Wonder why they were also called speedboats JB ? Looks just the part ! Great stuff - fast enough to make the passengers nervous - hope the one does not lose her head again......

Good to see it on the water Cash - great build - looking forward to the final pictures & video

Looks a good build - what caused the instability ? Sent a PM about the Sportsman

I bought a Sportsman kit cheaply off Ebay just before I left UK for SA in 2009 - it turned out to be a box of bits & instructions in an unmarked box - lots seemed to be missing but no way of checking as the instructions had obviously got wet and were unreadable for the most part. It had obviously been started & been dismantled ! Would have complained & returned it but from SA a few months later its was well nigh impossible.
I am currently working on reconstructing a lift off superstructure version of the Lesro Stilleto which Chris found a plan for & had scanned but would really like a Sportsman for myself - lived in Bournemouth so visited the Lesro shop often for bits & pieces - wanted a few of their kits then but sadly hobby funds would not allow that.
Hoping someone on the Forum will help with a plan to allow me to cut new parts and actually build it.

SLEC Address

https://www.slecuk.com/

https://www.slecuk.com/

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We use a large 600x900 high power Chinese laser for commercial purposes - luckily enough I am allowed to use it for model boats .

With lasers its not worth buying a small one - or one too low powered. The open frame ones coming from China now are mostly underpowered and very dangerous . There is no provision to remove the smoke emitted when cutting - smoke alone can damage your lungs never mind the fact that a lot of it is toxic & highly dangerous - even MDF contains formaldehyde which is pretty nasty stuff . The minimal safety provisions on the the open frame ones are to say the least laughable .

Minimum useful bed size is around 500 - preferably 600 - ( usually 600x 400 nominal - IE about 560x360 ). Minimum power 50/60w - preferably a honeycomb cutting bed - best beds are movable to allow deep objects to be cut or engraved - and lastly it MUST BE fully enclosed . There are a lot of nasty emissions from high powered lasers - its not just your eyes at risk.

A separate cooler is required for the laser tube - and a good smoke extraction unit - in the UK I believe you would need to have an emissions filter system to remove the pollutants.
Dodgy who used to be on this forum bought an open framed CNC router - its only really strong enough for balsa which was his main requirement - it generates a lot of dust ! - he was considering a laser attachment but looking at the risks decided against it.

There are some desk top models available which might be suitable - but they have a lot of limitations like limited usage time before requiring a rest period - plus they cost very nearly as much as a full scale one and you still need the anti pollution unit etc which itself is expensive.

There is a long list of items that should not be cut on a laser - learnt the hard way vinyl is one of them - emits a very corrosive toxic gas . See the PDF attached !!!

All in all unless you have an ongoing use for the laser it would be better to outsource the cutting as the cheap ones can be lethal in many ways - (bear in mind even a 30w laser can easily cut a finger clean off ) and the good ones make an expensive toy !

Steveg171 - Old Boats http://oldboats.tk/ , Keil Kraft EeZeBilt Boats http://eezebilt.tk/, Marinecraft Boats - similar to EeZeBilts - http://marinecraft.tk/ - good luck !!!!!

http://oldboats.tk/

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http://eezebilt.tk/,

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http://marinecraft.tk/

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Deans Marine might help!.

Hi Eraser5661 - the bulkheads & other parts can be recreated from your plan - if you could please scan the plan at a minimum 400dpi even in A4 with reasonable overlap we can sort it, clean it and later provide the bulkhead & other parts drawings from that . It can also be made available on the Old boats website for free to all who want a copy - please contact me via PM .

Those lights look great Cash - that horn is really loud ! - easily wake up the neighborhood........

Not far to go Cash - looking forward to seeing Grimmershorn on the water !

Really taking shape now Cash - looking good !

Coming along nicely Cash - looking forward to the finishing touches.

Looks pretty good Cash - probably the most difficult part of any build - even using perspex with both sides covered I still manage a few blotches ...............So join the club - think your idea on the original sounds great .

A great build Martin - that's a really good looking boat - You should be proud of yourself...........As Graham says the planking is especially well done. Cant get that effect with plastic alone............Most kits etc have bits of both too.

Very punny JB - but as you say Martin is making a great job of this build..........

Sent a PM re the plans.

I hate the word Learner they use for school pupils here - we are all learners throughout life - and as we get older we sometimes have to re-learn..............So not to worry Martin - we all do it - I find myself in the same situation frequently............

