Monitors........................

well the bit I was looking forward to the most, as I got to have a serious play with the second hand lathe. The metal used is real cheap ally rod found in the skip at work, a discarded stand of some sort.

I wanted something different, so decided to model the ones in the prev pics, version 1, after much studying, and at the point of giving up as I could not for the life of me work out how to do the centre bits, (the part that on the real thing would have been between the base and nozzle) Smarty pants Peter HS93 took one look at them, and told me how to do it, use a pair of funnels, and glue them together! Simple when you know how. The nozzle was turned on the lathe, the base was turned on the lathe, again using a threaded stud to attach to the roof. The handle grip was string cynoed on, the handle was brass rod bent to shape and cynoed on.
As regard the colour, as you have probably guessed, I dont like all the red! 😁 so decided rather than leave unpainted, do a bit of grey. I was going to drill them out so they worked, but couldnt be bothered, so maybe at some point in the future I will make another pair.
You got to like the centre section made from the funnels, well done Peter! 👍

The crash nets where a real stroke of luck, I could not find anything suitable, so posted on a few forums etc for inspiration. Out of the blue someone sent me some netting, as used to stop birds getting into those small spaces in your roof.

The size of the netting was great, but, it was quite hard, as it was a sort of plastic string, looking very stiff and unrealistic, so I thought lets just get it fitted, and put some weights on it, then it might flatten out and be ok.

Copying someone elses idea (from this forum I recall) I looped the plastic string around those block things that go on the centre roof, but could not get them to glue together, so ended up using heatsink to join the ends, (difficult to explain until you see the pics). Whilst heating the heatshrink, with a heat gun, there was a divine intervention, the plastic string started to shrink and fall! 😀 how lucky was that, the nets now sank on the roof and turned out real good!

I have really got it in for red paint now, even the lifebelts have ended up another colour! 😶

forgot to mention the hassle I had getting the hinges for the two hatch covers on centre roof. I tried everywhere, all rc boat suppliers, dolls house suppliers etc etc, just could not get what I wanted. They didnt need to operate, so ended up making them out of plasticard and used pins for the rivets

well because its the weekend, and we can stay up late (just finished charging batteries for club 500 racing ) you can have a bit more of this epic adventure!
The observant amongst you will have noticed I am working front to back, now we are at the back, its time to make the " bathtub". My experience of these boats, regardless of the size, is that they get wet at the back, so a simple tub means the electrics stays dry, and you can tip the water out
Plasticard again, formed in the boat, The pics tell the story

nearly got things out of order!
The deck that the towhook goes on was planked, possibly painted also, Im going to plank, but not paint, just to use some modellers license and break the drab grey up, seeing as there is no bright red to liven things up 😁 😁
I did the same process as planking the Huntsman, and used grey card as caulking, the wood is glued on using alphitic wood glue, when all on sanded down, sealed with sanding sealer, then stained using a rag with ronseal clear satin outdoor varnish. I used this as the finish is nice, not all glossy and looking like sticky toffee! 😶

slightly off topic, but Ive been asked a question regarding vac forming.
For small items, it can be done at home quite easily. My example is my 4 foot veron huntsman 28. These boats have very distinguishable scoops, or vents, on the sides of the cabins. They are painted, or chrome etc, and really make the boat, without them, the models are a bit like a fireboat without the monitors. But, you cant buy them, so how to make them!
First you need the form, I havd two, left and right, carved out of wood. You could vac form over anything, as long as when hot (and it will be) it will not melt.
Next we need the vac former, just a simple small wood frame box, I used some old hardboard. Drill a load of holes into it, the more the better, (topside only)and only other hole is for your vacuum cleaner hose to go.(at the side) Use thick packing tape etc to really have a tight no leak box, just the holes on the top.
Next a wood frame, something like 10mm square wood is fine. Get you plastic card, some is better than other, experiment with anything you get your hands on, too thin it melts too quick, too thick it will not form with a definite shape, quite thin is good. Any colour, does not matter, I even used clear for the final version of the vents.
Staple, or tack the plasticard to the frame,. pre heat oven when wife is out, put it in, but have your box ready, with the vacuum hose stuffed into it, and turned on, so the suction is happening through all those holes you drilled, and you made sure there are no leaks!
Watch the plastic in the oven, it heats up quick, rises, falls, then wobbles, now is the time, get it out quick, dont burn your hands! quickly turn over frame, press on your item to be moulded, and it "suck" on, creating you vac formed item!
Voila! 😀 😀

Back on topic, the deck was done out of the boat, and just dropped in. fastener detail on the battery cover are just dressmaker pins. The wood is glued to the plasticard base using cyno, and the grey card for caulking is glued with bostick. Sanded down, then covered with a few coats of sanding sealer, then using a cloth ronseal satin clear varnish

Next was a part of the build I was really looking forward too. it involved working with brass on the milling machine and lathe. This could be done by hand, but would be quite time consuming, however it is possible.
I spent a while getting sizes right using scraps of wood etc, so I didnt waste the valuable brass 😀
It would appear there are a couple of variations on the towhook, the track is smaller on the early version. The challenge was I wanted to be able to tow with it, so didnt want it just gluing down, and it had to move on the track to be a bit more original.
Studying the Vosper plans, the hook is spring loaded in the body, and the hook itself is mechanically operated to move allowing whatever cable, rope etc to be lifted over the hook. I started to make this, and was going to use a small spring inside the body, but as the build was dragging on, I was starting to get a bit fed up with the boat, so thought better not to bother and just get on with it.
The hook body was made with the main section in one brass block, then the sides soft soldered on, and the rear, shaped by hand with a file. At the front this is where a milling machine saved a lot of time, I made the front section narrower, then soft soldered the hook supports on. The base will be bolted to the deck with another plate underneath, my goal to to out tow a tug! with this hook, twin brushless and 28volts at my disposal I should have a fighting chance (nobody at my club has taken me on yet! 😀 )

(I'm suposed to be off work to do jobs etc, not much happening there!)
Its a strange arrangement the way the hook attaches to the base, and the pivoting action, I have plans from Vosper, but unfortunately they are just too faint to upload. The hook is made by hand with cheap scrap of ally, the use of 12ba and 10ba nuts, bolts and washers I think really makes a difference, and they are quite cheap, if you source from model train guys. The handle was turned on the lathe to give the bigger diameter both ends, then bent by hand, and a slot cut into one end to fit to the bracket, soft soldered on

so much for building light with all the plasticard, this hook, solid brass, weighs a ton! 😰

Now its time to cheat, cause when painted, who knows what materials are used, its our secret! 👋

The track would have taken too long with brass, so its plasticard again, radius cut out, another suqare profile strip on top to give the towhook its rail to turn on, and a pair of brass offcuts to use as the stops. Small bolts will secure the stops, and the track, to the deck, you can just see the washers underneath