Simon - please check your PM's - one sent 8 days ago

Thanks Pete - really miss being able to go to the shows - almost took me there . Miss the chit chat too !

Martin - one can only admire your patience and skill . Brilliant........

Looking forward to seeing her on the water Cash - lovely job you have made of it altogether - If I did not have so many unfinished projects would sift through the stash and find the kit.........
Been looking for Commander pics on the Web - memory fails me apart from that it did not have the bullet nose. Looks like it was the 52 model 4 door V8 my dad had . Would have been nearly 68 years ago - can remember he grumbled about fuel usage...... Do you know if it had a split back axle which bolted together ? Know it collapsed and jammed solid on a railway crossing going on holiday to the Cape - fortunately train came once a week and it had been through the day before.........Very frightening at the time
Apologies for the hijack of your thread...........

Cash you really are a spring chicken compared to some of us - even my 10 year younger better half is a good few years older than you........

Still haven't answered my query re the hull thickness.......

With hands too big you still seem to be doing a great job........

Hate to admit was not even 40 when I blundered with the lights - could not blame it on anything - and I did not spot the mistake.......
Good job it was fixed before going to the club........

Was doing a bit more searching the other day for any more info on the SS Waratah which disappeared in 1909 between Durban and East London - believed to be off the mouth of the Bashee river. Coincidentally years later (1967) a Viscount airliner of SAA - Rietbok - also disappeared in that area. All sorts of claims were put forward in the investigation but no trace of her was ever found either.
Clive Cussler funded a search for the Waratah in the late 90's and it was claimed by Emlyn Brown that she was found in 1999 using side scanning radar - but no location was ever given. Geoffrey Jenkins also wrote a novel based on the two's disappearance.....
I was a little taken aback to realise after all these years of looking for information on her that she was launched on my birthday - albeit a good few years before in 1908............
Perhaps that's why I have never lost interest in finding out what happened to her.
It was claimed that she was top heavy and probably overwhelmed by a huge wave - they do occur in that area from time to time - (one took a 30m chunk out of a VLCC bow). A few other theories as well - none of which seem to apply (wikpedia). No trace was ever found until the claim in 1999. From her drawings its hard to believe she was top-heavy as she had nothing like the superstructure of modern liners. Often thought of building a model - but it would not prove anything unless built as a total replica. She also had 1000 tons of lead as a cargo stowed at the bottom of her holds which surely would have made her even more stable.........
All in All much more interesting than the Titanic..........

Nice one Cash - looking good as always with your builds.
Have a kit lying around somewhere bought for me in Hong Kong of all places years ago. Never built as the hull seems paper thin - how thick is yours? Could not think of a way to strengthen it without damaging the hull...........
As to the light swap - my avatar Police Boat was built many years ago - switched on lights - ex who knew not much about boats commented "have you got the lights wrong" - sure enough nav lights on wrong sides.......Embarrassing to say the least ...........

Years ago my brother in law worked for Natal Parks Board on Spioenkop Reserve, which has a huge dam. They had an 18' ski boat fitted with two large outboards (80 hp?) . They both had the same clockwise rotation - yet there was no effect on the boat in terms of yaw or tilt - not sure if there was any effect on speed.
Had a look at the Shark Cage Diving boats here mostly Semi Rigid inflatables or Catamaran hulls up to about 60'. Some of them have 4 x 300hp outboards - minimum is 2 x 250 hp. Same story - all have props turning the same way ............
Not sure what you make of that - but I always try to use counter rotating props on my models anyway - but having seen those not sure I would bother on a full size boat equipped with outboards.
My two pairs of model outboards are counter rotating funnily enough....

Re the white Martin - its always a problem no matter what type of paint used - always requires a good few coats. When building one of our models for a customer we now insist on an extra charge for white!
Kid you not a Suzuki Jeep kit needed 8 coats of Acrylic White and started to loose detail............
Security gate took 3 Hammerite Smooth White coats.............
No real answer - even with artists oils ...........
Once again your level of detail astounds - the mark of a true model maker when finishing off stuff you know will never be seen............

