Classic Model Power Boat Collectors.

LesRo Stiletto.

Some Classic Model Power Boat enthusiasts are also collectors (Will) and appreciate seeing any original material such as box artwork and building instructions etc.

Here is a nice clean original box and instruction booklet for a LesRo Stiletto.

Will has probably already got one, but for most of us this maybe the closest we are likely to get to seeing one!

Bob.

LesRo Javelin.

Another Javelin has appeared for sale on eBay at a very good price .

This builder of this one has bothered too add the strakes to the bottom skins (most that I have seen do not have them).

It comes with a glow engine of some sort included in the price too.

This would make a nice Classic Model Power Boat to restore, or even convert to a Rapier or custom fast cruiser......

Bob.

Hi All
PT plans if anyone interested !!!
Harry

Aerokits Patrol Torpedo Boat.

This 40" long Classic Model Power Boat is not seen that often because it did not sell as well as any of the other models in the Aerokits range.

With an 11" beam, it should make a nice size semi-scale model that would be really good to see making "white water" as it drives around the club lake at a scale-like speed.

I recently missed an example of this boat that was being sold on eBay - I was tempted - but not enough to make a serious bid for it when I saw how the price was going up beyond my own thoughts about what it would be worth to buy it for restoration (it needed restoring and completing to make a nice model).

There is an original looking box for this Aerokits model currently for sale on eBay, and if it had some more of the kit parts inside it, I would have been tempted to bid on it myself.

After studying the pictures of the box contents carefully, I can see that the keel is missing and none of the bulkheads, cabin sides or skins are there either!

A tatty copy of the original plan is included along with some oddments of hardwood strips, but not much else!

Maybe the original owner built the kit and this old box and plan has been picked-up and offered for sale by a third party along with a few hardwood strips that do look old enough to be original!

Making a replacement keel would be easy enough from the plans, but it would take someone with some draughtsmanship ability (such as Chris) to evolve the correct shapes for the bulkheads etc as they are never shown on any Aerokits plan.

None the less, this could interest someone who is desperate to build their own new example of this seldom seen Classic Model Power Boat?

Bob.

LesRo Model Boats.

Well at least the LesRo range of model boats is getting plenty of exposure on this site as they are all very fine examples of Classic Model Power Boats.

Bob.

I think it got messy because his son, I think it was, got involved with supplying some drawings for a time and the likes of SLEC have obtained the rights to release and update some of the kits.

Hi Chris,

Strangely, I hadn't noticed the absence of LesRo on the Old Boats site.

I would have thought that whoever owns the rights to LesRo now would be delighted to get any free form of promotion or advertising.

Bob.

Yes, that was set up and maintained by Dodgy Geezer who posts on RC Groups. Note the lack of Lesro. I think that is because of copyright issues.

Hi Dave,

I stumbled across this site when I was looking for any information about the Aerokits Starfish.

Bob.

http://oldboats.tk/Aerokits.html

Bob,
What is this "Old Model Boats" site you referenced??
I'm not aware of that one ....
Dave B

Wow!

"It's definitely not one that I would actively look for to own".

I can't believe you said that Will....I bet you change your mind if you should see one......😂

Bob.

Bob, I have to agree, it certainly isn't a particularly good looking model.
May be in real life and built up, rather than just as an image, it 'might' look a little more pleasing on the eye. Who knows.
It's definitely not one that I would actively look for to own.

Will

Hi Will,

I must admit that I don't find the Starfish a particularly good looking model and it seems "at odds" with the rest of the Aerokits range of Classic Model Power Boats.

The advert states that the Starfish came with a prop-shaft, propeller and deck fittings - again not something that the Aerokits kits ever included.

Do you think there is any possibility that this was proposed to have a moulded hull of some sort of "quick-build" kit that failed to win any projected sales?

Bob.

The only reference that I have seen to the Starfish have been in adverts Bob. So as you say, maybe they didn't actually sell or make any, or maybe if they did, it just didn't sell very well.

I haven't had much of a search on the internet for any further info, maybe there isn't actually any more.

Will

Hi Will,

The Aerokits Starfish is something that I have never seen either - and if you don't already own at least one of them - they MUST be very rare.

I have just been on the Old Model Boats site where they do list the Aerokits Starfish, but when I clicked on the link the message was "No Data Available".

With no other information found on my first sweep of "'tinternet", there may be a possibly that Aerokits never actually made any Starfish kits?

Bob.

What about an Aerokits Star Fish, has anyone got one, or even actually seen one? I certainly haven't.

Will

I definitely have a Sea Urchin Bob, and cannot remember if it's a Sea Scout, or Sea Nymph that I also have, Sea Scout I think.
I'll have a look next time I'm in the attick.
Will

Morning Will,

A picture of your Sea Urchin would be most welcome here on Classic Model Power Boats as it really is a true classic, but a picture of a Sea Nymph would be slightly rarer.

I am assuming that you do have a Sea Nymph hidden away amongst all the other "captives".....? 😂

Bob.

I think you may be thinking about the Sea Urchin Chris.

Although I have never had a Sea Urchin to play with, I have bought myself a new kit as I think it is a characterful little boat that I have liked ever since I first saw it as a schoolboy

I have commented previously about finding a method of operating the tiller arm on that model as it would be something that needed a nice solution when I get around to start work on the kit - probably when you were working on something similar for your Faun model that had an outside tiller.

My Sea Urchin kit has never been opened, probably because I have too many other models to build or restore, but one day the urge may grab me and I will try to remember the closed loop (push/pull) system to see if I can use it in that model.

As far as I can remember, I have never abandoned any model that I have been building or restoring - but I did pass my Chris Craft Corvette on to a local friend as it was just too big for me to manage in my small workshop(shed) when it is so full of other projects.

The next "new build" will hopefully be a Swordsman 37, but if not, a Bayonet 35 could be my next project after the Sprite Plus prototype is completed.

Bob.

Bob, which was the model you started building but then left because of not having a satisfactory way of operating the rudder?

It had an external rudder and a tiller didn't it? If so a chap on another forum I know showed me his answer for this. He has the servo at the front of the model and fishing line is run inside small copper tubes along the hull sides and then turned through 90 degrees to face the tiller. It is a pull/pull closed system so runs up both sides of the boat. The fishing line is attached to the underside of the tiller arm and you can hardly see it. It would work well in my Faun, though that doesn't have a tiller arm but I needed boxing for the battery anyway.

You've failed there Will, it's the Sea Nymph Bob wants a piccie of. Though you've probably got both! 😂

Ahem, Sea Urchin owner here Bob (shock horror i know) 🙄

I'll have to see if I've got some pictures of it.

Will

Thank You Zoma.
Understood.
😎

Yep, exactly as Bob says. I also use Powerflex couplings and the matching solid connectors for alignment in my faster boats. In my slower ones I use good quality Huco couplings and splint them to obtain correct alignment.

Here is the solid connector for alignment in my Huntsman 31 build.

Hi chugalone100,

I am guessing that you do not have a copy of the magazine you have shown here, and so you have been a little confused by the picture of the coupling that is shown alongside two alternative types of rigid alignment guides.

If you had been able to read the full supporting article, you would have been able to understand why these rigid alignment guides were pictured alongside the PowerFlex coupling that was used in the boat.

I would NEVER recommend using a rigid coupling for anything other than as a set-up guide to ensure that the prop shaft and the motor are perfectly aligned during construction.

A rigid coupling will pass on all of the motor vibrations through the prop shaft into the hull - even if the motor and the prop shaft are perfectly aligned.

A flexible coupling is almost universally used by everyone that drives a Classic Model Power Boat as it gives a smoother power delivery - but it should never be used to cover-up a poorly aligned motor and prop shaft.

I have just checked again the Fairey Huntsman Part 2 feature that starts on page 40 of the February 2016 Model Boats magazine and the builder (Dave Milbourn) is using the same PowerFlex coupling that I use in my own Classic Model Power Boats.

The article specifies using a "RIGID ALIGNER" when fitting the motor and prop shaft together and illustrates two options of rigid aligner alongside the PowerFlex coupling that was used to power the boat.

