When a usualy formal yacht race (on the water) is started a special blackpowder cannon is fired to signal the start, like the Sydney/Hobart or Americas Cup etc. It just happens that I have a beautiful one sixth perfect scale cannon. It is an exact copy of the 12 lb. cannon used on the upper gun deck of HMS Victory and also carried on the upper deck of the Endeavour (James Cook). I have taken it to many certified black powder shoots and won every one I attended. It was also used to celibrate the centenial opening of the bridge over the Fitzroy River in Rockhampton. When not being used in a shooting competition it can be used for starting races or whatever is required. The opperation is completely safe (? yes) as the barrel is loaded with a piece of paper.
The "Boom" is wonderful and can be both heard and seen as a cloud of white smoke is also generated upon firing.
If any sand/land yachting club would like a genuine "gun-start" to their race/s or special event/s feel free to contact me. Legal use of the cannon is not difficult to get and insuarance can be obtained. I'm not sure of any rule changes but I understand the cannon was legally classed as a "fire-cracker". It goes without saying that, where the cannon goes, I go. If you are interested send me an e-mail.

Kody

Oi, promogirl your supposed to be away on business, whilst I care for your evil feral offspring , keep your shanty clean and bring in some kind of income to keep you out there flitting about the countryside.
XXXXXX landyacht

These are photos of my cannon. It is 500mm long and weighs 10.0 kg. I made the cannon back in '75, all parts were hand made. I even made the chain from 1.5mm wire and oxy welded each link. The block and tackle is made to scale and made using the same technique as the original one. When used in shooting competitions, it is loaded with a precision cast lead ball. Maximum range is ballisticly estimated to be 1 klm. When loaded to produce a "BIG BOOM" it is loaded with some paper that turns into instant confetti.
The shooting deck is made from individualy made Silky Oak planks, 20mm x 10mm. When fired at night, a fabulous muzzle flash about 1 meter long is formed and it looks spectacular. The recoil from firing a lead ball slams the gun backward at high speed for 450mm. and is stopped by the ropes.
The barrel is steel and all profiled on my lathe by hand. I made the specific gun drill to drill the bore. It is extremely accurate on the range. The original 12 pound cannon could hit a longboat ie, a row boat they used, at one mile range! It is set up on the platform exactly as the full size ones

Kody

Beautiful Kody. I bet that job stretched your Myford close to it's limits.

The "bluing" of the steel work, did you use a modern commercial method/preparation or a traditional method from the era?

Since Pt Arthur, you may want to check with local authorities before moving across state borders. When I worked in Newcastle (NSW) many years ago, well prior to Pt A, a colleague used to build cannons and matchlock/flintlock (musket) longarms.

Even in that era he was most secretive regarding his cannons, they would be ushered out and fired on very rare occasions.

Nice generous offer though!

Does that method required the pre heating of the steel to 145 C as well, or does it just require the application of the solution at that temp to cold steel?

Thats OK, I was not after the recipe, I was just curious as to pre heating requirements. In the past I have refinished a couple of old firearms using commercial bluing preparations.

I am sure I could find the method on the internet, if I was desirous of performing this task. That would absolve you of any responsibility.

landyacht said...

If I can load and fire it I 'll GIVE you a landyacht. Gotta be a lead ball tho , none of that confetti doodah

For a nice (new? or vg condition with mast and sail/s) landyacht, I will make a batch of 20 new lead balls, show you how to load, aim, prime, fire, swab and do it all over again for 20 shots at a target or group of same.

I took my late parents out one day to show them how it worked. I loaded, took aim at an empty Omo box at 50m on the range. The first shot missed 'cos there was not even a flutter from the box. The second shot also missed so I went to check out the box and the ground around it, Much to my great surprise, there were 2 holes in the middle of the box, about 2 inches apart. The holes had razor sharp edges like they had been cut with a wad punch. Both sides of the box were the same. Whatever velocity was needed by a round ball to do this, it was certainly doing it!
When will you be comming up here with my landyacht?

Kody

Well, the deal has been made.

The only question that remains is "WHERE and WHEN is the deal to be consumated?"

Paul is going to say "Lake Lefroy of course, if I don't hit the target there is nothing else out there to hit."

Joe is going to say "Farnborough Beach, Yeppoon of course, as long as I can find someone brave enough to drive my tinnie towing the target drogue 1 km off the shore."

OR, is it going to be the near halfway and near neutral territory of Lake Gillies, with the addition of one more shot to make it a 21 gun salute to celebrate the resolution of the A.L.S.A. question?

Questions, questions, questions, the harder they are the more fun they are.

Kody said...

landyacht said...

If I can load and fire it I 'll GIVE you a landyacht. Gotta be a lead ball tho , none of that confetti doodah

For a nice (new? or vg condition with mast and sail/s) landyacht, I will make a batch of 20 new lead balls, show you how to load, aim, prime, fire, swab and do it all over again for 20 shots at a target or group of same.

Kody

deal! sail will be good cond recycled. yacht MINI OF COURSE. bargain. im sure the details can be refined over time. will start building targets soon

Will those targets resemble bl----ts?

And same thoughts as Hillsy, effigies or real flesh and blood?

Kody said...

...If any sand/land yachting club would like a genuine "gun-start" to their race/s or special event/s feel free to contact me. Legal use of the cannon is not difficult to get and insuarance can be obtained. I'm not sure of any rule changes but I understand the cannon was legally classed as a "fire-cracker". It goes without saying that, where the cannon goes, I go. If you are interested send me an e-mail.

Kody

Sounds good, have to keep this in mind for the next Nationals.
By the way, when is the big firing event happening? Any progress?

That looks great! What is the caliber? does it work? It's missing the wheels though. It looks like the metal is bronze. What do you do with it? Ok, I challenge you to shooting competition, the looser supplies me with ice cold coffee for the day,

Kody