Hi Dave, re puffy batteries, I think it depends on the load you put on them if they are slightly puffy. I've used LiPos which have slight puffing for years under light loads, and have even frozen them as an experiment and they still work. As you say, once they have puffed it means a cell (or more ) has been overloaded - sometimes it's just cr.p batteries (HK zippy batteries used to be good but ended up rubbish and dropping cells after one flight).

I still have an HK Flightmax 5s 3000mah 20c LiPo from 02.06.2010 which I still use for low loads, - charges up, balances perfectly, just has no guts. Another Zippy 5s 3000mah 40 c from 05.08.2012 has been slightly puffy for years, charges up, balances perfectly, but again has no guts any more. I can use it with no problems in a boat and limit the throttle, as there is usually very little load on a battery with a small motor. I was using it with a 100mph racer (converted from nitro, and a few others) and pulling around 80A static, and it would come back quite warm after a flight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqaRfuwa-dk&t=298s

It slowly started losing power which is why I stopped using it in planes. The next identical brand new HK zippy battery dropped a cell on the first flight !

I also have 2 old Zippy 2s 1800mah 20c batteries (2011) which are quite puffy but I just use them for testing small motors, pumps etc. Won't charge up fully any more and only just balance (I use them at about 3.8V capacity). I had one in a flouro camping lamp at home one time, and my son was using it in my shed with his mates drinking, and they went off and left it going, which ran it down to nothing. Same happened the other one, but I managed to revive them and have been using them for testing for about 8 yrs and they are still chugging on. Almost ready for the garden fork treatment now.

I never throw LiPos away if only one cell is bad, ($$$$$) and as long as the terminals are solderable (some are crimped alloy and can't be soldered) I'll cut out the bad one and re-wire them. I have a few good 2s and 3s 3000mah LiPos from 3s and 4s HK batteries. These are ideal for some of my boats and vehicles. I disassemble the batteries outside for safety. The balance plugs need converting to the new S number.

I wouldn't recommend doing this to anyone who is not fully conversant with LiPo wiring. (eg 2s/2s1p etc)

JB

A bit more internal work done, - dash made, steering wheel, helm seat and wheelhouse 'carpet'.
Outside,- bow bollard, brass 'roof rack' bar on rear of cabin (for spotlight, radar, siren) and spotlight (from plastic tube and PVC with brass support). More lights wiring and internal floors etc to go, but getting closer to launching. Haven't had a reply (re the dual light colours) from the Russian guys, - maybe they are 'visiting' Ukraine on a compulsory holiday.😐

An easy safety box to make, is a cheap metal tool box. Mine is lined with plaster board covered with glass cloth. There is a vent hole in the top of the box with glass cloth to retard flames (glass cloth will withstand a gas flame without burning so should slow down a LiPo flame for a period of time ) The box is not locked when in use and the lid is left sitting to avoid gas build-up in the event of a fire.

A good idea with LiPos is to monitor them constantly and ALWAYS balance charge. If you see 1 cell going over the 4.2V max (can happen even with good chargers) and the others are around 4.16/.18/.19, stop the charger and put the batteries on a separate balancer until they even out, then it should be good to use, even though the voltage is a bit less. As long as your battery is not too puffed, (a small amount of softness after a large draw is ok - you can put it in the fridge/ chilly bin for a few minutes if they are warm, and it will usually return to normal.

If they puff a big amount and stay that way, get rid of them. Discharge them in a bucket of really salty water for a week until they stop bubbling at the terminals. I usually cut the balance and main leads off before I do (outside, one wire at a time, making really sure you don't short anything) to use later. Once the battery is discharged, take it out to the middle of the lawn and put a large nail or garden fork right through it and leave it for a while, to make sure it's well and truly dead before disposing of it .

I have LiPos I'm still using from 2011. If you treat them well they can last for years (buy good quality batteries like Hyperion or similar, cheap ones can be dangerous.) You might pay a bit more but they should last a long time.

Balance charge them, don't over draw them , don't drop them, don't have sharp objects (modelling knives etc) round them on the bench, discharge them to storage after use, don't leave them in the hot sun, and NEVER short them, and they will be good for years. Nothing special,- just common sense.

If you are scared of LiPos, try (DON'T) shorting a fully charged car battery and see what happens, be sure to wear an acid proof full suit, respirator and have a decontamination shower handy 😮💥 All batteries are dangerous even NiMH and NiCad's which can cause fires if shorted or go bang.

