Hi y’all. Got a bit more done with my Christina conversion. I decided on a brushless motor, and almost went with one of my faves, a 36mm outrunner that’s rated at 1700 kv. That’s the same motor in my Acapulco, and the same type, but different manufacturer, in my PT15. I had an older Supertigre “.10” outrunner rated at about 29 amp, 320 watts and 2-3 lipo, she’ll turn at 1250kv. It’s a nicely built motor, and if I don’t like how the boat runs on 2 cells, I can install a 3 cell pack without scaring myself, bystanders or assorted ducks half to death🤣
I went with a 4 mm shaft and tube, and a Romarin/Krick rudder that’s packaged by Caldercraft. Once all that was sorted out, and the mount and braces installed, I added the coaming to the deck and Stabilit’ed it to the hull. Oh, just before that I added a ply battery/electrics floor, using some large aileron stock to support it in the vee of the hull, and also gave it more gluing area.
Once I sort out the rudder servo mounting, I’ll start sanding, detailing and painting the cabin and wheelhouse.
Cash

Ok...what’s a back rasher????

Fred, she’s coming along nicely. I’m thinking I might have to start working on mine as my winter project. I think mines an older kit too, but I don’t know how old. The plans were so faded I ordered a new set from Deans.
I’ll need to post some pics of what I have, I’m not real happy with a couple things that have already been done to her, especially the rudder horn/tiller. Might be okay, but it gives me the heebie-jeebies when I look at it.😮
Cash

Rob, this is looking sweet. I scrolled down to the pulpit and I am impressed. Keep up the good work!!👍

This is coming along nicely!! Really good work. I hope to be able to get to your level of craftsmanship some day.
Cash

Hi y’all. I like to keep my bench busy, and I’m pretty well done with the Mini Jupiter, so I felt like doing one more somewhat simple boat before I start on a “winter project”. I have a couple of kits that I have bought or traded for that fit the bill, but I kept coming back to a fairly rare kit by Wedico-the Christina. The Christina is a..well let’s be frank, she’s ugly..at least to me. Her lines are all wrong, she’s powered by a stock 280 type motor, has a 2mm unthreaded shaft with a push on or glue on prop. I think the reason she’s rare is that the kit wasn’t a big seller. Now, the hull has decent lines, and the bottom of the hull looks a lot like the contours of the Robbe Paula III I built, and the deck fits pretty good already, before trimming. Thats most of what I’m going to use from the box. The manual states for more performance the builder can use a 540 class motor and a suitable shaft and tube. Well..I got those. The rudder is too small, the hardware is..meh, so there’s that. Anyway, a few week ago I was looking at the hull, and thought that this might make a good pilot/RAF rescue/USCG/whatever boat...so that’s what I’ve been doing the past 2 days. At first I was building up the cabin and superstructure to look somewhat like a USCG utility boat, but then I moved the bridge forward, and she looks like a rescue boat, maybe a caricature of an older RAF rescue boat or police boat, so that’s where the bridge is now. I had to make filler pieces to allow the bridge to set on the upper deck properly because of the angle I had originally built in, but it works. It’s built of 3/32 and 1/16 sheet balsa. I think I made the windows too big, and I have to figure out some sort of control panel, but I’m on my way. We’ll see where she goes..

Thanks everybody for the kind words and encouragement. I really appreciate it.
There’s 2 other sizes of this boat, 650 mm and 900+ mm, and there’s a company called Ayard in Japan that’s supposedly selling this kit again. Now, I have more projects than I can shake a stick at, but...if the roughly 27 inch boat is available, and can get here before Christmas...I might have to talk to the Commodore.😁
Be safe y’all
Cash

Thanks Fleet!!!

I’m off the remainder of the week, so today I decided to fix the leak on the Jupiter. I found the culprit, sealed that, then ran thin ca along the hull plate edges, and spread thin epoxy inside near the suspected area just in case. I then took her to my church’s test pond, and ran her pretty hard. After about 30 minutes of running, I took on maybe a scant tablespoon of water, and I honestly think part of that was spray getting under the cabin.
This boat is unreal. It handles almost as good as her big sister. My buddy Larry has one, and it handles well. This one does as well. It gets on plane very easily and stays there, no matter what the operator does, even though I spun her once.
Once we came home, I did some paint touch up and added a couple of details. I also added magnets to help hold the cabin in place. I made up a bulkhead that accepts a dowel I built into the cabin, like the locating down on a model airplane wing. I took one of the metal cleats and installed it just aft of the cabin, thus not allowing it to slip back, while the magnets add another layer of security.
I really enjoyed this boat, she will vie with my SAR as my “always bring” boat. She’s a keeper!!

