Blog

H.M.S Bulldog

Hi After sorting out the s I fitted the rear deck, I then moved on and fitted the for-deck, now we all know about saying measure and measure again then cut, well I did just that and yes I had made the cutout in the for-deck too small by 1/2 an inch in length, I only found this out when I started to make the for-deck housing. I had to do the for-deck housing so the I could work out just were to fit the smoke stack housing as I have no plans for this boat, so all measurement's are taken from all the old deck's and deck housings. All the best👍 Fred

5 years ago by Fred

Blog

Krick Police Launch

I have just started to build the Police Launch that I have had for a while. Work commitments have left me with little time lately but hopefully I can get a good run on this one for a while. I hope to finish it by late July which just leaves me enough time to send it to Hungary so that I can test it. The kit is said to be good for a beginner. This would be good as many years ago I built a Patrol Torpedo Boat which took me five years. I am currently restoring this one as well but I think that will take most of this year to complete.😁 I have started by buying the speed controller. The motor is a 400 brushed. Probably not going to be too difficult to keep up with this one. The kit itself is not too bad considering the price, but I do feel that the ABS vacuum formed hull could be of a slightly better quality. Also I am finding the ply wood to be rather brittle. Does anybody have an idea for a good filler to use to fill the chips which will take to acrylic paint. I have prepared the hull and added the propeller shaft and holes. Care taken here to avoid splits in the plastic. Cellotape on both sides before drilling helps.🤓 I have assembled the internal parts which hold the motor, battery and and also fitted the prop shaft.😲 I will start on the deck and superstructure next. An additional note about the kit. The instructions are reasonable but they are in black and white which is not helpful considering they are photograph based with text. I found a PDF on the web which is in full colour. Why don`t Krick supply this. Surely not that expensive.🤔

5 years ago by MouldBuilder

Blog

Speedline 1/48th scale Huntsman

Have started to build. Like all good builders I started with the stand. this comes with the model and Is laser cut from perspex. not easy to photograph!!! The hull has been trimmed and the chine strips and spray rails have been added. Also the slot for the prop shaft and the hole for the post have been drilled. The final photo Is just to give some scale to the model. The unfinished project In the background Is my Sea Breeze. Cant wait to get to the electrics, I think I'll need a microscope!!!!

9 years ago by jeremy

Blog

Command Boat 90

Scratch built at 12th scale from pictures and profiles of the internet. The boat was originally built in Sweden a class of fast military assault craft originally developed for the Swedish Navy by Dockstavarvet Speed: 40 knots (74 km/h) Draught: 0.8 m (2 ft 7 in) Length: 15.9 m (52 ft) Overall; 14.9 (48') Complement: 3 (two officers and one engineer); Up to 21 amphibious troops with full equipment Armament: 3 × Browning M2HB machine guns; 1 × Mk 19 grenade launcher; 4 naval mines or 6 depth charges . The Model I was attracted to this boat due to its great performance and maneuverability, this was mainly due to the use of twin water jets as the main propulsion, this is a trade off with efficiency. So my start point was to collect as much information as possible about the boat this involved collecting pictures and profiles of the craft from various sources. http://www.dockstavarvet.se/products/combat-and-patrol-boats/combat-boat-90-h/specification/ Eventually I found some plans of sort :- http://laurell.today/boats/combat/plans.html My Dad was a boat builder in the days of wooden yachts, and had showed me how to make plans and frames from a line drawing. I went about this first by creating a prototype about 24 in long out of light ply. I then created full size plans of the model to be made. Pictures of small prototype finally painted plain green. The Main model Used my computer to print out the frames onto paper, cut them out and used them as templates for the ply ribs. The construction was simple chine style, with 1.5 mm ply. I tried to build jet drives but failed to produce a effective unit. So reverted to propshafts which worked out well with better control and the boat can spin on it own axis by putting one engine in reverse the other in forward and adjusting the twin s. That it for now, hope it was of some interest

6 years ago by CB90

Blog

Oceanic refit

Well here goes the first steps of Oceanic's refit. She is around 40 years old, ABS hull with a wood / ply superstructure with transfers for the topsides detail!! There are a couple of motors, unidentified make, a pair of 2mm shafts with a couple of plastic three bladed props and a singe barn door . So far research has thrown up that the original ship is still active. Photos and articles tell me she runs 4 bladed Variable Pitch Props in Fixed Korts with three s. One on each Kort and one midships, which could be a Becker Flap Type! As i have no details of the model a tank test has been expedited to estimate the load she will carry. Five cans of beans and the Superstructure and she is not far off. So I have around 2 kg to play with. Sounds a lot, but still need to keep the imagination in check, if nothing else to spare the wallet any undue pain!! First stab at a build list is attached as a starter for ten for my Christmas Wish List Plus i am thinking of adding a 3d printer as this baby is 1:87 so bits will be harder to find, so best start making a few myself!! More as I progress guys. Ian

4 years ago by ikseno99

Response

Re: Acrylic s, Oh My!