Must see if I can find a pic I took of a Stude GT I found in the weeds in a small town in Australia (WeeWaa Nth East New South Wales) I was working in in the early 70s. Guy wanted $400 Aust at the time. Had a broken back screen and a bit of damage here and there, but would have been a good resto project. Unfortunately it was 400 miles and 1000 miles of ocean away from home or I would have bought it.

The guy who owned the local garage used to dump cars in the grassy lot if they were too expensive for people to fix. Had a fun time out there driving cotton pickers.

A guy here who had a Packard museum, had the very last Hawk made under the Stude/Packard name, (think it was badged as a Packard) and he'd bought it from Singapore (or Hong Kong,- cant remember which).

JB

Looks great and sails well Cash👍👍

JB

Hi Graham, great job on the brackets,- spot on 👍👍

JB

Really neat job Dave, wind deflectors look excellent, great addition.

JB

I've made another firewood box, as 'someone' 😉 mentioned there might not be enough wood. Should be enough now 😁 Fitted the combination lifting eyes and have started on the covers for the twin top light set-up, (made from notched ally tube and black card for the 'kick-outs' on the sides. I'll dome the tops with epoxy for a better shape. Not attached yet.

Hi Steve, same here, mainly just doing a few bits at night after all the other jobs, and sometimes you just need a break from models as well. Have to try and get out real sailing this summer before the boats rot away.

JB

I've made a working door handle and a firewood box for the cabin heater, (might need a bigger one I think), and am in the process of making some combination lifting eyes and bollards/cleats (3mm brass rod and 6mmx.5mm strip.) Took some pics outside, (first sun in a while) - looking more like a boat,- more bits to go on and in yet.

Hi Steve, you can't use winter snow as an excuse, and it's almost summer now 😁

JB

Hi Steve, getting closer to the water, still a few more bits to go on, and the interior. How are you going with your creation?

JB

Hi Dave, I think they were DuBro#116, used them for the hatches as well.

JB

Finally got round to hinging the wheelhouse door, (used cut down DuBro aircraft hinges ), - still have the door stops and handle to do. Added the cabin center rub rail and engine hatch stays. Bolted the mast base down using a 3mm machine screw through a ply reinforcing plate under the balsa cabin top.
Also added the chimney for the wood burning crew cabin heater, and attached the front screens. I've painted most of the inside of the cabin with grey Reeves artists acrylic as a base coat for a final colour (have to check vids for the most commonly used colour).

I have made up some double T plug extension leads from the power distribution board which is now in the cut-out under the main tray. This is to get the tray height down so I can make the wheelhouse and crew cabin a bit deeper. The leads are for any extras which may be added later, (ESC fan is on one plug)

Magnetic catches were also added to the engine hatches.

Thanks guys, not sure if the mast lights are the correct colours, as I have no idea of the Russian system. I'm going to try and find out through YT from some Russian guys who restored one about 4 yrs ago (big job) and were using it for a towing business. They may have been conscripted and in Ukraine by now,- hopefully not, seemed like decent guys.

JB

Hi Peter, and I thought my wiring was jungly😁 at least you've made a start, and now have the next 10 winters to finish it 😁. Good you've found the problem. Is the dinghy a sailer as well or just for dinghying😁 I had a similar glass SD about 18yrs ago. - only 10ft to knock around in with my son when he was small. Moulded off a wooden clinker.

JB

Decided to make a start on the lights, so did the mast and nav lights. Mast has a 1mm brass rod in a slot in the back, which all the neg legs on the LEDs are bent round in horizontal slots in the mast and soldered to. A strip of masking tape insulates that, and another rod for the pos legs is placed on top of that and the pos legs bent round and soldered to it. Another strip of tape insulates that, and the mast painted with a thick acrylic.

Leads were soldered to the bottom of the rods and another LED soldered on behind the mast at the bottom for the stern light (there is provision for a riding light to be added to the top of the mast as well) The LEDs then had a 1/2 section of black heatshrink glued to the back, and the tops painted black, to create the light sectors. The wires are run through the cabin back for the mast lights, and roof for the nav lights. 4 more lights to go on top of the light boards yet.

Also fitted the rear and side cabin windows, (front screens being painted).

Hi Peter, not too far away, just fitting a few bits and pieces, (windows, lights etc) Still have to do the interior as well. Like you, trying to fit it in amongst all the other jobs.

