After downloading these free plans I decided to build it, as I couldn't afford the AmatI kit, this is also larger. I'm putting in twin brushless motors 28/20-7 919Kv approx 500w each. I decide to take some photos of the build but whether I carry on is another question! Anyway here's what I've done so far, a week's work. There are no instructions and this is the only way I could think off to build it, I've built a couple of 1/4 scale gliders this way. I made a datum line on the the plan and took all the formers from that nothing is glued yet, just a dry run to take measurements to check on straightness and squareness, at this stage most Important. I will build the inside first, cockpit, sundeck etc, then the motors, electronics and then the first planking followed by the final planking. That's the plan anyway!!

Yesterday's work, the jigs between the formers are only to keep everything square, when the stringers are all in and glued the jigs will come out. The plan is in a foreign language, I'm not sure what, but it says 'Echelle 1:10' followed by 'Aquarama Special 1/7' the overall length is about 49" and about 12" at it's widest. if it is a 1/10th scale that makes the full size 40' long by 12' wide. if you look below the transom the keel sticks out where a sort of bathing platform goes which has given me a bit of a headache, but after many little jottings I think I understand how it all goes together.

Today's work, trying to sort out the the rear landing stage, I have cut the other pieces but they are not shown in the photo. None of it is glued yet just tapped together, the two rudders have to be fitted against the last bulkhead first. But even they have got to be reworked to look like a Riva rudder. The other photo is the hardware bought yesterday, the two motors were given to me but had worn out bearings, cheap Chinese ones, now has decent Chinese ones fitted!!

Just a little bit more done yesterday. Finished the side stringers, so boat could come out of the jig.The rudders are a very distinctive feature of the Riva boats so two photos, one before and after from a stock rudder and one fitted to the boat. I just took them apart and cut the existing metal to shape re-drilled and riveted back together. The other photos of my Gson holding the hull to give some idea of size, I think the 3/4 rear photo is the best view of the Riva, built, unbuilt on the water or just about anywhere! its probably the view most people will see when they are at sea! I am still unsure about the alighting deck at stern, I will carry on experimenting till I get it right. I have also got to decide what to cover the hull in before the veneer goes on, I was going to birch ply but have gone away from that idea, so might plank instead, whatever I do it has to accept the veneer and not move underneath.
Well I will go and create some more dust in my workshop now, have a good weekend,
Brian

Not much done over the weekend after all (went flying Sun pm) After much thought and seeing photos of the real thing decide to ply the bottom of the hull diagonally.
So I did a first fit for the prop tubes to get some idea where things ought to be, then pinned glued the first two either side of the stern, I find I have much more control over the ply to shape and stick to bulkheads this way as opposed to one big sheet as I did on the Fast Patrol Boat, it seems to be stronger but logic tells me it should'n't make any difference yet. if you look carefully you can see I put some tabs on the inside to keep the outside flat, they can be removed once the skins have cured properly.
I still can't get my head around the bathing ladder(?) sides so decided to make them in blue foam as a way of seeing if I could replicate the original boat. Still not sure. Certainly will not be able to veneer them, to curvy in all directions, so have considered making them out of solid, the same way as I have done the blue foam.
Brian

Not a lot to show for a weeks work really. I've sheeted the hull bottom diagonally with 4" wide sheets of ply. One or two sets (either side) per day allowing for the glue to dry before moving on to the nest set, this way you have control over the sheets adhering successfully to the stringers and bulkheads using clamps and pins half pushed in so they can be withdrawn once the glue has set. Then yesterday made a jig to align the prop shafts together ready to fix permanently when I've made the oiling tubes. on the plan the shafts appear to be be at a steep angle. Once that has all settled I will contemplate what to do next.
Brian

Little work done this week.Fitted motors, aligned shafts had them both running, one motor is drawing a little less current than the other, but one motor has just been fitted with new bearings, could this be what's making the difference? in top photo the white at the bow is a template for the floor of the front cabin, to be made in ply in the future. Now the rudders are fixed in position (temporary) I will try again at the rear decking as I now know what space I have to play with for servicing the rudders and servo. That's it for now will post again soon (if all goes well!!)
Brian

