Swapped this 1:12 (1"=1') scale model for my ageing Al Khubar tug. This is a good size 52" x 17".
As received there were two Bhuler motors and two 30amp ESC's, plus two servos - one for each rudder. initial sea trials at the club lake(www.creweanddistrictmodelboatclub.org.uk) using a 12v7Ah SLA prooved that the boat was seaworthy and controllable.
All the fittings appear to be for a smaller scale, possibly 1:16 and will be removed. The hull and supestructure castings are by David Metcalfe and I was fortunate to meet and talk with David at the Blackpool show to confirm this. Also in attendance were members from the Lifeboat Enthusiasts' Society (LES). I now know that my model is of a 52' Arun. I have obtained a copy of RNLI Motor Lifeboats (ISBN 1-84306-341-7) by Nicholas Leach together with some colour photos from LES. The Yarmouth lifeboat 52-08 Joy & John Wade has a similar cabin to my model and I am considering this as an option. I will start by removing and replacing the running gear and rudders as I am not sure they are in the correct position and I always like to start at the keel of any vessel as problems here are difficult to fix later. Photos show interior looking aft, props and running gear, overall view and flying bridge. This should be cut out to the cabin top with the cox standing behind a screen. Lots to do. Any suggestions for motors, ESC's, batteries?
Dave

Finally cleared the decks to allow space to work on the Arun.
Have gutted the hull of everything bar the deck. On checking the plan I found the prop shafts and rudders were wrongly placed so out they came. Remeasured and marked the hull and plan and after checking again drilled and filed holes for the prop shafts and rudders. The original shafts were too short as are the rudders. I had two shafts of the correct length and made two A frames from brass, outer shaft drilled and tapered on the lathe then silver soldered to two brass brackets, which I will let into the hull and fix with plastic padding. I will keep the rudders shafts and replace the blades with brass plate cut to the correct size and profile. Ready now to fit the shafts, rudders and fill the original holes. I will use fiberglass mat on the inside of the hull and make good with plasic padding, I intend to keep the original Buhler motors for now and will make a mount once the shafts are in place. I need to add lubrication tubes to the shafts and will silver solder these before fitting.

Unexpected delays prevented me from working on the boat. Now managed to fit the prop shafts and A frames. Used matched formers at ends of both shafts to align correctly. Needed to make quite wide slots in the fiberglass hull to get everything square and keeping the shafts straight. Tacked in place with epoxy and when set rechecked everything before covering all the holes round the shafts and over the original hole mountings with fiberglass matting fixed with resin. When dry filled and flared all the holes on the outside of the hull with plastic padding (PP). Rubbed down when dry and base coats of white and black acrylic applied to identify the Imperfections. Will wet and dry to good finish when completely dry, I now need to make flared mountings for the rudder shafts, probably with delrin or brass all fixed with PP and flared to shape. The rudders will use the original nylon mounts but I will replace the blades on the brass shafts with larger brass sheet cut to correct size and silver soldered, I do not trust the original riveted mounting for such a vulnerable area. The photos show interior and exterior views. The correct prop shaft position makes the model look much more balanced and will give a much more realistic performance.

Managed to progress with the rudder and motor installation. Replaced the original rudders with new brass ones cut to correct profile and silver soldered to the original shafts. I will detail with Plastic Padding once I can obtain more info. Used some Delrin tube to make the rudder posts vertical and epoxied in place. The rudders run in nylon shafts secured with a brass nut. The epoxy merely fills in the gaps round the mountings as Delrin/nylon doesn't take glue. I finished off in side the hull with a plastic padding fillet bonded to the Fibreglass hull to give extra structural strength. The rudders are linked with a rod and I made a plastic shelf to mount the servo and support the tops of the rudder shafts. A short rod from the servo arm to one of the rudder arms completes the control. The whole shelf and servo lifts off to allow for any servicing. I will replace the plastic servo clips with solid brass rod once the linkages have been adjusted on the water. in my experience plastic on a control has a nasty habit of failing usually when you need control the most. I am now working on the motor mounts and have modified the brass sheet supports by silver soldering a gusset down one side to keep everything nice and solid. The motors will be held by four bolts into nuts fastened into the wooden plinths I made earlier. initially I will align with Balsa wood packing. I will make the final packing from some Silicon moulding to allow for final adjustment and hopefully deaden the sound from the motors.

