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Clockwork boat
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About this boat
This was a collect it or it goes in the skip email to me. I went to collect wondering what electric motor it might contain. So opening up was indeed a surprise! "will you restore it"? the lady said. "more like a ressurection " I replied, however a collector friend convinced me to restore her. It was very crude s/s and heavy but very solid construction I reckon the mid 1930s the clockwork motor at first a mystery was revealed in an article by John Parker in his Flotsam and Jetsom series.
Turned out to be a top of the range clockwork motor and she runs for about 7 minutes. I put in RC! This was for the rudder and also a stop on the motor. I found by the time I got low enough to launch her the motor had run down!
Turned out to be a top of the range clockwork motor and she runs for about 7 minutes. I put in RC! This was for the rudder and also a stop on the motor. I found by the time I got low enough to launch her the motor had run down!
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The wind up key is 5mm diam. I had to make my own as a key manufacturer of bespoke keys said they were not interested. Most keys are about 4mm or less.
It takes 30 winds to get fully wound and the last few are quite tough on the hand.
The spring halfway through unwinding re-positions itself with a visible (on the water) jerk and upsets the balance of the boat. I fitted a piece of packing foam to limit how far the coiled spring could move sideways.
Speed is about walking pace and there is no speed control of course.
Roy