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.

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.

Hello all.... I have started a new project!! progress so far... she will be 32 " LOA and twin screw.

Started the latest project. Spotted these nice 105mm rubber tyred wheels in the big hardware store, and thought they deserved having something to be attached to,- hence the new project. Scratch building using my 'cut it and see' method Started with a 20x20mm ally angle frame (main V from one piece angle cut and bent with bent and bolted rear cross bar) Rear axle is 10x1mm ally tube, with stub axles (from 10mm bright steel) turned down to fit inside and turned down for a 6mm securing Nyloc nut, and a rear shoulder for the wheels. Stub axles and tube are drilled through 3mm and secured with 3mm machine screws. Front axle is 6mm rod from an old sponge mop, and is bent and angled for a bit of reverse castor. 50x3mm ally strip added to the front of the frame for reinforcing and to mount 'stuff' to. The front steering head bush is 10mm bright steel drilled 6mm to be attached to? Tune in next time for another thrilling instalment JB

I wrongly entered my last post in the 'how to' section where, it seems, you are unable to respond. So here is my query for which I am seeking your guidance. I have a motor circuit that comprises : 5S 5000mAh 30C Lipo; 40A fuse; 90A marine ESC; 3 x 20A fuses; 46 x 50 870KV brushless motor. There are no switches in the circuit yet. 1.Should I have a switch serving the battery ? 2. If yes, what rating ? 3. Should I have a switch between the ESC and the receiver ? Any advice or guidance gratefully received.

I will, most likely, have to rename this Blog, at some point. In the mean time...please do not expect much for a while as she is in her very early stages. First a disclosure: This hull was built for me by another gentleman. It was delivered in a not quite completed state. Therefore I have spent the last two month working on it to get to it's present state. So.. what is it? She is one of four ships in a class that was later enlarged to around eight maybe ten members of the class. Her main armament was eight 5"/38 caliber twin turrets. She and her class namesake sister were both lost during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. This ship is most noted due to the loss of an entire generation of one family, five brothers. This should be enough for identification. She is being built in my preferred scale, 1/48th or 1/4"=1'. This ship was used for numerous camouflage scheme experiments and, sadly, there is little definitive documentation to pinpoint her second to last and last schemes carried. That said, my plan, subject to change without notice or reason, is to present her as she appeared following her New York Navy Yard overhaul, or perhaps as she may have appeared after repainting in Placentia Bay NewFoundland, 1942. She measures out to 11' 3" and her power plant is to be two 24 volt Buehler motors. Pictures of her and the build to follow. Wish me luck please, she will not fit in my van....

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.

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

About the mainsail, topsail and large staysail. The gaff is lifted by the uphaul (Pic 1) with the halyard being tied off on a mast cleat (Pic 2) Note this is not how the real thing would be done, but is my method that works on a model. There are a number of cleats attached to the foot of the mast. These are glued and attached using long screw eyes ( see earlier blog) Pic 3 shows the gaff 'spreader' (my term) the halyard passing through various pulleys before travelling down the mast to a cleat (Pic4) More about pulleys in the next Blog. The following photos show the principle sails and how they are attached. I have made a number of other sails not shown here, including a smaller main sail and topsail, a smaller staysail, a jib and a flying jib. These can be set to suit different wind strengths. The mainsail (pic 5 ) is an old cotton sheet stained with tea. I have sewn reinforcement patches into the places that will come under stress or tension, and bias binding onto all edges. Metal eyes or hooks are then sewn into the clew (Pic 6), the tack (Pic 7), the throat (Pics 8 and 9), and the peak (Pic 10 ). Pic 11 just shows how the bias binding is used to finish the sail edges. Attachment points are shown in the next few pictures. Pic 12 the tack eye, Pic 13 the throat eye, Pic 14 the peak uphaul and Pic 15 the clew outhaul. Pic 16 shows the main sheet emerging onto the deck, passing through an eye on the travel horse and heading for the main boom. The topsail is shown in Pic 17, already stained with Colron dye, corners reinforced and bias binding sewn on. The following five pictures show the topsail foot, clew and peak in detail. Pic 23 is the large staysail, with the tack, clew and head shown in the final pictures. None of the methods used for attaching these sails is authentic. My aim is to be able to sail the boat and enjoy seeing it on the water. I therefore need to be able to attach or detach the sails quickly at the pondside. I use a variety of attachments, principally eyes and hooks. I try to make these as neat as possible, and not detract from the appearance. We often talk about 'passing the ten foot test', meaning if it looks OK when ten feet away, then it is OK. However, viewing these photos I can see just how poorly I have finished off sewing in the sail corners. There are too many ragged edges and untidy hand sewing. In future I must remind myself of this and do better. (Sounds like my school reports - 'must do better !')

This is a model I built several years ago. Someone gave me an old wood hull which I turned into an experimental boat, and wound up being a Star Wars Storm Trooper patrol boat. I generally don't do many "funny" boats and try to keep everything to scale. I believe this is a good example of making a comical boat to scale (no stuffed animals, etc.). It never performed well as it was small and the six "C" cell battery pack weighted the boat down giving very little freeboard (about 3/8 inch) and a slow speed. I decided to replace the 3000MAH 7.2V Nimh battery with a 2S Li-ion 3500MAH &.4V battery. Last Sunday I took it to the SSMBC meet and it went very well but after 50 feet it died. (It was the motor.) So that is now replace and it will be over two weeks to the next meet. So, in the mean time I took some photos of the fix-up and "innards". In particular you can see the adapter I made to fit the 2S battery where the hobby battery sat. It is 3D printed. I placed the file on "Thingiverse" (link below) in case anyone else is interested. I plan to get some videos at the next meet. Lew Florida , USA https://www.thingiverse.com/search?q=7.2V+Hobby+Battery+adapter+for+2S+Li-ion+&page=1

New project is well underway. 1955 18' CC Cobra in 1/8 scale. Framework, chines, sheers and transom all together. I am starting the planking today. The last picture shows the boat I am building. I don't think the hardtop is factory but I really like the looks of it. So I will attempt a scratch built hard top. I will update soon. Thanks, RR P.S. We got my Mom a new condo and this is looking out her back patio I Love it!!!

Decided to have a go at building a Watercat M12 as I have recently brought a couple of 28mm jet drives, yet to arrive! and wanted a craft to fit them in. The model will be semi- scale and I intend to modify the stern's deadrise to ensure both jet intakes keep in the water when turning a deep v stern may cause ventilation on turns. upscaled the plans available to make a craft around 35.5in (90cm).