Thanks Rooky, Slowly, Slowly I'm getting there! The Acrylic s are to me a bad design! Who know how long they'll last! Soon, I will be ordering the brass ones! Cheers, Ed

4 years ago by figtree7nts

Blog

Update: Kort Nozzles

OK, the folks at Billing Boats. Are sending me the Kort Nozzles! Or at least that's what I think! They did ask me for my address! So, they should arrive in a few weeks! So, it'll be a few weeks before I recieve them! In the mean time I had ordered some glues. From Cornwall Model Boats! Which I'm still waiting for! And there's other supplies I had ordered as well. So, for now what I'm going to concentrate. On is her drawing and plans! Also figure out how I'm going to RC her! And the electrical part of the boat! In the morning I'm going to post. The contents of the Smit Nederland! In pictures..... As I've been told folks may find that informational! The only weak part of the model. That I can see are the s. Which are now made of acrylic plastic! They use to be made of brass! This assemblie should be done with care! As this area come under a lot of stress! Taking ones time in assembling. The would prove wise!

4 years ago by figtree7nts

Response

Re: Email Sent!

Hi Admiral Ed, I have just looked at the spec's for the kit and it definitely says that should be in the kit. Product Description 1:33 Smit Nederland The Smit Nederland was built in 1979 at the BV Scheepswerft & Machinefebriek De Merwede in Hardinzveld, Holland. Top speed is 12 knots with 2 Diesel engines that yield 1800 HP. A special detail of this ship is the propellors, which are equipped with reversable blades in jet streams, and two basin s which ensure good manoeuvrability. Kit includes plastic hull, laser cut wooden strips, stern tube with shaft, , kort nozzle, fittings set, plan and manual. Specifications: Height:519mm Length: 870mm Width: 270mm Scale: 1/33 Laser cut ABS Hull Martin555.

4 years ago by Martin555

Blog

More done

Real quick update. I built up the stuffing tube and post. Both are made from 6mm brass tube in which you install flanged 6x3 mm bushings. They’re a tight fit, but I soldered themin just in case. I installed the post tube into the hull, followed by the ply bushings that are glued in place over the tube and against the hull, then slathered epoxy over the joint. I also started test fitting some of the motor mount parts to get an idea how this will all fit. Hopefully I’ll get more done this weekend, once the power system is in, I can concentrate on finishing up the upper superstructure, then, it’s time to paint and detail. Thinking about either airbrushing her or Tamiya rattle can. The Tamiya paints aren’t cheap, but they cover well and dry fast.

4 years ago by Cashrc

Blog

36'' Thames River Police Launch by Robbob

After the successful build of the ‘Vintage Model Works’ RAF Crash Rescue Tender I was asked by Mike Cummings of VMW if I would undertake to build a prototype of their new model with the aim of checking the construction method and the assembly instructions for accuracy before the kit is put into production. The model is a ‘Thames River Police Launch’ and is based on the original design by Phil Smith for the Veron company, this was a very popular model kit in the late 50’s and 60’s and sold for the princely sum of 43 shillings and tuppence, approximately £2.15 in today’s money but an equivalent cost of £48.50 in 1960. This design has been updated to accommodate electric propulsion and radio control by Colin Smith, the son of the original designer and it has been re-scaled to be 36” in length where the original was 24” which gives much more scope for detailing and provides more ‘hiding room’ for the drive, control systems and all the associated wiring. The kit produced by VMW uses the same construction techniques as the original and the materials are a combination of balsa and plywood both of which a laser and CNC cut for precision. The ply and balsa materials supplied are of very high quality as one would expect from VMW and all the stripwood for the chines, rubbing strakes and deck detailing is included, even the dowel required for the mast is in the box, very comprehensive! The kit also includes white metal fittings such as the fairleads and stanchions, and the searchlight and horns. The glazing for the windows comes in the kit too. The instruction sheet supplied is in need of revision as it is largely taken directly from the original as written by Phil Smith and some of the terminology needs updating, for instance the ply bottom and side skins are referred to as ‘strakes’ but I understand that a re-write of the instructions is in hand along with an updated plan showing the best positioning for the motor, prop-shaft, battery, ESC, receiver, and servo. During construction I have added a few additional pieces of ply or balsa as reinforcement or supports and substituted some balsa parts for ply where I thought a stronger material would be better. I also added some hatches to give access to the wiring at the bow and the & servo at the stern but largely I have not gone ‘off plan’ to any extent. The pictures show the model in it’s present state (Nov 2018) and is ready for painting and finishing.