One variant of rigid aligner was the solid shaft that a friend of the reviewer made for him on his lathe, and the other shows the PowerFlex coupling wrapped in stiff card held onto the coupling with a pair of cable ties.

The second idea holds the PowerFlex coupling temporally rigid for use as an aligner when a solid type is not available. This second idea is better than nothing, but can never be as good as a solid alignment guide.

As a matter of interest, if you should choose to use a PowerFlex coupling (highly recommended) the maker also sells rigid alignment shafts that are exactly the same length as the PowerFlex coupling to help align the shaft and motor exactly.

I hope the above helps to explain the picture you have seen in the magazine article.

PowerFlex couplings and alignment guides are valuable from here :-

https://www.modelboatbits.com/Powerflex-RC-Motor-Coupling-Alignment

Bob,
In your post with the magazine article “Fairey Huntsman – Part 2”, I noticed that the propeller shaft is fitted with a rigid coupler, something I’ve seen on many other models as well.
What is the main advantage of using this type of coupler, and why is it considered important?
Your answer will help me considerably when building a setup like this.
😎

Aerokits Sea Nymph.

I have not seen any of the small Aerokits Sea Nymph models on the water for many years now.

This was the second smallest model that Aerokits had in the Classic Model Boats Range when I was a young lad (only the Sea Urchin was smaller) so it was not too expensive to buy or to make, so I am guessing that there must be a few of them out there somewhere....

This design has also been re-kitted and it is still available as a new kit.

Does anyone have one to picture and show here with any information about the type of motor used etc ?

Bob.

I also think that the Sprite Plus will be a good size future Classic Model Power Boat that should be able to cope with our traditional British water conditions very well indeed Chris.

At 30" or so long, it is certainly in the right sort of size range to be a good usable model for all year round use.

Although this is quite a "chunky" looking model, it has quite a shallow draft (not unlike the Remora) and so it will probably not be a particularly heavy model, making it ideal for carrying and transporting.

Bob.

Can't argue with any of that Bob.

Whilst the Sprite Plus is a little shorter at 30" I have a feeling that it will cope with rougher conditions just fine! 😀

Hi Will,

I think the "sweet spot" for the ideal length of a Classic Model Power Boat to run in our British waters over 12 months of the year is around 3ft (36").

This sort of size of Classic Model Power Boat is still a reasonable size and weight to carry and transport, but remains big enough to cope with almost every UK weather conditions that it may be reasonably expected to sail in.

A little shorter (like the Swordsman at 33") or a little longer (like the Rapier at 39") makes very little difference to transporting or carrying it to or from the water.

Some boats below this sort of size range can still work very well as long as the water conditions are not too rough and they have an "integrated" construction or a very secure and watertight lift-off superstructure fixing.

I am aware that some models such as the Vic Speed Remora defeat this overview as they seem to be able to cope with just about anything and are very lightweight and easy to carry and transport.

An Arrow or Stiletto size model is even easier to carry and transport and their hull form should help them cope well enough in choppy water too. I often run my similar sized Thunder Tigre Avanti in quite choppy water and it copes with it very well whilst remaining lightweight and easy to carry.

I (reluctantly) sold my 52" Chris Craft Corvette as it was just too big and heavy for me to transport and carry (or even move around in the workshop), but I still have a Sea Queen that I have here ready to be restored that may (or may not) be a little easier to manage?

Bob.

I agree Chris, my 48" Perkasa used to handle a bit of chop on the river with ease, that was quite a heavy boat with a 22cc grass strimmer engine and fuel tank fitted.
Like the smaller Huntsman, the 27 (i think) inch Stiletto and Arrow will definitely be more suited to use on the likes of a lake, and with little to no swell, not just because of their dimensions, but their weight. As you say, the larger, and heavier boats do cope with rougher conditions more readily, but as you and Bob have said so often, they're so much more cumbersome not only to transport, but also to launch, and recover.
I was lucky with the Perkasa, I could just walk down to the beach, and with wellies on, just walk out into the water until deep enough to launch, no having to kneel or crouch at the side of a lake then.

Will

It should handle as well as the bigger version as echoed by the different sized Fairey Huntsman 31s but I generally think that bigger models sit and turn better due to the out of scale water. They deal better with wavelets and other boats wash due to the bigger size and weight where smaller boats tend to bob about. This is particularly noticeable with small versions of what are big boats and ships at full size.

The Arrow is still of a size that its handling will look good in fairly calm conditions.

Hi Will,

If the hull shape and proportion has been faithfully scaled down, then maybe a similar performance could be seen in the Arrow (and Stiletto) as can be seen in the Rapier (and hopefully the Javelin too when I get mine onto the water. !).

Attached is a really good looking Arrow that the unknown builder has added his own personal "touch" to further improve Les Rowell's original.

Bob.

It will be interesting to see how its smaller sibling the Arrow performs too, when I eventually get my back side into gear and get one on the water.
Fingers crossed it's as good as your Rapier.

Will

Hi Will,

Although I have always regarded the LesRo Rapier as being a bit of an "ugly duckling", it's performance and its handling has impressed me more than any other model that I have either owned or driven (although the Vic Smeed Remora runs it a very close second).....and I have driven a LOT of Classic Model Power Boats since I first started with my Swordsman in the 1960's.

The off-shore style of model boat (like the Javelin) does not impress me as much as those that have a bit more superstructure - so who knows what will happen when I take a saw to this new acquisition and start working on it...........?

The Javelin shares the exactly same hull as the Rapier, so I am expecting it to perform in a similar way - and if it does - I will be very pleased with it!

The "ugly duckling" (Rapier) is also slightly better looking since I changed the "matchstick" wheelhouse windscreen construction to a wrap-around mask (I am aware that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so it may not be to everyone's taste) and changed the bent piece of plywood used as a cabin roof to a properly constructed and fitted removable roof that looks a lot better and also gives better access inside the cabin.

LesRowell certainly came up trumps with his Rapier/Javelin design hulls that can still perform outstandingly well today.

Bob.

I see you're really copying me Bob, owning duplicates of even more models.
Well done 😂

I will be interested to hear your thoughts on the Javelins performance, handling, and if it is as good as your Rapier.

Will

Hi Chris,

You could be right about your concerns regarding the contents of the Sea Vixen kit box, but it didn't sell for much more than the starting bid.

...um yes, I do already have a LesRo Javelin..........(don't tell Will - I think he only has two of them 🤣).

Bob.

I thought you had a Javelin?

Do you know how much the Sea Vixen went for in the end? Probably a risk buying it given those lumps of timber and who knows what parts were therefore missing? Best part was probably the box! 😁

Given that plans are available a better bet would be to scratch build one.

LesRo Javelin.

This LesRo Javelin was for sale on eBay a few weeks ago, but it was for collection only - and due to its location, it ruled out both Will (shock horror) and myself from buying it at the time.

However, the attached picture taken this morning now shows it sat safely on my workbench here in Rossendale, Lancashire!

The very helpful seller found some large boxes and a lot of packaging to protect it in transit, wrapped it, packed it, and posted it to me!

This Javelin was built without the strakes being fitted to the bottom skins, which is not particularly unusual (!) as most Javelin kit builders seem to avoid this part of the build, but I think the strakes "make the boat", so when the restoration starts, some new strakes will have to be cut and fitted.

A water-cooled Merco 61 was fitted, but it had obviously been a long time since it had last run as it was seized solid.

Glow plug engines that were not oiled and turned-over after their last run tend to seize-up like this as the castor oil congeals and sets solid.

Fortunately, the person who installed this engine splashed a lot of glass fibre around inside the hull and that has protected it and stopped it having the typical fuel soaked hull that I had expected to see. Good news!

I suspect (as is often the case) that the original builder of the boat may not have been the same person that threw the Merco 61 into it - probably at a later date?

More about this later as I will start a restoration log about it, but the model appears to have been well made (apart from not having the strakes fitted), and the motor looks like it was not so carefully fitted - so hopefully it wont be too difficult to remove and clean-out the hull.

Bob.

Hi canabus,
Your Spear is wicked. Will you be putting video on here of her when you have taken her for her first water tests??

