Response

Re: Aerokits Sea Commander. Strange Handling ?

I completely agree with Roy & Oxford Dave. I’m surprised it didn’t roll on its side & sink before. Again, one cannot ignore physics. The combination of the rudder’s force vector & the motor torque at higher speed is more than the hull was designed for. As I mentioned in one of my early posts, one of my lobster boats when set up for racing exhibited extreme prop torque. It flipped onto its side and would have sunk had I not immediately killed the throttle when I saw it.

32 minutes ago by Chum444

Response

Re: Aerokits Sea Commander. Strange Handling ?

I have to agree with Roy - these boats were never intended to be fast, just pottering around the pond while marvelling at the miracle of radio control!

52 minutes ago by Oxford-Dave

Response

Re: Aerokits Sea Commander. Strange Handling ?

Hi all, my two penworth! If you want to run at that speed then make the rudder narrower. Second the hull is going too fast and is beyond its' speed envelope. In proportion my smaller Huntsman started out going even faster and was basically uncontrollable. She had just 10% of hull in the water and was flying rather than planing. Eventually she did exactly what your model has done turned on her side and dived down underwater. She then ran beneath the waves turning round and round and beyond RC control. After about 30 seconds she surfaced and stopped. That is when I decided she needed to slow down. The motor was a fast 380 with a 1 : 2 geardown driven by an ex-camera 6 volt NiCad. It was difficult finding the right power to weight ratio but she works very well now. I have not exagerated what happened, there was a witness but he died a while back. Roy

1 hour ago by roycv

Forum

Question of the Day?

Hi. Can someone tell me what the question was on the 17th ? I was moving house that day and got up at 5:30 am to check my emails and do the daily, which I am sure I got right. However the question master says I didn't answer it.

2 hours ago by SimpleSailor

Forum

Question of the Day?

Hi All, Given that it's always popular in December (and I've now figured out a way to get multiple-choice quiz questions very easily), how many of you would enjoy a non-competition based fun question of the day, each day? In a similar way to December's one, it'll be on the home screen each day, with four possible answers to choose from. Maybe a rolling leader board and linked forum thread to discuss questions (but not reveal answers until the following day). I know we're talking about at least 365 nautical/shipping/maritime/sailing/boating quiz questions here! But I now believe its possible to put together with little effort 😉 perhaps useful to onboard a volunteer researcher mind, to double check questions and answers before they're made live. So if anyone would like to do that, let me know too. Thoughts on having a Question of the Day? Stephen

3 years ago by fireboat

Response

Re: Roof, pilot, lights

Looking good Cash. You might want to consider moving the P & S nav lights quite a bit forward to create distance from the stern light. At least I think I am seeing a stern light in one photo.

3 hours ago by Chum444

Forum

Question of the Day?

I think this question was very easy for the English, or at least for those familiar with their country's naval history. I had read about this particular episode in two contexts. One was during the Seven Years' War, and another (I've attached some images, including the one referring to Bing) regarding discipline aboard 18th-century ships, particularly British ships. It may seem strange, but it was indeed true, and it's one of the articles in the larger section dedicated to life at sea. I believe they were extremely severe with Bing. In other cases, both older and more recent, this wasn't the case.

3 hours ago by AlessandroSPQR

Response

Re: Aerokits Sea Commander. Strange Handling ?

A couple of questions & then some observations. 1. When turning right are you hard over to Stb’d with the rudder? 2. Are you making the turn with the throttle wide open? A. In these videos your wake does not look proper. It should be flat when coming the stern without the white water (which are bubbles) showing. The white water is an indicator of prop cavitation. Said another way the prop cannot handle the RPM’s imposed on it. B. The stern rising when you slow down is normal. It’s your stern wake catching up to the slowing boat. Your hull looks to be flat in the stern which accentuates the effect. Since one can’t defy the laws of physics, there is nothing that will stop this phenomena.

4 hours ago by Chum444

Response

Re: Aerokits Sea Commander. Strange Handling ?

Better remove that wedge! And try it on the other side?

