Hi y’all. The well deck was the next thing I tackled. It’s a fairly simple structure, but one has to get it right as it supposed to slip into the aft opening in the deck. Also, it’s easier to get the rudder linkage mounted before it’s glued in place. There’s a bit of a sequence to this boat that in my mind, makes things easier, and it goes like this:
1. Internals. Motor, rudder tube and stuffing box.
2. External structures. Cabin and well deck.
3. Paint everything you can!!! Because of the multiple colors, and the fact that the deck and hull are one piece, having the hull and superstructure painted will make the next steps easier.
4. Paint frames and fittings.
5.install frames, windows and most fittings.
6.final install of radio components, rudder and shaft. Test.
7. Install well deck.
8. Fittings, rails and decals.
So, that’s the sequence in a nutshell. I’ve accomplished 1 and 2. The well deck was modified a bit, as the original gave you very little “wiggle room” to install and remove the drive battery. The original boat had the 6 cell nimh mounted on the hump aft of the stuffing tube slot in the hull. You had maybe an eighth inch of room above the battery. I shortened the well deck by 1/4 inch to make any battery install easier. Also, the aft part is supposed to match the curve of the floor, the original aft panel was much to stiff to make that without a lot of heat and mild cursing, so I made up a new part out of thinner plasticard. Worked like a champ!! I’m now in paint mode. I’ve also learned that I really hate white paint, as white and cream seem to go on wetter than any other colors, and runs more. Ask me how I know.🤣
So I think on the hull I need to do the bottom first, sides and top white, then the green panels, finally the orange rub rail. Gonna be….interesting. Might put me in a SARcophagus if Im not careful….😉
Cash

Hi Doug. How you doing? BTW, I saw what you did there….🤣🤣
I told JP he’d fit right in here.😊

Hi Peter. In a stiff breeze she’ll heel over a bit, but its never been unmanageable. The hull handles both speed and chop very well. I’ve seen some build logs where the builder used thicker plastic for the superstructure, AND added internal formers. I think that’s a mistake. The cabin is built up from what looks like 1 or 1.5 mm plastic. The roof is resin, I think, and is a little beefy, but I never had a problem with the first boat. It’s a decent well engineered kit, but the instructions are…well, let’s say they’re just a bit better than the Taucher Wulf I built…just😁

Ooh! One more! We could paint her up in the old pre revolutionary Russian colors and name her the T SAR
🤣🤣
Have a nice night dude!!

Y’know JP, we could always repaint and reflag the boat in the old Soviet colors and name her the “Commie” SAR.
Sorry. Had the shot, saw no danger, so I took it🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Dang. Of all the plastic fabbing I’ve done so far I never thought to make life rings out of it. They look good!!

Martin, I haven’t seen the whole blog yet, but what I’ve seen/read so far looks good! You’re getting to be a regular plastic fabricator!!
She’ll be a keeper once you’re done I’m sure of it.
Cash

Thanks Martin!! That first picture is of my old boat with the new simplified cabin. I came up with a better way to do the front hatch magnets on that cabin, I’m going to incorporate that into my new build.

This is the second time I’ve built a Graupner Hertha Jeep. I built one a few years ago, and after a few runs converted it to brushless. She was my “go-to” boat for almost 2 years until an altercation between her and JPs Kitty II caused the loss of her superstructure. Well, JP had a brand new SAR kit in the box, untouched. We made a trade that involved, among other things, my Acapulco plus my old SAR boat for his kit and a couple of other items..it also involved me building a new, scratch built simplified superstructure for the old SAR. I’ve got that done, and am now in the process of building my new Hertha Jeep.😀

Now, I’m not going to do a step by step on this boat, as I covered a lot of that in the last build. I will, however, detail what I’m doing different because of what I learned from the last build. My old boat was built pretty box stock, with the exception of a hotter wind 400 sized long can motor. Unfortunately, if you drove the boat at full chat for a bit that motor would get pretty warm, and the stock motor was worse, so I swapped in a 1450 kv 28 mm outrunner. That motor on 6 cells gave the boat a good turn of speed, and never got much over ambient temperature…the boat was a reliable as anything I’d built after that. However, the radio tray/motor mount was designed for a can motor and strap down mount, and with all that in the way made it very difficult to install an outrunner..,.soooo…..

The first thing I did was to check the bottom keel for straightness. In my first boat the keel was tweaked near the aft edge, I had to cut out the offending piece and reglue it in place, with subsequent filling and sanding. The new keel was tweaked, not as dramatically as the first but more subtly, but the bend was longer. I had to cut, break, tweak and fill this one too. This, except for the instructions, was the only real flaw I found in the kit.
I decided to forgo most of the radio tray except for a couple of bottom former halves, I used those to make a base for my rudder servo mount. I also made up a bulkhead mount for the outrunner. Once everything was epoxied in, I did a test run. I got my alignment about spot on as this setup is much quieter than my old boat.
I did the cabin a little different too. The cabin pieces have “fold” lines molded in so you can crease the part and make it fit properly, like the front cabin windscreen. Now, the first time I built this boat I had a heck of a time getting the front screen assembled properly, and had to use a lot of filler. This time around I just changed up the assembly sequence and things went much better.
That’s where I’m at now, the cabin is mostly assembled and the rudder tube and propulsion parts are in place.I need to build the aft well deck and start getting ready for primer and paint.
Cash

