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27 Posts
10 Followers
259 Likes
Billing Calypso
Picked this up at our first scale meet of the season early April, too much going on at the moment, but eventually managed to start this evening. The kit is over 20yrs old, was started and then put on "hold" by the previous owner. Hull is already assembled as was the observation chamber which was situated at the bow. As this "lends " itself to being lit internally, I have removed the brass observation windows plus the one on the bow and then attached some clear acetate on the back of them to make this forward area watertight. The observation chamber now glued in place, spraying to be carried out once this is dry and the "windows " can then be reinstated. Going to be a long job but looking forward to the build.
🇬🇧 Doogle
23 hours ago
8 Posts
4 Followers
62 Likes
Graupner Optimist re fit
Forgot I had the Optimist to re-do so I'll do a short blog on what I'm doing. I had already re-fitted the stays with solid stainless fishing trace as the original wound wire stays had frayed and had nasty sticky out bits. I had also re-joined the cabin roof which I had cut behind the mast for R/C and battery access (once assembled the model had no access to the interior and involved removing all the stays sheets and mast to get at anything,- about 10 mins work!)
Now with long lasting LiPos there will be no need to remove the top for the whole day. I have two 'El Cheapo' winches to fit,- one for the jib and one for the main. Not sure how long they will last as they won't even center properly and sit there and hum most of the time. The alternative is a very expensive modern winch, around $600 or maybe a winch servo arm type, (still quite expensive).
I have ripped the rudder and shaft out as it had completely seized up over the last 40 years and was spinning in the hull, (having broken the epoxy) I've made a new shaft and bushes to go back in, and will be adding a lower (skeg) and upper (deck) bush as the original had none and just sat in a hole in the ABS skeg, and the shaft tube was just held by 2 ply wedges to the inside of the hull. I am strengthening all this up, and the top bush will now support the shaft where it comes through the deck to stop any flex in the ABS.
It was a very nicely made model in its day but ABS was the wrong material to make it out of, considering the weight of the keel required. If you pick the model up on its side, the hull flexes, so I might glass the inside for a bit more strength as it's getting old and probably a bit brittle in that area, (as long as polyester resin won't distort the hull)
The rudder shaft goes through the deck, through the shaft tube and into a brass tube which is epoxied into the rudder blade, and through to the bottom bush of the skeg. The shaft and blade tube are drilled through before the blade tube is epoxied in place. Shaft and rudder blade are then assembled as one unit into the hull ( shaft going through everything) with all the bushes epoxied in at the same time to line them up The shaft and blade are then pinned in place through the pre drilled holes.
This time I'll fill everything with grease to hopefully stop it seizing again. Might use a small stainless split pin to lock the blade and shaft as it might be easier to remove. This design also was not a brilliant way of doing the rudder, and prone to corrosion inside the blade tube.
I have also re modeled my modelling room as a complete area, (was getting sick of working between rooms. Have put both 6ft tables in so now have more 'bench space'. Now to get rid of some planes!
🇳🇿 jbkiwi
4 days ago
20 Posts
12 Followers
217 Likes
Aeronaut Pilot Boat
Hi y’all. So, the “Mystery” has maidened, and handled her sea trials with flying colors. My bench was busy the past couple of weeks with repair and minor restoration of our antique “Pom Pom” aluminum Christmas tree. We’ve had it since the 90s my wife found it at an antique store and brought it home. She still thought it was….errr…tacky, and that I was quite out of my mind, but once I had it up, trimmed, and the color wheel shining on it she changed her mind. It needed some sprucing up and minor repair to the branches, as the tape that holds the aluminum “leaves” was failing, so I used a little ca and almost as good as new!!
Anyhow…I’ve been looking at the Aeronaut Pilot boat for a few years, finally pulled the trigger a few months ago. It’s a fairly well thought out kit. It’s a traditional built up hull, but all the frames, keels, etc are laser cut abs. It comes with that, hardware, metal etched parts, it’s nice. I was off today, so I started the hull.
