoothed resulting in a fair hull and underwater parts.
Does it “measure”?
YES! The boat was made to meet the Class Rules from the inception of the (2-year) project.
What about the keel?
The keel shell is assembled, and mounted, but not filled. You finish the ballasting of the keel, and can mount it permanently, or leave it as removable.
Can I get a finished, ballasted keel? Epoxy can be messy, and I don’t need 5000 lead shot balls rolling around in the garage.
Yes—contact us and we can take your order for a finished keel at your specified total weight, OR we can ship you a “Keel Fill Kit” including shot, resin and hardener. (Optional and shipped separately. Charges apply.)
What do I need to do to complete the boat?
- Paint the boat and the hatch cover
- Add the rigging (eye screws or chainplates), jib pivot, backstay fitting, sheet exits
- Build the mast and booms
- Add the electronics- sail and rudder servo, and receiver of your choice
- Bend on the sails, and set up the adjustments
- Weigh the boat with everything on it
- Determine the amount of weight to be added to reach 10 lbs., as ballast (resin, hardener, and lead shot)
- Pour the keel to bring the weight up to Class minimum. (10 lbs.)
You brought it up, so what does it weigh?
Generally a boat, painted, with digital servos and a keel filled to 7 lbs. will weigh around 10#. In our opinion, a Soling under about 10# 5 oz. can be very competitive.
Of course, the rig weight, sails, servos used, amount of paint, if/if not clear-coated, lightness of hardware, and care with rig building contribute to a ”light” or heavier boat.
We recommend building, paining, rigging, and weighing the boat, then filling the keel to just over 10#.
What about the rig and deck parts? And sails?
We recommend sources in the Instruction Manual that comes with the kit.
What’s next?
Place your order!
We ship using USPS, and the boat is securely packed to protect it during shipment. Remember—anything with lead involved is a separate shipping charge that is as much as the boat shipping cost or more, all because it weights 2.5 times what the hull weighs!
The least-cost way is to locally source your own #9 lead shot and use a high-quality epoxy resin and hardener.
We can recommend WHICH epoxy and give you pointers on filling the keel.
If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us!