It all started with the winter blues in grey Berlin. His own yacht is high and dry, and he has already leafed through the accessories dealer's order catalogue several times. So Daimler salesman Chris Engelhardt gets himself a model kit of a kite to add a new dimension to his hobby. He worked in the classic way with a frame to be planked. He tinkered with his first mini yacht for two months. Modifications and refinements are already being made here and there: mahogany skirting boards and tiller, delicate sika joints for the teak deck.
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The 55-year-old now lives in Stuttgart and is enjoying his early retirement. "When I gave up my job, things got a bit out of hand with the modelling," says Engelhardt, smiling mischievously. "But what can I do? I'm literally sitting on dry land here, while my real boat is almost 800 kilometres away on the Baltic Sea."
"Malizia-Seaexplorer" not just for the display case
Large-format photos and a framed oil painting with maritime motifs hang in the living area of his home. In the study, there are various boat models on the chest of drawers and windowsill, while on the floor is a stately, well-known Open 60: the ex-"Malizia-Seaexplorer" by Boris Herrmann. And this model has it all. Not only does it look true to the original, it can also be sailed using a controller. As if that were not enough, the ship is so well-balanced that it can even foil. To realise this, Engelhardt had to dig deep into his bag of tricks: "Because we have hardly any wind here in the south and no recurring conditions, it is difficult to find out at which angle of attack a foil performs best."
Without further ado, he builds a propeller attachment on the boat, in the place where the mast usually stands. This allows him to reproduce his test conditions. "The propeller can be rotated to simulate a sail pulling to one side. This allows me to measure exactly at what speed the hull comes out of the water and how high the maximum boat speed is." The result of the test runs with the prototype is nothing short of sensational: on videos, which can also be seen on his Facebook page "3D-printable RC sailboats by YachtPrint.de", the mini "Malizia" flies across the water at incredible speeds.
It doesn't take long for contact to be made with Boris Herrmann's team. The professional is so enthusiastic that he invites Engelhardt to his home in Hamburg. The two technology freaks spend an hour and a half sitting over the model boat and talking shop about the controls and deck details.
There are a few subtle differences to the large "Malizia" as well as to a pure model for the showcase. For example, the ropes and the deck have been kept as simple as possible so that the delicate lines do not get tangled. Otherwise it could be difficult to get the boat back to shore. The foresail also has a boom for the same reason. This makes it quick and easy to get it to the other side from a distance when tacking or jibing. The keel is also proportionally longer than that of the original. The miniature boat would otherwise lie on its side too quickly.
At the start of the Ocean Race Europe in Kiel, Herrmann invites the Swabian-by-choice to the team stand along with his mini "Malizia". The little speedster promptly becomes a crowd-puller.
Curious requests for individual dreams
Chris Engelhardt has long since made a name for himself in the RC modelling scene. He only builds yachts that inspire him personally. On his Facebook page, he regularly presents his treasures, explains construction progress and discusses with other hobbyists. Sometimes it happens that a seasoned yacht designer or the head of the X-Yachts shipyard makes a comment.
It is not unusual for someone to show serious interest after a model has been completed. Either the person from Stuttgart then parts with his project, builds a sister ship or offers the data set for sale. This allows you to print the individual parts yourself. Depending on the size and complexity, he charges between 32 and 62 euros. For a finished boat, you have to expect significantly higher costs; in individual cases, the miniature boat builder charges prices ranging from 2,500 to around 3,500 euros.
He receives enquiries every day, mostly by email. Some of them come from far away, and some of them seem strange. "Just recently, for example, a professor from the United States wanted to know whether my remote-controlled boats would be suitable for an autonomous Atlantic crossing," reports Engelhardt. And a Canadian fan tried to persuade him to design a prototype for his dream yacht, including a dinghy garage. "I'm flattered by such requests. But I usually turn them down."
Model from Burke/Fink-Pogo 40
However, there has already been one exception when it comes to commissioned work. When the main sponsor Otto Wulff of the young German star duo Lennart Burke/Melwin Fink requested a model of their Pogo 40, Engelhardt could not refuse. The only problem: time. Within 18 days, the racer with the sponsor's logo had to impress visitors at a construction trade fair.