You have done a splendid job on the windows - those minute scratches etc are very difficult to avoid.

Perhaps a light card template around & inside each window might make the paint job easier ? Should be easy enough to make from the plastic card they came on ?

You can always have the smaller version plans enlarged at a decent print shop - have a couple of digital ones. PM if you want them.

Looking better & better Martin - great video - however if I tried that there would definitely be a burning smell and lights extinguished for ever- don't know how you guys do it - all I know is one wires black and the other red - sometimes not - if that's the case time to give up and go home.............

Think everyone is now following JB's & Grahams lead in gadgetry - would just have to settle for a blue led that flashes on its own and straight wired other lights controlled by a servo............

The old static round disc Furuno radar would also have to do...............

Good to see you working again Cash - hope you are going to add some flotation to the new superstructure and the hull of course - just in case your friend JP has a new bigger & faster boat..............

New superstructure looks great - but might it be problem in any wind ? - disposed of the Tour Master because of that..........

If you are lucky the 35mhz set should work with 40mhz crystals - most do - my 3 channel )single stick Hitec certainly does - even with other makes of receiver- difficulty is that its hard to find the crystals now - and when you do they are expensive . The 40mhz sets are still used by the Submarine fraternity as 2.4ghz does not work underwater. So if you are planning a Sub in your future suggest you keep the radio & find some 40mhz crystals.

There was of course the much earlier film (1954) - main character Harry Brubaker - The Bridges at Toko-Ri

Beginning to think you don't like to call anything finished JB - not one to talk though - guilty of the same - it all sounded like black magic - only thing understood was its Cuban music - had a basic music idea some time ago - a small usb multi type stick connected to an old cellphone - but that would probably sink any of my small boats.............

Very realistic Martin - whats next ? What is the launch going to be called ? - and which service??????

its called tank steering - which I suppose is teaching grandmother again - sometimes said it originated from the early tanks in WW1. 99% of the cheap RC boats seem to use it - if grandsons boat is an Airfix Severn it would probably have been cheaper to buy one of those and utilise the bits. Seem to remember Martin our small or unusual model expert used parts from a toy type for his mini pusher tug which he drove around in his Big Blue inland sea..................

If its a larger model Severn there are still some cheap NQD boats around which might fit the bill - a 30in cabin cruiser bought for me the better half was surprisingly cheap & has 40mhz RC. Lovely hull - so have been meaning to convert to 2.4ghz RC with rudders - but no place to fit them.........

Looks really good on the water JB - would be nice to see what happens with a bit more throttle - probably get almost airborne and a full rooster-tail.............Looks stable enough - good hull design.

Hi Douglas.
Do you still have the plans ? - been chasing those for years - models & kits seem to be as rare as hens teeth...........Looks like you made a great job of it even if it took so long.

Problem is all the larger versions are a hefty price - and its much more of a challenge with a smaller hull. The Merit version must be discontinued - cant understand such a large price tag in the US - pity as its big enough to make a success of with a waterjet.

Its amazing to see how some people can make do with what they have - both boats are great - they must all definitely be related to Martin...........

Certainly a life lesson in there for us - which is why I get so fed up here when they refer to schoolchildren as learners - we all are - for all of our lives.............

Strange that we have many hobby shops around ín SA - about 10 in Capetown alone - but they only seem to cater for Aircraft , Trains, Vehicles & other hobbies. Other than radio equipment they don't have much boat-wise other than a few plastic kits and some now expensive Artesania wood kits......My source of stuff has been two robotics shops - purchasing 9gram servos at less than a third of what Banggood want for them - before the postage !!!!!!!! Recently found an online Hobby Shop about 1100 miles away that has the bits I need to repair my small outboards - from slot cars of course - plus some other useful bits & pieces. They were reasonably priced old stock and delivery via courier is 50% subsidised - received those in three days .

Postage is problematic here - hence receiving the June & July issues of Model Boats - but still awaiting the May one........So ordering bits from overseas is a No No - local delivery is now mostly by Courier - which obviously is very expensive from overseas. Was shown a video recently of PO mail sorters plucking chickens instead - not in our town fortunately - but there are only two members of staff there to handle the counters and sort the mail for nearly 1k post boxes as well as house delivery for which thankfully they have another person - plus they have had to handle the Covid grants to everybody in need - and that's a great number of people...........