Pics and video from this past Sunday😀

https://youtu.be/my_YyEdWnHY

https://youtu.be/my_YyEdWnHY

🔗

It’s a Ford huh? Be careful, something you need will probably be back ordered…I work at a Ford dealer, at the back parts counter. Ask me how I know…..🤣
In all seriousness, this is a cool project. I used to do rc cars back in the day, dabble in them still. I have a couple of friends who still race rc dirt oval and crawlers, if you get in a bind for something in the car side of this project, give me a shout. We can probably direct you to something that will work.
Cash

Staffros, we’re meeting at Josey Ranch in Carrollton this Sunday at 9am. You’re welcome to come if you want. The pond is at Josey Ranch Athletic Complex, 1440 Keller Springs Road.
Cash

Dougs right, the PTs of WWII were propeller driven. The PBR of the Vietnam era was a jet boat. They look a little similar. The first pic is of my Dumas PT212, the seconds a Deans Marine PBR.

Nerys, thats so cool!! I’m glad for you, hope you find a suitable boat for the engine and a place to run it!!
Cash

That looks great!! I like doing the plastic sheet and wood supports, that’s how I rebuilt my PT15s replacement superstructure. You’re doing a grand job.
Cadh

I’ve thought about doing an RC conversion on this kit, well the Revell of Germany kit, for a while. I’ll be watching this, looks like fun and I’ll bet she’ll make a fine runner too.

I’ve never used EzEKote for glassing, might have to try that. I’ve used it to seal balsa and apply tissue trim and it works well. I still miss the smell of AeroGloss dope though…😀

Congratulations Nerys, well earned if I say so myself. Thanks for all you’ve done.👍

Looks like she runs nicely Colin. Can’t wait to see her installed in a boat😁

Hi Bill. Love your new tug, she looks like she runs and handles very well. Good to see you on this site, bunch of nice people here.
Cash

Pics from 9/26/21
A little video
https://youtu.be/I2hpnZH7mxY

https://youtu.be/I2hpnZH7mxY

🔗

Hi Ed. Just move the fridge, tv, computer and bed near your workstation.. except for bathroom breaks and showers, you’d never have to leave the bench!! You could have her done in say, six months tops.😁
Have fun with her Ed!!
Cadh

Colin, nice find, that’s so COOL!! I hope you get her installed and in the water soon.
I have a buddy of mine that likes to peruse second hand thrift stores, he’ll come up with hobby items occasionally that he paid very little for. I go to the same store and find ugly shoes and velvet Elvis posters🤣
Have fun with your new find!!

I see what you did there Nerys🤣

Social distancing? Ha! If the boats were cars it would have looked like mating season in a wrecking yard🤣🤣

Right now I’m not really building anything, but I am rebuilding. My SAR Herta Jeep had an..altercation earlier this year, my buddy JP and I had gotten very far out and close to one another with our boats..he was runnin his old Kitty II, me the SAR. Long story short we zigged when should have zagged and his boat ran up the side of mine, and pushed my superstructure completely off the magnets then into the water, where it sunk. Now, JP has the last new SAR kit sold in the US, as I checked the shop just minutes after he bought the kit and they were out, never to return. Sometime after that we had our little dance on the lake. JP is a good builder, but he doesn’t LIKE to build…so we made a deal. I’ll build a new superstructure for my old hull, get it ready for radio install, and I’ll get his kit…this was in addition to me trading him my Acapulco. I’m scratch building the new superstructure from plastic sheet, it will no have the bridge up top but I think it will look good once done. Then I have to xchoose between gettin the Grimmershorn back on the bench or starting the new SAR build….
Oh..I got my old Crackerbox back from a buddy, gonna see how she runs with an outrunner installed instead of a 27 turn stock motor..

Hi Peter. That Najade looks like a fun build, in the videos I’ve seen of her she handles power well, think you’ll have fun with her. I’m very glad that Krick has brought back a number of the old Robbe line, the Paula IV I just finished is a Krick (ROmarin) boat. Built up a little different from the original Paula I built last year, but it’s a nice kit and I’m pleased with it. Wish someone would bring back some of the old Graupner line like Krick done with Robbe. Anyhow, please start a build log so we can see how you get along with her, and how she builds up.
Cash

Hi Ed! Looking forward to to seeing the Happy Hunter build log. What accessories and or special features do you plan to add? The Hunter is a boat I’ve had my eye on for a very long time, unfortunately I have a ton of kits stashed now, so I just can’t seeing adding another to the pile…yet.
Let me know when you get started I’ll be watching with interest.
Cash

Martin!!! I’m glad you’re back!! Trust me, you were missed.

I haven’t been here in a few weeks, so I’m not quite sure I know exactly what’s going on. However, if I’ve said anything untoward please, let me know. Sometimes I shoot my mouth off before the rangefinder is enabled.
Cash