The kit comes with a precut cardboard jig for the hull, the frames have tabs and the jig is marked as to what frame goes where. Frame number 5 is also the motor mounts. The slots that are pre cut are a little too wide for a speed 400 or 28mm outrunner, but there were punch outs for the correct spacing, so I drilled those and marked them. You add the keel first, then the deck and chine stringers. The main “fun” was sheeting the hull with the precut abs sides and bottoms. The hardest part was getting the bow seam right. I tried to do it as the instructions stated, using tape to hol everything in place, but I finally had to do it by tacking the sides to the bow, bending and occasionally cursing till I got a good fit. The bottoms were just about as bad, but I got it done.The instructions do tell you to glue to the keel and stringers first, then the frames if they’re touching the sides, so I did that. There’s also use of copious amounts of Stabilit Express used to fill any gaps, etc. Thats next up. I plan to lay in some balsa for filler in places to sturdy up the hull, then I have to build the transom. Once that’s done I need to get a couple of 900 kv outrunners ordered, then I can start mounting the running gear. I plan to add lights, and this boat has provisions for a lot of lights. She’s going to take me a while to build…stay tuned!!
🇺🇸 Cashrc
8 days ago
8 Posts
14 Followers
121 Likes
Aeronaut Jonny
Hi all, I started a new build during Christmas and I'm just about ready to start painting the haul so I figured its a good time to get the build log going.
I've had this kit for about a year now, purchased from Bauer in Germany along with with the recommended equipment including their Schottel Drive system. The plan is to have the two Schottel drives, a bow thruster, one working Anchor (possibly two in the future of off the same winch), a sound system, two working radars, working spot light with pivot in pitch and yaw, always on nav lights and interior lights, RC working main winch and manually operated bow and side winches, tow separate working fire monitors able to rotate individually, possibly a smoke generator and final an auto bilge system This comes to a total of 18 RC, unfortunately I only have 16 available so we will have to see what ends up in the ship.
So far I have the drives and bow thruster all fit and ready for assembly. I then built up the frame work and made the holes for the fire pumps and bilge. then had to build the lower deck house so I could fit the deck in the right place on the ship. Once the deck was dry fit I cut the scuppers then glued the deck down. I then set to work making the deck splash proof by installing and extending the kits coaming. I also add a drop floor under the aft hatch that I'm hoping will allow me to keep the water that gets on the deck from leaking down into the haul. Now I've got the Bulwark stanchions and handrails just about complete. I also started work on some of the deck items as I need the locations to work out some of the modifications I'm working through.
I hope to start painting the haul soon, I'm going to try brush painting this ship as I was able to find some nice paints at an Art supply store and I don't have much access to a place to spray paint in the winter. I do think I will spray on the primer first and hope it helps absorbed some of the brush marks.
🇨🇦 Westwind
16 days ago
2 Posts
8 Followers
26 Likes
Fairey Marine Builds
I haven’t done anything on my builds since before last Christmas for various reasons but am looking forward to starting again in the next couple of weeks.
I’ve been working on a number of builds for some years and not finished one yet! Main reason is that I reach a certain point, maybe something I’m hesitant about, and so start another! Which is the reason I’ve got five on the go.
I’m building all the classic Faireys; Huntsman 28, Huntsman 31 and Swordsman 33 and a rarer Huntress 23 with a stern drive and longer cabin. Also a River Cruiser 23 (the one and only full-size build was a prototype was based on a modified Huntress hull but with more freeboard which disappeared) and I have the plans drawn up to start a Fisherman 27 motor sailer and a Faun 17 river/lake cruiser. All builds are at a scale of 1:12.
The River Cruiser and Huntress are further on as they have had lake trials with the others being at the painting stage which I will be taking up again soon.
I use a Hitec Flash 8 Tx and Rx’s and Hitec servos with Overlander brushless motors (even in my slower models) and HobbyWing Quicrun and Seaking ESC’s along with LiPo batteries though will probably use NiMh in the Fisherman and Faun.
🇬🇧 ChrisF
16 days ago
48 Posts
31 Followers
526 Likes
Modified Stiletto project
Making a bit of a start on my stretched Stiletto (more a Stilapier) at the moment, as it had been put aside while I had a play with a surface drive to fit to it, if I could get one working (see under surface drive experiment, in forum). I've shelved that idea till I can find a suitable universal for it, and have decided to use a modified cable drive instead (see under 'converting a cable drive to a standard drive', in forum) I wanted to settle on the drive type before starting fully, to make installation easier.
The Stiletto has been stretched to 38 1/2" by blowing the A4 sized drawings up to AO paper size. I've left out the usual internal locking structure so as to create more room and ease of access to the internals, instead, the whole cabin will lift off, rather than a few 'lids'. All the new positions have been worked out using top and bottom datum lines (pic 1). The deck camber has been changed but the deck sheer left in. A few other mods will be made as things progress.