4 hours ago by ChrisF

Response

Re: Chris Craft Corvette

In summary, this is a large model of the beautiful Chris Craft Corvette that is a very impressive model boat. The materials used in the kit could have been better, although the balsa wood choice seems to have been good, the plywood quality was very poor and has self disintegrated over time, and the fittings quality could have been better too for a kit of this size and price. A well presented Corvette would make a big impression at any model boat club. Bob.

5 hours ago by zooma

Response

Re: Chris Craft Corvette

As a matter of interest, it was not only the plywood that was of very low quality in this model that had been built from a Chris Craft Corvette kit. The castings for the fittings were very soft and very heavy - I suspect that they were simply cast from lead. Bob.

5 hours ago by zooma

Directory

Chris Craft Corvette

I rescued this badly damaged fuel soaked rotten wreck from the skip at the start of lockdown. If it were not for the Covid lock-down, common sense would have prevailed, and it would no longer be with us! It has taken a lot of time to prevent it from literally falling apart (the original plywood was really bad quality) and turning it into a solid and strong model boat. For some reason I had a lot of problems loading any pictures of this project onto the forum when I first re-joined, but it all seems to be working “normally” now so here is a brief overview RESTORATION LOG. Bob.

2 years ago by zooma

Response

Re: Aerokits Sea Commander. Strange Handling ?

No worries Dave, it is easy to miss the odd post on this thread as it has attracted so-much attention. The Sea Commander is a very popular Classic Model Power Boat. Lots of good theories have been offered and I am trying to respond to all of them to see if I can find a way to remove “The Sea Commander Dive”. I will keep trying, but have to admit that I have done nothing yet that has influenced this strange behaviour significantly one way or another. Bob.

7 hours ago by zooma

Response

Re: Aerokits Sea Commander. Strange Handling ?

Hi Dave, If you read the last comment before yours on here you will see that I admitted to a typo and that my propeller turns to the left (when viewed from behind) so it rotates anti-clockwise as normal. Like you, I also come from background of running ic engines (in the 1960’s) and they only run anti-clockwise ……although I have had the occasional one fire-up and run in reverse when it had been over-fueled ! It will be interesting when you get your Sea Commander finished to see if you can find a cure for the nose dive that seems to be a fairly common occurrence with them when they turn RIGHT into choppy water. The boat does not have to be driven into the turn fast, it can also happen at fairly low speeds too, but can be deliberately started by slowing down very quickly and then turning RIGHT. The similar sized 34” Aerokits Rescue Launch reportedly also does the same thing, but again there are no reports of the larger version doing it! Curiously, the larger sized Sea Queen has no reported occurrences of this happening either, and as previously noted, Les Rowell never added the large “wave breaker” to the Sea Queen either, so maybe (like us) he also failed to find a cure for it either? It is fun trying to find the reason why the Sea Commander has this curious wish to sub-marinate when turning RIGHT into choppy water - and even more fun trying to find a cure for it…..other than driving very slowly in calm water - or avoid turning right 🤣 Bob.

7 hours ago by zooma

Response

Re: Classic Model Power Boats

MS Northern Star. Also known as the MS Northern Star Customs Launch. This is another very rare Classic Model Power Boat from 1956 that was made as a kit by Keelbuild Model Aero Works of Newcastle. At 54” long and with a 15” beam she is quite a large heavy boat and was the largest pre-cut model boat kit that was available in 1956. The kit in its box weighed over 25lbs alone and cost the princely sum of £9 19s 6d (including delivery) in 1956, which was over three times the price of the next largest size model boat kit that was available at the time. All parts were pre-cut from plywood and featured an inter-locking “egg-box” construction. The finished model was claimed to need two men to lift it ! The model was based on a full sized boat design by a Bolsons, a now defunct boat builder that was based in Poole. Does anyone have any pictures of this Classic Model Power Boat to share here with us? I rather suspect that even Will does not have one of these tucked away in his vast collection of Classic Model Power Boats ….but I could be wrong 🤣 Bob.

5 hours ago by zooma

Response

Re: Aerokits Sea Commander. Strange Handling ?