5 years ago by robbob

Forum

Help identifying

Can anyone help me identify this boat. Bought it in 2nd hand shop has and prop shaft fitted.

5 years ago by juskiddin

Forum

Dual ESC & Mixer

I have 2 of the Action-Electronics P94’s and they work great, a neat package containing 2 20amp ESC’s and a mixer, problem is there so erratic in their availability, anyone aware of an alternative? I’ve used separate ESC’s and a forge electronics mixer, works but not as neat...

4 years ago by Shopper

Response

Re: Fitting shafts and motors

All's well .... 👍 After I bought my Dual Quicrun I found the Action Electronics Dual ESC with mixer AND output for a 3rd (centre) motor 😠 Natch more expensive but ideal for MTBs / PTBs! Have fun Pete, Cheers, Doug😎

4 years ago by RNinMunich

Forum

Fairmile c class maiden voyage

hi there Chewi having read through your postings and watching your video - I am not sure if you have the ACTion P94 set up correctly. You should be able to spin that model round on the spot as the P94 contains a motor mixer built into it. However, be warned, the P94 doesnt like certain 2.4 transmitter sets. Basically, you have to set your transmitter back to zero manufacture settings with no mixing at all on your transmitter to get it working - and - its all done in the ESC - I have built several triple screw vessels myself - the RAF63and the MTBs and basically what I used to do there is use the old Electronize speed controllers from the 90s which dont have the pre-programmed chips in them so that I could switch the signal on and off to the speed controller, thus allowing me to control the centre prop by switching the signal off and on. So, when I wanted speed I ran on all 3 props but when I wanted to manouvre I switched the centre prop off and allowed the 2 outboard motors to spin the vessel with the s, using mixers. In this particular model - I would ditch the gelcel battery and go for a Ni-MH battery and the 9.6 volt 500 mAh - 3 of these batteries one for each motor should give you ample run time. John

4 years ago by JOHN

Forum

Hints and Tips.

Mate, too many years in salt water . Tips? the secret? I really paint all my wood models so thoroughly and make internal wood coamings inside of the superstructures and actually hose down first thing at home with a soft hose stream to wash off salt. Most of my hulls and decks when the model is finished have been "painted" local hardware paint or sprayed with fibreglass resin thinned down about 50% or so on paint varnished wood ( even polyurethane 50% thinned ) of which BOTH are so clear and some models over 30/35 ( i/c and steam ) years are still impervious to attack and a bit bullet proof and every so often I do a clean down with say a household (any brand will do) kitchen bench type of cleaner, supermarket spray mist cleaner , you know the ones that smell so fresh and clean that they kill ONLY 99% of all germs and baddies ( what a crock ) and I then take the model/ bits onto the grass still smelling so fresh (UGH) and gently wash away the germs and baddies and just sun dry for a bit and put back in the shed for another day. I am so petty, I also save up the dry cleaning flimsy plastic sheets and cut the sides so I have a long sheet to drape over each model till the next run the sawdust of other shed jobs does NOT get on the model. I fold the sheets off with the dust side to the inner fold , hoping I do not forget which side is which ( I think I am getting OLDER )before I check out the model (radio test, fuel ok , just lightly SINGER oil carburettor shaft , post prop shaft bits , check the glow plug works, inline fuel filter is clean , AND AND leave my engine settings alone year after year AND try to exactly mix the same fuel blend over and over by careful measure but you can slop a tad more oil in as *Oil is CHEAPER than steel , if a bit rich then one click on the needle yet my mates rib me as I leave it *ALONE ). I always check, ALWAYS on the day BEFORE next days run and avoid things that go wrong at the pond side , ( you know the guy who glitches and bleats it was going so well last time ) as I am in OPEN waters I do not chance fails. Regards and good boating Lyle from Oz.

4 years ago by Lyle

Response

Re: HMS Cottesmore in 1/48 scale.

Excellent work Martin👍 Very service friendly (Once again proving the old adage- 'If you fail to plan then you plan to fail'!) and excellent detailing. I have made some wt doors for my HMS Hotspur in very similar fashion. Do you use a mixer with the twin ESCs or rely on the bow thruster? You're getting the hang of Blogging pretty quickly I see. Nice style. Keep it up. Cheers, Doug 😎

5 years ago by RNinMunich

Forum

Noodle Jet Boat

Looks good, you may need a if you have problems turning! I had a similar boat which was fine in straight lines 😁

5 years ago by John2

Response

Re: PT 109

Hi Doug and thank you for you comments. I have two props with 2 x brushless 12v motors although I have also fitted a 'false prop' in the center as this would of been on the original. Only having tried her out in the bath I did push the revs up a bit (whilst holding the bow) and the power was fantastic, the amount of splash back went up the wall. I have fitted 3 x s each about 50 mm in depth. Now working on lighting as well. I purchased a small electric search light which I have mounted on a pole for fitting, also the port and starboard lights will be working as well.

