Also from my friend... I will ad more photos when she arrives.

Beautifully built by a friend who cannot build anymore. I am honoured to have her. Working fire monitor and nav lights, etc.

This is a model I picked up at a Tag Sale some years back. I think I paid $2.00 for it. It is as I bought it, I did nothing to it.

Another toy, this time a Kayak, bought in a Brest toy/model shop 18 years ago 15€. Had a crude r/c system installed, forward/reverse and direction, single speed! Another for bath time. Opened up the kayak to view the r/c system, room for a 27mhz system, which was duly installed using a home built speed controller and mini steering servo. I should have said, there is a rudder under the rear hull for direction, the paddle push rods just operate in a vertical oval pattern. Another for use by children at exhibitions. Ran well for 2 or 3 seasons then locked up, investigation revealed a gear box with stripped nylon teeth. I had a g/box with brass gears originally destined for a 00 gauge diesel loco! An adapted modified mounting was made and installed, success! Continued in use over the years with upgrades to the r/c system etc. The last time out whilst packing up a tx fell on the paddling mechanism and the two push rods were broken. Have not opened it up to assess the viability of a repair, but probably a goer as the system is in abs plastic so with plas weld or similar it should soon be back in action. I also need to produce a rubber seal for the paddle system etc, I have a wooden mould for this, and with talc and latex solution shouldn't be a huge problem! I will post more photos of the internals etc when I get around to making repairs.

My nephew had acquired a farm property in Normandy, whilst visiting him, we went to have a look around the site, He had a skip there for all the rubbish, when I looked in it there was this little tugboat. I asked if I could have it, the response was yes, but radio control it! I like challenges, and here is the result! All original pieces removed and then a r/c plan was made, originally for 27mhz kit, successfully installed and the system worked. After that the various UK exhibitions with a sailing facility available were attended and the transmitter was handed to children to 'have a go' -- 30 years ago, a novell concept at that time, still a little so!. It has continued over the years via new motors, batteries, r/c systems, 40mhz and now 2.4 ghz. Speed control is by a home built digi proportional unit which works extremely well! Some working lights as well! Long may it continue! ;-D

One of my few new purchases, from Hobbyking, a slight price reduction for the Xmas season! What a great mistake, enjoyed the build, sailing the beast a very different experience. Sails like a brick / nail! Even in the lightest breeze it turns turtle, have tried demounting each of the 2 sails, always the same result --- a real piece of cr*p. Hopefully this year I might get better results, my ideas are either to mount a ballast weight normally used on a 'Footy' at the base of the keel or a small wing at the bottom, or even a combination of the two. I cannot add too much ballast because that would reduce the flotation level where the two outriggers would be waterbourne as well. My advice AVOID it!!

1:4 scale Optimist, built 20 years ago to Optimist Association plans, the idea was to be a dual role model, for exact scale static competitions and also for r/c free sailing. The r/c setup being demountable with replacement by a scale forward seat/bench -- never happened! The original keel was a vertical ply job with a lump of lead at the bottom, power was from a 4 or 5 pack of 'd' sized cells(for ballast) across the stern with the figure sat on one side, hand, velcroed to the tiller arm, sailed like a bath, tendancy to 'dig in' at the front. The 2nd keel was made with a swept back aspect and the same lump of lead, now sails properly. I need to find a 1:4 figure or a 1:4 scale head to refresh the whole thing.

Another find in a French field selling house clearance 'stuff', cost 30€ but that included parts for the same model, 2 x Miniperm motors(380 size) a speed controller and a servo, I thought the parts equalled more than the 30€! It is the current project, the hull is ready for painting, haven't got very far with the superstructure renovations as yet!