I started by cutting out the keel, breast hook and new ply bulkheads, then cut the centers out of the bulkheads notched them for the stringers and reinforced them. I made a new universal building jig (under model framing jig, in forum) to hold everything in place, (right side up and upside down), and set everything up on it. Glued all the bulkheads bar the transom to the keel, (keel has shaft tube slot previously built in by cutting the keel on the appropriate angle, separating the 2 pieces by a shaft tube diam, trenching 2 side plates to suit the shaft tube angle and diam, and gluing/clamping them on using the building jig to hold them flat and straight.
I've made a cut-out for the motor in bulkhead 3, and bent the cable drive to suit. A motor mounting plate will be made later. Cable drive will have a V brace made to suit once the angle has been sorted for prop clearance etc.
Getting hard to find some modelling supplies (namely spruce strips for stringers and balsa) now so there might be some slow patches in the building.
🇳🇿 jbkiwi
16 days ago
1 Post
7 Followers
14 Likes
Model Fire boat Florián 1:7
After the break, I continue with the second fire boat model. The lamination work was not good, I have to fix, sand and re-laminate a lot of things..
I start sanding away the layers that didn't come together. Mistakes help to move on correctly.
🇨🇿 PemyslJ
18 days ago
1 Post
0 Followers
1 Like
Fire boat model FLORIÁN 1:12
According to the photos of the original with the fire engine superstructure
🇨🇿 PemyslJ
20 days ago
1 Post
0 Followers
9 Likes
Fire boat model FLORIÁN 1:12
first on the water ,construction duration 1 year 2016 - 2017,construction according to photos
🇨🇿 PemyslJ
20 days ago
4 Posts
7 Followers
27 Likes
Fun at the lake
Fun at the park. A big lake and nice day to run the boat at the Wellen Park in Florida. The owner of the bike and kayak shop took this video of my shrimp boat Capt CJ (it is a scale boat; the full boat was destroyed during hurricane Ian a couple of years ago).
here is the link. I don't know how to copy the video by itself.
https://www.facebook.com/reel/501543055774701
Isaac
🇺🇸 Isaac
25 days ago
7 Posts
10 Followers
60 Likes
Aeronaut Graf Spee
I bought this kit about 10 years ago from a German model shop. It is definitely old-school, with great detailed plans, detailed stock list, but no instructions beyond a couple of paragraphs. I have not built a model in 20 years but was very active in my youth 50 years ago. I find that my skills have deteriorated and this will not be a great build, but it is enjoyable solving the problems and figuring out how to build this thing.
It has a plastic hull, a very nice plastic fitting set, but the rest of the kit is wood, with many pieces which have to be cut from printed sheets. Luckily, I have access to a wood shop with jigsaw and sanders.
I have fitted out the hull, added the motors, and started the superstructure. Stay tuned for further progress, I hope.
🇨🇦 whittonm
26 days ago
57 Posts
16 Followers
351 Likes
Constellation
Made the framed glass portion of the skylight. They're hinged so I can get a finger inside to flip the power switch on or off.
They're made from clear plastic from some packaging, basswood, and brass wire.
🇺🇸 Jerry Todd
27 days ago
13 Posts
14 Followers
88 Likes
Pride of Baltimore 1981
My first official job, when I was 16, was working on the construction of the Baltimore Clipper schooner Pride of Baltimore.
On my 21st birthday I reported on board as a member of the crew. After that I acquired the plans from Thomas Gilmer who designed the vessel, with the intent to build an RC model. After a false start then, I changed the scale and started again in September of 2010.
The model represents the boat as she was when I was crewing aboard her in September-October 1981. I had a certification from the National Park Service to handle black powder cannon, so I was put in charge of Pride's guns which was handy when we went to the bicentennial of the Siege of Yorktown, what it really meant is I slept with 25pds of black powder at the foot on my bunk.
I cooked right along with construction while also working on Constellation and starting a third model, until July of 2012. She was basically a static display model since then, with an attempt to work out her controls that didn't work out in 2015. Trying to set up her steering uncovered a design flaw that I resolved by moving the rudder servo forward. Life has a habit of getting in the way of my hobbies, and several changes in jobs and homes put a damper on all three models.
She's pretty much just sat till now, going on display a few times, getting floated in a pool in 2019 and capsizing, which was a bit eerie considering the fate of the original.