Near Capsize? …..and just when we thought we had seen everything……………. This second video shows the boat turning up onto its side…something we have never witnessed or recorded before. Bob

6 hours ago by zooma

Response

Re: Aerokits Sea Commander. Strange Handling ?

At the Southport Club lake today my Sea Commander was run with the wedge fitted on the rear underside of the hull at the back and on the right hand side (when viewed from behind). As Chum444 suggested, the rudder needed some adjustment initially for it to run “straight” so a few clicks were dialled-in to achieve this. Initially the boat looked good and the wedge appeared to be working well, but given the same water conditions that always seem to encourage the now infamous “Sea Commander Dive” the boat did its own “thing” and attempted to dive under water when it was turned RIGHT into choppy water……like it always has done ! I drove the boat at various speeds and noticed that when slowing down quickly, the rear of the boat tended to lift and the nose dived down - if it was then turned to the RIGHT at this same time it would then start to sub-marinate ! No change (either positive or negative) had been achieved by fitting the wedge. As the rain began to come down quite hard we decided to call it a day as some of the other “tweaks” that I had planned to try would be more comfortable done without having water running down my neck - but they include fitting a longer (deeper) rudder, more propeller testing, and running at higher revs with a smaller propeller and changing from my regular 2C LiPo to a 3C LiPo battery. As for the wedge……..well it may as well stay put as a curiosity and as part of the boats development history in its attempt to cure “The Sea Commander Dive”. I will improve the visual shape and finish it properly so that it looks better when the underside of the hull is re-finished. Bob.

6 hours ago by zooma

Place

Southport Model Boat Club

A Very Cold Blustery Morning At Southport Model Boat Club 19 October 2025 https://youtu.be/9B3iD9GeniY

6 hours ago by SouthportPat

Place

Southport Model Boat Club

7 years ago by Peter HS93

Response

Re: Aerokits Sea Commander. Strange Handling ?

Sorry, Bob, I missed that post. It will be interesting to see how my Sea Commander behaves, but there is a fair bit of work to do to it before it meets the water!

7 hours ago by Oxford-Dave

Forum

Question of the Day?

Lets face it... Nobody knows everything. You must get questions wrong occasionally!!

8 hours ago by RubaDub

Response

Re: Aerokits Sea Commander. Strange Handling ?

I'm with boatshead on this, coming from an i.c. modelling back background, I still expect a single prop to rotate anti-clockwise. I have a framed up Sea Commander in the loft, bought the kit in 2021, started it in 2023 and haven't touched it since. I hope to complete it next year (along with a dozen or more other projects!).

8 hours ago by Oxford-Dave

Response

Re: Aerokits Sea Commander. Strange Handling ?

Sorry Thomas, it was a typo (now corrected) - my prop turns to the left when running (anti-clockwise) so your fears about me fitting the wedge on the wrong side of the hull remain. I will be setting off to the lake shortly…… Bob.

10 hours ago by zooma

Response

Re: Aerokits Sea Commander. Strange Handling ?

Hi Stephen, The Sea Queen is the larger boat and from comments received to date it does NOT suffer from the same desire to dive when turning RIGHT into choppy water. Of these two, it is only the smaller SEA Commander has this unusual handling trait. Bob.

10 hours ago by zooma

Response

Re: Aerokits Sea Commander. Strange Handling ?

Hi Thomas, from what you say I have made a mistake - easily done in my case. I admit that I have had some problems coming to grips with torque and anti-torque and wound myself up completely - possibly in the wrong direction.🤣 When viewed from the rear, the prop turns to the left, and when the boat turns to the RIGHT the nose wants to dive. My simple logic was that the ramp (mounted on the right) should help to lift the nose when it dives when turning RIGHT…….but I could be so wrong…….. I have fitted the ramp now, so it would be a bit of a shame not to test my (possibly dubious) theory, so it will be run this way tomorrow morning. The result could well be that I have made the problem considerably worse, but either way, the effectiveness of the ramp of that size will be seen. Let’s hope I haven’t made the boats natural desire to sub-marinate even worse! Either way, we will enjoy the experience and learn from it ……..and the video could be hilarious 😎 Bob.