5 years ago by DELVEIN

Directory

(Life Boat) Taymar

Model Slipway Taymar Lifeboat and just completed the glassfibre hull, deck and installing motors, bow thruster and servo (Motor: Graupner 600 x2) (10/10). The deck was a bad fit into the hull and a battle to fix but with hour long epoxy and lots of sellotape pulling the hull against the deck I got there in the end

5 years ago by Brianaro

Forum

Model Slipway Tug AZIZ

Further to the previously mentioned craft, the Model Slipway Tug/supply vessel 'Aziz' is also for sale. 1:50 scale, and measuring just over 110 cms. Again, constructed to the highest of standards, and with excellent detail, the craft has been used only sparingly. As with the other boats, the radio/electrical gear needs attention, as it is only presently fitted with the two motors and the servo. This is a very impressive looking vessel, and I will give serious consideration to any offers that may be forthcoming. Many thanks, Dave

5 years ago by Davecounty

Response

Servo Mount

Accidently deleted posts - Response by JOHN on the 6th Mar 2019 Modify ✓ Like This Post ( 3 ) hi there With regard the servo linkages - I was advised that it is always best to use the 'push/pull method' of linkage - as this has two strong points in its favour. The first problem it alleviates is - sometimes if on a single connection between and servo and it is not set up quite right - a servo movement can force the tiller arm to come back on itself under certain circumstances - i.e. when the distance from the centre of the servo to the outer hole on the servo arm isn't equal to the centre of the post - to the centre of the linkage arm on the . The second problem - you can get an odd strain on the gearing in the servo, because on some models there is a fair bit of force on the blade - whilst the model is in motion & turning to port or starboard. The way to think of this, you are riding a pushbike and holding the handlebars with one hand and you are trying to turn a sharp corner - think of how much strain and effort you have to put in. Now, if you have a double linkage to either side of the tiller arm from your servo - that strain now is balanced and is evening out the strain in the servo. Admittedly, this problem where you wear the servo out only happens on very rare occasions - but - as the old saying goes 'belts and braces/better be safe than sorry'. John Response by RNinMunich on the 6th Mar 2019 Modify ✓ Like This Post ( 1 ) In the wrong post but sensible stuff John.👍 Hadn't considered it before but it certainly makes sense to me that a dual linkage will help cancel the backlash from the . And hence stop the servo motor having to fight it. That would reduce potential 'hunting' of the servo and also take the strain off the gearing. Probably not a noticeable problem for short term commands or in small, light models. But could be in the heavyweights with big s I suppose. like Mike said (sort of); makes yer think!! More power to yer servos Gents. Cheers, Doug 😎 PS Dual linkage not possible in some situations, see pic of cramped space in my Sea Scout. Had to lay the servo on it's side.😲

5 years ago by mturpin013

Response

Servo Mount

Two reasons for a double linkage, firstly with a single linkage the pressure exerted on the servo from the during a L/H turn will put the linkage in tension, and when doing a R/H turn then the linkage will be in compression. is it possible this could have an effect on the electronic mechanism in the servo, not that I have any expertise in this area, however with two linkages this is equalled out. Secondly, and the main reason, is that it may not be necessary, it may be overkill, but I like symmetry, and the servo arm has two arms maybe for a reason? At the end of the day its personal preference and it’s good to foster debate and you may find a lot of the parts I make may not be necessary to most people but I enjoy engineering, wait while you see the mast!

5 years ago by mturpin013

Response

Brave Borderer

Canabus, Hope this helps, Rowen Using the FS-I6X instruction Manual, dated 8/10/2018. This Tx allows infinite experimenting with the various control functions and ultimately reverting to factory settings if dissatisfied with results. After several attempts at setting the ELEVON function (V-TAIL could be similar, but the Tx channels would be different), decided this works best for me. it puts both brushless ESCs on the RH control lever. Moving it up operates both screws in the forward direction and down into reverse. Going from side to side speeds up or slows down the motors, so the boat goes in the direction the lever dictates. This was accomplished by: 1) Page 14/57 Establish the Tx Stick mode, mine was # 2. 2) Considering ELEVON, need to determine which layout allows the Aileron and Elevator controls to be operated by same lever. 3) Use Elevator for throttle (fwd & astern) and Aileron to “turn”. The Aileron will accelerate the motor on the outside of a turn. 4) Plug Port & Starboard motor ESCs into channels 1 & 2 respectively. 5) Refer to Para 5.10 and set Elevon mode on Tx. 6) Use channel 4 (LH lever side to side) for and Channel 3 (LH lever up / down) for any other function needing proportional control. I am using it for the centre brushed motor. This means that my control levers, which had previously had throttle on the LH lever and on the right are now totally changed. There is also an article in the March edition of Model Boats that explains the concept.

