HMAS Fremantle (my first build and is still a work in progress) is a semI kit, hull and some fittings were supplied, most parts have been scratched built. She is powered by two MFA RE-385 5-Pole DC Motors, each controlled by a Mtroniks MicroViper Marine 10 ESC, supplied by one 6V 3.4 Ah lead acid battery, she has a running time of approx 90 minutes on the lake.
Sorry I can't answer that, I've never used lipo's so I can't give you a comparison. I've never had any problems with the sealed lead acid batteries, and use them on all my boats, they also double as ballast, as I would rather use batteries that dead weight.
Hey there, nevermind thanks for getting back to me though, I am beginning to move away from lipo's now myself, its only because I use em on my planes & cars so I just put 1 & 1 together & came up with 11
Cheers matey
Damon 😎
RAF High Speed Launch, speed 400 motor,Mtroniks Viper 10,ESC. 7.2v 3300Mah, model is 22".Scratch built, from photos and my own drawings scaled down and modified from my aerokits fire boat, I get about 15 minutes on the water running time on full speed.
What great photos.I've just logged on here this morning and find all these treats! Excellent stuff-and you must know yours to work up your own drawings- thanks for posting these pictures.
Not Strictly Aerokits!!! Bought this and a Sea Breeze at the Warwick Show. Sea Breeze is in the cupboard for Xmas. Sea Nymph is Ivory and Brunswick Green. it has a JP 400 motor with an Mtroniks 15 amp esc powered by a 7.2v nicad. Currently it has a 35mm S prop. Haven't had a chance to try it out on the water yet. Maybe this weekend. its the first wooden boat I've ever built so am quite pleased with the outcome. Looking forward to the Sea Breeze as that's going to be my first brushless model.
built sometime in the sixties originally powered by 3.5 cc diesel, then glow motor as in pics OS 20 Max. now converting to Electric. Speed 600BB, Mtroniks Viper 10 ESP, 7.2V 3300ma NIMH. as yet only tank tested seems to have enough power, hope it gets up on the plane.
A Lesro Rapier built from a new kit undertaking its maiden voyage. Two 700 9.6v motors with two Mtroniks 40 amp esc's run on 12v with two 37.5mm props. The performance was somewhat disappointing. When the photo was taken I had a 14.4v pack in, forgetting the 12v limit on the esc's -but I got away with it!
I would try and leave the cooling slots fully open, to allow air to circulate through the motor internals. Same goes for any air slots in the front face of the motor, always try and make a hole on the motor mount [if none in], to aid airflow through the motor.
if you cover the slots up, you are only adding to the internal temperature of the motor you are trying to cool.
I have admired this design for many years, along with a lot of Vic Smeed's drawings.
This model is enlarged by 1.7 giving a length of 36'' and a scale of 1:16. The finished boat weighs about 15 1/2lbs and is powered by an MFA 919D 540 with 2.5:1 reduction, using an Mtroniks ESC and Planet 2.4ghz radio.
The hull was planked in obeche on 6mm ply keel and frames with mahogany blocks at bow and stern. The photos were taken on her maiden voyage at Crealy in Exeter.
Thanks very much for the kind comments, gentlemen. I admire people who post building blogs but always balk at it myself as I am such a sporadic builder- everything gets done eventually but it can take years! Perhaps I should take more photos as I go along and post a blog retrospectively. incidentally, I would love to build ( and may start) a double sized Guardsman by Vic Smeed- the man could do no wrong!
Nice work, beautifully made and looking great on the water, a very different and classic subject!
I have a Vic Smeed Thornycroft 73' PT boat (38") which took me about 30yrs to complete, and after about 10yrs of searching on line I actually found 2 great photos of the very boat it was modelled off (HMT49), and credit to Vic Smeed it was pretty much dead on for detail, although as with most PTs,HSLs and the like being chopped and changed there were differences even between the two photos. I think it is a bit of a lottery as to which boat you build at which time in its life if you are looking at an actual vessel. I bought my plan in the late 60s from a hobby shop here in NZ and I didn't finish it till the late 90s!. Bring back the good old stuff!
Here is my restoration (conversion) of a US Coastguard vessel into the RNLI Waveney Class Lifeboat. I think you will agree that it looks better in its new livery. Have put in two jp power 400 motors along with mtroniks auto tune 20 amp esc and am using 7.4V lipo batteries. First try out went very well, but that was the bath, will try her out on water in couple of days
Hi
Nice to see your model. I built the US Coastguard model and use similar motors and ESC. Lipo's were not common when built so I used a 12v 1.2amp sla. Goes well on the water but duration is not very long. I have a pair of brushless motors and controllers and intend to fit with Lipo battery. it would be nice to see pics of your model on the water.
Dave
HI Dave, Sorry for delay in replying, taking boat out on water for trials today will let you know how got on. As to changing to brushless, good idea I use brushless in a lot of my models, but if you have MTroniks escs you can use a lipo upto 3series (11.1v), they say this on their own website, so you could still use same motors with 7.4v lipo but change the esc. the only downside to using lipos is having to add more ballast to get waterline which is what going to find out today. Regards Steve
Here is my 34 in Fireboat that I built some 30 years ago and recently rescued from my loft and updated with an MFA850 with Mtroniks 40A ESC driving through the original shaft to a Graupner 55mm prop. Seen on Nov 25 just after we cleared the first Ice of 2010 from our club sailing water !
I had always admired the lines of 1950s American wooden runabouts and built this Aerokits model when I was an apprentice at Jaguar Cars and it had stayed in my loft since completion nearly 40 years ago. Recently dusted off and upgraded with a Graupner Speed 500 and Mtroniks 40Amp controller and P35 prop. Seen here at Knightcote Boat Club on 25 October
Lesro Sportsman kit, wood sports fishing boat 33'' in length, weight about 8lb. MFA 850 on 12v (10 NiMHcells 3.5ah) MTroniks 40amp esc, X50 prop. Built by Ian Gardner.
March 2010. I am now using 12 cells and a Graupner speed controller. I added watercooling too and the boat goes noticeably faster- but melted a fuse holder on first outing so I need to upgrade some of the wiring. There was also a bit of prop aerating on turns so might reduce the prop size.
The last photo is with increased voltage.
Fishing cruiser built from kit by Dumas- no longer available I believe. Powered by Graupner Speed 500 on 7.2 volts with MTroniks 15 amp ESC. Travels at brisk walking pace so not exciting, but nice to watch. Has a big boat feel even though only two feet long.
There's a video of Scoter on the water.
Scoter was built from a Dumas kit ordered from America. it is a planked hard-chine boat reperesenting an East Coast fishing cruiser, She is 2 feet long with a Graupner Speed 500 motor running on 7.2 volts through an MTroniks 10A ESC. The crew are from George Turner Models, 1:12 scale resin figures.
Sorry I can't answer that, I've never used lipo's so I can't give you a comparison. I've never had any problems with the sealed lead acid batteries, and use them on all my boats, they also double as ballast, as I would rather use batteries that dead weight.
Richard
Cheers matey
Damon 😎