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    Billing Boats Boulogne Etaples
    3 Photos ยท 29 Likes ยท 14 Comments
    Boat Length
    22" (55.88 cm)
    Motor Type
    Brushed
    Drive Type
    Direct
    Props
    Single
    Battery Type
    NiMH
    Battery mAh
    3Ah (3,000 mAh)
    Prop Type
    3 Blade
    Prop Size
    30mm
    26 days ago by ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง Oxford-Dave
    Flag
    This is a boat I was lucky enough to be offered when I was visiting Black Park lake near Slough with my daughter. We were taking it in turns to sail my Billing's Samson II when a pleasant chap asked if would be interested in buying the Boulogne Etaples he had with him. It had been built to a very good standard by a friend of his who had since passed away, and he had been asked to dispose of his models to people who would appreciate them.
    He wanted only a token sum, plus my word that I'd look after it. There were several local club members there who had been trying to buy it, but I discovered they were mainly interested in putting it on ebay for a tidy profit.
    The model spends more time on the shelf than it does on the water as the detail work is quite fragile, but when I do take it out, it attracts a lot of attention due to the fine detail work of the original builder.
    I have since bought a kit for the same model, simply because I get fed up with telling people that I didn't build it when they inevitably ask whether I did.
    The attached photos show the detail work (taken in my 'workshop') and the on the water picture was taken at Hinksey Park in Oxford.

    ๐Ÿ’ฌ Add Comment

    ๐Ÿ’ฌ Re: Billing Boats Boulogne Etaples
    26 days ago by ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ญ Mike Stoney ( Commodore)
    โœง 39 Views ยท 3 Likes
    Flag
    Hei Roy! Hy all!
    >>> First of all, bravo to the great boats! I've just been amazed lately . . .๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ‘
    @ Roy:
    Clear answers to crazy questions! It was similar for me . .
    โ€œDo you trust your grandchildren to do this?โ€
    โ€œ Crash or no crash, they have to learn at some point! โ€
    That day, it was exactly this older member who asked me this question . . and unfortunately had a little โ€œbangโ€!
    What's the saying? Mop your own front door first . . .
    I would like to say that my grandchildren are more careful than your grandpa.
    And why is that? Because they know how else they can annoy the โ€˜old manโ€™ ๐Ÿคฃ๐Ÿคฃ.
    Your Michel-C.
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    ๐Ÿ’ฌ Re: Billing Boats Boulogne Etaples
    26 days ago by ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ jumpugly ( Rear Admiral)
    โœง 39 Views ยท 2 Likes
    Flag
    Phil!
    ๐Ÿ’ฌ Re: Billing Boats Boulogne Etaples
    26 days ago by ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง PhilH ( Midshipman)
    โœง 38 Views ยท 5 Likes
    Flag
    Hi i have just finished building this model i to am pleased with the final look of the ๐Ÿšข
    Philuk๐Ÿ‘
    ๐Ÿ’ฌ Re: Billing Boats Boulogne Etaples
    26 days ago by ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง roycv ( Vice Admiral)
    โœง 44 Views ยท 3 Likes
    Flag
    My favourite story when I was a member of the Black Park club is as follows.
    After I got to know my future daughter in law who is from Germany she expressed interest in my model yachts etc. So with son as well I took some models to the lake. I passed my sailing fishing boat over to her, showed her the controls and she took charge and launched her.

    Over my shoulder an unknown voice said "I wouldn't let a woman run my boats"
    I replied. "That's because you do not know any ladies who thrash a Tornado Class (Olympic) catamaran up and down a lake 7 miles long".
    He turned away!

    Roy
    ๐Ÿ’ฌ Re: Billing Boats Boulogne Etaples
    26 days ago by ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง roycv ( Vice Admiral)
    โœง 47 Views ยท 3 Likes
    Flag
    Hi Dave, yes Les was the name I was trying to remember, I do hope he is still with us and doing well. It is so easy to lose touch.

    Today I am off on my delayed Birthday treat for a meal at the top of one of those high towers in London. The best bit is spending the day with our daughter, just the two of us, and weather permitting we shall probably walk down to Westminster Pier and go for a boat ride on the Thames.