5 years ago by Rowen

Response

Servo Mount

Just moved these two posts that were posted further down my blog by mistake as they are significant to the discussion and bring back the subject as I think its important as I would like to know if any others have a view. the photo is Johns Response by JOHN on the 6th Mar 2019 Modify ✓ Like This Post ( 2 ) hi there With regard the servo linkages - I was advised that it is always best to use the 'push/pull method' of linkage - as this has two strong points in its favour. The first problem it alleviates is - sometimes if on a single connection between and servo and it is not set up quite right - a servo movement can force the tiller arm to come back on itself under certain circumstances - i.e. when the distance from the centre of the servo to the outer hole on the servo arm isn't equal to the centre of the post - to the centre of the linkage arm on the . The second problem - you can get an odd strain on the gearing in the servo, because on some models there is a fair bit of force on the blade - whilst the model is in motion & turning to port or starboard. The way to think of this, you are riding a pushbike and holding the handlebars with one hand and you are trying to turn a sharp corner - think of how much strain and effort you have to put in. Now, if you have a double linkage to either side of the tiller arm from your servo - that strain now is balanced and is evening out the strain in the servo. Admittedly, this problem where you wear the servo out only happens on very rare occasions - but - as the old saying goes 'belts and braces/better be safe than sorry'. John Response by RNinMunich on the 6th Mar 2019 Modify ✓ Like This Post ( 1 ) In the wrong post but sensible stuff John.👍 Hadn't considered it before but it certainly makes sense to me that a dual linkage will help cancel the backlash from the . And hence stop the servo motor having to fight it. That would reduce potential 'hunting' of the servo and also take the strain off the gearing. Probably not a noticeable problem for short term commands or in small, light models. But could be in the heavyweights with big s I suppose. like Mike said (sort of); makes yer think!! More power to yer servos Gents. Cheers, Doug 😎 PS Dual linkage not possible in some situations, see pic of cramped space in my Sea Scout. Had to lay the servo on it's side.😲

5 years ago by mturpin013

Response

Search light

In the wrong post but sensible stuff John.👍 Hadn't considered it before but it certainly makes sense to me that a dual linkage will help cancel the backlash from the . And hence stop the servo motor having to fight it. That would reduce potential 'hunting' of the servo and also take the strain off the gearing. Probably not a noticeable problem for short term commands or in small, light models. But could be in the heavyweights with big s I suppose. like Mike said (sort of); makes yer think!! More power to yer servos Gents. Cheers, Doug 😎 PS Dual linkage not possible in some situations, see pic of cramped space in my Sea Scout. Had to lay the servo on it's side.😲

5 years ago by RNinMunich

Response

Servo Mount

Two reasons for a double linkage, firstly with a single linkage the pressure exerted on the servo from the during a L/H turn will put the linkage in tension, and when doing a R/H turn then the linkage will be in compression. is it possible this could have an effect on the electronic mechanism in the servo?, not that I have any expertise in this area, however with two linkages this is equalled out. Secondly, and the main reason, is that it may not be necessary, it may be overkill, but I like symmetry, and the servo arm has two arms maybe for a reason? At the end of the day it's personal preference and it’s good to foster debate and you may find a lot of the parts I make may not be necessary to most people but I enjoy engineering, wait while you see the mast!

5 years ago by mturpin013

Response

Search light

hi there With regard the servo linkages - I was advised that it is always best to use the 'push/pull method' of linkage - as this has two strong points in its favour. The first problem it alleviates is - sometimes if on a single connection between and servo and it is not set up quite right - a servo movement can force the tiller arm to come back on itself under certain circumstances - i.e. when the distance from the centre of the servo to the outer hole on the servo arm isn't equal to the centre of the post - to the centre of the linkage arm on the . The second problem - you can get an odd strain on the gearing in the servo, because on some models there is a fair bit of force on the blade - whilst the model is in motion & turning to port or starboard. The way to think of this, you are riding a pushbike and holding the handlebars with one hand and you are trying to turn a sharp corner - think of how much strain and effort you have to put in. Now, if you have a double linkage to either side of the tiller arm from your servo - that strain now is balanced and is evening out the strain in the servo. Admittedly, this problem where you wear the servo out only happens on very rare occasions - but - as the old saying goes 'belts and braces/better be safe than sorry'. John

