Watson class part way through refit,new motors twin speen controllers,rudder and mast both can be moved by remote up and down,,,hope to build model boat house and slip way so boat can by launched
my now completed 23" range safety launch, speed 400 motor, viper micro 10 esc, first trials not as expected using 8 aa cells wired to give 6 volts, trim ok but not getting up on plane. have ordered 7.2volt split power pack, hope that should do the trick.
have also fitted bigger prop. when do next trial will try get some pihotos on the water.
hI guys just a phew pics of my 34in fire boat that I am restoring. I believe that the boat is over 30 years old and has never seen water, I have spent most of my time gluing most of the wood back together as well as replacing with new wood as well with old and new fittings.
This is some amazing work you've done and and has given me some ideas for the wheelhouse doors so thanks for that. I presume you finished this and if so did you post anymore pictures?
Hello Bob ,Finally got started on the fireboat. Have stripped all the paint and varnish from the deck up and also inside the hull. Now have separated all the cabin roofing and upper bulkheads for access to the keel which has delaminated in places. The complete shaft just pulled out of the hull, the glue had no adhesion at all and a new oil fed shaft will be fitted. The next job will be to strip the paint on the hull, check it out and glass laminate it. More photos soon. Regards Graeme.....
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 !
the sea rover was bought locally as a wreck with much of the forward section of the cabin missing , however it has been rebuilt in a matter of weeks to sailing condition , its now running a single vision 600 motor on 7.2 volts , & has a reasonable turn of speed and very good rudder response ! the fpl was a double purchase as I bought a pair of hulls , one had a better finish than its sister although this didnt matter as they were both stripped back to bare timber and resprayed with wilkinsons enamel spray . as the cabins were not remaining Ive made both boats into vospers mk2 range safety launches , neither models are fully finished but Ive started to use 1640 , I know 1646 wasnt a number issued by the raf , but as the model is to be operated by my neice it was the number she has chosen !
For my first foray into boats I have acquired what is like a Vosper Firefloat Mk.2 but it is different. The wheel house section of my boat is different, being longer, the mid-ship section having three windows in lieu of two and the stern is completely different in profile.
I have spent many nights trawling the internet to see if there is anything like my very detailed model but to no avail and I have even asked a few of my old work colleagues who are ex-naval men if they can help out in identification. I am wondering whether this could be an elusive Mk. 1 - the boat that was never put into commission.
I attach a few photos of my model in the hope that someone out there can throw some light on it. it is in very good condition and a few years old, is fitted with a Graupner Eco 600 motor on a single prop with 7.2 NiMh batteries. it is about 34" in length and 9" beam and goes really well, planes quickly and turns very tightly - in all a cracking boat. The numbers on the side of the boat are strange as they relate to what I believe is a coastal command unit - the numbers are not new as they appear to be original under the paintwork. Any help in identifying what actual boat it is modelled on would be appreciated.
HI Alan, it reminds me of an air sea rescue launch I went for a ride in when I was an air cadet in the year dot! Had three packhard engines as I remember and went like the proverbial!
Roger
First try in the water this morning at Crealy.
Found out that she's a bit bow heavy and that the old VW camper blower motor I was trying isn't really up to the job! so off to trawl through to see what the rest of you have powered the 34" boat with ( ideally to take 12v supply as I've got 2 x 6v jelly cells in situ. Although that might be part of the weight problem!)
HI I run mine on a Johnson 600 6V-9.6V with one 6 volt 4Ah gel cell and either a 35 or 40 mm 2 blade prop, and keep all running gear towards the stern and it will plane reasonably well. When I require some more performance I run either a 7.2 volt nicad/Nimh or a 8.4 volt nicad/Nimh. Any help with your problem?
Bit of fun with a video camera on my restored 1960's fireboat at my home club St. Helens MBC. had to be really carefull with the throttle and rudder sticks so the whole lot didnt end up upside down due to the camera position...
34" fireboat built 1965 restored late 2009 by me
running graupner 8.4v speed 600 on 8 cells (9.6v).
love the way the boat is in and out of shadow and sunlight throughout the video
Dave