Well I finally started on the bathing deck! I decided, after doing a few dummy runs, to go as the plan with a couple of alterations I used thicker (1/2") wood for the corner to give a bit of area for the ply to adhere to. I've simple sanded to the length on one side and followed the contour on the end, looked at a few photos and I think I can get away with it! They are not good photos but let me know what you think
Brian

Bit more of the bathing deck done, the centre walkway is removable for servicing the steering, it will be held on with magnets for easy access, beginning to look like a rivarama special now!

Just a little done this week due to other commitments, concentrated on the cockpit. I built the seats in foam to work out where everything is going to go. The rear seat is going to be removable to fit the batteries underneath. the captains seat is going to revolve, the 11/2 seat is fixed. you can't see it but I have done a dummy dash to see how that will fit and I've redone the cockpit well to fit slightly more forward. The ESC's will arrive this week so I can do the final first fit, then remove everything to seal the inner of the bottom hull. See you next week, Brian

Done a little bit this week. Finished the outside first skin, looking more like a Riva every time I look at it, the skinning went on very easily by doing it in strips one at a time each side, I used waterproof white glue and half tacked them on the bulkheads, when dry (next day) removed tacks. I then stripped everything out, sealed the prop tubes and two part resined the inside, it took forever to go off, I think the ply was a bit damp due to my workshop (no heat), eventually brought it indoors, smelt the house out!, and it went off nice and hard. I have now aligned the motors proper, connected the basic electrics up and water cooling pipes then ran the motors up, I am very please with the sound, they seem very smooth and quiet, so although I spent about four hours getting them in (motors) it was worth it. I have now got to decide what to do next. I have only put one watercooling pick-up on the hull am wondering if too put another or a twin pick up in, also whether to put a pump on board or just leave as forward pressure to work it, and another thing, where do I exit the water, side or rear, I have seen photos of it exiting at the rear as if through the exhaust pipe (I think!).
Decisions, decisions!!
Bye for now, Brian

HI again, this weeks work. its too cold and damp to do any gel coating on the hull bottom, so I've got to be patient. I decided to get on with the under decking and cabin, I put two dolls house louvre doors on the cabin bulkhead (Temporarley) just to see if they work, they do now!. I've fixed the cabin floor and sundeck floor down and cut hatches in them to access the motors, esc's, etc etc. as an aside I decided to have a go at the stern end, so I vinyled the centre walkway and veneered one side of stern just to see if I could! and it worked out. I am quite pleased, it's not perfect but I hope to Improve on my veneering skills by the time it comes to the sides. I have some white gel coat which I'm itching to put on, but that is in the future when the better weather arrives. (If ever!)
Speak to you soon, Brian

HI again, decided today to make a start on the upholstery, cold and damp outside and I can do this inside. My wife sewed the sundeck floor together and I Impact glued the vinyl to the removable base. Tomorrow I will seal the underside to make it waterproof. The middle photo is the padded vinyl sewn at 10mm gaps and the false sides to which I will attached the padded vinyl, all will be removable for servicing the electronics underneath. Post some more later, Brian

Hi, went to Maplins and bought some hi intensity leds to work of 4.8v, had to buy some resistors as well. I epoxyied two chrome tubes about 6" long into the bow and then mounted the lights in the tubes the results are in the photos. The reason for the tubes was so I could get at the bulbs through the door in the cockpit should they need servicing at any time. if the bulbs were directly in the hull my fat hands could not get to them. The bulbs are 3.5v so the need for the resistors.The tubes are lipstick containers (what I get up to in my spare time is my business!!) The photos were taken this afternoon in daylight as you can see by the background and you can see the brightness, there will be a lens and chrome surround placed on the outside of the hull eventually.
Happy Xmas everyone and good and prosperous New Year, Brian
ps Colin thank you for your kind remarks.