5 years ago by JOHN

Forum

Turnigy Standard 9x transmitter

Hi, As I see, there is a problem. The basic question is - what you need to control, and the other - whether this type of RC kit will allow this. Especially .. this type is mainly designed for aircraft control. You need to choose compromises to control the ship model. This type does not allow simple switching of functions - only by means of another switching module, or by means of end switches on the modified servo. in the base allows only proportional control of servos or ESC. There are RC sets, that have switching functions, such as Graupner - e.g. Graupner mc-20 12-Channel HoTT but these are far more expensive... The basic wiring is the 3rd throttle for engine control (ESC), channel 4 for control of the . there is a possibility to use channels 1 and 2 for switching the added end switches but it is not possible to switch them permanently (perhaps with the help of the added relay)-. channel 5 can be used - setting> AUX> GYR> PIT TRIM - (rotary potentiometer control.) similarly channel # 7. AUX settings> HOV THRO Channel No 8 - AUX Settings> HOV PIT Operate again using rotary potentiometers - see function descriptions. These channels again allow only proportional control. Switching can be done (maybe) using channel # 6 settings >AUX>FLP> Gear ON/OFF (I did not try this) It is good to get familiar with the setting of the individual elements and check this on the display for the test (without the connection of the receiver !!) before you all plug in the model. I hope it helped you a little bit.. Tom

5 years ago by tomarack

Response

Servo Mount

The aluminium servo mount is similar to what I have used, but the quality here is a step above excellent. 👍 I use aluminium angle sections as well, so they can be made into a Z section depending on the application. I use 2mm to 3mm diameter bolts and drill and tap into the sections to secure the servos. This method can be used on any size of servo as they come in various sizes. I have also noticed that some modellers put two linkages on servos. if both linkages worked in tension only (ie both pulling), then this is necessary, but if the linkage is a rod that works in both tension (pulling) and compression (pushing) then there should be no need for duplication. None of my models have this arrangement.

5 years ago by reilly4

Forum

Aziz, Westerriff, Assurance Envoy for sale

Thank you for your kind comments, and yes, all of the ships have been built to a very fine standard. With the Aziz already fitted with two motors and servo, there is little to do in order to set sail. They have all sailed previously, and I think that some of the RC components may have been transferred from one to the other, dependant upon the flavour of the month at the time. I can't sing the praises of these craft enough, they are impressive in every respect. They aren't in the way yet, but I am fearful that constant working around them could result in damage, so they sooner they sail off into the distance, the better. :-) Don't be afraid to make an offer, I do need to sell them all. Many thanks, Dave ( the site will also benefit from a sale, as a suitable donation will be made ).

5 years ago by Davecounty

Response

Fairey Hunsman renovation part 6

I'm following your Blog with interest as I'm currently building a Huntsman 31 from a kit bought from SLEC. I'm building the hull from ply and getting the curves right on the hull skins is proving challenging. Mine has only a single motor and . Good luck with the renovation work👍

5 years ago by StuartE

Blog

Auxiliary motor, servo, bowsprit bitts

Back to posting again....I decided to added an auxiliary motor since I had several laying around and it will come in handy when I am tweaking the sailing setup in case I get stuck in the middle of the pond. Made a stuffing tube just like I did on my rescue tug build. Made a shaft from some 3/16" steel rod, threaded it and polished it up, works great. Photo of the aft section shows continued hull framing and upside down mount of the servo. I will enclose the servo with the small pilot house as is typical on the barge. This will make maintenance and adjustment access easy. Yes, the build is wandering away from the true "Pearl" which I used the hull plans from. it will maintain the same sail plan, but I will modify some items for ease of RC use. Bowsprit will be retractable, bitts are shown in progress. The bowsprit will be made from a carbon fiber "arrow shaft". Mast will be wood and I am shaping out of maple that I have. Staring to plank the hull as well. More to come shortly, Joe

5 years ago by Joe727

Media

Fairmount Alpine

Hello ! Som more Pictures of my Fairmount Alpine , A little bit forward on the deck propshaft and is mounted the towing winch is mounted and working more pictures is comming // Have a nice weekend all boat builders 👍

5 years ago by jugge

Forum

RC circuit

Since your going to replace your Tx and Rx consider a computer radio like the taranis. Each of your servos can be on its own dedicated channel as can the ESC for each motor. Using the built in mixing functions you can "tune" the setup so as to get the effects your looking for plus you can do things like both s moving in opposite directions to give a brake effect. Setting up the mixing looks difficult but once your into it, it follows a logic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yq_H9vzCz8g&t=21s

5 years ago by Haverlock

Forum

RC circuit

Am considering changing my Dumas pushboat San Pedro from single motor control to twin control to improve manueverability. I also plan on installing flanking s at the same time. I am going for a 6 channel transceiver setup. Have not been able to find any diagrams for what is needed or wiring involved. Any assistance would be gratefully appreciated!

