Have tried both in brushed and brushless motor indtastions. The shafts have always been plain SS running in brass tubes.
Prefer oil, the grease seems to solidify and drag, whilst the oil just slowly emulsifies with the slight water ingress.
Must add, always fit shaft oilers and oil prior to each days use. The shafts are removed and cleaned every season. Have never noted any wear bands.
Am interested in other opinions but oil (regular light engine grade) works best for me.

Hi Ed,
My experience is planked decks are well worth the trouble.
They are satisfying to build and look great. Use strips though not try to pencil them in. That always looks phoney
Good luck
Rowen

Thanks Doug,it is not just the problem of replacement, it is the cost and inconvenience of sending the defective ESC back to the UK from Canada. Once received MTroniks are quite ready to replace it.
Whilst several of the Quicrun features are of limited value to us ship modelers the reliability and cost appeals. If others have not tried them they are worth considering. Only issue I have found is the wires are a little short.

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Have had a couple or so Mtroniks ESCs fail with burning smells and wires coming out.
The started using Quicrun ESCs available on the Internet. They are cheaper and perform well. Now have 4 in service without any malfunctions.

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Have tried many of these ideas, but have settled on a different approach. Since standardizing on LI-PO cells and been concerned about the reports of self immolation and fire have decided to always transport the cells separate from the vessel.
This means my deck and wiring should be readily removable to install and remove the cell. Using two wire brush type connectors off a slot car fed the +ve and negative wire through the deck connecting to the brushes.
On the underside of the superstructure soldered mating wires onto brass washers. Whenever the deck is screwed down a good connection is established.This feeds battery voltage into the superstructure which contains all the control circuitry for lights, scanners etc.
Even I cannot forget to disconnect the connecting wires now!

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Thanks Doug, nice to have the deck for once!
Little to say, fully occupied sailing models as the local ponds are now all open water.
Will resume blogs in the fall when my HMAFV Seal enters the build program
Best
Rowen

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If the video does not link, it can be found on UTube under Brave Borderer blog 27

The weather has finally cooperated and have had one good outing at a local lake. The performance is consistent with the previous blog, however, observed over a much greater distance.
At full speed on all motors the plane exposes more keel than pictures of the real vessel; but the throttle can be reduced to slow the model and lower the bow. The centre shaft performance is adequate, which helps maneuvering and also serves as a “get home” back-up.
The pictures show the model at full speed with all shafts turning and at full centre shaft speed only. The brief video shows the model at full speed and then slowing as the outer shafts are stopped.
On 1 x 4500mAh 3S battery, life is around one hour at a mixture of speeds; with both single and three shafts operating.
In summary a great project, one that has proved both challenging and satisfying.

Would agree to an extent.
The 3S though allows the motor speed to be reduced so the plane can be controlled. Either way after all the challenges she produced last year am happy with the outcome.
My next project is a model of one of the R.A.F. SEAL class, a LRRC which was the last launch used before the R.A.F. Marine branch was closed.
Just completed the hull sailing trials so will shelve project until next winter. Will eventually write a blog on it.
Really like your Fairmile and am very tempted to build one of those further down the line.

Doug,
Later meant the second or third address which obliterated the preceding one. Anyway,
will try your suggestion next time I post several videos.

Thanks Doug,
I tried that, but the later address superseded the and obliterated the earlier.
Anyway,our experiences seem very similar. Have decided to "standardize" on the 3S. The performance is clearly superior.
Will get a longer video on a much larger lake shortly and will post.
Rowen

Did more testing and then reprogrammed the ESCs and Rx. These changes allowed the removal of the brushless motor selection circuitry and improved the tractability of the system.
As the videos show, a plane can be achieved with both 2S and 3S batteries. With the 3S the plane is flatter and faster. Suspect this is due to the increased vertical component of the propeller thrust forcing the rear of the vessel upwards, lifting it and lowering the bow. Of the two, the 3S resembles the original vessel pictures more closely, the bow lifts too far high with the 2S.
The videos show the vessel in motion. The first shows a run with 2S batteries, the next two show similar runs with 3S.
Just found cannot upload three videos on one blog. Anyway, they can all be seen on UTube under 'Brave Borderer blog'.
Anticipate further refining of the powertrain with a future running, but doubt any significant improvements will be achieved. Performance is great anyway and am very happy with it.
This will be the concluding post for this model.

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Have never aspired to aircraft, enjoy boats too much.
I use a Fysky (Turnigy) FS 10 Tx which is very competitively priced. This Tx can be programmed for up to 20 models, so use it for several different boats, some multi-screwed, others single. Some with 'elevon' throttles, some conventional.
Think this Tx would have the capability to be used for both aircraft and boats. Worth a look rather than buying a unique Tx.

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I am using a Flysky 10 channel Mode 2 Tx, set up for 'elevon' control on the outer screws. The centre is controlled with the LH throttle lever.
On the last day out, got around 50 mins of battery life running the centre screw continuously and the outers around 30% of time.
Powertrain is:
2 x ZIPPY Compact 2200mAh 3S 35C Lipo Pack each powers one outer shaft and one also powers the centre.
Outer shafts : 2 x Turnigy AquaStar 2842-2800KV Water Cooled Brushless Outrunner Motor
2 x HobbyKing 50A Boat ESC 4A UBEC
Centre Shaft : 1 x 550 Brushed motor
1 x Quickrun 1080 ESC
All shafts have 35mm brass screws
Model is about 35" OL length and performs well. She planes just like the original Brave Borderer.

