This is my 54" Vietnam River Raider plodding along on Needham lake in Suffolk . Was originally an I.C engine but converted to brushless . I would like to one day convert again to water jet drives , funds permitting as I have seen how well they perform . The real boats we're powered by water nozzle so would definately look the part .
My son's boat , started life leaking like a sieve and fitted with a brushed motor . The brushed motor did however serve the purpose of being a trainer for him to get used to the boat and controls . He now has a brushless inrunner water cooled and 3 cell lipo's giving great performance and duration . Home Surf is Needham Lake in Suffolk
I have a MFA Piranha almost finished in my shed and a MFA Spearfish I purchased from a model shop in Cromer. That shut down not long after I purchased it. That's still in the box as new. I intend at some point to put in a brushless motor. I have one already. I got both Motor and Speed controller the same as in the ProBoat 29" Blackjack. I already have the ProBoat Miss Geico that is a maniac on the water. So I'm hoping once I do the Spearfish that will also be awesome.
Hi Boatshed , Yes all MFA seem great boats . As for the Spearfish I have a Thumper Overlander in mine 2nd hand and cheap . if you want the wow factor in yours look to fit a Leopard brushless in runner as the result is fantastic . Look it up on YouTube couple of films of one ripping round a pond 👍
This was a very beat up and plain model when I bought it , but has cleaned up well . Original Power was from a Torpedo 850 and heavy 12v 7Ah lead acid battery giving run times of around 20 minutes of plod along performance . Now however Boat is powered by Thumper motor and 4 cell Lipo's giving over an hour of entertainment . Cut's a fairly mean wake too . Needham lake in Suffolk is it's home surf 👍
I'm lucky, I still have an MFA Piranha half finished, with a 540 motor in it.
Not quite finished. And an MFA Spearfish still untouched in the box.
I used to have a Spearfish with a Irvine 61 in and run great. Used it for many years on both Blackheath pond and Clapham Common long pond. Finally had to bin it 😭 after about 20 years due to quite a few run ins with the concrete pond sides 😯 . Still have the engine. But will hopefully put a brushless in the new one.
MFA Avenger / Spearfish. I'm running my Avenger on the Thumper type outrunner motor with a 45mm X prop (only because it was on from other motor useage). What's anyone else using on the thumper. Just put a 50X on, but the pond's frozen 😭 so haven't tested it. 😟
My Mersey Ferry Snowdrop on Venetian night. Taken this October at New Brighton Lake on the Wirral.
She has 72 L.E.D.'s Illuminating the interiors and decks.
Astra was built from an original 1927 Camper and Nicholson design model, acquired from C&N by my wife's great grandfather. Passed on through the generations, she came to me in a poor state in 2013 and I have rebuilt the deck to 1931 superstructure.
Despite being an antique, she sails every week on Needham Lake.
My latest project - Hull and some bits from a static display model, based on several photo's of Greek fishing boats, Mtroniks 400 motor, & 15A ESC, 12v SLA battery & 30mm 3 blade prop. Fish boxes from Coffee shop stirrers, Fish from long grain rice, Crew from Pound shop (Soldiers chopped & reshaped. )
She sails fairly well on first trial this week at Weymouth & Portland MBC, Miles Cross Farm lake . Hope to post video soon.
Chris
This is the fifth of the six sisters of the isle of Man Steam Packet Company, entered service in 1952 and scrapped in 1980. it is built on a Metcalf Models hull, and the superstructure is scratch-built from styrene. Fittings are a mix of scratch and purchased. it is powered by 2 Electronize motors with 2 ESC's by EA Electronics, has a smoke unit from Harbor Models controlled by a Viper ESC, a sound system from Model Sounds inc of Ontario, and powered by NiMH batteries. it is also fitted with a working bow rudder and lights, all controlled from a Robbe F14 Navy radio fitted with 2 twin sticks. Preferred sailing location is Lake Lisgar in Tillsonburg, Ontario.
Hi! Bob
ScaleHobbies of Skelmersdale also do a hull plus a load of fittings for the IOM boats;
order online from web site www.scalehobbies.net
UNIT 20. SANDY LANE SKELMERSDALE WN8 8LQ
phone 01695 732800.
FROM MONDAY 9th MARCH WE WILL ONLY BE OPEN FRIDAY & SATURDAY. OPENING ...
Cheers
Max (4clubs)
Roy
thanks for the info I usually buy my Iom sail material & fittings from peter wiles @pj sails it is all good to find new outlets as a lot of hobby shops are closing down
Happy sailing
Bob 👋
this one is the sister ship to the Anglian man of mobile marines.Used as an estuary dredger to disturb the silt by a plate along the bottom of the channel off the a frame at the back. I was dead lucky to win best on stand for hoylake model boat club at Haydock Park 2013.
Wonderful hobby! I live 1800 miles from my Dad! Will be seeing him this week in Seattle, we're going to Tacoma for reference photos of the AlkI Fireboat, it's in dry dock on display, can finally capture the below water line details! Pop is "onboard" with the outing!
This boat is scratch built on a Fiberglass Hull. The Lily was one of two ferries built in 1900. Her sister ship was the Rose.
The superstructure of the model is largely light-ply and paneled to resemble the orginal. She had an open top deck and as you can see the navigation pods were open to the weather.
A semaphore signal arm was included as radio was not yet used to communicate with each other on the Mersey.
The model is approx1/48 scale and built from a couple of photos and sketches that exist. She is powered by two 340 electric motors and controlled with 2.4ghz radio. A 12 volt battery gives the power. Both decks are individually planked.
She has sailed at Hoylake.