The model is 1:20 scale making her
Hull length: 54" (137.16cm)
Length on deck: 48" (121.9cm)
Length on waterline w/o rudder: 46.75" (118.75cm)
Length over the rig: 81.5" (207cm)
Beam: 13.625" (34.6cm)
Draft without ballast keel: 5.875" (14.9cm)
Total height (top of jack-yard to bottom of keel): 61.6" (156.5cm)
Total Sail area: 2,049.13 square inches in 7 sails as shown above, 2,205.13 with the flying jib.
Her keel is plywood and she was planked with white pine strips over plywood forms, which were removed. The hull has a layer of 4oz glass cloth and poly resin outside, and several coats of just resin inside.
As mentions she capsized in the pool when a slight gust caught her, despite being weighted to the waterline. She's designed to have a removable fin with a lead bulb making up most of her ballast, but that hasn't been made yet, so it wasn't fitted in the pool that day.
Her lower masts are white pin made with the "birds-mouth" method so they're hollow and weigh next to nothing, but are strong.
Sails are made of a Dupont cloth called Supplex which is a polyester that makes excellent sails. All lines will be nylon or polyester Dacron walked up from thread acquired from a sail-maker's supplier. All the sails have bolt-ropes hand-sewn on. There's no stitching to represent seams because I think it looks like crap, and it's a lot of work to do to ruin your sails. The seam lines on Pride are drawn on on with an .005 permanent marker.
Originally her controls were going to be a Mega-arm sail servo and a winch servo, with the winch driving a loop. That was changed to two arm servo controlling my Semaphore-Sheeting system used successfully in Constellation for the over-lapping heads'ls. That wasn't going to work on Pride mostly because space limitations (vertically inside the hull).
A friend recently launched his four foot schooner in which he used two winch-driven loops to control the sails. It's success, especially with the over-lapping jib, got me re-thinking Pride controls and reverting to the loop-sail-control system, with changes.
So I'm working on the model again, this time removing everything inside the hull. I removed the motor and my homemade 1 inch prop because there's no way that little prop can over-power all that sail in the lightest of wind. The rudder servo will be moved aft of where the motor was and be accessible through the cabin hatch. One winch will be mounted where the motor was, under the engine hatch, just aft of the mainmast, and another winch will be mounted just aft of the foremast and be accessible through the main hatch.
This is where things stand at the moment (June 25 2022). The pic with the gun is a 3D printed test of a gun for my Macedonian model (1:36 scale) which seems to be just right for the 1:20 scale Pride, which will benefit from 3D printing with guns, gunport lids, a much crisper name board on her stern, along with the Baltimore emblem that was back there.
The last pic is the actual boat in the Pacific in 1982. I edited in the main tops'l to show the rig I plan to set. She also had a ringtail, stuns'ls, and a main topmast stays'l, none of which I plan to use.
Hopefully, this approach to her controls will work out and I can actually get her sailing at last.
🇺🇸 Jerry Todd
27 days ago
2 Posts
9 Followers
15 Likes
Brushless motor sync problems
Can anyone help me with this issue please.
Cabin cruiser 1m long; 4240 x 740 brushless motor; 5S lipo; 55mm prop.
Cruised happily for 15 mins, then made noise (not dissimilar to slipping coupling) and powered down to a stop. Would then only creep along. On inspection found all three fuse holders and 25A fuses had melted, but fuses not blown. The motor was not hot, nor was the ESC. Out of water seemed to operate OK. It was suggested that the prop might be too large, and caused the motor to go out of sync after a while.
So, what do you think might be happening ?
🇬🇧 flaxbybuck
1 month ago
3 Posts
8 Followers
32 Likes
Newbie Model Slipway 1/16th Tamar Build
So I recently obtained a partially built 1/16th Model Slipway Tamar lifeboat.
This is my first build of a vessel this big having previously built an Aero-naut Mowe 2.
It wont be a blow by blow account but I shall try to put fairly regular updates on my progress.
If anyone can help with the correct size of lettering for the transom name and where I can obtain wheelhouse name plates from I would be very grateful.
🇬🇧 MartinS
1 month ago
6 Posts
6 Followers
21 Likes
MM337 Thorneycroft MTB Model Boat Plan
Has anybody built this recently? Just got the plans so any advice/help will be much appreciated.
At 86 it's years since I built a model!!