I had a Spearfish unmade on the shelf in my shed that I had bought way back 15 years ago.
I sold it last year, I regret selling it now.
I had one back in the 70's with an Irvine 61 in her and it was awsome.
they perform great on the water.
I am looking forward to seeing how yours runs with the Brushles in her.
happy boating. 🚤🚤🚤👍

Very nice Harry. I'm sure that it will perform just as well as your Spearfish, and that's no slouch.

Hi Harry,

Nice to see an MFA Spear - quite an unusual boat - very few were made or sold when compared to its much more well known Spearfish sibling.

It looks like you have bonded the main cabin part of the superstructure to the deck and "filled-in" the windows - or is that a converted Spearfish with a Spear wheelhouse added?

Either way, you have made a really nice job of it and it will be much more water-tight than the first picture shows with the lift-off superstructure.

Well done Harry, the boat looks really good, and your choice of motor should push it along nicely too.

I am looking forward to seeing your video of it making white water I am sure it will perform very well.👍

Bob.

Hi All my warm winter fellows.
After three years I finally finished my Spear ready for it's first water test. Turnigy 3548-1450kv, 120Amp Surpass ESC, 4S Nano- Tech Lipo battery and a CNC 2 blade prop.

I still have a Spearfish Mk2 to start and a hull only to dream up a top for!!!

Harry

Hi Harry,

Thanks for the plans for the Mondav Sea Vixen.

It looks like the kit was a fairly conventional hard chine build, so I am not sure why the un-started kit (pictured here) has some many large blocks of wood in it?

They are probably not original as I can see no use for them, so maybe the kit also has gained some other non- original parts that have found their way into the box over the years too?

BTW - do you happen to have a copy of the original LesRo Sportsman plans Harry?

Bob.

Hi All
Sea Vixen plans in standard size and a larger version.

Harry

Hi Will,

This particular magazine came up "trumps" as far as Classic Model Power Boats goes, because the seven pages that followed the article about the Sportsman that Les Rowell made for his grandson before he died, was Part 2 of Dave Milbourn's Fairey Huntsman build.

This was a follow-on from the January 2016 issue when Dave's build for his Huntsman 31 plan (plan number MM2111 for anyone that would like to buy a copy) took the build as far as completing the chine and spray rails.

Dave completed his detailed build of his Huntsman 31 over these seven pages where he continued to share his various building techniques with us.Something that I found very informative.

Sadly, Dave Milbourne is no longer with us either, but both him and Les Rowell contributed a lot to those of us that continue to benefit from their work as we can still enjoy building and operating the Classic Model Power Boat designs that they gave us.

Bob.

As you say Bob, that's a really nice looking Sportsman, it's been well finished.

I can't remember whether I saw this magazine article at the time or not.

Will

Sorry to disappoint you Chris/Bob, but I don't have a Sea Vixen. I am pretty sure i have a copy of the plans though. I'll have a look next time I'm on my laptop.

The last Model Boat made by Les Rowell himself.

A nice story about a very special LesRo Sportsman.

I saw a Model Boats magazine from February 2016 on eBay and bid for it as it has a really nice article about the LesRo Sportsman that was actually built by Les Rowell for his grandson, but was left in his loft when he died in 1992 after a long battle with cancer.

This was the last model boat that Les Rowell ever built himself.

The boat remained built but unpainted in the loft of Les Rowell's widow Mary for almost 25 years until she was aged 95 when it was passed it on to their grandson John.

John was not an experienced boat modeller, but he had later taken upon r/c flying and then felt confident enough to paint and fit the radio gear to finish the model.

John made a lovely job of completing his LesRo Sportsman. I am sure his grandfather would have been delighted to know that it would be finished so well by his grandson.

Bob.

Hi Lads
A bit of update on the 1964 Chris Craft which has changed from the original design look. The plan is to start with a 3S Lipo on a C3542-1450kv and maybe up to a 4S later!!!

Harry

Well, I'm on the PC now and same problem, can't access posts going back more than 5 months. 🤔 Bit worrying if posts can't be accessed?

As I said I can find the post via the search and so I've copied it and shown it as a photo. I've also added the photos I mentioned.

Hi Bob - I posted about the Sea Vixen 5 months ago on this thread but on my tablet I can't get to it for some reason. If you search for Vixen it will come up. Includes some photos.

I'll try on the PC later when Helen's finished on it.

Even Will doesn't have one of these (unless he proves me wrong! 😀) as they are very rare. Harry did send me a set of drawings though.

This and the original Huntsman 31 kit are the only models that I know of produced by Modav and when I Googled at the time virtually nothing came up.

That is a good find,but the box isn't water stained! 😂 That's been carefully stored.

It's a nice looking little model and would suit my club lake. Despite it having a slight look of a Fairey about it Dave Milbourn said it had already been produced before he joined Modav.

Chris

Modav Sea Vixen.

Just when I was starting to think that I had not seen anything recently that would be interesting to add to this Classic Model Power Boats thread - I saw this Modav Sea Vixen kit advertised for sale on eBay.

The finished model would be 25" long, and the picture of the kit contents is quite interesting.

I found the sight of those large "lumps" of wood included in the kit to be quite unusual(!), and I am guessing that when assembled into the build they will require a bit more "sanding and shaping" than would be usual when building a hard chine model kit like this.

I have never seen any pictures of a finished Modav Sea Vixen.......but maybe Will can show us one that he has stashed away in his collection...........🤣

Bob.

Hi Harry,

To answer your question - YES - your 1964 Chris Craft racing boat defiantly qualifies for inclusion here as it is definitely a Classic Model Power Boat.

Looks nice - thanks for sharing your pictures of it on here 👍

Bob.

Hi Me Lads
Well the Club 500 and Sea Scout were two of the boats I sold to a club member.
Does a Dumas Kit No.1255, Chris Craft racing boat(1964 year) class in the classic section ??

As I just bought one 90% finished with 6 channel 2.4G radio, brushless 3542-1450kv. 60 Amp ESC.
Only to finish adding the fittings ,interior and maybe the funny wing things on the sides which are missing.
Harry

Hi canabus,
And to sunny Tasmania, I envy your weather we ar just very cold here in the UK.
I loved the video of your Sea Scout.
There is just something about the way that these Aerokit models ride the water.🚤🚤
It just excites me. I LOVE them. I got my forst RAF Crash Tender when I was 9 years
old and I have been a speed freak 🚤🚤with them ever since.
I thouroly enjoyed your video.
nd plese send us up some sunny weather.

Nice video Harry - your Classic Model Power Boats are running well!

The Aerokits Sea Rover certainly has some pace and looks very stable on the water without its deep keel, and your Aeokits Sea Scout looks good too!

Stay safe,

Bob.

Hello from sunny Tasmania
We sailed on Saturday it was a bit windy!!
The Sea Scout and club 500 when for a run up to the bridge.
So that left me with running the Sea Rover.

https://rctoystasmania.com/forums/topic/yes-we-sail/

Hi Nick,

Thank you for sharing and contributing to this thread with your really nice, neat and tidy LesRo Sprite.

Your workmanship is excellent and you have kept another (quite rare) Classic Model Power Boat alive and well.

Your recently built pond gives you a good opportunity to test your latest projects before committing them to a larger expanse of water - even your Vivacity can probably be test floated on it when it is finished !

The smaller Aerokits models that you mention would be better suited to the size of your pond, and allow you to enjoy slightly longer run times with less fear of crashing them than you experienced with your Sprite 🤣.

The Sea Urchin is the smallest of the Aerokits Classic Model Power Boats and is probably the model that has the most "character" as well as providing the builder with the challenge of connecting the transom mounted rudder to the steering servo without causing any leaks!

...as you suggest - I will "watch this space" for any new additions to your fleet 👍

Bob.

I've finally got around to re-engining my Lesro Sprite, using a Surpass Hobby C3536 1050kv aero motor. I chose this one, which I already had lying around in the workshop,rather than the purpose bought Rocket RC 2948 3450kv water-jacketed inrunner, as the latter's kv rating was just too high. I'll save that motor for a faster/higher performance design, perhaps.