5 years ago by Mariner85

Forum

Robbe Westerriff lotse pilot vessel

This boat is understood to be a Robbe 1:25 kit, constructed to a very high standard, and is the pilot vessel Westerriff. The craft is finished to the most exacting of standards and, whilst fitted with a motor, bow thruster and lots of wiring, will need additions and finishing to perform, with, battery, radio gear etc required. ( I also note there is no servo for the ). It has sailed previously, and is provided with many attractive features, including operating water cannon, rotating radar, operating mast lights ( numerous ). The length is 106 cms, or a tad under 42 inches in old money.( The craft is supplied without the stand that is shown in the images. I am presently looking for a suitable stand, so if there is one out there to be had, please do let me ( or the new purchaser ) know. If further info or images is/are required, please do let me know. Again, I am looking for a reasonable and realistic offer for the boat, and all offers will be considered. The craft is presently moored alongside the previously mentioned Assurance class armed tug in South Manchester. ( also, the least I can do is to ensure that a suitable donation is made to the site following the sale of any of the craft that I am offering for sale ).

5 years ago by Davecounty

Forum

RC circuit

looking at flanking s you will need another servo working these and this can be either with a another channel or a Y connector working all servos have a look at "Google" how flanking s work hope this helps

5 years ago by jacko

Forum

Slightly confused newbie

Whilst I am not new to boat modelling, I am new to r/c and I’m confused about an issue I have. You can see the setup in the images. Everything works fine, and testing the boat on the pond; I was very pleased how she ran. The issue is this: if I set the trim switch (bottom right on transmitter image) to reverse, the works normally. If I set it to Normal, it is reversed. If I set the throttle trim switch to normal, the throttle is reversed, and if I switch it reverse, the motor runs a full throttle, with the joystick in the neutral position! All the other trim controls are in the neutral position, as in the image. I have double checked all the wiring, and would really appreciate some help on what I am doing wrong.

5 years ago by J Barry

Forum

Being Sociable.

I have two steam boats, an Alexandra and a Tug which was destined for the bin, until my friend suggested that he may know someone who wanted it. I refurbished the boat and the steam plant went to Clevedon Steam who stripped it, reset the burner etc and added a few new bits, glass water gauge etc. The is controlled by an electric motor, NOT a servo, so you have to return the motor to central after a manouevre, so you have to think well ahead of where you are, and where you want to be!!

5 years ago by CaptainFlack

Blog

Emily P III

This is another scratch build fishing boat. The hull is a models by design Cygnus GM33. 16th scale. This one will be a pure trawler. I am going for an aft wheelhouse this time! The prop shaft and have been purchased but all other running gear will be shared with Emily P III.

6 years ago by GrahamP74

Forum

Time to let go !

For some time now, I've been addicted to purchasing beautiful things, particularly well made things, without much thought for my family, my job, or where the heck I'm going to put them ! On one such escapade I helped out with disposing of a small flotilla of very well made boats, with the intention of keeping one, and having made my decision on which one to keep, the rest must now sail away ! I must admit that I'm a sucker for 'plug N play' the easy way out possibly, but I really don't yet have the time to build a kit myself, which is my aim for the future . Ho Hum. Anyway, enough about me, what about the boats ? I hear. Well, the first is a very well constructed Model Slipway 1:43 scale Assurance Class WW2 armed tug. The model has sailed previously, but is presently only fitted with a motor, servo and various wiring. It will of course need finishing in this respect. The build quality is excellent, and is as it should be, except for a little attention required to the rigging, as visible in the images. Also, the white I.D. decals are slightly flaking, on the port side ( now I am being picky, but that's about the extent of 'things to do'). I guess the initiated will know the spec. but if any further info is required, please do ask. I am open to very sensible offers for this, and the other boats that I will be releasing. I purchased a collection, to save them from a commercial brokerage, and to retain one for my own use, which is now the case. Please do ask any questions, or let me know if you need further images of any aspect of the craft. Of course, I will not post, and it will be advisable for a prospective buyer to view first. The boat is presently moored in South Manchester, with easy access from the motorway network. Best regards.

