I decided to risk a salt water trial, as there is no place I can think of with fresh water and a smooth beach or ramp which doesn't involve a 100 mile round trip (most beaches where I am are ocean beaches and others are soft sand/shell. The only lake I can think of is 112km away and I'm not THAT keen. Launching went ok but retrieval was another matter, not helped by an 8mph side wind (looks calm but is windy) Had a number of goes and discovered a few things which need changing, (extra front guide posts and rollers either end of the pads) The rubber resting pads stick like glue so I'll have to make some pop up rollers at the ends.

The pads hold the boat slightly above the centre rollers to avoid damage and stop it sliding off while shifting it. New front guide posts are needed as the boat only draws about 30mm and goes right over the trailer with it underwater 😮(no prop or rudder sticking out,) so it might help locate it when coming in. Jeep had truckloads of power (just fitted a new even lower geared -geared motor -1000rpm/min @ 12v), but unfortunately being only 2x2 (not 4x4) and being half the weight of the boat/trailer combo it couldn't get a grip in the mud, so needed a bit of assistance, (as did the boat getting onto the trailer). Cut out most of the vid with the boat missing the trailer about 10 times, but scored a direct hit once😊. Heaps of fun trying and heaps of washing and CRC when I got home! Going to need some new bearings at some stage, - the ones in it are rubbish and have only lasted for about a few hours running, noisy as anything now, even with gallons of oil. Stainless NMB ones next if I don't change the jet to something else, (another thought on propulsion happening)💡

Had a large moment of enthusiasm yesterday and fitted the jet unit and associated bits. Then it was time to wet its bum for a test. First off, the jet wouldn't suck water without pushing the stern down slightly, (as I expected due to the boats' light weight.) I added 300g to the stern and she was away😊 Happiness filled I were😁!. Reversing bucket works very well (even though it's a bit of a blob on the transom). You really need one if you don't want to go forward forever, trying not to 'sail yourself into a corner'.

I Need to waterproof the pushrod holes in the transom but the bellows I bought are too stiff and compress too much, so I'll have to come up with another method, (probably some deflectors for a start. Only a problem when in reverse with a bit of throttle on. Plenty of power with the 2s I was using, but motor is rated 12-24v so it would scream, -even with a 3s. I'll start with 2s and see how it goes. Might have an initial blast on the lake this week if all goes well, although I'd like to finish the deck bits first.

Just waiting for some Voltage regs to come so I can complete the electrical side with the fancy bits.. The mechanical and electrical sides are as good as done, Grahams timer is working perfectly, with the water pump and air pumps hooked up (going to install a VReg on each one plus the smoker).

Sterling Emma C Berry 49”long 17 pounds with added keel weight.

Sterling Yacht America 51 1/2” long 8 1/2” beam 41” high. Model was built from kit has auxiliary electric power and Futaba sail wench servo. Model weighs 11 lbs and has a removable 2 lb. keel weight.

Brought this vintage Aero Kits RAF Crash Tender for £50 from Newcastle area, it is the 34in version.
To my surprise at home I found that it had a Bullet 30 motor installed these motors were the top drawer motor of early fast electrics in the early 1980's and its the only one I've ever seen, it can run on 24v and pull around 15A giving 300w not bad for a brushed motor.
due to the power of this motor I have modified the hull under the water line with turn fins and trim tabs to reduce torque roll and improve turning stability, the underside is incorrect already as it only has one propshaft, where the original had two and I believe that both props turned in the same direction.

The Pictures here show some of the work in progress I have remounted the motor and added a speed controller rated at 24v
I have remade the stern compartment and rudder gear under it.
I have blocked windows and foamed the front half of the boat.
made missing parts and repaired delaminating ply.

Note old ply is not as good as modern, the glue is not as water resistant.

Have painted the hull and have just ordered the decals from Cornwall model Boats :-https://www.cornwallmodelboats.co.uk/cgi-bin/sh000001.pl?WD=hose%20fire&PN=becc_fire_tender%2ehtml#aB_2dFTS1_2e32

The 34in is 1/16 scale

Fitting can be brought but many are cast white metal and can add weight to the boat, I have made two water cannons and plan to buy plastic fittings from this site.

This has turned out to be a task that is difficult to assess how much effort and money to spend on a hull that has been built by someone else (say no more).
Have just finished the steps for the stern compartment.
Painted and now for the test run.
the Bullet 30 motor ran well between 14 and 18v,

About 10 years old, currently with a DC motor setup Hectoperm but complete base plate can be swapped for a 2 cylinder cheddar models Proteus boiler and steam plant. With ABC boiler control. Lovely detailed model, cruses well on 4 Lead acid batteries in parallel lots of power from the MARXX motor and 60 ~ 70mm I forget, 4 blade brass prop. Actually needs more weight in the back already 4 lumps of lead in the back and some plates of stainless steel. When it gets moving the bow wave is huge. 😁

Can anyone help identify this yacht please?
It's about 4Ft long fibreglass hull. The keel weight is in foreground

Having installed the running gear I just had to try it out. The boat is about half the weight it should be so ballast is something I will have to add. But lots more to do yet

Here's the photos of the cord coming through the middle of the crane, connected to the sail winch on the bottom end. The bracket to get it to go round 90 degrees had to be modified as it started jamming with no weight on the hook, now a piece of bent tube cut in half as a channel.

This is Serenity (AKA) Jersey City, she is a reworked and renamed 1:32 scale Tugboat. she measures in at 36" X 9"or 915mm X 229mm her weight is unknown (?) but I estimate it at about 7.5lbs to 9.0lbs give or take some ounces. Serenity is named after my Grand Daughter who is my pride and joy!

This is a 30-inch static model of the trawler that had suffered damage and had most of the deck fittings missing when I got a hold of it.
It was 'de-constructed' by Victor Marcham of the Mablethorpe Model RC Boat Group. Being a static model, it had to be bored through to fit a propshaft, a motor and rudder, and had new decking, mast and working LED lights.
It has yet to be weighted so pond trials can begin.

First time in the water and under power. to get the correct trim (ect) I built a test tank from ply and lined it with polythene. To stat with There were two 12V lead acid batteries and the weight of the two motors, she just simply sat there, even the props were above water. After approx 30lbs more weight the correct water line was reached, the white line on the hull follows the sheer line of the main deck and isn't the true water line. So with the two batteries hooked up in parallel, the 12V Proboat Speed controller and the two Duma 12V motors as can be seen quite a good performance.