The Surpass can produce up to (in theory😉) 580watts with a 4s Lipo, several times more than the brushed original, although the 7.2V buggy pack still seems to give ample revs under load to the 35mm plastic prop.

I replaced the ESC with a cheap Rw.rc 50A watercooled one from Ali Express to utilize the original water-cooling system intended for the 540/550 type motor.

I managed to 'road-test' it on my back-yard pond, although the rudder was almost permanently activated to keep it within the confined space, so it couldn't really reach its potential. However it was easy to see the vast improvement in performance. It feels considerably lighter than before despite the original 3000mAh NimH 7.2V pack, and with less motor weight up front it rises onto the plane far more easily.

Here are a few pics of the new installation, and a video taken by my trusty camera-person (my ever patient wife, Nicki😍😉).
Note, the video was completely unrehearsed in one take, mistakes-and-all, eg - the ESC has water-cooling built in, so is a marine type, not aero. If you look closely, you can see the cooling water exit out of the transom. The ESC was barely warm, and the motor slightly warmer but ok, I think - I'll keep an eye on this, as I may have to fit a small fan at the rear of the main hatch, and a vent at the top to draw some cool air through the motor compartment.

Also, the transmission is currently rather noisy, despite good alignment of the new motor and shaft (pre-aligned with a solid coupling before putting in the universal; I'm starting to wonder if the coupling itself is 'rattling' somewhat, as it is an all-metal one from Ali Express...?).
I also made up a new, larger rudder, which is far more effective than the original, but which needs sealing with grease as a little water ingressed into the rear compartment, driven up the rudder tube by the prop wash.

A great little boat, and I'm looking forward to trying it out properly on more open water, as it really is too big for the pond. However, as well as starting the Vivacity build, my next 'small' project might have to be one of the small Lesros...Urchin...? Sea Nymph...? Patrol boat...? These might just about fit ....🤔 Watch this space...

Best regards,

Nick

Hi Chris,

I did notice that the Spearfish (and the Spear) that Harry has are also not pictured here, but it must have taken some time to arrange all of the Classic Model Power Boats that he has pictured along with his collection of interesting "working boats".

...I am also fairly sure that there are quite a few more that have not been pictured yet, but Harry's boats do all get well used and so some may be in the workshop for regular maintenance work ...?

Bob.

Or Spearfish! 😁

Thats an impressive picture Harry, and includes some really nice Classic Model Power Boats.......and it doesn't even include your Sea Commander or your Sea Queen.🤔

Bob.

WHAT PROBLEM !!!!
I have knot got a problem at all.
Harry

I'm quite restrained really. 😁 I have three Huntresses but only one each of the other Faireys! But I suppose having a total of nine Faireys does mean I have a bit of a problem! 🤔 😂

Chris

Noah could be your new user name Will as all your boats seem to enter your stash "two by two" 🤣

You are not the only one to have more than one of each type of the Classic Model Power Boats that you enjoy.

My weakness would appear to be the LesRo Rapier - a design that I really did not like the look of when it first came out - but after restoring one during the lock-down I was truly impressed by its performance when I got to run it for the first time - and have since gathered a couple more of them at various stages of restoration........ but I only have one Javelin 😎

Bob.

Thankfully indeed Bob, as I already have 2x Javelin (shock horror 🙄).
You'll be calling me Noah next, as somehow, i seem to 'ended up' with pairs of quite a few of my boats 🤔🙄

Will

LesRo Javelin.

This LesRo Javelin is currently for sale on eBay - but sadly the seller lives in Welwin and it is for collection only.

This rules-out both Will and myself as it is too far away for either of us to collect.

The model is another from the era of Classic Model Power Boats that was driven by a glow plug motor, so it will need a fair bit of cleaning-up and may well have some areas of wood that are fuel soaked too.

A restoration and conversion to brushless motor power would make this into a very nice Classic Model Power Boat that would be really good to see on the water again.

Bob.

Happy New Year Will, and I hope you get the chance to get one of your “captives” freed and on the water this year 😂

Bob.

Other than wishing everyone a Happy New Year, I think 'no comment' is the best reply I can give to your post Bob 😔

I will try to get at least one of my 'collection' (hoard?) on the water this year.

Will

Happy New Year to all owners and anyone interested in Classic Model Power Boats.

‘Tis the time of year for resolutions to be made for the forth-coming year and mine include some for my Classic Model Power Boat fleet.

I must get my Swordsman models finished and on the water as soon as my prototype Sprite Plus is finished.

I need to refurbish my Sea Queen that was bought in need of some work 2-3 years ago ! It was delivered in a soft card box that did not protect it at all well in transit so the windscreen was smashed and other damage was inflicted too, so instead of just changing the long flimsy 4BA prop shaft for a better suited 5mm one I have decided to give it the full restoration treatment!

I have a LesRo Javelin that is almost ready to get its hull wet and it needs the builder (me) to fit the wing that I made for it at least 3 years ago and get it in the water! It only needs some small detailing work as I have completely restored it.

My Aerokits Patrol Launch was started in 1971. During storage and two house moves later the rear cabin roof warped - a flimsy excuse for not finishing it (and I doubt anyone else would even notice it as it was only very slightly warped), but I have now cut a new cabin roof base and formers. After this base has had some cross-braces glued to it I will fit a new skin roof and try to get it finished….at last!

I have a pair of recently acquired LesRo Fisherman boats that both need a full restoration as well, but they are unlikely to overtake the other projects….or at least - they shouldn’t!

Like many others, I tend to collect things that I like the look of and hope to refurbish - sometime - but this year - I hope get a few more of them finished and on the water.

…….but I do want to build a Swordsman 37……..so that is another one that will be joining the others in the workshop (shed). 😎

Bob.

Hi Will,

Your Thames Police Launch is definitely a Classic Model Power Boat.

Merry Christmas!

Bob.

Hi Madwelshman,
I would say that seing that the Veron Thames Police Launch was an old boat originaly then YES definitly it to me would be clased as a Classic Model Power Boat.
They plane very well when they are set up correctly, and they were used to chase if needed to on the Thames.
Wonderful little Model Classic Power Boat. 🚤🚤👍

Hi roycv,
I have a Super Marine and a Double Special.
I saw the Super Marine on a Norfolk boot fair, i picked it up and looked at it and then walked on.
I went back twice more and then the man said to me several others have looked at it and put it down. I dont know what it is.
I asked how much is it he said as you have been back and looked at it a few times you can just take it.
I didn't argue, but as it was it didn't turn over at all it was seiced up.
I was away on holiday up there at the time. Anyway I took it apart and got it sorted out and I have had it for about 5 years now and it runs great.
After I had got it running and the smell from it, I can remember the smell from when my brother had a Taycol Standard in his Crash Tender and when that sparked as well.

I was 11 at the time and he had the old type accumulator battery in his boat, we didn't have a charger and my dad used to send me to the local model shop and they used to charge it for us. I think they used to charge us about 1/-, one shilling. That was back in 1961.

His Crash Tender was copied from my Aerokits Crash Tender. His was built maily from old tea chests and orange boxes, except from the chine strips and the skins, my dad bought the proper ply for that.

I had a ED Hunter 3.46cc diesel engine in mine but niether of us had R/C, that was way out of my parents affordabillity back then.
It's funny how the smell comes back to you.
I am planing to try one of those two motor's on my Aerokit's Sea Queen when I get around to restoring her.

I'd say so Will. I've disregarded my Faun as it's hardly a "power" boat and not well known so not a classic. Same for the Fisherman, which in addition to low power has sails.

For me, as well as good performance and age they have to be built in sufficient numbers to be deemed as classics. That criteria also excludes my Huntress Long Cabin with stern-drive.

Chris

I think the Veron Police boat at 26 inches rates as a classic.
You have hurt my spirit with your disregard for electric motors!!😭😭
Have you never smelt the lure of a running Taycol motor? The spark is hidden in an i/c motor, whereas with Taycol motors the spark is on the outside!

Then for the filthy rich there was the Bassett-lowke Marine motor the spark was there but more sophisticated and subdued.
Even a 'Kako' motor was OK.
Roy

Does this still class as a model power boat?