5 years ago by Davecounty

Blog

PS Enterprise

The Top deck is now complete. The hull is partially painted and the construction of the superstructure has begun and the is now attached

5 years ago by rcmodelboats

Forum

Slightly confused newbie

Hi John, regarding the , the 'Normal' and 'Reversed' designations are purely arbitrary. If you put a servo arm in one position on the servo, then remove it and place it at 180 degrees to the original position, the servo is reversed with respect to the original position. Try it with a spare servo and servo arm. The Normal/Reverse options on the transmitter are only there to allow for variations in servo to servo arm location variations. The 'Normal' designation is somewhat misleading. As far as the ESC goes, that is sorted by programming the ESC. That's my 2.7p worth. (5 cents Australian) Cheers, Terry

5 years ago by terrymiff

Blog

Painting

I must admit that the painting process is not my favourite. it takes so long and time is always at a premium due to work commitments. I rush it a bit so that the build can continue. I fitted all of the windows into the deck structure and covered them with the low tack film. I then primed, two coats, painted, two coats followed by two coats of lacquer. I am quite pleased with the results even though it is not perfect. I decided not to fit the deck until all of the electronics, including the ESC, battery and receiver had been installed. This is because one of the big problems with this model is the lack of room to work in once the deck is in place. Another problem I encountered was the fitting of the tiller cranks onto the s. if the instructions are followed, it is almost impossible the adjust or remove them once the deck has been fitted. I solved the problem by reversing the cranks and bending the connecting wire to miss a bulkhead support. The screws can now be reached from the deck opening. I have now completed the majority of the painting and have started to assemble the remaining parts. Currently I am doing the wiring of the lighting and making a couple of circuit boards. There are a lot of wires involved so to reduce the amount I have decided to us e a common negative. (Cannot remember what this is called right now). There are still a lot of wires and they are mostly coming out from the cabin structure. I have decided to introduce some nine pin connectors to make cabin removal a lot easier. This is quite a big job and will take a little while. I really enjoy this bit. The results add that little bit of extra satisfaction when it all works as it should.🤓 The top search light assembly came as a bit of a surprise. it is manufactured from nickel silver plate and requires soldering together. Even though I am a precision engineer, I have not soldered a box since I was at school. Once I stopped burning my fingers with the heat, I quite enjoyed the assembly even though it would have been useful to have an extra hand and took the best part of today to complete.😤 I can honestly say that I have enjoyed most of this build and even though earlier on I was thinking to avoid Aero-naut models in the future, I have changed my mind. They are very cleverly designed. I expect to complete this model some time in March. That would be the first for me to complete in recent times even though I have two others on the go and one new one in its box ready for a Summer start.😊

5 years ago by MouldBuilder

Forum

Mtronics W-tail marine mixer connections.

I have just spent a couple of mins downloading and reading through the manual for your transmitter, Colin and I see you have limited mixing similar to the old Futaba 6A models. if it were me (going back to your original question) I would use this transmitter with a new receiver and fit these into your model and use tank steering as in the 4th diagram on that little image I put on of the electrical layouts. Very simple and straightforward. I think its channel 2 on your right hand stick used for .

5 years ago by JOHN

Forum

Mtronics W-tail marine mixer connections.

hi there Colin - to stop confusion and people suggesting things that are totally 'confusing' 😊 1. What type of 2.4 transmitter do you have, what make and how many channels. 2. Can you put a photograph of your servo in the model and the actual plug that fits into the receiver. This servo may not be compatible with what you are trying to do.

5 years ago by JOHN

Forum

Mtronics W-tail marine mixer connections.

Hi Colin I use 1 motor to power both paddle wheels on my paddler like Roy but as the steering is a little challenging I have a clear plastic extension that I fix onto the with elastic bands only when sailing the craft. This assists steering and when the model is on display at home or whatever the extra bit of is easily removed. Not a technical solution but it works and is almost invisible. Regards Chris G

5 years ago by ChrisG

Forum

Mtronics W-tail marine mixer connections.

Hi in the old days before mixers i seem to remember micro switches arranged one either side of the helm When steering reached full helm one motor was switched out Cheers Ian

5 years ago by TOWN3810

Forum

Mtronics W-tail marine mixer connections.

Hi Colin, I have just been catching up on this commentary which was prompted by your initial question. in running my 'Forceful' tug I found that varying paddle speeds, i.e. a mixer, is unnecessary for steering. I run it with the paddles at the same speed, and the handles the steering alone just fine. I wonder if you have run your model, and confirmed that you have to vary paddle speeds to turn? if so, another option is to replace the with a bigger one. Roy

5 years ago by Trillium

Forum

Mtronics W-tail marine mixer connections.

Thanks John, so much to think about, I will have to do some more research, your set up looks good, my motor's are gear drive to the paddles. They run at the same speed on one or two ESC's. if I use two sticks on the tx for tank steering what happens with the . Sorry for my ignorance, multi motor control is very new to me. I'm still learning, with the help of the this site and the knowledge that the members are willing to share with us. Cheers Colin.

5 years ago by Colin H