Just a little bit more done but it has taken me all over the xmas period to do. I've Gelled the bottom of the hull with epoxy, self coloured white. Three coats with a fibre cloth put between the hull and first coat. Rubbed down then another coat applied rubbed down again and final undercoat ready for the gloss top coat. The problem I had was rubbing through the coats and the wood appearing close to the surface, so I was continually patching, well I think I've got there ready for the gloss. The batteries arrived from HK, they are buggy hard lipo cells. 5000MAh, 4cell hard cased, 30c discharge. And up to this morning, a large packet arrive from Vietnam via the postman.The bottom two photos show what was inside, all the bling! There are 60 parts there, including the hard to do parts; windscreen, steering wheel, bow anchor chain guide, plus air intakes, exhaust outlets, rubbing strips (pre-drilled), instrument bezels, gear change and various light fittings. There is also scale prop shafts with propellers and the support plus exit plate they are good but not strong enough for RC use. I am very pleased with my purchase and it only took 17 days from receipt of money, delivered to my door. I am now going down the lake to sail my Veron MPB, hopefully the rain will stay away, thank you Colin for your kind remarks, I will contact you again later, Brian

After getting all the chrome bits out off the box I couldn't resist placing them on the hull, just to encourage me to get on with it. I have opened the lights on the pieces to take LED's, I will have to make the lenses though as the fittings were solid brass castings, chromed. I have also finish the bottom of the hull as far as coating is concerned, I put on a waxed final coat and cut it progressively with 260, 400, 600 and finally 1200 with soap wet and dry all by hand (no machine) to stop going through to the wood again. When I was happy I Tcut it but now I am not happy as there is a few blemishes in there, I will have another go with 600 and 1200 to see if that helps. I also have put one side on the boat this afternoon, Impossible to put on decently in one go, as the full size, without moulding it first. so I put it on with strips about 15mm wide. I marked the veneer with masking tape, back of boat and outside, using a new scapel blade I cut the strips, it took about 3-4 cuts to go right through, I was being very careful, then when I mounted the strips, I lined up the masking tape marks so that the grain followed itself pretty perfectly. Then gently rubbed down with 280 grit dry to bond the strip to hull. When I finished I rubbed down with 600 to help fill any gaps and finally did a bit with 1200 dry, not the final rub down I hasten to add, that will be later, but you can't see the join, so I have achieved what I really wanted a pretty seamless hull side.
I hope everything is OK with those who are following this build and speak to you again when more progress is made, Brian

Well because off the rubbish weather I've spent some time in the shed, managed to put the deck on. Left and right with matching grain and cut out the planking holes before I laid them. I lined the holes with 1/16 balsa then used some decking I had left over from another project with 1/16 balsa between each plank, I used pva glue and pinned at the side to hold in place whilst drying took place giving me time to work on other side matching the the planking in colour as best I could. it's looking sweet, I've also started on the final dash board and bathing deck access, wasn't happy with my first attempt. Hope everyone's OK and keeping warm, Brian

HI there, all I seem to do lately is rub down, varnish, rub down, varnish, rub down you know what I mean, well 5 coats into it so far and things are beginning to take shape. I am using Le Tonkinois varnish from B. E. Murkin, Maidenhead www.letonkinoisvarnish.co.uk, excellent service from them and their product is vvgood. it does everything it says on the product, the brush marks vanish after a few minutes, I use a ordinary brush 1.5", and as you can see indoors, it does not smell but the only drawback is it takes 2-3 hours to go off so be careful with dust etc. Just denib between coats so no heavy rubbing down and wait 24 hours. I have done some more to the electrics and have covered all the seats.
Thank you Colin for recommending this varnish it is exceptionally good and you have more control over it than epoxy. So there is this weeks episode can't see much difference for next week as I have a few more coats of varnish to apply!!So speak to you all soon, Brian

