Made a run to the big Spotlight haberdashery/hobby and everything else store store today to buy some more black 3mm felt to line the inside of the cockpit. While there I spotted some ribbed black material which almost exactly resembled ribbed marine carpet, and it was on sale. There was only a metre left, so I bought that ($9,- normally $24,- cheaper than buying .5 m) and it looks spot on in the boat, (only used about a sq ft, so now have a lifetime supply,- perhaps I can cover my boat storage shelves😁)

Also made the dash panel which is held on with 2 7mmx3mm neo magnets (one each side) so it can be removed to access the front compartment (BT board and RX). If it wasn't removable, you would not get your hand in the compartment. Probably still be able to have dash lights, as they can be fitted in the bulkhead behind. It will hopefully have a few back-lit gauges when finished. Drilled a hole in the rear bulkhead for, the smoke tube, and made the brass T tube to link the 2 exhaust pipe smoke nipples.

If I get time, I might glue the exhaust pipes in permanently, hook up the plumbing, and give things a try. Getting closer to fitting the deck, but making sure everything will be reasonably accessible for repair or maint once its on. Getting pretty crowded inside now, so takes a bit of mucking around to get things in the right place. I've made the main electricals modular, so they can be removed easily. Various items ( RX etc) are velcro'd on for ease of removal as well.

The skipper's arrived and been dressed to match the boat. He looked a bit of a 'nancy' so I added pair of glasses to 'straighten' him out slightly. Worked out very well scale wise (if the boat was 18ft) and is quite good quality (Ali Exp) His missus should be arriving soon, and hopefully will match ok. Almost everything is sorted now, including plumbing, and it's just about ready for decking or hull painting.

Water/air/smoke system is working, along with the BT/SD card stereo. Same setup as the Hartley cabin boat, with radio and Micro SD card, playable from a small BT player/watch/phone etc, or on board Micro SD card using an IR remote. Had an issue with the high voltage brushless ESCs not liking being on the same power source (dual distribution board) as the water pump and glitching themselves and the sound unit badly.

Fixed that by running the pump from the smoke/air battery. Same set-up as my other boats, but these ESCs obviously don't have very good noise rejection abilities, (motors and sound even still 'tick' when the servo driven power switches operate). Just sorted out the starting sequence for the air/smoke timer and sound set-up as well, (short vid)

Did the gauges last night and started the windshield frame. Gauges can be back-lit but I might leave it for now. Lighting can be done at any time, as the dash is removable for access (held on with magnets) to the front compartment I've run out of switches on the 6ch TX, so lighting will probably just be a micro manual sw (for nav lights as well) I have some nice micro dip switches which are perfect for switching small voltages (LEDs and the like.) Used them on my Broads cruiser (see pic 1) for independent cabin/nav lights. Can be purchased with different numbers of switches. Photo of dash lights is a bit bright, due to using an LED torch to demo.

Won't complete the screen till the deck is on, due to the deck curve needing to be final (for screen base)

A bit more work on the dash and screen frames. Frames are just being cut to size and will wait for the deck to be attached as mentioned. Will have to be built from the bottom up, a section at a time. Side frames have been partially laminated in Mahogany. I've made a wheel as well, which was made from brass wire, wound on a pipe (as you would a spring) cut to size and ends line up and soldered. Spokes are brass sheet, shaped, bent drilled and soldered to the rim.

Dash has glove box and knobs added

Unusually nice and warm today, so a good day to throw the deck on, after making sure everything would be reasonably accessible later. Used West epoxy with glue filler powder and fast hardener and got to gluing flat out. managed to get the deck all strapped and clamped before the glue went off (just) so hope everything stuck, a lot of rails to apply glue to. Always fun doing a 'onesie',- having to make sure you haven't missed a frame or glued something you weren't supposed to😀, and to get it tied down in time.

I used front and rear locating pins to make sure it was lined up correctly, - makes life easy and eliminates any movement. Sanding tomorrow and maybe into bit of painting.

Deck's on and edges sanded, dash clear varnished, (holes to tidy yet) steering 'column' made for wheel shaft, (wheel turns) mahogany trim on wheel spokes, IR sensor extension for BT music player (mounted above speedo) a bit more screen frame work, (mahogany glass stops) and another coat of mahogany stain on the transom. Almost time to start painting😊

Threw the primer/sealer at it yesterday and started sanding it. I use a very good product by Zinser which seals f/glass from bleeding spots into the paint (usually happens as the wax can sit in tiny pores, no matter how much you de-wax it) This stuff works on anything interior, but I've found it's perfect for boats and planes under or over most paints to hide and seal the original surface, - especially balsa. Can be painted with anything as well, as it's shellac based and sets quite hard, Takes a bit of sanding but worth it. I spray a lacquer undercoat sealer on top, as a softer cover to sand back smooth, before the topcoat.

I think it was Australian as 'Bulls Eye', but seems to be now under the Rustoleum (US) brand (may have been just made locally down here in Aust by Zinser)?

And now for something slightly different. Finally managed to get a slightly warm day, and decided to do some painting and staining. Still have the bottom to do, and clear varnish the deck and transom. Screen needs finishing, as well as a few deck fittings and spray rails etc making, - also some interior stuff. Saw a late model Chris-Craft this colour and liked it.

Just having a play with moulding some deck vents. I used JOVI air dry modelling clay and made impressions with a cyano hardened mould on a stick (pic) Baked it in the oven at 100deg C for a few hours and left it there overnight, after turning the heat off. Today I used separating wax inside the moulds, filled them with polyester resin, and warmed them in the oven to set them quicker (too cold today)

Once well set, I easily flicked them out with a hobby knife. A few were a good shape, but they all need to be sanded to shape anyhow (oversized), Worked really well for a first experiment, and with more care, pretty accurate moulding of small parts could be done (vents etc -ie half and half)

Vents now sanded, sealed and chrome painted (1st coat) They haven't come out too badly considering the crude moulding method. I've also made a different vent and a clay mould for the bow roller to be resin cast later, (both have been baked like the vents.) I think this clay is my new favourite moulding material, as when it's dry, it can be sanded or painted with anything, and used as is, ( even resin coated for more strength) or as another female mould master. About $11 a 1.1lb block.

The vents have 3mm screws cyano'd into drilled holes in the bottoms, so they can be bolted on later, and be removable for re-painting.