🇬🇧 cheddarman
2 months ago
1 Post
6 Followers
19 Likes
41 inch Fairey Huntsman short kit from Sarik Hobbies
Almost water ready, just the front railing to add and "bob's your uncle" Beautiful boat to build and an ideal scale to my mind. This is the James Bond boat as seen in "From Russia with Love" so lots of pictures on the internet for the finish detail. I'm usoing a simpke set uo of 600 brushed "can" style motor with 40amp ESC and a 7.2 v nimh battery and after the pond trials I'll let you know if that is powerful enough
🇺🇸 RaymondS1
2 months ago
10 Posts
7 Followers
69 Likes
Al Khubar Harbour Tug
I have now started to build this Mountfleet (Model Slipway) Kit.
Firstly I decided to sort out the power system. 2 x RE540/1 geared motors (6:1). The propshafts supplied with the kit and the 4 blade brass props, also supplied.
🇬🇧 Rockbag
2 months ago
18 Posts
12 Followers
155 Likes
Mantua Bruma - with possible conversion to sail
After weeks of waiting for the kit to be delivered from Italy I re-ordered instead from Cornwall Model Boats and received it next day. The box was smaller than the one for my Riva but at a quick glance all the parts seem to be there. Now that I have received the kit for this motor sailor I can start to plan how to attach a detachable keel and a detachable extension to the rudder. There is an optional motorisation pack available which uses one motor but drives two props through a gear system. Myself and Roycv are thinking of using 2 separate motors but I'll check space available. Not sure whether with potentially 3 sails we can get away with one winch because it looks like space is at a premium. I must say the Amati Italian Runabout kit had very much clearer build instructions than this kit with lots of photos of various stages. Before I can start building this I need to resolve a problem with my newly fitted fireboat's fire monitors! Hopefully my blog will help to fill in missing information. It might be a slow build log because I'm limited with pains in my hands how much I can do at a time - so to those followers please be patient! Some photos of the box content:-
🇬🇧 DuncanP
2 months ago
97 Posts
24 Followers
454 Likes
BLUENOSE
Started 2020 with plans by P F Eisnor from Nova Scotia
34 pairs of ribs
🇨🇦 RossM
2 months ago
8 Posts
9 Followers
90 Likes
Turtle
I have the honour and privilege to embark on a restoration of a model of a boat which belonged to a family I have known since I was knee high to a grasshopper.
She is the "Turtle", which has a very storied past. When I knew her she was plying the waters of the Southern Lakes of the Yukon.
I believe she is a Lake Union Dreamboat designed by the Grandy Boat Co. in Seattle and built in 1929. I understand from her history that the "Turtle" may have actually been built with prison labour.
Her specs are as follows (if she is indeed a Grady Dreamboat).
LOA 38' 0"
Beam 11' 6"
Draft 3' 6"
Designer: Grandy Boat Co.
Gross Displacement: 12000 lbs.
Number of Engines: 1 (model has twin screws)
Engine Model: Lehman
Fuel Type: Diesel
Year Built: 1929 ( "Adelante's" Information shows her as built 1912. I believe this is an error as Grandy started building Dreamboats in 1926)
The model I believe was built from the "Dumas" model boat plans for the 40' "Vinyard" (very last photos), and the cabin modified to reflect the "Grandy" plans.
I have started with a photo of the "Turtle" on the Southern Lakes as I remember her. Then a photo of the only sister I know of her in Seattle, the "Nirvana".
Following is a the photo of the model when she was stored in Edmonton earlier this year. Unfortunately as the following photos show, she floundered and was quite damaged.
She arrived at my shipyard today, and I did a quick survey of her. Her wood is probably close to 50 years old now and quite delicate. She has the old mechanical speed control in her from "Dumas" as well as dated electronics. I have removed all I can so that I can start repairs and reinforce the hull. We will work our way up to superstructure and electrical later.
I would like to honour her builder and keep his work intact as much as possible. I do think I will need to redo the transom on her however. I will save the old one if that is the case.
The model is 28" LOA
Stay tuned for more as we bring her back.
🇨🇦 Brightwork
2 months ago
1 Post
3 Followers
17 Likes
Construction report "Pilot Cutter Britannia" 1 : 24
Hello
After the construction is before the construction!!!
The construction trailer is tidied up and I am full of energy.
After I have completed the RAU IX (driving pictures and videos to follow) I will now start with the Britannia from
"Mountfleet Models".