The Thames Police Launch is one of my favourite boats, following closely behind most things Fairey.

I have both the smaller 26", and larger 34" versions, both needing some work (shock horror when it comes to my model boats)
This 26" version has no electronics or motor, then same with the larger scale version too.

One day 🙄

Hi Bob, he actually says that his model called Sea Rover was based on Sea Queen which won a 1960/61 off-shore power boat race.

The first Cowes - Torquay power boat race took place in 1961 but there wasn't a Sea Queen or even a Sea Rover in the entry list and it wouldn't have won overall anyway but maybe a class but it wasn't mentioned in any case.

Likewise with the 1960 and 1961 Miami - Nassau power boat races.

I don't know of any other races worthy of mention so I think he has some confusion there.

Chris

Sea Rover - Sea Commander - Sea Queen.

The very well known Aerokits Sea Commander and Sea Queen kits were thought by some to be based on Norfolk Broads cruisers, but there is also a claim that they were both based on a full-sized boat called "Sea Rover" - that actually won an off-shore race in 1960/61 !

Not to be confused with the well known Aerokits Sea Rover model of the same name that has a different design!

The use of the same "Sea Rover" name by the different shaped model and the full size craft can be a bit confusing!

Maybe the Aerokits Sea Rover model kit came along after the Sea Commander and Sea Queen designs were already on sale and the name was used by Les Rowell as a "nod" to the boat that inspired what has turned out to be his most popular and well known design that has been available in two different sizes for over half a century.

Bob.

Hi Boatshed (Thomas ),

I share your interest in fast patrol and rescue craft as my main interest for many years has been Coastal Command and over the years I have gained a large reference library of this type of craft and have previously modelled and owned several different types of them.

Like yourself, I also like to see these craft (and other Classic Model Power Boats) being driven at a realistic speed and I really enjoy driving them as often as possible and making "white water" with them.

In more recent years I have broadened my interest to include other Classic Model Power Boats, and in particular those that I remember seeing on the water in the late 50's and through the 1960s when I first started my own journey of building and restoring them.

These days I still enjoy driving and restoring craft of this type, but I now find that I enjoy driving them even more, so actually running them as often as possible is now the part of the hobby that I probably enjoy the most.

With 10 Classic Model Power Boats actively in regular use and 15 or more Classic Power Boats currently either under construction or restoration I have hardly given up on spending far too much time in my workshop(shed), but I find that driving these craft helps to keep my "eye to hand" co-ordination working well.....something that I also sharpen-up every week by racing 1/12 scale Minis, Sports/GT and LMP cars as well as 1/10 Touring cars and off-road buggies in the better weather.

I no longer race large scale cars (they are now too heavy for me to carry!), but I raced them for many years both on-road (1/4 and 1/5th scale touring cars, sports/GT and Racing Trucks) and and 1/6 scale off-road biggies (2WD and 4WD).

.....so I guess I also share being a bit of a speed freak too - as far as r/c models are concerned !

Bob.

RAF CRASH TENDER

I have been a big fan of the RAF Crash Tender since 25th August 1959.
That was I got for my birthday present on that date.

When I originally joined this website it was just dedicated to the RAF Crash Tender.
I was,

Member No,, # 583.
Registered, * 26th March 2009.

I was very disappointed at first when it changed and added al sorts of other model boats, it took me a while to come to terms to it.
There are many other style model boats that I have NO interest in.
Vosper Hulls have been one of my favourites style hulls since I got my first one in 1959.

Yes I do have several different type of other model boats, an MTB and several other speed boats and
Fairey Marine and Aerokit’s models.
Basicly anything that would plane and speed about. (I am a self confessed speed freak).

I have a second-hand book called “ An engineer of sorts” written by Peter Du Cane.
The reason I got this book is because he had worked for Vosper and he helped design many of their boats.
He also designed his own 80ft boat and had it build it was handed over to him in 1965. M.Y. Dimarcha.

When you read the pages on this website, Pans & Docs it tells you that the R.A.F. Fire Float MKII.
Is a Mk 2. Also it seems there were only 2 built numbers 93 and 94.
So where is/was the Mk I, in all of this ??. ( you cannot have a MkII without a MkI can you??)

In his book he has put a picture of what he says, we built two 45 foot picket boats.

I have taken a photo of this boat from the book and added it on here.
He states that,
“These two boats were allocated to battleships, with no less than 4 V8 engines
installed. 2 in each”.
He also says
“The picket boat was surprisingly good, as is always the case with a reasonably well
Designed hard chine planing boat. A speed of 20 knots was about her best cruising speed”

To me I would assume that these would be the MK1 ‘s ?? They didn’t seem to have been numbered.
And the next two built would have turned out to be the RAF Crash Tender MkII.

All though the Crash Tender does not actually get a mention in the book.
I do NOT know if anyone also on here has actually seen this before.
I have had this book for several years now. Second-hand off of Ebay, Ex library book.
And only just realised this about the picket boat. Never really took much notice of the picture
I must admit I have not read the book properly as I only got the book as I was interested in his own boat
M.Y. Dimarcha as I do have a plan from the Model Boats Magazine for building one.
But I have never got around to building it. So many plans & so little time as usual.

His M.Y Dimarcha also looks to be a smaller version of the 96ft version of the later built M.Y. Mercury that was built for Mr Stavros Niarchos with a few slight added differing designs .
Mr Aristotle Onassis also had one of these Yacht’s built. His name is mentioned on the Victory Industries model of Vosper Triple Screw Yacht.

I get from reading the notes, R.A.F. Fire Float MKII. on notes that when the MKII ‘s were built they were made a foot longer than the two picket boats to 46ft long.
Then the engines must have changed to the Rover Meteorite Petrol unit’s which when you look them up they were actually Rolls Royce. Meteorite engines.
The other V8 engines might have been what were then used for the fire pump units.
Once again reading all of the notes and what’s in the book these are just my thoughts

I am sorry if I have gone on a bit but I just thought that some of this from this book might be of some useful information to you. ( Plus my additional thoughts and bits added, sorry again.)
It may be the reason as to why the RAF Crash Tender is called the MkII and that these two picket boats were possibly the Mk I ‘s. ??
Well that is my thoughts, can any one else give their opinion on this,.
Has anyone else seen this.
Maybe get the book fro the library and see it for yourselves ??

Hi canabus,
I have just tried to look at your video and all is show s is the camera view of some riding a bicycle.
Do you have a correct youtube link so that it can be seen please.
I would love to see it.
Regards
BOATSHED (Thomas, Tom)

Hi Lads
My little video of my restored Sea Rover.

Hi Dutton73,

Here is the picture of my Sea Scout - as promised.

Bob.

Hi roycv,
Yes the Crash Tender that I have, I bought it off of the internet and it does have a bit of warping on it and a couple of bits missing.
It doesn't have the drive bands for the motor either.
I am pretty sure deep in my shed, If I'm not mistaken that I also have the Trpple Screw Launch that Victory produced as well, in the added picture.
I also have 3 maybe 4, I 'm not sure Nikko small R/C boats that I started to collect.

I forgot to list the 34" F1 tunnel hull with a K&B converted outboard to Brushless.
I am thinking of putting that on Ebay as I am thinning out a lot of my boats as I have so many.
A couple of those cheapy NQD R/C ready to run boats as well .
I had about 30 model boats in the shed in all not counting the little ones in the boxes and I'm down to about 23 I think now.

I also sold off the one fifth R/C two stroke car, but still have the R/C Traxxas Stampede car.

One day I will get around to putting the electric motors in the boats I hope some soon, but I need to get that Classic 1960 Rover back on the road next year.

That's unless the NHS drag me in and start to carve me up doing what I need to get sorted out first. If they do then It will be maybe putting the motors in the boats before the doing Rover.

