Having finished painting the helmsman figure and adding a mic and visor, I now consider the Atlantic 21-75 hybrid complete. I’m not overly impressed with the figure as it’s a very simple affair and not exactly accurate, but sadly is the only figure in this scale available.

I shall try and get it on the water Wednesday, but the weather is looking pretty dodgy here in Suffolk so may have to wait? Whatever happens, there will be one more update on here hopefully showing pictures of the model in motion and if I can, I’ll get a video too.....

Anyway, I’ve added the Tyne Class lifeboat onto a separate build thread in preparation for its start in a couple of weeks time just for you to see what is ahead!

So today as promised we had a trip out to southwold to visit the “outlaws” giving me the opportunity to get the Atlantic 21-75 photographed in a natural environment. Due to the very high winds as predicted I refrained from running her on the very choppy boating lake. However, if I can finish painting the figure on Tuesday and weather permitting, I’ll take it to my usual lake for another photo and video shoot.

What did look encouraging was the way the boat sat on the water, perfect I think, so should sail reasonably well......

As I’m sure you guys can all appreciate, ive not had a lot of time spare this past couple of weeks after I lost dad. Now that the Funural arrangements and other things are in place, I will hopefully finally get this model finished this week, probably Tuesday.

I’ve probably got about 2-3 hours of fine detail painting and weathering of the figure and adding the plexiglass visor and boom mike, followed by varnish to complete. However, he’s basically done, so he’s good enough to take post for a photo shoot at Southwold tomorrow when we visit my Wife’s mum and dad.

Hopefully some shots on and off water tomorrow depending on “the met” but it’s looking promising! I’ll probably takes some shots in proximity of the RNLI shed at the harbour for some nostalgia 👍

I’ve quite a bit to report since my last update 11 days ago prior to our trip to Cyprus. Whilst we had a fantastic time on the most part in Papfos, the sun was shining, the food and drink was good, but sadly my Dad passed away half way through the week 😢. Since coming home my sister and I have had a heap of things to deal with regarding arrangements ect, but it’s all coming together and despite COVID, we will give him an awesome send off on the 6th Nov.

Anyway, today I had a little time to myself so set about finishing making the self righting airbag platform, tarp and rope work for it (the rope work in real life is elasticated to allow the airbag to inflate under the tarp when activated by the crew, there is an interesting video of this in action on YouTube!). So, to that end, I now consider the model complete except the crew figure which I hope to finish painting tomorrow!

An interesting footnote is that whilst on holiday I thoroughly read and enjoyed the Atlantic series book I mentioned in a previous update. It appears since I started the detailing of this model, that I have infact built an Atlantic 75! I had been using a series of photos that I got off google for reference that was described as a 21 by the owner, but the roll bar, dustbin and a few other details don’t appear on any 21, but the 75? The thing with the 75 is that there is very little difference to the 21. The 21 was 21 ft long, the 75 was 7.5meters long, so about a meter longer. Same 3 crew positions and appearance wise almost identical. So do I class my model as a 21 or 75, does it really matter, probably not?

My next update should should the coxswain fitted followed by a final update of the complete model on location in Southwold and hopefully some pictures on the water. It will Then be time for the next project.......

On my daily trawl through eBay looking for future projects I noticed this example of a Lesro Atlantic 21 for sale. If people would take better pictures and include a better description on their listings they may generate more interest? Other notable listing errors currently is a miss spelt Aerokits Solent lifeboat kit which I would have been tempted with if it wasn’t for collection only and an Arun class lifeboat (way overpriced at £1500 buy now) spelt “Aron”

What am I actually hunting for? A Model Slipway Tamar unstarted or part started, hens teeth I know! 😂😂

I’ve not had a lot of time this weekend with another trip to see dad and getting a COVID test! (Going to Cyprus and have to have one before travel Wednesday!)