22 hours ago by zooma

Forum

what am I recent acquisition

That is good news Stephen. A lot of old military equipment has been restored over recent years (aircraft, tanks etc) and from what I can gather this need to preserve and restore some of our recent history continues. It would be good to see ML492 restored to the way she would have been in 1942. I suspect that if she were slightly older and had a war record she may have been saved already ! Bob.

10 hours ago by zooma

Forum

what am I recent acquisition

She has a curved deck plank and frame construction I think some sort of steam turbine boat any ideas any one

7 days ago by Stephen T

Response

Re: Aerokits Sea Commander. Strange Handling ?

Hi Zooma, I didn't realise that you was running your motor clock wise. I have always run anti clock wise as be fore I have always run IC engines. So when I fitted electric as I had the props from previous use I had run my motors the same way, anticlock wise. So you may have a good reaction with your wedge that you have fitted. 🚤🚤🚤🚤 Good luck, I look forward to your results. I hope you have got it right and I am wrong with the way I ran my motors. Regards BOATSHED. >> (Thomas) Happy boating.🚤🚤👍👍

10 hours ago by BOATSHED

Forum

what am I recent acquisition

I am told that there is work a foot to recover her for preservation as she floats with each tide all I suspect is not lost

11 hours ago by Stephen T

Response

Re: Aerokits Sea Commander. Strange Handling ?

ON my large Sea queen it hasn't these habits are we all getting con fused which boat is which as they look the same all by aerokits some clarification of these types is needed ive all ways been an advocate to have a to z of boat types and who made them it seems to me with all these knowledge and a great website it could be added a chap who owns a model train site has built one up in 16mm scale locomotives look at anything narrow gauge website

11 hours ago by Stephen T

Response

Re: Roof, pilot, lights

Hi CashRC, There is an image there that you may want to edit out. Easy to do. Cheers I like your action man, I needed a figure for my Baby Bootlegger and a friend had an old toy that he used to make a mould. Filled it with hot glue and painted it. Came up well.

14 hours ago by peterd

Blog

Roof, pilot, lights

So, last week I built up a simple pilots console for the Springers cabin. Did a little measuring, realized I’d need a figure about 4 inches tall at the maximum. I was a little limited as to what I could find fairly quickly, as I want to maiden her by the end of the month, so I checked out Amazon. Tons of zombie, robots, and the like, and a few Marvel and DC superheros, as well as some Star Wars. Found one to my liking..”he’s a motorhead, a nerd, an engineer, and the smartest guy you know…ladies and gentlemen, let’s welcome to the Springers cabin, Tony Stark!! Aka, Iron Man!!!” Tony Stark is one of my favorite characters from the Marvel films, and the figure was relatively inexpensive, so win-win!! So now she has a pilot, and needs a roof. I fabricated a roof from plasticard, and scored the sides and front to allow a little bevel. Once sanded and filled, I painted the roof to match the upper hull. I then decided that JP is right she needs lights for all the night runs we haven’t done yet. Plus, I need an interior light so Iron Man won’t be fumbling around in the dark and blow a hole thru the cabin..Y’know, safety and all that. I went thru my parts and found a fitting that looks like a modern side light with a slightly tinted lens, and used that as a cabin light fixture. All the lights are set up on one circuit. That’s where I stand now, the roof is not glued on yet as I have a couple more interior details to make up, then the roof will be tacked on at the corners to allow it to be removed if there’s a problem with the lights. I have a couple more weekends of work to do but she’s getting closer. Cash

15 hours ago by Cashrc

Blog

Another Springer tug!!