Hi Zooma,
The Kit wasn't the Sea Commander it was the RAF Crash Tender.
I bought that back in 1991 I think it was, It was released by Aerokits on the 40th anniversary of the Crash Tender kit they produced.
I saw an advert in the Model Boats Magazine and sent for it straight away.
I never built it and I only sold it back early this year it was the 34.5" kit.
I kept it for 34 years unmade.
I had my first one in 1959 for my 9th birthday.
I also sold on Ebay the other 48" kit that was produced by the VWM boat company.
They both went to different people and then I sold the 48" one that I had that was already made it had previously had a IC glow engine in it.

Hi Boatshed I like the plastic crash tender with box. That is a case of the sun shall not have them. Sunlight on the old plastics can warp and distort models. I have a 575 yacht the plastic is still an original white and no sign of ageing.

Great to see all the models.
Roy

Hi. The boat pictured at Southport lake is a Range Safety Launch as opposed to a RTTL. The black and white film, 'The Sea Shall Not Have Them' depicts the story of an RTTL and its crew during the 2ndWW.

Regards
Kevin

Hiya Boatshed, I like your models but especially the small plastic RAF crash tender still with it's original box. I had one of these which gave me as a youngster many hours of fun along with my model yacht. My Dad managed to get a photo of both of them sailing past each other. I now have the 34" Aerokits model boat.

That's quite a collection of model boats you have there Boatshed.

I especially like the two unmade Classic Model Power Boat kits of the Aerokits Sea Commander and the MFA Spearfish.

The two Taycol electric motors are classic's too!

Please let us know how the Sea Queen goes with either of the Taycol motors fitted as this is a combination that could have been used in the 1960's - especially with the vintage McGregor 2 channel radio control system - that could be very interesting !

Bob.

Here is a list of some of my classic model power boats,

Sea Hornet
Aerokits Sea Quuen
Aerokits Sea Commander
Precedent Huntsman
Prcedent Huntman Fibreglass Hulls x2 No superstructure.
Precedent PT 109 wooden Hull. No superstructure.
Norstar Waverider.
1970's Stratos/Hydrofirbe Pipedream 50" with an outdrive
(was meant to have a Zenoah sold that off) will now have a brushless.
28" R.A.F. CRASH TENDER. Built from Balsa wood from reduced 34" plans.
50" Chineese Fibreglass PT 109. ( removed the 26cc IC engine, going brushless)
Proboat Miss Geico 28". RTG.
Graupner ARTG Rhode Island F1 Tunnel Hull.

I have also recently purchased off of Ebay a 2 channel MacGregor R/C. and when it arrived
I was a bit shocked with it.
It turned out to have been never used.
The box was well tatty but the R/C was in perfect condition.
I plan to use it in my Aerokits Sea Queen when I get her up and running.
I might put in one of the Taycol motors fist to see how it goes before I try a brushless in her.

50" White fibreglass batboat unbilt. (FOR SALE £75) Collection only Dartford area.


Sold off in the last 2 years
R.A.F. CRASH TENDERs.
Aeronaut Classic Speed Boat. half built.
( I feel this kit is poor quility for the money)
2nd Sea Hornet would have been more sense.
Navicraft Outrage 26cc two stroke.
MFA Spearfish fibreglass unbuilt kit.
50" Batboat. Painted black & white.
3ft 1970's unbuilt Stratos/Hydrofibre Intreceptor fibreglass kit.


The photo's are just some of them.


48" Crash Tender, in need of restoration.
1970's unbuilt Aerokits 34" kit.
Vintage Model Boats Kits 48" unbilt kit.

I have removed all of my Glow and Two stroke engines and sold them off on Ebay.
I am now going electric brushesd and brushless in all of my model boats now.

Thanks Bob👍
That was the final iteration with a 3S LiPo.
Scroll down a bit further and there are 3 more videos of initial trials with NIMH batteries, heavier🙄 and competition from the local swans!
Sadly the videos and my sea trials Captains Report have disappeared from my Harbour😠
QUESTION TO STEPHEN (Fireboat)- Why is that?
Cheers, Doug😎

Hi Doug,

Nice video of your restored Sea Scout in action and planing nicely 👍

Bob.

Hi Dutton,
I can also confirm that you definitely have a Sea Scout there👍
Attached are links to my Blog of the restoration of a Sea Scout built by my Dad in the early 60s. Also a link to my Harbour. 3rd link shows the boat on sea trials. You'll need to scroll down a bit!
Bon chance mon ami👍
Cheers, Doug😎

blogs/28209?sort=ASC

harbour/43323

blogs/28209#44513

Aerokits Sea Scout.

This Classic Model Power Boat is only two feet long, but it has a lot of character and is a model that is not seen anything like often enough these days.

I have one that is waiting for some attention but it is basically OK as it was not a size of model that was too often powered by diesel or glow plug engine, so most are not fuel soaked and easy to work on.

Invariably they were powered by a small early type electric motor (often a Mabuchi)
or even an old KaKo (if my memory serve me correctly?) and others of similar size and power..

I will dig a picture out of my Sea Scout and add it later......but hopefully a better one will come along first and beat me to it!

Bob.

Just took a good look at picture in PEIs post and IMHO, the actuator/servo id definitely an early servo and probably used with a reed set. There would have been a switching circuit to drive the electric motor. The motor is driving a lead screw via gears, this in turn has a follower to which the servo output is soldered. This setup would give you a linear output servo.

That's a nice addition to your fleet Harry.

Thanks for sharing it with us here,

38" long is a good size Classic Model Power Boat. Big enough to be used under most conditions and small enough to be able to carry, store and transport .

I have not seen a Chris Craft Commuter before - was it built from a Sterling kit?

Bob.

Hi Me Lads
Another classic !!
1929 Chris Craft Commuter boat 38" long.
Name "Dynamite" !!!
I think it's about time to take her for a run.
35m brushless 920KV, 3S lipo Battery, 40mm 2 blade prop.
Harry

Aero-Naut Victoria.

This Classic Model Power Boat has been around for a long time, but has never been seen on this thread before.....so here it is!

Based on a 1960's luxury motor yacht at 700mm long it is a nice sized model.

Bob.

Thanks Harry,

All the information I could ever need about the Aerokits Patrol Torpedo Boat.

Many thanks 👍

Bob.

catalog Aerokits .Plus Picture of my PT109 by Pro Boat.
Harry

The plans !!!!

Harry

Aerokits Torpedo Boat

I remember seeing this boat being advertised in one of the Keil Kraft catalogues in the 1960's, but I have never seen one in real life, so I am guessing that it did not sell very well?

Was it 40" long?

Does anyone own one of these or have any pictures of one as I have lost my old KK catalogue and so I have no reference for it any longer?

A set of plans would be good to see as well.!

I saw this boat of sale on eBay recently, and I did wonder if perhaps it is a genuine Aerokits Torpedo Boat?

Can anyone help?

Bob.

Hi Roger,

The engine looks like it is an old diesel engine, but from the picture I cannot identify it for you.......but it could be an ED Hunter?

The ED Hunter would be the right sort of age and with its 3.5cc capacity it was one of the engines that was favoured for boats of that size at the time.

I can't see clearly through the "murk" of the "servo"picture, but my guess is that it is not a servo, but some sort of escapement suggesting that the boat was run on an old type single channel radio in its past - perhaps?

Good luck restoring your Aerokits model boat - something that I have enjoyed doing many times over the years, and the RAF Crash Tender is a really nice model when it is finished that runs nicely.

Bob.

Harry, many thanks for the plans and photos. I'm not sure how old this boat is or when it was last in water. But have attached a pic of the motor and rudder servo that were in it 3 weeks ago.

Roger

Hi Roger
This is the plans for the 46" model.
The boat requires weight in the stern, like the batteries.

Harry

This is my winter project, picked it up a few weeks ago here on Prince Edward Island, Canada. I'm guessing it's the model made by Aerokits (34"). If anyone has plans they are willing to share, please let me know.

Roger

RAF Range Safety Launch. (often confused with the RAF Rescue and target Towing Launch RTTL) 🙄

I have long been an admirer of the RAF Range Safety Launch since I first saw one powered by a Gannet 4 stroke engine sometime in the 1960’s.

The one that I pictured today at the Southport club is owned by a friend of ours called Jim.

He did not build it new, but he has owned it for a long time after picking it up at a car boot sale (!) and has tidied it up over the years that he has owned it to look like it does now.