Have only managed a couple of hours work since the beginning of the year. Snow too deep to get to shed. I have now mounted the motors but still need to make the silicon rubber undermounts. intended to do this but weather far too cold even indoors to work with two part casting silicon. I therefore moved to the deck which is another fiberglass moulding. Unfortunately for me everthing is painted (daubed) with an oil based paint so I will need to strip it all off so that I can use my preferred acrylic. I have tried rubbing down but I cannot get a good surface so off it will have to come. I will try some of the suggestions posted on the site but am resigned to a messy tedious process. The decks are edged with kick boards mounted with small brackets and as the guard rails are attached to the boards both need to be strong and functional. I will need to make circa 100 brackets and intend to use aluminium T angle, cut and drilled to size. As each bracket has 4 bolts I will need to source a supply of brass 8BA nuts and bolts. Anyone know of a supplier?
dave

Still too cold for the silicon rubber but motors in place. Tried to find some Fairy oven cleaner without success. B&Q had some paste stuff(Polyfilla less mess) that said it removed paint to a dry brush off dust. Painted it on today and will check progress tomorrow. initial result is promising, the last picture shows a small amount rubbed away with the fibreglass untouched underneath. Certainly a job for the garage. Smelt like cellulose spay paint and was grey like plastic padding. I have some Nitromors in reserve, just in case. Found a supplier of BA nuts and bolts and ordered a selection of the smaller sizes to see which look correct. On closer examination it is clear that I need a right angle bracket not a T bracket as originally thought. Much easier as I can use brass strip, drill and cut whilst flat and then bend to shape. The kick board is 5mm x 2.5mm thick. Needs to be strong as the railing uprights are fixed to it. Not sure what wood to use. As everything will be drilled and bolted I may use aluminium for strength. Anyone any ideas?
dave

Have cleaned off all old paint from deck. Need some steel wool to finish off. Obvious that original paint job was done without keying the Fiberglass moulding so am glad that I have removed the paint. There was little mess as the paint came off clean in long dry(ish) strips with a triangular scraper leaving a clean fiberglass casting. I used the vacuum to pick up the residual bits as they were removed by the scraper. I used a small plastic container to collect the initial scapings, which were easily bagged and binned. I will treat the hull next but consider the stripper a success.

Much worse than I expected. The paint stripper worked fine but
the hull and deck are not smooth. I have spent three days rubbing and filling and expect to spend several more to achieve the base required to obtain a good paint finish. Moulded fiberglass hulls need careful sanding to provide a good paint key and to remove small Imperfections. Unfortunately for me this model had not been touched before the original paint was applied. The deck has many bits moulded in place so the sanding has to be careful to avoid these. Lots of Cyano had been used to attach the railings and as most was on the deck this has needed lots of work to remove. The continuing cold weather is not helping as I prefer to sand in the fresh air and P38 takes ages to set in low temps!. I have sourced some Aluminium strip and angle from B&Q so can start making the brackets and kick boards. Just need to get 200 12BA nuts and hex bolts and make a drilling/cutting template!

After 2 months of snow rain and wind I have finally managed to continue. The hull has been tested on the lake and the Buhler motors found to be wanting. Will replace with Graupner speed 8/900 bb motors again using 60 mm 4 blade props, direct drive and 12v SLA. Other club members use these in similar boats (Exploit RNVR) and works well with water cooling ( 4mm B&Q brass tubing wrapped round a former then fitted to motors).
Kick boards in progress but need to make triangular mounts for the Stanchions (brass sheet formed in a jig + tube silver soldered). Stanchions being sourced or may make 4mm aluminium rod (B&B), Window frames will be moulded from casting resin (mixed with Aluminium grains ), photo acrylic for the windows.

Motors now installed and tested. Working well with 12v 7Ahr gel cell. Comes on plane easily and giving over 45 mins run times. I have corrected the waterline and the hull is painted to deck level. Made the two exhaust ports with working lids but not yet fitted. Work now started on the cabin. Reworked the back as I am not fitting the gantry, and will model the vessel as fitted with the later rear launching ramp for the Y boat. Filed all the moulded windows flush and am contemplating Speedline fittings. Cabin rails commenced. Am using 4mm aluminium rod fitted and secured with cyano and brass pins fitted into drilled holes in the rails and stanchions. Any gaps filled with plastic padding. Finished result is painted white. I have fitted each stanchion into a 3mm hole drilled into the cabin top. I turned 1mm steps for 4mm on each stanchion so the final result will be strong. Started work on the riveted angle around the top cockpit. Using 1mm litho plate with rivet effect created with rounded nails tapped into back of plate.
Made 3 lifebelts from foam board turned on lathe and sanded to profile. I may make a mould so I can cast more as 1/12 scale is becoming a favourite for me. Nearly forgot I have sources stanchions and fittings from Model Slipway and 12ba hex bolts/nuts from Macc Models so I can now really make progress.