Hi y’all. Since Dickey has maidened I decided I wanted to do one more project before I attempt to overhaul my garage workshop. I’m thinking I’ll be down a month or more if I get done what I want to get done. In that vein, I’ve decided to attempt another Springer tug. Some years ago I built one before I really had ballasting down right..she ran okay, but I kept messing around with the ballast, epoxying it in, and when I tried to remove it to make changes I severely damaged the hull. So, I removed all equipment, fittings, etc and scrapped the hull. I’ve been wanting another go at it, so I ordered the Zippkits tugster, just the kit no hardware, and started to lick my calf over (old country phrase for a “do-over”)🤣 I built the hull proper per the instructions, and that’s where that ends. I’m using a 4mm shaft, the smaller Robbe/Krick Kort nozzle, and a home made stuffing box. She will be powered by my fave working boat motor, the Zippkits 650 kv outrunner fed by 2 6 cell nimh in parallel. My stuffing box is made up of a thick wall brass tube that accepts a Traxxas 4mm i.d flanged oilite bushing. The bushing is tapped in with a hammer, and I use an old 4mm shaft to make sure the bushings stay aligned as I install the other bushing. The 1mm thick wall allows me to drill a hole the same size as the brass I’m using for an oiling tube. I’ll grind down the fitted end just a bit to get a decent, thight mechanical joint. That way when I silver solder it in place it stays put and is a good strong joint. The reason I’m so picky is that I use a mini grease gun from Horizon Hobbies, I can old it in place and pump, and I get just a wee bit of grease showing at the bushing under pressure, that way I know darn well it’s full. I used part of the keel parts to fit the tube, cutting it shorter to allow me to swing the Kort nozzle hard over to make it easier to change props without removing the Kort nozzle, depending on the size of the prop. I cut an oversized slot for the tube as I use solid couplers, and with the motor fitted I could get everything lined up and tack the tube in place with ca, that way I have no binding. I don’t like using universal joint couplers unless I really have to. I get my couplers from Servo City, as they are steel, use larger socket screws, and don’t have any runout. Very solid. The kit uses a radio plate to to mount the servo, receiver and esc. I cut that down and built up a servo mount, and it’s installed on the same bulkhead shown in the manual, but I mounted it to the fwd side vs the aft as in the instructions. My deck opening is going to be different. I’m using Dubro pushrods, but good old Amazon was out of the ones with metal quick links, so I ordered the ones with nylon. I dug thru my junk box of hardware that I have been collecting since 95 or so, and I found gold!! A few Dubro and Sullivan threaded metal clevises, and some solder clevises too. I mounted the servo, made sure everything worked correctly, then uninstalled everything and gave the inside of the bow and transom and the bottom of the hull a coat of 30 minute epoxy. That’s where she’s at now. I’m thing I’ll spray the rest of the inside of the hull with clear lacquer ro finish waterproofing, then I have to make a decision. I dont know if I need to glass this thing, or maybe glass the bottom and the just seal and paint the heck out of the sides, or….I’ve also heard that some people just epoxy coat the outer ull with thinned epoxy, then prime and paint. She’s gonn be a working boat, used as an emergency push boat when needed, so she needs to last…if I can get her ballasted properly this time, that is…🤣🤣 Cash

2 months ago by Cashrc

Response

Re: Aerokits Sea Commander. Strange Handling ?

There could be an unintended benefit. When running ahead with neutral trim, the boat may, emphasis on may, drift to Stb’d due to the drag force created by the wedge. That would require some trim to port in order for the hull to track straight. The when turning to Stb’d the trim to port will reduce the rudder angle to Stb’d which may, again emphasis on may, reduce the diving.

18 hours ago by Chum444

Forum

what am I recent acquisition

A sad ending for the boat, but it must be good for you to know the full history of your project. Bob.

19 hours ago by zooma

Forum

what am I recent acquisition

Pride of Paignton was ML492 completed in 1942 as 41 ton type built in brightlingsea Essex sold 1945 sold to sea cadets and then converted to Pride of Paignton 1964 by 1994 no longer required and following accident was severely damage and on mud flat slowly rotting

20 hours ago by Stephen T

Response

Re: Aerokits Sea Commander. Strange Handling ?

At this stage I am happy that I didn’t spend too much time on painting the wedge…….🫣 Bob.

20 hours ago by zooma

Response

Re: And...... another Titanic

Beautiful navigation and beautiful model.