Jims Classic Model Power Boat is about 40” long and was probably built from the same plans as the one that I first saw all those years ago.

Now electric powered this is a lovely looking model that makes white water and performs as it should.

Bob

Aerokits Fast Patrol Launch.

This is the same kit that I bought new from Exmouth Models in 1971.

It has remained part-built for many years and the most recent reason for not finishing it was because the rear cabin roof had warped slightly - just enough to be able to detect a slight movement when pushed hard on one corner.

Finally I took a wide chisel to this roof and levered-off the skin (breaking the roof former at the same time!).

A new former was cut and glued to the original base together with a spine of 4mm plywood that fits centrally from front to back.

This was all left to dry on the flat cast iron table of my band saw whilst weighted down with some large tins of paint.

When I am home next, I will check to see if it has dried OK and if it is warp-free. I will add some diagonal cross members to the base plate before cutting a new skin to try to stop this replacement cabin roof twisting like the original one did.

A quick coat of paint will get slapped on next so this boat can actually see some water for the very first time !

It will still have the small 385 motor left fitted (this was another reason for not finishing it!) and this may encourage me to finally spend some time on it and (probably) fit a different motor.

Bob.

Hi Ronald, I have never seen a blade specially designed for cutting plywood, but I always keep sharp new blades in stock to fit my bandsaw, and whenever I detect any hint of them not cutting as cleanly or as fast as they did when they were brand new, they are changed immediately

I keep different bandsaw blades in stock with various TPI to make sure that the blade that I am using suites the job in hand.

When I have time, I will speak to the saw blade maker to ask if he is aware of any special type of “set” or tooth type that is better suited to the types that I have been using to cut my plywood with for the last 40 years or so.

I have never had any problems like this with any previous types of plywood - even cheap “shuttering” that is considered as “sacrificial”.

My Hegnar jigsaw has lots of different packets of various blade types that I can use, but they are all VERY fine and as used for cutting jigsaw puzzles and have never torn any wood.

These very fine fret saw blades never last for many cuts before breaking - long before they become blunt.

My previous “general purpose” fretsaw used much heavier “pinned” blades, but they never damaged the wood surface either.

The surface chips that I have experienced on my most recent deliveries are I am certain due to poor quality - in particular with the bond between the top surface and the laminated layer below it.

The chipping is not restricted to when the wood is being cut. Lumps can fly off when being sanded or when being smoothed with anything from sandpaper to a fine tooth file - or even when the full size board is put down with a little bit of a bump on a hard surface.

The hairy surface that Chris detected is the natural finish that this last delivery of wood has when it is received. It has not been sanded, but does improve after it has been fine sanded.

Bob

Reading down through the various comments I read about some are having an issue tear-out. They say after the cut it has got “hairs” but actually it’s called tear-out and there are suggested methods to reduce this.

Using the correct sharp blade is one of them. Using a blade designed for cutting plywood is needed. Applying painters tape on the cut-line, ensuring it is firmly secured to the material.

https://www.google.com/search?q=tear-out+when+cutting+birch+ply&client=safari&sc

When my old shed was falling apart a few years ago, I rebuilt it and lined the walls and the floor with heavy 22mm water-proof flooring grade chip board (not sure if I have remembered the "correct" name for this expensive grade of chip board).

Having a "clean start" I was able to build fitted work benches (same surface material) and above them on two walls I fitted some of those heavy duty steel racking rails that you can plug different sizes of brackets into, and it is on these adjustable racking brackets that I fitted flat 3/4" exterior plywood shelves that I can store my plywood on to keep it flat.

I spaced the vertical racking rails quite close together to reduce the amount of un-supported space between them, so the shelves have no opportunity to sag.

Plywood that arrives "wobbly" can be stored on the bottom of each shelf so that the weight of the wood above it helps to flatten it by the time it is used.

When I first rebuilt the shed, this was considered as a way to keep nice freshly bought plywood as flat as it was when it was delivered.

These days I use these same shelves to try to correct and flatten the new plywood after it is delivered!

Bob.

That a good proportion of Birch ply comes from Russia was a shock to me, having lived in Finland for 16 years where my local timber yard sold only Finnish ply.

Most Finns would reject Russian wood on principle, though there are thousands of tonnes of wood coming into the the country from Russia to feed the paper industry. Most of the pulping is chemical these days (smells bad) but I lived near a paper mill that ground the wood into pulp - all the timber had to be x-rayed in case there were any bullets or shell fragments in the wood which would have damaged the grinders.

Yeah, I meant to say that some of the ply I've had in the past has been warped and like you have had to select the best place to cut from. Not so bad with smaller parts though.

Fortunately I still have quite a bit of good quality thin ply, it's 6mm I need for keels and doublers etc. At least it's not on show if I do get some not so good quality.

Problem I've got is that I don't have anywhere I can store it flat until I reorganise my workroom! 😁 That's only part of my ply and strip supplies!

I had no idea that the birch plywood that we use to build our model boats started its life in Russia Dave - that came as quite a shock.

The ply-skins always seem to have a much better surface on them than the thicker plywoods bought at the same time from the same source Chris - probably just as well!

This latest batch of ply-skins that I had delivered last week were not flat - they had a very rippled surface that looked like it had waves in it.

Fortunately I had some other skins already on one of my stock shelves so I used them instead.

The 4mm birch play was also warped on delivery, so I had to choose carefully where I cut the parts from so they were flat. This was quite wasteful .

The unused sheets of 4mm birch ply (along with the unused ply-skins) were put under some flat 3/4 plywood on a stock shelf and left in the hope that the weight will eventually flatten them.

Maybe the wood supply from Russia has something to do with the quality of the wood, but it was a bit disappointing.

Bob.

A few months ago I tried a local independent (in Witney) timber merchant for some birch ply only to be told that most of their birch ply came from Russia and the source had dried up since the war with Ukraine started. This might explain the poor quality of some plywood being sold as birch ply.

I usually buy birch faced as well but there has been occasions in the past when I've bought other sorts and thought the piece I showed was some of that.

What is noticeable is that the external ply colours do vary with the thicker plies compared to the thinner ones and you can even see this on the SLEC site. Some of my thin ply has a wonderful, smooth hard finish which after a light sanding comes up beautifully when varnished - I used that on my Huntsman 28 deck. Perhaps the thin ply has to be better quality to achieve the thicknesses required.

Hi Chris,

When I check the SLEC site for "Birch Ply" it is now also described it as "Exterior Grade Ply" so it should be OK for our intended use (?) and it is the grade of plywood that I have always bought from SLEC.

It is actually the "birch faced" part of the plywood that is "chipping-off", so presumably the "Birch Faced Poplar Core" plywood would have exactly the same problem if the surface layer was not bonded on properly?

Laser Grade Ply has a water based adhesive that is necessary for cutting the plywood when using a laser cutter and so this would be the grade of plywood found in any model boat kit that has been laser cut.

Poplar Plywood is also used for laser cutting so it will still be bonded with water based glue?

From what I can see, the birch plywood is still the best choice for model boat making as it is resin bonded and not water based glue bonded (?), but the last batch that I bought may have just had a quality problem with the bonding.

Bob.

https://slecuk.com/product-category/ply/birch-ply/

Just to reinforce what you have found Bob, I've just cut some 6mm ply (with what I termed the "hairy" finish! 😊) using my scroll saw and a fairly coarse 15 TPI blade and even on the turns I had very little tear and no chipping - this is on the underside, the top cutting cleanly. I'm guessing this is poplar ply as most of my other ply, which is thinner, is birch faced. Interestingly comparing 4 x 300 x 900mm sheets the poplar ply is more expensive which I wasn't expecting.

It was bought from a very well known supplier of plywood and model boat kits that I have used for many years without any problems Dave - until now!

Bob.

That plywood doesn't look like modelling grade, more like non-structural DiY ply.

I always buy good quality Baltic or Finnish birch ply for my models. I used to be able to go to the local timber merchants in Kuusankoski and buy big sheets of lovely ply from under 1mm thick upwards.