Oops .......... Check your PM's . Can download from there..........
PDF (Adobe format) . Easily printed

PM me - No problem

Agree with you Graham - point is they are never immaculate - even after a refit /overhaul . And who has the time or money to keep a boat immaculate when trying to make a living fishing. Its hard enough to keep the essentials maintained......
A crabber from Lymington was probably the dirtiest boat I have ever seen - if you weathered to that degree no one would believe it.........

Looks like a couple of the boats from Lymington - well done
Had to laugh when reading that a scale model judge said that fishermen always kept their boats immaculate.........
You have captured the essence here

Ron - when driving the hire car in UK simply remember the driver sits in the middle of the road .(Since its a right hand drive.) (Piece of advice given by a friend who lives in France.) Certainly worked in Europe when driving a hire car (left hand drive as in the US/Canada)
If your hire car does not have a built in GPS - make sure you get one of those as well as the auto box (ab a very good idea) - very easy to drive around in circles on the narrow back roads in Cornwall. Good map is also useful for planning your next day itinerary - too much nuisance whilst driving.

Be sure to visit Looe and take a boat trip to Polperro - the trip alone is worth it - well worth a visit but the walk down to Polperro from the car park is killing if you go by car. Lots of good B&B's near Looe - interesting town - lots of boats in the harbour plus ship chandlers & other shops will be worth a visit. There used to be a MB club in nearby Liskeard - sure they would welcome you if they are still going. perhaps someone on this site knows ?

Hi JB - Corel X7 works fine with 8.1 . I use X3 for the Lasers old software's sake. Better half has X7 - student/home version is cheap too. (When transferring to me simply saves as version X3)
As you say very easy with Corel - also used the laser to cut larger letters/window frames etc from very thin "stick on" Rowmark (metallic type for frames)

Ron - forgot there is one other method - some print/signage shops have vinyl cutters - they can cut lettering very accurately (surprisingly small too) from stick on vinyl and supply it with the "frame" to accurately position it. Same sort of stuff supplied for pin striping cars & making "boot top" lines on MB hulls. Seems to last ok - mine still going after 35 years........

Ron - there used to be plastic lettering on the market called Slaters Plasticard - really meant for railway modelling - each letter is stuck on seperately and can be painted any colour you like . Came in various sizes - some quite large . Still have some left in my "stock" - ideal for plastic models too.......
Alternatively there is still some Letraset type lettering around - now produced by the Chinese of course - seen it quite recently at the local Stationers . So Stationery/Office Goods/Art shop might well have some. Quite a few versions , colour & sizes.
Also lettering for kiddies in stick on plastic from some toy shops - many varieties in that too.
Also seen some glossy stick on "metallic" lettering for decorative labels etc from the local Stationers/Art shop - easlly painted as they are card based.

Many years ago I read about naval battle enactments in the US using model warships fitted with BB firing guns. Built with balsa sides so the BB's could penetrate. Them some time later another article also in a US magazine about a group in Australia doing the same thing. Later still MMI published an article on a BB firing model of an Oto Melara 76mm QF . I wonder if they are still allowed to or has the practice been outlawed ? The US does not seem to be as much of a nanny state as Europe in general, but Oz Im not sure of.
Imagine the elf & safless finding that happening on a pond in the UK along with a sub firing explosive torpedos.............
Wonder where I got that idea from.............

Hi Jugge -a Seine is simply a net weighted at the bottom with floats at the top - formed into a ring around the catch - presumably the bottom is closed as they bring it aboard. The Florida US Shrimpers are one kind of seiner - if you Google them you will see they operate with a boom either side - presumably to keep the mouth of the net open ? Most of them would be purse seiners presumably as the net is closed at the bottom to form a purse.

