Hey Gang!
While vacationing off the coast of South Carolina on Kiawah Island I wandered over to a marina on John's Island and saw this beauty. It's a 62' Viking Sport Yacht. Her hull is made of fiberglass, with a beam of 18' 11" (5.77m), a draft of 5' 2" (1.58m). Top speed...42 Knots! Yow! 4 Staterooms and 3 heads doesn't hurt either.
Honestly, I'm not so sure the owner has ever "wet-a-line" off of this $3,100,000 beauty, but I am positive that the bar is well stocked. Either way she is a beautiful beast!
😉
This was the first sail of the Vosper at Spencer's pool. The club held a military regatta. I had a problem with the Vosper kept stopping. I checked it out at home and found that the motor coupling kept backing off.
This was the first sail of the Vosper at Spencer's pool.Club held a military regattaI had problem with the Vosper kept stopping Check it out at home found that the motor coupling kept backing off.
HMS Flirt, built by Palmers of Tyneside in 1897. It was a C class aka Star class three funnel 30 knot destroyer. Twin reciprocating steam engines.
The model is 1/72 scale, 3ft long. I have some figures to stick on yet as well as the torpedo davits and the ship's boats.
The model has twin electric motors and is controlled by a Flysky 10 channel radio. The motors can be run synchronized or independent, selected with one of the switches. The left knob rotates the forward gun and the other knob rotates the torpedo tubes.
The model is entirely scratch built. Fiberglass sheathing balsa for the hull. The funnels and cowl vent are 3d printed to my files. I now have a 3d printer which I'm sure will make many fitting for future models.
Good Morning Gang:
Thought you'd like this as it made me think of my (still to be be fully completed) freighter "Pacific Trader."
I found this large and very nice piece on the floor in a nice little antique store yesterday. We don't often see freighters depicted in such a fashion; it's an original too. It depicts the MS Finnforest.
So did a bit of research and found out that she was completed: in 1963 by the Emden, Rheinstahl Nordseewerke G.m.b.H. Shipyard
Weights and dimensions: 9 674 / 7 610 DWT, 6 500 BHP, 139.72 x 18.74 x 8.34 / 7.29 m.
Her tabular records are listed as...
1963.6.28: FINNFOREST, homeport Kotka. Enso-Gutzeit Oy, Kotka (Finnlines). Finland - USEC service. 1968.8.23: lengthening completed by Rheinstahl Nordseewerke: 11 510 / 8 190 DWT, 152.32 x 18.74 x 8.58 / 7.11. 1973: Chartered to Atlantic Gulf Service Ab Göteborg. 1976.12 Charted completed.
1978.9.6: BRADEVERETT, Everett-Orient Line Inc (Everett Steamship Corp S.A. Tokyo), Monrovia.
1988.5.24: demolished Kaohsiung, China
The Wiesel is Back: Sea Trial at Lake Seminole Park (Florida, USA)
Had a nice run with the Schnellboot Wiesel at the June 21,2026 meet of the Suncoast Scale Model Boat Club. First time back in the water after 15+ years in my display case. I was hoping for a little more speed but the boat ran well and looked good cutting the water. But then, don't all of the Schnellboot look good? Only issue was me letting it drift into some weeds while setting up my camera on the tripod. Most of the video was recorded at about 30 meters away but the decent zoom on the camera brought the boat in close. I hope you enjoy the video.
At the last SSMBC (Seminole, Florida, U.S.A.) Jim brought his RC scale model of the "Blue Devil" (WWII Fletcher Class destroyer) to the SSMBC meet. Having taken a video of it I decided to have some fun and edit it and add some sound effects to represent it looking for a German U-Boat. About 2-1/2 minutes long). Sound layers added: Water, engine, sonar, alarm, and voice. Lew
The sound track makes all the difference, it adds a sense of realism and character. The back end looks rather low in the water, and you don't want the crew to get wet feet when firing the depth charges.
We had pretty good weather for this meet of the Suncoast Scale Model Boat Club. The temperature was 84F instead of the usual 90-92F for this time of the year. No rain, clear skies and a light breeze. The photos show the variety of boats (leaning a little heavy on the tugs) present at the meet. Lew SSMBC Event Coordinator
We had a good meet and a nice variety of boats. Getting hot as the temperature rose just over 90F. Very light breeze allowed the boats to settle in the water nicely. One member brought his Costeau boat Calypso for its first and sounds like its last water adventure. Howard decided it was too fragile to handle. It features lots of lights and he has worked out a way of using house power to keep the lights running while on the shelf for display. No issues with the boats this time. I guess the storm troopers (Dave and Greg?) kept everything under control. They all came back under their own power. Hope you enjoy the photos.
Lew