Here are the first pictures and a link
https://www.mountfleetmodels.co.uk/product/pilot-boat-britannia/
🇩🇪 Wolle
2 months ago
5 Posts
8 Followers
42 Likes
Naxos Laser sheets
I am finally just getting going on the "short kit" of the Naxos fishing boat from China. I call it "short" because there are no instructions (posted somewhere on the web) and only a minimal amount of parts, but the fiberglass hull is beautiful. And the laser cut pilot house and deck parts (what there is of them) are really really sweet. However, a huge amount of kit-bashing is in the offing on this one!
As a side note, on a personal level. I am heading on a cross-country trip for a few weeks and it is always my habit to leave a project undone so I have something to look forward to when I get back. Call it habit or superstition...it's just me.
🇺🇸 jumpugly
2 months ago
12 Posts
10 Followers
104 Likes
Building a Scale Model "Springer" push boat
Many of us have seen or heard of the "Springer" push boat (a.k.a., tug, truckable boat, etc.). Most of them are not scale models but still built to the enjoyment of the owner.
This blog deals with how I build "Springers" to look like a scale model of some real boats. I will deal with some of the issues as well as ideas for searching for you own "scale model Springer".
Follow this blog as I build my latest "Springer", a US Army Corps of Engineers truckable push boat working at the Little Goose Dam in Washington State where it moves river debris to the "stoplog" gates.
Lew
Florida, USA
Here is the introduction video:
https://youtu.be/bZZJOWAsU0Y
🇺🇸 LewZ
2 months ago
31 Posts
13 Followers
153 Likes
American torpedo boat Spanish American war
This is a new thread of my refurbishing of an old ship model that was built back in the 1980's or so.
Background:
I managed to get this model when a fellow boat modeler knew that I have multiple scale RC powered boats and would be the right person to give it to. This was during a sailboat regatta and I was videoing the races from my big fishing trawler using a GOPRO camera.
The story goes that this particular person had the boat built, wired and fitted professionally. It is a huge model spanning 76 inches in length and weighing 35 lbs fully loaded ( of which 21 lbs were lead acid batteries ; six of them ).
however, that person passed away years ago and after a while, his widow needed to clean up the house and was about to trash all the models into the dumpster. Fellow modelers were able to save two of his huge boats. One being the German U99 submarine that went to a collector in Texas and the second was this un named old ship. It languished for years in a garage. The person that saved it was not interested in powered RC boats, but kept it.
Apparently there was an email offering this model for sale back then, but I have no idea what came of it or when it was written, nor any details as to what it was.
So what is it?
next thread
Isaac
🇺🇸 Isaac
2 months ago
104 Posts
42 Followers
1193 Likes
Vintage Model Works 46" RAF Crash Tender
Here's the history bit so pay attention...
Many years ago as a boy in the fifth year of my north London secondary school, circa 1971, our woodwork class was given the option to make something of our own choice.
Having mastered the majority of joints, wood turning, finishing techniques and the making of table lamps, stools and bookshelves etc. this seemed a good idea, so myself and a fellow classmate and model making chum asked if we could construct a model boat.
The teacher, on hearing that it was to be from a kit and not from scratch was a little surprised but agreed.
So my friend and I jointly invested about 20 quid in an Aerokits 34.5 inch RAF Crash Tender from Blunts' model shop in Mill Hill (long since gone like many others) and we set about construction during lesson time and sometimes at break times.
I recall we used "Cascamite" to glue it all together on the advice of the woodwork teacher because neither 'Scotch' glue nor PVA was suited to marine construction.
Good progress was made over the course of our last year at school but it was never fully completed, only requiring painting, running gear and detailing.
My friend decided that he needed to withdraw from the project as he was enrolling in a college away from home to study for a career in the merchant navy and I agreed to buy out his share and continue with the project.
And so it was that I carried on with the painting and installing the running gear which consisted of a 1.5 cc marine diesel engine, water pickup, prop shaft and rudder and a MacGregor radio system with a stick for steering and a single button for speed control.
The engine and radio came from Michael's Models in Finchley (also long gone) for £20 as my elder brother, who had started a Saturday job there, was able to get a staff discount for me.
The diesel engine was noisy and smelly and a pig to start with a leather thong around the flywheel and I decided to abandon this means of propulsion (I foolishly ran it for slightly too long 'dry' and melted the soldering around the brass water jacket!).
By now I had graduated from my part time job in Woolies to an engineering apprentice with Post Office Telephones and my new income of 20 quid per week could support my modelling and electronics hobbies after my contribution to the household for my keep.
