GRP dinghy, ancient outboard separated into it's halves.

The dinghy was made by a company that had done a Bristol Channel Pilot Cutter which a friend was working on before he died suddenly. He decided that he wouldn't use the dinghy and gave it to me. I was thinking of using it for a mini steam plant as a river launch, but that's too far in the future.

I think I may have a suitable dolly for the boatman.

Martin

Doug,
I will have to empty the thing out as I use the dingy currently for storing the more regularly used tiny paint brushes, but I'll get a pic or 2 later today and some of the ancient outboard.
You might find the Hobbies 7 quid o/b will be sufficient for your little RIB?

Could be worth giving it a chance.

Martin

Believe that was the dog's dilemma as well! 😁

Since my little inflatable is only about 10 to 12", and was originally a free running toy, it's not worth that much for an outboard.
I'll just see if I can soup up the original motor a little.
It has has a blow up valve, like beach balls huff huff huff - collapse, so I was thinking of filling it with something like building foam, as used for cavity filling etc, and putting an alu plate in the floor for stiffening and to carry the necessaries, disguised under driver's console and equipment boxes & benches.
Pics of your dinghy? Time to test the new camera?
Cheers, Doug 😎

Oh I know what to do with 'em, Doug, just not sure I could DO it!

I think if you need a quick outboard and won't pay Graupner prices, you're stuck with a HobbyKing who do 2, both very similar, but about 65-70 quid a pop.

I've just realised my little vintage outboard will go on my little fibreglass clinker dinghy, making it a wee fishing boat. I will have to put 2 servos in the dolly (dressed as an old salt). One will turn it on and off and one will steer once I've put a tiller on it. No ESC needed. Old o/bs either run or not, so he can turn the little brass switch on and steer it. Painted harbour launch grey, with a couple of lobster pots and a dog, it'll be a sweet little model.

Martin

Evenin' Martin, agree the prices do seem to have gone North sharply since I last looked. Was looking something potent for an RHIB fast interceptor.

Know what you mean about restoration. A bug I got in my late teens when I started restoring old cars. Had no choice, could only afford old wrecks!

BTW: aren't we a little long in the tooth and out of practice for chasing starlets!!?? 😁😉
Bit like dogs chasing buses; if they catch one they don't know what to do with it! 🤔
Cheers, Doug 😎

Hi Doug, I do have a Hobbyking CNC ally one and now have a brushless inrunner for it. I got it when they were very cheap a while back. Wouldn't pay what they now want for them and Graupner are always way overpriced.
I could be tempted with 7 quid for a Hobbies one though, just to see how it goes together.

The K&O are gorgeous but collector money and the Alterscale are dummies, albeit nice dummies and also bloody expensive.

I sliced the little vintage jobby I bought down the joint line with a fine saw blade in the minidrill today and all is well. it just needs new wires and some grease when I can find some good styrene/nylon grease. The motor is a two magnet Kako, many examples of which I have in store. Even has a nice little built in switch. I reckon 3 volts is probably all the transmission can take. The gears are not, as I assumed bevels, but 2 spur gears! I now have to find a way of making the prop shaft stay on the motor shaft!
I'm loving this restoration stuff. Painted the red on my Star yacht today with my best chisel headed sable and got a special 1/4 litre of the emerald green mixed in HMG enamel (the very best there is).

Tried to win a lovely Starlet off ebay, but some sod beat me to it last minute. I hope it leaks

Martin

Have you seen these Martin?
https://www.cornwallmodelboats.co.uk/acatalog/outboard_motors.html
or here perhaps
https://www.ebay.com/bhp/toy-outboard
Cheers, Doug 😎
https://www.google.com/search?q=Model+outboards&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b&q=scale+model+outboard+motors&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwig6JLj-YDeAhXMZ1AKHSbDCzIQ1QIImQEoAA&biw=1920&bih=955

If only 5 bob was the difference these days!

Nobody does decent outboards, although Hobby do one for about 7 quid. No idea how good it is. Gear driven, but a big lower unit to clear the gears. I guess it'd be fine for just pootling around.

Martin

I remember convetting the Elmic Sprite in the model shop window, but it was five bob more than the Mabbuchi!
For those wondering why I put an outboard on an aeroplane, I mean't Vic Smeed's Skipper. His Flipper was a plane!

That's how the modern ones work, but I assume the flexi is stainless cable rather than a spring. I have one from Hobbyking for a fast little kneeler to 152VO rules, even though I'll never race it as all their events are in Germany and Holland and I don't have a Passport, but I do like the boats.

I shall be off to try cutting this ancient one apart to repair the motor and wiring.
I'd love one of those Keil Kraft Elmic Sprite outboards, but can't justify the cost.
And any of the O&K scale working o/bs are gorgeous.

Cheers,
Martin

Many years ago I built Vic Smeed's Flipper hydroplane from a Model Maker free plan. I fitted a Mabbuchi outboard motor. This didn't use bevel gears, but had a flexible "spring" drive shaft. Eventually it stopped working and on dissection I discovered that the spring had rusted through. I tried to replace it with a piece of Mamod drive belt, but it was never the same.....