Test Run KNK Mini Jupiter

▶️

Then again, I just googled the term and they’re sold over here too. Guess I just led a sheltered life🤣

Guess it’s because I’m on the other side of the pond that I’ve never, ever heard the term “Gentlemen’s saw”. Razor saw, Zona saw, that I’ve heard. Learn something new every day!!

Haha!! I was looking at the hull pondside, and found one of the lower planks could be pulled up a bit. Seems the glue may have set in that spot without a good joint. It’s about 2 inches fwd of...the transom.
Good call Fleet!!

Errol still wants the PT. I told him his command was the PBR, but he’s having none of that. I also reminded him that I outranked him, and he IS a cat after all, but that didn’t dissuade him in the least. I think because he is a cat he feels he outranks us all🤣

No Nerys, she’s a pleasure boat. The rabbits have been quiet lately, probably due to Covid. Maybe too quiet. Hmm. Might have to send the Jupiter on a covert ops.😁

Hi y’all. Added a bit of detail to the Jupiter, not a lot. Wheel, throttle and instruments and a few railings. I decided to get her in the water before I do much more, and she really looks good! That is, until her trim changes due to taking on water. This is the first lapstrake hull I’ve ever built, and I’m thinking part of a glue joint didn’t take. I was being very careful as to not have any residual glue on the bottom of the hull, I might have been too sparing in places. No matter, I’ll find the leaks, take care of that and then give her a proper maiden, then finish her up.
Cash

It might be we’re all suffering a form of burnout. My dealership went thru a bit of upheaval, I’m still employed and don’t think I have any problems going forward, but that, the COVID issues, and the constant barrage of negative news from both sides of the political spectrum gets in your subconscious.
I feel the same way sometimes, as if nothing is as fun as it once was. I truly believe we need interaction with like minded people, or our avocations seem to lose their luster. Covid has slowed a lot of that down..true, we can meet on the net-but it’s just not the same. It’ll get better eventually, we just have to understand we’re living in strange times.

Thanks for updating me on the Nylon bearings Peter. I knew about the wood bearings on full sized craft, didn’t realize the nylon would work so well. Are the nylon bushings lubed with oil or grease before running, like an oil lite?
Cash

Quick update. I have the motor mounted and the rudder and servo installed. The motor is a 1300 kv 28mm outrunner, she’ll be running on 2 lipos. The rudder servo is an older nib Hitec HS80, mounted with adapters so I could mount it close to the rudder, and use a wire with z bends for the pushrod. Any mechanical trim changes needed will be at the rudder horn. The motor mount is bass and thin ply sandwiched together, with ply supports and epoxied into the hull. I used a Caldercraft fine line 4mm shaft and stuffing box. Radioactive sells a slightly less expensive unit, but it has nylon bushings vs the brass or oillite units in the Caldercraft unit, and I just don’t know how long the nylon bushings will last.
So, I’m waiting on my esc, and I need to add a ply floor in the aft section for battery mounting, that will give me several inches to fine tune the boats balance.
I guess it’s time for fiddly bits!
Cash

The past week or so I’ve spent priming and painting the Jupiter. I really wish my finishing skills would improve, seems like it’s 2 steps forward, and either 1 or 3 steps back, depending on my patience or lack thereof. I started painting with a rattle can enamel, sure enough it just didn’t coat worth a darn, so I sanded her down and used my cheap Harbor Freight airbrush and some Createx and Testors acrylic paint. Turned out okay, I’ve done better but I’ve done worse as well. After I touched up a few mistakes I glazed the windows. Now, I have to plan the radio/motor install and do some fiddly bits like rails and some details. Not goingto do much, if any interior work as she’s pretty small. Might add a seat and a wheel..maybe not, I’ll see how she goes.
Cash

