Old Robbe Acapulco

Started by Cashrc

5 updates 26 likes 6 comments
Cashrc Opening post

Old Robbe Acapulco

Hi y’all. I made a trade with a fellow modeler here in Texas last year for a Robbe Acapulco. Since I finished the Neptune, I thought I’d build the Acapulco, then take a break from building for a couple of months...give me time to do some model maintenance and actually play with the doggone boats😁
This is an original Robbe kit from some time ago, both the kit and fittings box state “made in West Germany”. I’m using a 35x30 1700kv outrunner for power, I used this same setup on an old Imex Taurus that I converted to a “police boat” for my daughter, Grace. The Acapulco and the Taurus are roughly the same
size, although I think the Acapulco might end up a heavier boat.
Anyway, nothing really hard about the build itself, as the Acapulco is a fairly simple boat to get running, just a lot of painting and railing to solder up. I have a few pics of my progress so far.
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Little more done

Hi y’all. Got a little more done, the bottom ladder and most of the deck railing is soldered up. I need to finish the rest near the bow, then pull the whole thing off as a unit, paint it and then permanently install it. After this I’ll finish up the wood inserts on the deck, some details and final RC install.
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4 comments
  1. RNinMunichBronze
    Fleet Admiral
    Hi Cash,
    Thankyou😊
    Your paint scheme and finish ain't so bad either 👍 Beautiful car as well - I'm jealous!
    You can follow the trail of my restoration of the boat, which my Dad built around '62/'63, in my Build Blog', including the Bloopers and 'Don't try this'! Just search for Sea Scout or 'Jessica' on the site. Attached are a couple of pics of her original state (after 25 years in the cellar) and of the crew!
    You can also find some video of her sea trials from last May on the site. Still have some detailing to do. Thanks for the inspiration😉
    Cheers, Doug 😎
    Liked by doghouse

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Thanks

Thanks for the comments y’all, I appreciate it. I’ve been looking for an “everyday” cabin cruiser, one that will have a decent speed and be fairly simple, but with enough detail to look good on the water. I think this Acapulco will do nicely. Only thing I haven’t decided is to keep it a 2 channel boat, or go ahead and do running lights.
I’ll make that decision in the next couple of weeks, I’m really anxious to splash her though. What do you think?
Cash
1 comment
  1. RNinMunichBronze
    Fleet Admiral
    Hi Cash,
    I'd go for at least 4 channels; nav lights, cabin light, maybe a hooter?
    I have a Turnigy 6 channel set in my Sea Scout.
    With 6 and even 9 channels sets so cheap these days it's hardly worth footling about with 2 channel any more. KUTGW 👍
    Doug
    PS Safe drive at the weekend🤞
    Liked by doghouse

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Rail painted and installed!

Hi everybody. I got the rail assembled, painted and installed. It’s not exactly the same as what’s shown in the manual, took a few liberties with it. Biggest pain in the backside was jigging this thing and soldering it on the boat without getting the brass so hot that it damages the hull. Yikes! Got away with it though. The second pain in the backside was pulling the aft ladder and rail assembly off the boat in one piece to paint it, then reinstalling it. It looks okay, I need to touch up a couple of things but at least I didn’t make a mess of it. I got the wood floor for the cockpit installed, drilled 2 shallow oversized holes for the ladder legs to socket into when the cabin is removed and installed. Might make it a little prettier, but at least the bottom part of the ladder won’t be vibrating itself to pieces when she’s up to speed.
Won’t be able to do much till next week, might do a little Sunday afternoon, we have a family get together near Cleveland Texas, about a 4-5 hour drive from here. Might be pooped when I get back, we’ll see.
Oh, one of the pics shows the Acapulco sitting on the roof of my old Studebaker Hawk..it had just occurred to me that she and the Hawk have a similar color scheme😁
Cash
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She has a heartbeat

Hi everybody. Got a bit more done, added the fwd deck inserts and then installed the radio. I was going to lay down ply floors on either side of the stuffing box but all I had on hand was way too thin, less than 1/16. THEN, I found a piece of coroplast. I cut the floors out of that, scuffed the gluing side down with medium sandpaper, and glued them in place. The battery is velcroed in, as is the esc, while the steering servo uses Tamiya’s very thin, very sticky black servo mounting tape. Once set, this tape mounts very solidly with very little give. The rx is velcroed high up the hull side, and the servo and esc wires are trapped by Velcro just underneath. I could run her this way, but I have a bit more to do first.
Cash😌s
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Fiddly bits and lights

Hi y’all. She’s almost there. I swear for a fairly easy boat to build I have almost as much time in the thing as my Neptun.😮 I keep adding a little here and there, but I need to finish her. Once I maiden her, I’m “done” I rarely go back to a project I’ve finished to modify or add details, with the exception of RC cars. The more I get into model boating however, the more I think that attitude might change.
Anyway, I bought some detail pieces from Harbor models in California, and decided to add lights to the Acapulco too. The flying bridge now has a radios and a fire extinguisher. I took braided wire, stripped off the insulation and used that inside a piece of heat shrink for the hose, it’s not perfect but looks ok. I shortened the radar mast that goes behind the seat because...well, I just didn’t like how it looked. I added 2 aft nav lights to it also, I’m waiting on lights and boards from Harbor, once those are installed I’ll tidy up the internals, pinstripe the water line and she will be ready for her maiden run. I need to get her done as I have another project in the wings,and I’m gonna have to do some engineering to accomplish what I want I have in mind....😁

Cash
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