Well started as usual Martin - your blogs are always a pleasure . Take it you are still going with static - be incredibly difficult otherwise.
The Admiral sounds a bit bloodthirsty/gung-ho with his suggestion of motorisation and a slice of bang stuff in front.............
Although with some of the drivers you see on our sailing waters it might be a good thing............

and this one - also from our Fleet Admiral

http://www.rafboats.co.uk/galleryrttl.html

🔗

Lawrie , seems there is another thread of a RTTL Mast - appears to be the same type as yours...........Be worth looking at anyway

That's a really fine piece of modelling - lot of work involved there - had a quick look at my photos - don't think there would be anything to add to it other than provision for your wire stays /aerial connections.
There appear to be quite a few very fine wire bits - almost looks like the flag hangs on one. Check this website courtesy of Admiral Doug

https://www.google.com/search?q=vosper+rttl+plans&tbm=isch&s...

🔗

Built from a Rhodesian kit - kit produced for Model Products by a friend Mervyn Ward in Salisbury. Made from 'mugongo' a very light weight pale yellow somewhat dry dusty wood - meant as a replacement for balsa because of sanctions (looks like Jelutong but very much lighter in weight)
Uses a 480 type Overland BB motor and a Graupner P30 prop with 4mm commercial propshaft.
Much modified over the years - built in the 80's . Has sailed in France (Normandy,Brittany) UK (New Forest , Beale Park and a few other places)and many waters in SA.
Currently under repair .
Hull etc cribbed from Les Rowells Aerokits Patrol Boat but slightly different superstructure which lifts off entirely

Seem to be two threads ? - nice to see all the components - lots of work ahead but worth it on a great model like this. Looking forward to the rebuild blog............

Lovely Model BW - always liked those - what size is she exactly ?
Lucky Lad............

Nice one Marky - laser cutting those type of pieces is a doddle - nightmare by hand ! Would also do that sort of thing for other modellers on our Laser - if there were any here now - other than the ones I'm trying to encourage...........
Everyone else seems to be too far away.............

The best thing about owning a laser is the idiotic comments you hear - like "Oh those - you just press a button and it just does it for you " - "its so easy with one of those" and queries like "why cant you you just cut this for me - Ive shown you the picture".
None of them understand the basic hard work that goes into design & drawing of items. One of the problems here in SA is that many laser owners cant do the basics and draw their own bits & pieces , but rely on bought patterns available to all.
I drew up patterns for a post WW2 Willys Jeep and a Series One SWB Land-Rover. They each took the better part of a month to do and required at least 3 prototypes before getting the design right. (They both have detailed chassis, suspension, including shocks, control pedals & levers, lifting lugs etc.) A slightly more simple model of a Suzuki 410 Jeep took about 3 weeks to produce - (Gansbaai calls itself the "Suzuki Capital of the World" as everyone and his dog seems to own one.........)
Since then have produced on and off road trailers , and a Tiger Moth to my own design also time consuming and many prototypes.
We purchased patterns for a Land-Rover Defender, Vintage Motor Cycle, Pitts Special and a simple helicopter. All of those required extensive reworking before use - showing that a lot of patterns sold have never been tested by producing a sample.............
We now make a point of charging R 150 in advance for a redraw to suit the Laser (about 10gbp ) plus cutting time per minute/material cost - unless its for a multiple item order - and depending on value........... That puts an end to a lot of queries as its "too expensive" but are we supposed spend two hours and costly laser time which earns us less than minimum wage ?
We do some freebies for friends from time to time - but not complex stuff which we would have to charge a discounted price for.........
I have produced boat kits/nameplates etc at no charge for a few fellow modellers - most of whom supplied the material..........
We are hoping to purchase a 3d printer this year - but it, material and the drawing software required are expensive here. We would try to keep our charges reasonable as it will be used for business purposes - and I suppose the inevitable few freebies to friends..........

Thanks Doug - Lawrie the pictures on the site are probably as useful as the ones I have. If you don't manage with those PM me .

Thanks Cash - Will pass on - appreciated