Just some more photos. Started to add all the deck furniture, the side/rubbing strips are on using 1mmx8 CS screws, very time consuming! Have to find a way to keep the paint on the chrome steering wheel. The RIVA logos I cut out myself using a CraftRobo machine. The wood is now a super smooth finish and has 8 coats of varnish plus four Mer polish coats the gloss is not high but very scale looking.
Hope the weather Improves soon, Brian

Just a few more photos to show progress of deck furniture. Had to make the compass out of half a gell ball and draw the face myself. The binoculars holder is made by forming half a circle of acetate around a tin can, and the uprights are poly sticks ground half through by half up from bottom then let into cockpit top and all glued together. The tea tray is deck grating now the surround has to be put on. The name (GLORIOSO) is gold vinyl lettering cut on my Robocraft cutter, having a bit of a job to get the letters to stick fully. Now to get the lighting sorted!
Thanks to everyone who has followed this build, Brian

ps if you look in the cockpit close up you will see part of the compass in the reflection.

Just some more photos. The boat is now finished and ready to run, but as always with these projects it is never finished, is it? I dare say next week/month it will be be slightly different (maybe Improved) we seem to titivate our toys forever, so from that point of view are they ever finished? Unfortunately at the moment the lake is still drained, so later in March will it be available for sailing and then I hope to get some video or stills of it on the water.
I had a problem with one of the motors it was way-out of balance, due to I don't know what. I replaced shaft, bearings and in the end balanced the rotating case. I don't know the history of these motors but the other one ran as sweet as you would expect with no vibration throughout its range, this motor had a horrid vibration at 1/3 to 2/3 throttle, going up and down the range, the top end wasn't to smooth neither. I noticed that the magnets were not evenly spaced on the inside of the rotor so with some epoxy and a drill burr I managed to balance the thing using tye wraps and a springy piece of wood!! The mind boggles!!! I will show show photos how I did it but you can find all about it on U-Tube.
I've had fun building this and a lot of support from readers on this blog and I take this opportunity to say thank you very much indeed for all your comments and advice, it has made this boat what it is because as a newcomer I didn't have to much of a clue about boats (this is my my second scratch build, and about my fifth boat altogether) so wait for the water to come back into the lake and I will sail it and give an update, Thanks again Brian

The dirty deed has been done!! I maiden the Riva this afternoon (17/3/12) with great success. Very pleased with the first few voyages(?) quite quick and very quiet, the water is pouring out at the stern outlets even at low speed, batteries and ESC's run very cool, a problem I worried about because of the low decks and lack of fresh air, the turning circle at speed is not as good as the Fast patrol boat, but low down it is passable, as a early contributor said are the rudders big enough? I will try throws first and then a mix on the Tranny. I am using 45 props and they seem to work so I will give it a watt test then will buy opposite rotating props. Might get 3 blade although the sailing this afternoon it stayed straight at all speeds and acceleration with same way rotating blades so there might not be any advantage in opposite rating props. The inside of the boat came out as dry as it went in after about 3/4 hour running but the outside got a good drenching!! Had a loads of interest from a lot off passerbyes one woman came over and told me what boat was as she had always admired them from a holiday she had in the S.France! And my boats name is the same as hers!! Gloria. That's is always the best bit, when the crowd are pleased. That's it for the time being but I am trying to upload a video my wife took on my phone, she unfortunately has only the use of one eye at the moment so please forgive her (there is a Op coming off v. soon) Good sailing everyone and thank you for your responses and encouragement, Brian ps there are a couple of videos now!

Some more photos from its first outing, The photos were taken by Brent Hopkins of Towcester who has given me his kind permission to use. I think you will agree that these are very good photos considering the camera was new to him. I have run the boat several times now and have found always that one battery is way down (in Volts and percentage left) at the end of the session, so I have ordered a new motor to replace the one that was damaged in the aeroplane crash, this is the one drawing a bigger current. Enjoy the photos ,Brian

Riva water system, hope this Is easier to understand