"That meant working late into the evening every day," remembers Engelhardt. He benefited from the fact that he had long since immersed himself in 3D printing technology. The project could hardly have been realised so quickly otherwise. Especially as the data for the Class40 racer was guarded by the shipyard like a state secret.
"First of all, a 3D model of the ship had to be created on the computer using CAD software. I used everything I could find as a guide: Photos and crack drawings from the Internet or from old issues of YACHT. But I also incorporated tips from the two sailors," he explains. Like a detective, the model maker put the many pieces of the puzzle together.
3D printing simplifies the development process
A huge advantage of 3D printing components is the almost perfect accuracy of fit and easy reproducibility. In traditional modelling, it sometimes takes ages of sanding and reworking to create and join customised segments. Engelhardt: "It was always particularly complicated when building trimarans, where the hulls not only have to be one hundred per cent parallel, but also glued at the right angle. Getting that right was a huge effort! With modern technology, however, it only takes a tenth of the time - and I don't even have to be there. I can print while I'm eating or even when I'm asleep."
Conveniently, the printing process can also be controlled and monitored from a smartphone. It also has two 3D printers that can work simultaneously. Both are from China. "But that doesn't mean they were cheap," says Engelhardt. "The large printer from Bambu Lab comes from the top shelf."
3D printing, magnets, carbon - the right material for every application
With the external dimensions of a small refrigerator, the device has an impressive installation space of 350 millimetres in width, 320 millimetres in depth and 325 millimetres in height. Thanks to two nozzles, two different materials can be printed simultaneously during one printing process - and at lightning speed.
The hobby tinkerer uses lightweight PLA filaments as the base material for the print. These foam up when heated and are similar to balsa wood, which is used in yacht building. To prevent the material from buckling later, Engelhardt covers it with a thin layer of GRP. The centreboard, rudder and mast are made of carbon. Other parts that are subject to high stress when the rig is put under tension are reinforced with carbon strips.
For the keel, a printed shell is filled with lead balls and moulded with resin. The keel fin, on the other hand, cannot be run through the printer - it has to be made from a hard material such as carbon, as it would bend under load.
The use of magnets to hold the cover of the remote control system in place is also exciting. Accuracy of fit and ease of handling play into each other's hands. Another method that Engelhardt has tried out is printing a negative mould. The individual modules are glued together and reinforced with staples. The surface is so perfect that it can be laminated directly into the mould with release wax. The result is a high-performance mini-racer made of GRP.
Experimenting with materials
The experimental master model builder doesn't seem to know boredom. Sometimes he builds a pure carbon fibre yacht for the fun of it, other times a hybrid. The focus is always on the performance of the boats on the water - with initial swimming tests sometimes being held in the bathtub at home. Later test runs take place on a lake at the former Böblingen airport, where his little "Malizia-Seaexplorer" also learnt to fly.
In addition to the foils, high-performance sails are of course also important. Engelhardt uses original Code Zero material for the cloths, which he obtains from a French sailmaker. After cutting the sail to the right size, he divides it into panels, which he then glues together again. This may seem surprising at first glance, but it is standard practice for professional sailmakers. The profile is worked out in this way. In real sails, the panels are cut in a curved shape.
"For small model boat sails, however, you can't get it precise enough. That's why I lay the blanks over a curved mould, also known as a turtle, and then glue them together again. This way, I get the desired profile," explains the modelling expert as he hangs a small high-tech sail cloth on the door of his workshop.
The child in the man
His basement room is also a "man cave", workroom and museum for all kinds of modelling exhibits. Aeroplanes and a huge helicopter hang from the ceiling, and countless cars, motorbikes and remote controls, including their original packaging, are neatly lined up on shelves.
Engelhardt, who has an affinity for technology, developed a passion for modelling as a child. Since sailing yachts have also found their way into his world of handicrafts, he spends several hours a day in his realm. Sometimes just to drink his coffee and wait for the next inspiration. Or, in a nostalgic moment, he grabs one of the older vehicles and drives it round the room for a lap or two. Chris Engelhardt smiles and says: "I can also go sailing with my mini-racers in any pond, no matter how small. Especially when there's not enough wind for my real boat."
It's nice when the child in a man comes through even in old age. And when others also benefit from his passion. If only because it is simply fascinating to watch one of his little speedsters put on a flying show on the water.