Hi Chris, the hairy look is not too bad as I have not sanded it yet and I am sure that it will be OK, and it is not the biggest problem.

The chipping is bad however, and is why I have pictured it here.

If you look at the window cut-outs that are also un-sanded and taken straight from the Hegnar fretsaw, the cut itself is very clean - but the wood surface still chipped.

The flat end of the hull chipped itself as it was being sanded !

.....and the cabin side chipped when it was being cut on the bandsaw. This chip has been fitted on the outside where it will be hidden by the side skins when they are fitted.

What this does show is that the wood is not as good as it should be, and is certainly not as good as it always used to be.

Bob.

Blimey, that's worse than I thought! That is bad. The surface of the ply looks very "hairy" and soft.

I'm used to getting some tear when cutting with my scroll saw, I've stopped using the very fine blades, but once I've sanded back to the lines it's virtually gone as it is only minor and is only on the back face but it wouldn't be if chunks like that were taken out.

I'd be inclined to contact the supplier to see if they had a problem with a batch?

I need to order some more ply and don't want any of that quality.

Here are some pictures that illustrate the "edge chipping" that I am getting with the 4mm plywood that I have recently purchased from my favourite wood and hobby parts supplier.

It's not the end of the world, and some P38 filler will soon cover it up, but it does show the poor quality of the wood, and its readiness to chip lumps out of it does suggest that the different layers of wood have not been laminated together as well as they could have been.

More expensive types of plywood are available from the same source, so I will buy some samples of them when I can make an order large enough to justify the delivery costs to see if they are any better,

Bob.

Tell me about it Dave! My Fairey Swordsman was the first one I started and is the only one without any paint on it with the others being at various stages. Trouble is I'd reach a point where I was apprehensive about doing something and then start another and that would get to the same stage! 😀

Ironically the last one started was the first one finished, well almost.

This winter I must set to and do some serious painting and detailing.

Chris

Hi Dave,

I think that there must be some model boats that just give a mental blank to the builder that is hard to explain.

My Aerokits Fast Patrol Boat was bought new from Exmouth Models in 1971 - and I still haven't finished it yet!

I got close to finishing it a few years ago and then noticed that the rear cabin roof had warped!

Making another one is not really such a big deal, but it was very annoying and caused the model to be put back until I had time to replace it by making another one.

I have several ex-model car 540 size motors laying around, but decided to make an engine mount for a 380 sized brushed motor because I didn't want a speed boat, just a model that would have a brisk but not silly performance.

This was fitted and looked very neat and tidy.

Later that same week, I saw the same model being driven nicely with a standard 540 on the Southport club lake. It was not too fast, but it had enough power to cope with the brisk sea breezes that we sometimes get that need a reasonable amount of power to make any progress when driving against it and the choppy water it creates!

There are also a couple of very small brushless motors without a home laying around that would also work well in this model.......and that just adds to the list of very small reasons that I need to get a grip of ....and then get this model finished!

It sounds simple - just make a new rear cabin roof, remove the motor and mount and fit a 540 (or a small brushless motor), and then paint it (my pet hate).

This needs to be done!

Bob.

I started building my Slec Arrow nearly six years ago. Recently, I finally added the plywood skins to the bare framework, so I reckon it should be finished by 2030, assuming I last that long!
It's not that I am an especially slow builder, but I keep getting distracted by other projects.

LesRo Arrow.

Much easier to find is a LesRo Arrow.

This boat has exactly the same hull as the Stiletto and when I was looking for a Stiletto, I didn't think I would ever find one so I bought one of the re-kitted types that is still currently available with a view of making a copy Stiletto superstructure to fit it.

A couple of weeks later a used Stiletto came up for sale at our local clubs "Bring and Buy" event (typical!) so I bought it......... and I now have a new unmade Arrow kit to build.......and it will be built as an Arrow.

There are plenty of nice Arrow boats to inspire me and it is not a long job to build one - the sort of build that could be fitted in-between another restoration for example.

I found a couple of pictures online of some nicely executed Arrow's to help illustrate this here.

Like the Rapier, the Arrow was also renamed during one of its previous re-kitting exercise when it was called Mini Streaker ( the Rapier was renamed Streaker) and there is part built original Min Streaker kit that has been for sale on eBay for some time that I have also pictures here to show its alternative box art.

Bob.

LesRo Stiletto

The LesRo Stiletto is a lovely little Classic Model Power Boat, and it is almost as rare and hard to find as it's bigger sister the LesRo Rapier.

It is probably only easier to find because being a smaller kit it was a lot less expensive to buy and so a few more of them were sold.

At a little over 25" long, it is a lot smaller than its bigger 39" sister (Rapier).

Both the Stiletto and Rapier wheelhouse cabin cruisers failed to capture the publics imagination who preferred to buy the "off-shore racer" version of each that shared the same hull exactly.(Arrow and Javelin).

Again (like its bigger sister), the Stiletto was never re-kitted either !

Bob.

Thanks for adding the video of your excellent scaled-up Stiletto to this thread JB, it looks really good on the water.

There is something special about the way that any deep-vee shaped hull rides in the water, and I agree that your boat and my restored Rapier do handle very much like each other.

Previous to restoring the Rapier, I had always regarded the Aerokits Swordsman as having the most pleasing performance hull, but I now think that the Rapier is even better - but I didn't think that back in the 1960's when it first came out.

Les Rowell was ahead of the time when he designed and made the LesRo Rapier kit, and sadly at that time it was not a success as its shape failed to appeal to the buying public.

I admit to being one of the doubters when the first example appeared on the River Avon one weekend at one of our regular Bath Model Power Boat Club meetings. The models long narrow pointed bows looked a little strange when compared with the regular collection of Sea Commanders and Swordsman models and similar "look alike" cabin cruisers - it certainly looked "different" to all the others.

The LesRo "off-shore racer" looking model (Javelin) that shared exactly the same hull actually sold very well and was re-kitted and even renamed later (Streaker) in its later production run, but the poor sales that the Rapier (and Stiletto) achieved meant that they were doomed to never be re-kitted and is why they are quite a rare sight on the waters these days.

The Vee shaped hulls performance has never been in any doubt, but it has taken many years for this wheelhouse cabin cruiser to "look right" in many Classic Model Power Boat users eyes.

These days, many of the expensive full size cruisers now share the same sort of wheelhouse cabin and pointed bows hull shape, so we now find this a little less strange and a lot more acceptable - to the extent that if a re-kit of the Rapier (maybe with a slightly updated cabin shape) should appear now, it could easily sell quite well.

Bob.

Hi Bob, your rapier runs very well and mine runs pretty much exactly the same. I haven't needed any ballast to make it run level (laterally) which surprised me, given the deep V and how lightly it sits on the water. Mine dosn't turn as tightly as yours, but my rudder is a lot smaller and we have a large pond to play on. I can easily change the rudder, but it's fine for now.
Here's a vid of it running. It's limited to around 70% throttle on a 4000mah 3s at the moment which is more than enough for normal use. (think I've put this up in the build blog)

JB

Rapier Update.

Originally I fitted an air scoop on the foredeck to cover a hatch that I cut into the large area in front of the cabin.

The hatch was cut so that I could monitor this otherwise large hidden void and also use it as a weight box to make it easy to balance the boat without the trim tabs that could then be removed.

I run the boat this way for a while, but a more conventional hatch cover has now replaced it.

Rather than throw away this disused air scoop, I reduced its height and re-fitted it on the cabin roof as a dummy air-con inlet to keep the individuality of the model.

The scope was re-painted in white to "blend-in" with the cabin roof colour.

Bob.

LesRo Rapier. Shaft Drive or Flexi-Shaft Drive?

Hi JB,

I am guessing that your model that was based on an enlarged Stiletto (that is now the same length as my Rapier) probably has a flatter drive than my Rapier has due to its flexi shaft drive?

My Rapier still has a standard 5mm shaft drive and does come up onto the plane very quickly but then runs with the bows fairly high......but it does turn very well.

This video was taken after I fitted a smaller motor as I thought the boat was too fast for this size of lake. The boat was running on 2C with the more powerful motor (and with this smaller motor).

Bob.