20 hours ago by AlessandroSPQR

Media

Only 2 days left

On the 20th of October, the Spencer pool will be drained for the winter skating season. I think it's a bit early, but no one listens to me.A couple of us set sail till next spring.The Gumbot Clogaroo ran real nice.

21 hours ago by GARTH

Response

Re: Aerokits Sea Commander. Strange Handling ?

Well Bob, look at it this way: you won’t learn when you’re any younger. 😊

21 hours ago by Chum444

Response

Re: And...... another Titanic

How long is this model? With that much model above the waterline, I can see why you wouldn’t want to sail it on a windy day! You’d need a couple tugs to maneuver her.

21 hours ago by Ronald

Response

Re: Aerokits Sea Commander. Strange Handling ?

Waiting in anticipation!! 😀😀 Hope the weather isn't too bad for the sail

21 hours ago by DuncanP

Directory

And...... another Titanic

Another Titanic This is the old Minicraft 1:350 kit, with three channel r/c, now about 30 years old (but re-equiped in the machinery spaces recently), manoeuvring on her props in the Solent sometime in the summer of 1913. Slo-mo (120fps) on an iPhone.

22 hours ago by Sir Kay

Response

Re: Re: Re: The Hood

Beautiful video, congratulations, Sir Kay. Of course, it's much harder to make the video realistic, because the proportion of the waves to the ship is obvious. In many of your photos, it's hard to tell that it's a model and not a real ship. I think you're one of the best at this. I've marked myself as your follower.

23 hours ago by AlessandroSPQR

Response

Re: Classic Model Power Boats

Maycraft Mercury - Two sizes? This original advert was seen online and it shows the boat. Digging around looking for images of a Mercury also found those that are shown alongside it. A previous article about a Mercury kit that was for sale at the time is also included as it shows what the box would have looked like when it was possible to buy a new kit. At 30 “ long it would be just a little smaller than the SEA Commander, but the advertisement states that it is 40” long ! Maybe there were TWO sizes….or maybe the box has a typo on it ? The boat that I saw in the “antique” shop was bigger than my SEA Commander, so I think it was the 40” size. Bob.

24 hours ago by zooma

Directory

The Hood

This is the Trumpeter 1:350th Hood, made to match the Prince of Wales with three channel RC with fully independent control of the port and starboard props, as for the PoW. Sails (and maneuvers) beautifully.

3 years ago by Sir Kay

Response

Re: Re: The Hood

Kind comments Alessandro, thank you. I do have some video of the Hood under way, but rather poor quality unfortunately. Its all slo-mo at 120 fps on my iPhone, of course. Seems to be closest to "the real thing"? Here's probably the best, of the Hood heading out into the 10 to 15' Atlantic swell some time in 1940.

24 hours ago by Sir Kay

Response

Re: Aerokits Sea Commander. Strange Handling ?

The wedge doesn’t look so bulky when viewed from the side. Once it is sanded down properly and painted it may not look too bad at all. Let’s hope it works ! Bob.

4 days ago by zooma

Response

Re: Aerokits Sea Commander. Strange Handling ?

Hi Zoom, I have not been on your page for a few days. I have just seen that you have fitted the wedge on the sratboard side of the boat. Ifnthe post side is diving then surely it would be fitted on that side of the boat. I have coppied and pasted the paragraph from my pevious post for you again that I was tols to fit it. I would be curious first to see how she reacts to how you have fiitted it when you run it if you go out this weekend. The paragraph is below. Happy boating this weekend and I look forard to your new video in hope for you🚤🚤🚤. Good luck.🚤🚤 PS, I am NOT picking fault or judging you, just suggesting.👍 He said to me a good Idea would be when he saw it was to remove all the forward part of the rudder, it was a bit deeper than the prop. and to also add a small wooded wedge glued on the under side of the port side of the hull, This acted as a type of fitted trim tab so to speak. It was only about 2.5" long, 3/4" wide and 1/2" deep at the end part of the wedge. Similar to a door stop? if you get my meaning.

1 day ago by BOATSHED

Response

Re: The stern skin and false keel.

👍

1 day ago by Jay