    Roy
    ๐Ÿ’ฌ Re: Billing Boats Boulogne Etaples
    26 days ago by ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง Oxford-Dave ( Chief Petty Officer 1st Class)
    โœง 48 Views ยท 4 Likes
    Flag
    Roy - Yes, the Hanwell club was small in numbers but big in characters! Small chap with a gravelly voice could well have been Les. Last time I saw him was at Black Park on the day I was there with my daughter and took on the custodianship of the Boulogne Etaples. I hadn't seen him for years as I had been living in Finland, so I asked him if he remembered me coming to the lake with my little daughters. Oh yes, he said - and then I reintroduced him to my elder daughter who was then a tall slender blonde in her early 30s. He could hardly believe so many years had passed.
    Yes, you had the Aeronaut Victoria from me last year when I became frustrated at the lack of space I had/have in this house. I hope to see it on the water sometime. I still have an unstarted Aeronaut Queen which is probably going to remain unstarted as it is a fairly big model to store once built. The same applies to the Sea Queen kit, also unstarted. Too easy to tap a few keys on the laptop and a few days later have another large box to accommodate!
    ๐Ÿ’ฌ Re: Billing Boats Boulogne Etaples
    26 days ago by ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ B rian J ames ( Master Seaman)
    โœง 65 Views ยท 2 Likes
    Flag
    I thought 'my darling son'??? (sarcasm Sheldon), (questionable on many accounts), was going to 'just through out' my unfinished models, but No. He has 'thrown'! much other useful & or saleable 'stuff'! He's 'thrown out of the will'! ๐Ÿ‘Ž
    ๐Ÿ’ฌ Re: Billing Boats Boulogne Etaples
    26 days ago by ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ chugalone100 ( Sub-Lieutenant)
    โœง 66 Views ยท 4 Likes
    Flag
    For sure has a lot of fine details.
    Itโ€™s a model that says a lot about the builder.
    ๐Ÿ˜Ž
    ๐Ÿ’ฌ Re: Billing Boats Boulogne Etaples
    26 days ago by ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง roycv ( Vice Admiral)
    โœง 67 Views ยท 4 Likes
    Flag
    Hi Dave I used to know a few Hanwell club members, they were also interested in the RC lorries etc. I used to go and have a chat with them at the Ally Pally exhibition. Names escape me but always had a laugh with the small chap (in stature only as his models were great) I think he smoked a lot! Well a gravelly voice anyway. One of our own members left us to join Hanwell club.

    I quote and you can work it out.
    Everyone brings happiness to the place they are at. Either when they arrive or when they leave!

    I sold a few models from an estate of a friend, to them as well (sailing boats). I think I had the Victoria kit from yourself too.
    I have had a couple of set backs but on the mend again now and will be into my shed as soon as the weather improves.

    Our exhibition is 27/28 Sept. 2025

    regards
    Roy
    ๐Ÿ’ฌ Re: Billing Boats Boulogne Etaples
    26 days ago by ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ jumpugly ( Rear Admiral)
    โœง 66 Views ยท 4 Likes
    Flag
    Museum scale I like to call it! Excellent!!!!
    ๐Ÿ’ฌ Re: Billing Boats Boulogne Etaples
    26 days ago by ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง Doogle ( Rear Admiral)
    โœง 75 Views ยท 4 Likes
    Flag
    Looks lovely, a lot of detail ๐Ÿ‘Œ
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    ๐Ÿ’ฌ Re: Billing Boats Boulogne Etaples
    26 days ago by ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง Oxford-Dave ( Chief Petty Officer 1st Class)
    โœง 72 Views ยท 4 Likes
    Flag
    Thanks, Roy - I was never a member of the Black Park club, but sailed there as a member of the Hanwell club.
    I'll definitely try to make it to your club's exhibition, so long as it doesn't clash with something else I've already agreed to do.
    ๐Ÿ’ฌ Re: Billing Boats Boulogne Etaples
    26 days ago by ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง roycv ( Vice Admiral)
    โœง 72 Views ยท 4 Likes
    Flag
    Hi I know several of the members, so just what I like to hear! The club also come to our annual exhibition Dave, you would be most welcome. (St. Albans)
    Roy
    ๐Ÿ’ฌ Re: Billing Boats Boulogne Etaples
    26 days ago by ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Ronald ( Fleet Admiral)
    โœง 74 Views ยท 3 Likes
    Flag
    Nice find and I hope you will enjoy it for many years, add some details of your own to it.



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