My Dad built this Fireboat 40 years ago, following the Practical Electronics magazine article. I watched as he built the plywood boat then built the discrete electronics; it was full of batteries but was great fun. I later fitted the 2-channel radio and then dad repainted it blue? its now time to give it some TLC and get it back as it should be.

More of the Crash boat at our sea water creek and of Peter Dimberline taking a rest after an exhausting day at the radio sticks steering the model. After all, I only did the car loading, driving to the site, carrying fueling and starting, entry to the water and launching and taking the model out of the pond , cleaning and refueling etc to go again. You can see Peter is getting his stamina back. I only ever used 3;1 fuel and in later years 4;1 fuel, just how fast do you want to go? and I have defeated that(annoying) high whine of model engines with my muffler system. Needle valve is left alone and two or three clicks turn out/in in Summer or Winter is of no consequence, maybe too many fiddlers with model engines breaks down reliability? I usually wind the plug out 1 to 2 turns and start her dry and with one or two turns (electric starter belt now) of the flywheel and a fraction choke she STARTS at a bit above idle setting on carby , then throttle to idle disconnect plug lead and then screw in glo plug and lift model casually to pond and slowly place in water at IDLE. Just a bit of a mild throttle check / rudder function check, water outlet check, LOOK AHEAD and if safe clear release and gently open up.

This model is a British "Hunt" Class destroyer.

It is a Sirmar limited edition (100) semI kit at 1/48 scale and some 6 feet in length. When he bought the model it was already constructed, but as a static model. So out came the jigsaw, Manual NOT powered.

The deck around the aft gun turret was cut to allow a good inspection of the inside of the hull. He tried to remove the bridge superstructure but this would have meant destroying it to remove. Out came the jigsaw again and cut an access hatch in the main deck.

The steering servo was fitted and attached ( by keyhole surgery ) and 2 x MFA 800 motors were fitted. Scale Prop Shop Props were fitted and the radio gear just jury rigged for her first trial. She was roughly ballasted with 2 x 12volt 7Ah batteries and she was ready for her first trials.

She sailed well with no water ingress to the hull, so the radio gear was installed properly with individual speed controllers to each motor. The results are as seen here.

"BOO BOO Kitty" is a scale model of a Crosby designed Cape Cod Cat Boat.[USA] it was built from scratch at a scale of 9.04" = 1"; the model being 26.5" oal.

The dimensions were taken from a book that highly detailed the building of a real Cat Boat.

The hull is plank-on-frame with epoxy and glass cloth as the final surface. A separate and detachable fin keel was used for sailing of the centerboard model.

Radio controls were a Hitec sail winch [HS-785HB] and one servo for the rudder with a 2 channel JR transmitter.

Copying the book plans, scaling them down, and construction took up the winter of 2006/2007. The model is sailing better than anticipated on a local lake in Langhorne, Pennsylvania.

This is an Aerokits 34" built over 20 years ago and runs an Enya glow engine with Futaba 2-ch radio (upgraded from 1 ch). All fittings were built from scratch.
The second boat is also from the 34" kit, re-cut into a Hants & Dorset RAF HSL. Also powered by Enya.
The third boat used to be an Aerokits Sea Commander, converted into RAF 63ft Pinnace.Powered by an ancient diesel.
The fourth boat is an Aerokits Swordsman flat out in the Bay Of Gibraltar. Big Enya!

This was originally built circa 1960 by my Uncle, with no radio control, you set the rudder, and let it go! it was then powered by an IC engine. All the fittings, engine and electrics where removed in 1965(ish) for conversion to electric, but the project was scrapped and everything was lost.

After a number of years carrying Action-Man around the living room, it was condemned to 30 years in the loft. Restoration started 3 years ago, completed after 1 year and given back to my Father as a Xmas present.

Sadly, he never got to use it much and it's now back in my possession. After 6 months or so (see posts!) sorting a better motor/esc/battery combo, it's ready for another restoration to bring it back to former glory.

Look closely on the 3rd picture, in the background you can see Fort Perch Rock Lighthouse, a listed building which stands at the entrance to the Mersey, and the famous Liverpool Waterfront further down river. New Brighton lake is in a fabulous setting for boat enthusiasts.

46 inch Crash Tender rescued from E-bay. Currently in the process of total restoration and have had to scratch build the entire super structure. Have fitted a Merco 61 engine with tuned pipe (the noise is awesome).

Have gone for it with the radio control- - employing a Robbe F14 plus an extra 8 channel module with decoder. So far extra controls are : each monitor (scratch built using brass pipe & sheet) left & right (using Robbe pulley set to give me 270 degrees travel), two Irvine water pumps, (real car) hooter, winch (using gearbox from Maplins) and movement for jib and search light.

I sail at Brentwood in Essex - where you can still run IC boats.