I’ll be watching this pretty closely, as I have the same kit half built that I got in a trade, trying to get the nerve up to finish her. You’re off to a good start!!
Cash

Dang it Marky, I really hope you feel better soon.
Your convoy ship is very nice, you have a good touch and a good eye.
Cash

Hi y’all. My buddy Larry was sorting thru his hobby shop, er, ahh, I mean the second floor of his house and found this old boat. It was given to him some years ago by a friend in an rc aircraft club. All I know about it is that it’s roughly 15 inches long, meaured at the deck, the hull is very thin abs, and I think the deck is too, although if you hold it up to the light it looks almost translucent. Looks like it might have been molded in color also. Don’t know if the stuffing box is part of the kit, but it’s a straight tube for a 3mm shaft, and the shaft that was installed is brass. That’s all I have. I’m thinking maybe older Graupner, maybe Billings....?
The deck is in good shape, but the hull flange is starting to separate where it transitions ninety degrees. There’s also 2 small cracks vertically from that point. That can be fixed, but I’m hoping someone knows what this is so I can get an idea of what to make out of it, I’m thinking a cutter or fishing boat.
Thanks for the help!
Cash

Hi y’all, I’ll keep this short as it’s almost time for bed, and I work tomorrow..ugh.
Anyway, got the rub rails and strakes installed and the cabin is “ purt near” finished, she needs a good sanding, then it’s sanding sealer and primer time...
Cash

Had a little time this evening, got the cabin mostly finished. As I was looking over my work, I noticed something on that was mentioned in a thread somewhere...the rear deck does not go all the way forward. In other words, if the boat is left stock, and you have the cabin sealed up tight, it won’t make a bit of difference as any water that splashes onto that rear deck will find its way forward into the hull. Now, this boat has quite a bit of freeboard, but still....anyway, I need to add the rub rails and strakes, and I’ll add a fwd bulkhead to keep her watertight. Maybe this boat was optionally fitted with a glow or Diesel engine. There’s windows for the 2 windscreens, but no mention or material for the side windows. Might be I’m on to something, cooling air would come thru the windows and exit over the rear deck.
Yep, gotta address that..
Cash

I graduated in 1979. I like Queen, thought they were great, but for that era, I really dig the Blasters, John “Cougar” Mellencamp and Bruce Springsteen..with some Ramones and Stray Cats thrown in. However, most of my pop base comes from before I was born..the Drifters, Platters, Dion and the Belmont’s, Eddie Cochran, Buddy Holly...I have a list, it’s quite extensive.😁
Oh..swing music too..and marches and waltzes.
And polka. Good country music too. Also surf music. Old Hymns.
I need to stop this could go on for days.

Guess you’ll be hanging out with the Knopfler boys😊

No walking the plank Colin, but we might put you in solitary and make you listen to what passes for popular music these days..,.🤣🤣

Thank you Martin. I will do my level best to live up to the rank.
Hey...does this mean I get a raise in pay?🤣
Cash

Hi y’all. Got some more done today. I brushed the interior of the hull with 20 minute finishing epoxy. I then did the decking, and started the cabin. The cabin builds up pretty quickly, although there are a couple of crossmembers that the plans and instructions contradict each other...might be a typo. Anyway, she’s coming along. This will be the first all wood boat I’ve built, I want to get a decent finish on her, so I’m thinking using sanding sealer, then go ahead and primer her, then paint. My thinking is the sealer will fill the grain well, and a light coat of primer will help show any irregularities that I need to address before painting begins. If any of y’all have any tips on this subject I’m all ears. I’m thinking either acrylic from my airbrush or Tamiya rattle can lacquer.
Cash

For the life of me I can’t tell what that part does unless it simulates reinforcing the hull where the anchor sits. It’s pretty high up, so it wouldn’t cause a leak, but I’m thinking if you don’t feel comfortable cutting the hull, just don’t install it.
Always remember. Your boat doesn’t have to be perfect, just straight and leakproof. For someone whohas been away from model building for a while, I think your’e doing pretty darn good, and it’s no insult if you don’t want to install, cut or do a procedure you’re uncomfortable with..just work around it and carry on.
Cash