However, I’ve managed to build the self righting airbag platform from plasticard, tube ect, getting it finished and painted. The big blob of orange on top of the airbag tray is the simulated airbag itself. This was simply an off-cut of glass cloth folded, scrunched and then firmed with some epoxy, primed and given a couple of coats of orange acrylic. This will eventually be mostly hidden by the last piece in the jigsaw which is the tarp that covers it and the rope work as per the picture of the real thing.

Talking about the tarp, again I’ve used some glass cloth taped to a frame and given one coat of resin to semi fill the weave. Once dry I’m hoping it will be flexible enough to mould over the airbag once cut to size and painted, I shall then make up the rope work and consider the model finished! I’ve re-done the grab ropes on the sponsons with 1.5mm black cord as I didn’t like the result of the thinner cord and shrink tube I’d done before. The book was an eBay find and I wish I’d had it at the start of the build as it’s full of great things, oh well 😂😂😂

So, once I’ve finished painting the figure and done the last couple of bits, it will be done. Unfortunately from a modelling point of view you guys will have to wait a couple of weeks for the final reveal, as Cyprus beckons, but I promise to get back on it as soon as we return!

I’ve had to manage household chores and a visit to see dad this weekend, so not a big update but a little closer to the end!

I’ve added as much detail to the motor end as I think is practical. The second motor is built, painted and fitted and I’ve added a few wires ect to represent the various cables that abound the stern end. Looking at reference photos, there is a lot more on the real thing, but I think “less is more“ in this case. I’ve also made a couple of fuel valves, a couple of lifting eyes and the link between the motors.

Next job was to “cut n shut” the coxswain figure to make him a better fit and look abit more naturally in his pose. Once arms, feet ect had been cut off and repositioned, the joints were filled, sanded and the whole thing primed. The paint that’s on at the moment is just a test on the colours, a lot of fine detail painting to come. I’m painting the figure in the current RNLI scheme as I like it, historically it may not be accurate as the Atlantic 21 has been out of service a while and the uniforms have no doubt changed?

Once the figure is done, the whole thing will be finished apart from the rear frame platform and self righting bag, that will be a challenge but should add that finishing touch ......

The last day of my long weekend has seen some more progress towards the final reveal.

I made the self righting airbag O2 bottles and brackets from various bits of plasticard, strip and tube, the hose being just servo wire. Also made was the elasticated ties for the real stowage bags.

The next task was sorting out the servo to rudder connection which I’d been putting off for ages but turned out ok in the end. I extended the ball link on the dummy motor by 7mm for more of a stand-off so that at neutral the plastic Bowden cable run straight to the servo. I also added a ball link to the back of the dummy motor which will have a bar link to the second motor so that moth engines turn on one output from the servo. Once servo end was hooked up, all was set to neutral and adjusted in the transmitter. Please to report no binding and adequate deflection for turning the boat.

I’ve also screwed down the deck and fitted the rear frame, so structurally the model is about complete less the second motor, coxswain and self inflating platform and airbag and any final paintwork touch ups.

that’s it until Sunday folks, gotta work for a few days to fund the next project 😢😢

It’s been a good a good day of progress which I revoking takes me to about 90% complete on this little gem?

First thing was to mask off the whole model less the sponsons and give it a couple of coats of Tamiya Matt clear varnish to get rid of the shine. Not only did it rid the shine but also reacted with the lacquer underneath to give me a milky finish? Now this would normally cause some cussing and obscenities which I’m pretty good at, however the affect has left the sponsons looking faded, weathered and salty, I’m pretty pleased 😂😂😂

After all that, I’ve spent the day painting and adding more details including the tied down fabric covers (tiny circles of painted ripstop sail material, rope things at the stern of the sponsons, one sides Grab ropes (run out of 2mm Heat shrink, more on order!), various bits of detail painting ect. I hope the photos do it justice, but when all is done I shall photograph on water and with a neutral background.

Still need to make up the second motor, paint the coxswain, make the platform for the self righting airbag ect, but we are getting there!