Hi all. Maybe it’s the fact that I’m 1 year away from 60, or that I like different types of motive power, but for a while now I’ve wanted to dabble in steam.Different is good, when I flew RC I just loved my PAW diesels. Most of the guys in my club thought I was a little..eccentric, but I loved ‘em. Anyway, steam power has the same appeal to me. Now, about 15 years ago or so Midwest Models here in the States had a little oscillating single cylinder engine and boiler combo they called the Heritage Steam engine, and there were a couple of kits to go with it, the Fantail Launch and her big sister the Elliott Bay. Well...it wa my Birthday in January, and my buddy Larry just happened to have an almost new Heritageengine combo and Ellliot Bay...so some fellowship time and a little bit of cash found it riding in the back of my Abarth and heading for the shop.
I started on her a couple of weeks ago. The floor had been built, but that was it. I did the mahogany cockpit surrounds, installed the rudder and servo, and got the upper deck fitted. Now, the servo in this boat is permanently mounted, as once the deck is glued on there’s no access. Also, the deck and hull has no flange to speak of, the joint is and edge on butt joint that’s eventually covered by a mahogany rub rail.I added balsa strip to the inside perimeter of the hull, thinking I would have a better gluing surface, but didn’t take into account the rise of the deck that curves upward and away from the hull. Well, at least it stiffened up the hull and made it easier to assemble.
I got the waterline painted, then I did the hull and upper deck, but my first coat was too heavy and I had runs on the hull side. I’m letting the paint cure a few days and I’ll sand it and try again. Hopefully I’ll have a better time of it the second go around.
Cash

Hi y’all. The more I work on this boat, the less I like it. Had issues with the paint, the rudder is white metal, don’t really like the idea of an inaccessible rudder servo and linkage...plus I really, really think Midwest turns out better balsa and ply than plastic. So, for the time being, I’m putting her in dry dock to be worked on later. Not giving up on steam, I’m really thinking about getting a Krick Anna and putting the Midwest plant in that. Anyway...my PT15 needs to get her new cabin and bridge built, so im heading that direction.
Cash

Hi y’all. With the Grimmershorn done, and the Vosper done with the exception of trimming out, I decided it was time to get my bench back in action. I was this close to starting my Graupner Krabbe Ton Kreigsfischkutter conversion I’ve been planning, but decided to see what failed projects I could resurrect. I remembered when I was building the Elliot Bay I had researched some color schemes and saw that there was a very pretty version built with a half cabin and gas or diesel power. I pulled the boat out of mothballs and built a cabin in situ on the hull, with the knowledge that if I didn’t like the looks, or just plain screwed up, I could stick her back in the box and no one’s the wiser.
I built the cabin out of sheet plastic, and although it’s not perfect, it looked good enough to carry on. I sheeted tha top with 1/8th balsa to get a better radius near the edges of the cabin, then used sanding sealer, EZKote, and Tamiya primer to fill in that order. The motor choice is a 28 mm 1000 kv outrunner, should be more than enough torque to handle the kits brass prop, and low enough rpm so even at high throttle she should be manageable. I used and old Graupner spring steel mount that I drilled for the outrunner, and everything seems to be lined up nicely, nice and smooth at full throttle.
I decided that I was NOT going to use the whit metal rudder as it’s just sloppy. However, that meant cutting a hatch in the fantail, as the rudder is glued to the tiller. I didn’t like the idea of an unacessable rudder and servo, so this worked out well, I had a rudder in my stock that I was able to reshape, and it also will fit the bottom shoe with a little tweaking. Since I won’t be using all the mahogany in the kit, I’ll make a nice hatch that plugs in.
I sanded the bottom and reshot the paint with Tamiya rattle can burgundy. Now, the paint I used originally was an enamel, and I KNOW lacquer over enamel is a no-no, but the paint has been off gassing for two years. It came out nicely except for one small section where I painted a little too thick too quick, and it has a couple of reactive blotches. However, I’ll let that dry a day or so, sand down and reshoot and I think it’ll be okay.
That’s where I’m at so far, been at this for about a week. I’m hoping to have her shipshape in about 3 weeks time, depending on how the paint goes.
Cash

I did most of the paint work over the last week. I decided on Burgundy for the bottom, and Tamiya’s Racing White for topside..this color is more of a light cream. Came out nice, no runs, looks better than it did the first time I painted it. Now I need to do some mahogany work on the seats and the rub rail.

I finished up most of the woodwork tonight. I have a little gap to fill between the cabin and the interior mahogany, and all the recent work needs a little sanding then clear poly. I need to finalize the aft part of the cabin, and figure out how I want the aft sides to “flow” down to the rails. Hoping all the wood and details to be finished by this weekend.
Cash

Hi y’all. I did the radio setup and poly cleared the wood today. As y’all know, this was a failed project that was to be steam power. I have another kit to put the Midwest steam plant in, so I decided to make this and electric powered “diesel” boat with a forward half cabin. This necessitated that I make room for an esc and a battery. I decided my best course of action was to cut down the seating area forward to allow a 2 cell lipo to fit with no issues. The esc is mounted forward and center. I needed to make extensions for the motor wires so they would reach the esc. I’m planning on building an “engine house” to fit over/hide the outrunner I’m using, so I cut an oval hole in the deck beside the motor, and ran the extensions under the deck and up thru a hole to the esc. The rudder servo was installed during the original build, so all that’s left is installing the rudder and linkage.
I decided to take some of the kits mahogany sheeting and apply it to the back of the cabin. Once I had everything fitted right I then applied 2 thickish coats of Miwax clear poly. At this point she’s ready for the aft hatch, so details and rudder then a buoyancy/ballast check.
Cash

She’s almost done. Made a quick hatch for rudder access, it’s a push fit with a drop of ca at the corners. It can be broke loose if needs be. Portholes in the cabin, Texas flag on the fantail, balsa wood seating covered in cream Monokote. She’s done for now, if she sails like I think she will she’ll be a keeper, and I’ll add more detail after the maiden.
Cash