JB

Hi Steve, it was supposed to look rough, but I couldn't find any 'rough' paint 😁 - could say it's just been in the yard for a spruce up ?

JB

Hi Trev,- Just thought it might be fun to see where all the bits for this model have come from so far -

Hull, (foam) - hardware store
Paint - hardware store
Glass cloth - marine shop
Glass resin - f/glass supplies factory
LEDs - hardware store
Dowel for rails - hardware store
Wire for rails - hardware store
Box and piping for diverter system - hardware store
Sealers - hardware store and auto shop
Motor China
Batteries - old HK (Hong Kong)
Main servos - old HK ''
Servo for bilge pump M/SW - China
Bilge pump - China
Jet unit - China
Motor for jet - China
Brass for mast brackets - (US made) hardware store
Micro switch - local electronics store
Twin wire - local electronics store
Radio gear (9X) - China
XT and T plugs - China
Ply for transom/mounts etc - ex packing crate material from work (saved plenty years ago)
Glues (PVA, Cyano, Epoxy, Balsa, UHU,) - Hardware store and $2 Korean shop

Balsa (Australian) LHS, hardware store and art store
Hardwood strips LHS
Pushrods and clevises (US made) - LHS

Not a lot from the hobby shop as you can see.

JB

Cabin exterior mostly painted, (grey and white) and grab and tie-down rails added to the wheelhouse front. Not sure if the wheelhouse roof is supposed to be grey, so will have to hunt through some more vids for the std colour. I have also cut another accessory battery slot for a second 2s to run pumps, lights, smoke or whatever.

Dead right Trev.

JB

Hi Dave, thanks for the kind comments, - re the xmas lights-steal away😁. I like to make something a bit more challenging, so have to come up with ideas to solve problems. As everyone knows, there can be a lot of experiments before you strike the right solution, and sometimes just looking round a big hardware store you can spot something you can use, -even furniture hardware ( drawer pushers) as I used on my amphibious truck for side jacks.

We don't have many hobby stores in the country any more, so improvising is key, and our big hardware super stores are the go to places for hobby bits now.

JB

Hi Trev, there's always something cheaper to do a job, and if something we might find is of use to others, all the better.

JB

Hi Trev, they work well, and being flat topped, they also make good deck spots. I have a bunch of the clear version as well from a few years back, which I've use for interior, dash, stern and riding lights, -very handy. A bit of black heatshrink, and black painted tops giving the light sector, can make good side lights as well.

Started on the cabin paint,- 2 coats of Zinsser 1.2.3 water based primer sealer, and 3 coats of auto primer . If it stops raining long enough, I might get the bottom half of the cabin painted, (grey,- same as the hull, white on top) Started on the doorway between the wheelhouse and crew cabin, and a dash area as well. I've also cut the window templates .

Bought some more cheap LEDs, -just xmas string lights in blue, green , yellow and red, - Ideal for nav lights etc and will run on 3v from a cheap VR. (only $6 for 50 with the 3 cell battery box and 3 AA batteries) - battery box can be used for other things. LEDs are can type flat top 4mm x 7mm, and just need the wiring trimmed and new smaller wires soldered onto the terminals. I could buy bags of them cheaply on line, but don't want to wait 2 months.

To store them, I just light them up in the string, mark the colours with a code, then cut them off and bag them ready for later.

I always find this the fun part Trev, means you're getting somewhere👍😁 Now for all the sanding😐

JB

Hi Dave, I think they are supposed to be for keeping the boat square to a jetty, to protect the hull, because of the taper in the hulls of a lot of these old boats. If you took a line along the fins/fenders, you would probably find it intersects approx with the widest part of the boat. A lot of the older boats had them, not just Chris Craft. Might have doubled as a side step as well.

I fitted them to my runabout which is based on a Chris Craft. They were fitted using dowels with ply washers glued on the inside. They are laminated with 3mm ply and mahogany veneers on each side.

JB

Hi Trev, not a lot of detail on these boats, very basic and just made for a job, like a small tow truck, but they have quite a bit going on with all the air operated systems inside. A modern jet unit would be far more efficient, but would probably be damaged where these boats work (amongst logs usually), whereas these have very little protruding from the hull to get knocked off,- a bit of a marine stock car😁

JB

Nice solution Graham, just don't forget your magnet ! 😁

JB