I decided that the boat needed something to tow (it's a tow boat after all) so a barge (Boris, or 'Борис' to be precise) has been 'commissioned'. Made from poly foam board (as is the boat) it has now been formed, and coated with PVA glue (stops the resin attacking the foam) pics 1 and 2 and glassed and filled ready to be sanded pics 3 and 4. A number of things will be attached as the building progresses.

The dimensions are - 36"x 12"x 2", so should be able to carry a decent load.

Working with foam is a piece of cake, - hull shape was done in about 30 mins - roughed out with a surform, then a blunt surform then 80 grit paper then 120, before being liberally painted with PVA. I only did one generous coat of epoxy, forced through the 6oz cloth,- any pinholes and cloth weave showing have been filled with an int/ext filler.

Strong enough for a body board😁

Sanding done and painted top and bottom. Aluminium angle coamings, ramp rails and knees done (not Neasden😁) as well.

Painted the coamings, and screwed them into 8mm dowels glued into the hull. I drilled 2.5mm holes in the dowels and threaded them M3 , after hardening the holes with cyano, and then made up the front ramp. Still a lot to do. Have to try and power the ramp somehow,- probably a geared motor and driven cross axle at the back, (doesn't have to move a lot). I'd have to use 2 RXs (one for the vehicle and one for the winch) on a separate TX to the boat.

It's a problem with using 2 models at once which need to interact, (same as launching and retrieving a boat). I have a solution for that particular problem, which is 2 remote relays, but haven't hooked them up yet, was going to set up the truck and Hartley for launching on the same TX.

I've now rigged up the ramp lifting gear, it has a spring preload to assist the servo which will be fitted aft(only needs about 400g of effort to lift it) I've also made more cleats, and decals for 'Boris' and the towboat, (towboat number is from the boat which inspired me to build the model.)

The ramp is now working, and using a std old HK MG 5KG servo for pull. Unfortunately I have to use another TX for the barge (old HK 6ch) as it's either that with a cheap 6ch RX for only 1 channel (at the moment) or a more expensive 9X 9ch RX which would be a waste. I only have one rotary sw left on the 9X which I'm using for the boat, so could us it if necessary.

I'm building a machinery compartment at the stern as well, to hide the servo, battery and RX. I've built a waterproof (hopefully) coaming round the radio gear, and the compartment will fit over it..

JB

Ramp is now painted and RX and battery positions sorted. Ramp has a coat of epoxy timber sealer/preservative, and painted with the same metal primer as the deck. Aux cabinet also has the sealer, but with a white Zinsser B.I.N primer on top. Cabinet will be painted yellow. A few more bits to paint, and probably lights to fit. then into the tank it goes.

We have another cyclone heading down the Pacific, so not sure how bad it will be. Just finished a whole week of rain and storms, with up to 80kph gusts in the gulf and big swells. We had 1 day on Sunday with 28deg temps and full sun out of the blue, now back to storms☹️ Supposed to be summer! Note in the pic, there are guys out wing foiling a few days before, in a 40mph wind,-insane!

The wind on the main beach deposited sand on the road 100m away. It was like a Sahara sandstorm, had to hose the car off when I got home. Last pic is a strange event which happened in about 10 mins, from 20 miles visibility to this, (like smoke from a giant forest fire) - a sign of something coming.

Thousands of people out on Sunday, and the usual estuary pollution. These kids will not get out of the way of boats coming in and out, (impeding progress of a power boat is a serious offence under the marine dept rules, not to mention dangerous) but who cares right? nobody to enforce it, and parents encourage it. The blue jet ski (driven by a woman) was doing 30-40 mph, laps backwards and forwards in front of the bridge 10 mins earlier,- 5 knot speed limit!! Lucky all the people were still on the sand bank.

JB

Aux cabinet painted and exhaust made (for the aux hydraulic pump for the ramp if you were wondering) Started on some cargo as well, made from vitamin tubes with the ends trimmed off, (Martin will like that😁)- to be painted yet. Tow ropes made as well, from macramé cord, stained with a black acrylic in water, dried and rot/waterproofed with turps and Dubbin mixture.

About ready for the tank test, (if it will stop raining and these storms, - tail ends of cyclones in the pacific) will bu--er off. Might add a few more small things as I think of them, cargo items etc, (nothing is really finished😁)

JB

Trying the fit, 😁 just seeing how the barge will connect to the towboat, and what position will be needed for best alongside towing. Might need a couple more bollards near the center to tie it correctly. Towing with a bridle from the front shouldn't be a problem (unless the amount of steering is inadequate) It will be fun trying it out.

Update,- pipes now painted

JB

Tank tested the barge today and tried loading the RC jeep (weighs 1.8kg). Barge barely moved, so can obviously take a lot more, (will be much better loading from the shore). Once I figure out how to get a truckload of boat, barge, 2 TXs and maybe the vehicle down to my estuary spot, and have a nice day again with no wind (rare), it will be time for business.

JB

Due to the weather not playing game, (supposed to be summer, but apart from about 3 decent days in the last month, it's been storms, wind, rain, overcast looking like rain etc) I decided to add a few more features while I'm waiting, Added the fuel tank on the aux cabinet, and some H&S warning stripes on the ramp and rear upstand.

The barge fell off the table the other day, and bounced off the rear stbd corner. Cracked the glass a bit but no other damage, (the beauty of foam) All repaired in about 10 mins, (poke the cracked bits in, 5min epoxy and a paint touch up). Lucky it wasn't a balsa hull, might have been more serious.

Still some lights to add.

JB