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Did this on my Brave Borderer. 2 x brushless motors on outboard screws and brushed on centre using a third ESC.
Works well

After the trials, tribulations, experiments and frustration, can finally announce this model is sailing well. It has excellent performance and looks, both on and off the water. A build really for the more experienced modeller though. If the performance envelope is to be explored it should be done on a suitably large area of water with few other vessels around.
However, enjoyed building a model of an unusual class of vessels. It expanded my knowledge and skills, then kept me occupied throughout a Canadian winter!
Have also been lucky to have received considerable useful advice from other modellers, which was much appreciated.
Building from scratch off a proprietary glass fibre hull gives a robust model with plenty of opportunity for individual input. Intend to use this approach again.
Whilst am rather blinkered about building scale models to scale; considerable frustration, time and money could have been saved by using a single or even a twin screw layout, rather than the triple. Performance might also have been further improved and weight saved. Several of the U Tube videos of the similar Perkasa models show how well these layouts work.
There are several photos attached;
1) Stationary.
2) Max. speed using the centre screw brushed motor and then the outer brushless screws on the 2S battery
3) Max. speed using the centre screw brushed motor and then the outer brushless screws on the 3S battery.
Because the pond is small, was unable to capture the marked differences in performance between the 2 and 3 S batteries. It will plane easily on either, just rather more frenetically on the 3!. Suspect this was because of the difficulty in coordinating acceleration, photographer and deceleration. Will endeavour to get pictures and a video that make this more obvious and post when available.

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Thanks all for the comments.
The weight is rather more than expected, but attribute it mainly to the centre brushed motor/shaft/screw arrangement.
Hoping to get some pictures later this week and will post them.
The extra weight does not seem to impede performance, so not that concerned.

Getting ready for the maiden voyage after the extensive winter upgrade and stumbled across an article on programming Hobbyking ESCs.
Have always been concerned about the “stuttering” of the brushless motors. This is more correctly identified as “cogging”, often caused by incorrect motor timing. Changed the timing to “Automatic” from the incorrect previous setting, which was for inrunner motors not outrunners. Now much smoother acceleration from neutral to full speed.
On the water, first, the brushed motor centre screw concept works well. It allows controllable maneuvering and powers the model nicely in a displacement mode. No planning, but with a reasonable bow wave. The model weight is a little high, as she rides towards the top of the boot topping.
Tried the brushless outer screws and realized my efforts to “detune” the motors were overdone. The model performance was adequate, but still had difficulty in getting both motors to run consistently and smoothly. Think the water drag was slowing the motors more that expected as they had worked satisfactory on the bench.
Adjusted the ESC output back to 100% - much better. After 45 minutes of running the battery alarm came on, curtailing trials. She planes very much as the real vessel did, lifting the forefoot clearly out of the water. Had a spare battery, but 3S not 2. Was apprehensive about the increased power this would bring, but as the model was operating satisfactorily decided to try it.
Better still! Motors now work consistently smoothly and in concert throughout the throttle range.
The top speed exceeds any picture I have seen of the Brave class though. Can readily get a third of the hull out of the water.
Will conduct more trails, but need a larger pond to give time to experiment with the various control settings. Hope to post a concluding blog with pictures shortly.

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Hi Ron,
We sailed at Lake Lisgar near Tillsonburg today. Ice has gone, bit windy though. Now 17 in Ancaster.
Be patient, one day the ice and snow will go - Inshallah!

Thanks, could not readily find anything that was more specific that the Berwick launch.
Interesting site though, going to work my way through it.

Thanks Ron, already have that picture and have extrapolated the dimensions. Was hoping somebody had another perspective.
If nothing else arises that will have to do
Thanks again
Rowen

My next project will be the above LRRSC Launch, operated by the R.A.F. as the Marine Branch closed.
The drawings for the vessel are generally adequate, but with one omission. The dimensions for the stern weapons recovery slipway door are not shown.
Can anybody help advise what they were or suggest where I might find them?

Can you advise the total finished weight of the model please?

Hi Doug.
I have the centre brushed motor on the LH stick, separate from the brushless which are on the RH. The LH side to side is now the rudder.
The article is by Glynn Guest and is in one of this years magazines. It is called something like Modes. Sorry cannot be more specific as the mag has been passed on to other enthusiasts.
Enjoy Malaga, should be ice free by now!

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Hi Doug,
I have now introduced the ELEVON function on my twin, independently controlled screw models. That puts both motors on the RH stick (up/down) for simultaneous speed control and LH/RH differential operation for side to side.
Tried to explain it in more detail in a recent Brave Borderer blog update. It is also covered in a recent Model Boats mag article.
With twin, independent motors find it so intuitive that I like it. Previously had one motor on LH stick and the other on the right. Found them difficult to synchronize and then steer accurately.
Pity my only tests are on the bench as no sign of ice free water here yet.
Will report water tests in due course
Rowen

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It does not "kick me out" as such. Once I turn the phone off or close the App it erases the "cookie" so I have to log in again.
This does not happen with other sites such as newspapers. Once logged in you are always in even after the phone is turned off and restarted.

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With this new site, I find that to avoid the "Log in or Register" script across photos, have to keep on logging in. The phone does not retain my log-in details after closing the site.
This is different from most of my other apps which retain the phone details to avoid logging in again?

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Hi Doug, not worth worrying about. Anyway, far too busy converting all my twin screw models to single lever Tx control. Seems more intuitive than the traditional dual lever.
Signs of Spring finally, the ice is retreating so the time to get back on the water is almost nigh.
Ice still around in Bavaria?
R

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Seems as if the ranking system controversy has detracted from the excellence of the updated site. Why bother at all? Much better to abolish ranking and concentrate on the hobby.

Hi Doug,
Probably could and also add my Teakwood and Beagle. Not interested in gong hunting though, I just enjoy the hobby.