So off to the model shop to buy a Taycol Supermarine electric motor, two 12v volt lead acid batteries and a suitable charger.
The diesel came out and was sold on Exchange & Mart and the mount and coupling re-made to accommodate the new Taycol motor.
What an improvement that was!
I can't remember now what speed controller or servo I used but whatever it was did the job, and it went like the clappers on Friary Park boating lake (also long since gone) even though the radio control system was a bit crude with the non-proportional steering and 'blip' throttle control.
The boating took a back seat when I acquired my driving licence and my first car (a rusty old Cortina Mk 1) and I also got involved in sound recording for radio.
I decided to sell the boat and bits for £60 through Exchange & Mart and bought an Akai 4000DS tape recorder and a 'Chilton' audio mixer, built a home studio and along with a good mate of mine started making radio commercials for the new commercial radio stations including London's Capital Radio.
We even won a 'Campaign' advertising award for one of our efforts! And so after several years as a 'phone engineer I moved into professional recording for A/V and broadcast and then into TV production.
Fast forward to today.
Semi-retired with grand kids and with more free time on my hands I still had an interest in model making so in Jan 2016 went to the Model Engineer exhibition at nearby 'Ally Pally'.
It was there that I saw an RAF crash tender just like the one I built all those years ago and got into conversation with the chap on the stand.
This re-ignited my model making interests and I researched the hobby and that model in particular.
🇬🇧 robbob
2 months ago
1 Post
3 Followers
20 Likes
It only took a smouldering cigarette …
While touring the Museum of the Gaspe, they told us a near disaster caused by a cigarette smouldering in the trash. The fishing vessel displayed outside, caught fire, requiring structural frames be replaced and hull planks.
The carpenters were able to take my IPhone and get photos up on deck for me.
There was a nice model in the museum
created by a local model builder. which the staff brought me a chair to stand on to take photos of the deck.
The staff are superb! The museum includes a large research library is open to visitors. Most of the collection is in stacks beyond eyes of the public. I was able to see some materials relating to the WWII period of history that included the 5 forts and two naval bases.
🇨🇦 Ronald
2 months ago
26 Posts
10 Followers
190 Likes
Another Orca Sarik Hobbies plans
OK so over the years i have built many Model Boats some restores all types POF glass fibre plastics etc but never from a plan only so here goes this is inspired by what i have seen on this site and wanted to have one myself and after finding out there is no kit for this boat i thought i would give it a go these plans are Sarik Hobbies version and believe it or not are set at Beginner ? well i must be a complete novice because the first week i was trying to work out the keel from the drawings as you can see below they come with no patterns so its tracing paper im afraid .as you can see from the plans im guessing this will be classed as Semi scale as the hull is not the same as the real one last picture shows the rubbing strip on the stern is actually the shape of the real one however lest see what it turns out like
🇬🇧 quattroo
2 months ago
22 Posts
6 Followers
119 Likes
52' Motor Lifeboat Victory
One of my nine-year projects is coming to an end. I am sad to see it completed in some ways, overjoyed in others. Many projects have been begun and shelved over those nine years; some are in the trash now.
What is known is the 213' WMEC-168 Yocona is hit or miss whether my attempts to waterproof a static hull will be successful. So on hold or a side project.
The Gunboat Philadelphia is on-going at work between shifts.
PBY that doesn't Fly I will place on hold, pending possible actual flight. (That will put three aircraft inline to be completed.)
The battleship North Carolina....Big. Not so complex as physically large undertaking.
SO, begin at the beginning as I tell my students. I pondered purchasing the laser-cut kit from Canada, but it is just frames, deck, and pilothouse. Yes, it is 1" to one foot scale, and would match my 44' MLB perfectly, but $286 plus shipping? For me too much, I will build at 1/24th scale for now. Small enough to store, big enough to detail and outfit with running gear.
My 44 MLB, is a leaky, but I am installing an automatic bilge pump. I get so much joy out of running it, and I will have the tri-fecta of MLB's 36', 44', and 52'. The 213 should be complete around the time I finish, so four CG projects in a years time, plus the Philly is a quick build. So, it is a year, year and a half plan.
This will be a slow one.
Non Boat picture is project that is almost complete.
Kevin
🇺🇸 KevinH
2 months ago
1 Post
10 Followers
13 Likes
Fix’r Upper
I found this fixer upper yesterday and took some photos. It’s building technique is interesting.
🇨🇦 Ronald
2 months ago
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