e Hector Read was built in Hull in the 60s for the Gt Yarmout port and Haven as their new Harbour tug to be moored at the pilot station in Gorleston. Giving many years service, was finally sold on when most working ships were fitted with bow/stern thrusters. Much missed as part of the river scene. A scratch built model I made 18 years ago from photo’s and drawings from the Port Authority. Anyone know her ultimate fate?

Westbourne is a Port of London Authority steam Tug from the Caldercraft Mini-Fleet Range - it is 1:48 scale. This model was discontinued a few years ago but I did manage to purchase a brand new boxed one via ebay a couple of years ago.

During her time Westbourne was hired by the Royal Navy as a rescue tug. She saw service with them between October 1916 and July 1919 in the HM Dockyard. Prior to that she was on general towing service duties on the Thames.
She can be found mentioned in “SHIPS OF THE ROYAL NAVY, 1914-1919 - by TYPE & CLASS
Section 3. SUPPORT and HARBOUR VESSELS”

Following the first world war ‘Westbourne’ was one of three tugs attached to the Port of London Authority (PLA) Dredging Service, they were the "Westbourne", "Thorney" and "Brent", they were all fitted with a drag and under running gear.In 1940 during the Battle of Britain. ‘Westbourne’ and many other tugs were used in assisting the berthing of these large ships that entered the Thames.
The photos show from box to construction plus her on the water.

AFTER RECEIVING LONG-AWAITED GLOBALLY SOURCED COMPONENTS, I DID A PRELIM DRIVELINE INSTALL/DRY FIT ON THE USCG 140'ER. 4MM SHAFT/BOX & RABOESCH 5-BLADE SKEWED WHEEL ARE FROM CORNWALL BOATS (UK), THE MOUNT AND U-JOINT COUPLER ARE BBQ ROUTISSERIE COMPONENTS. BTW-THERE'S A 3/16" ID CYLINDRICAL CENTER SUPPORT BEARING BETWEEN THE COUPLERS. THEY ARE NORMALLY USED ON "FIDGIT SPINNERS"

Just some pics of a beautiful sport fish that I almost purchased couple years ago.

Thought you might appreciate these....Towing a 30 Ton barge with 30 Tons of metal in it at Ellesmere Port Boat Museum, 1996. Making an unofficial Record. (35 mm pics)

A 600mm long model hovercraft built from a kit using Depron polysyrene. Excellent kits and extremely light, quick on the water and very quick on polished surfaces such as sports halls. Contact Palaform for further info. Just Google them. Use styrofoam paint to decorate otherwise you risk melting the polystyrene.

A 600mm long model hovercraft built from a kit using Depron polysyrene. Excellent kits and extremely light, quick on the water and very quick on polished surfaces such as sports halls. Contact Palaform for further info. Just Google them. Use styrofoam paint to decorate otherwise you risk melting the polystyrene. Reflective marking from local police - thanks guys!

Only been building for about a year now. This was the first boat I made. Nice and easy 😁

a few pics of our ellesmere port rc model boat club sailing day on the temporary pond at the hooton park trust site

This is the case I made to transport my Little Footy from home to pond, lake, or ? I can take it on vacation too; Holds transmitter and boat safely.

So, here's my current project in the works. I got a nice 25-inches Deep-Vee fiberglass hull a while ago and now (finally) have a concept for it. Almost by accident I came across a plan for an American bass boat which in turn reminded me of a boat that caught my attention when I was a kid while reading a boating magazine. The boat is a 28-footer from a now defunct firm named Uniflite. it was a small deep-sea sports fisherman called "Salty Dog". Uniflite was very well known within the American boating circles during the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Uniflite created and supplied PBR river patrol craft to the US Navy between 1965 and 1972 for rivers in Vietnam using an already existing pleasure boat hull and adapting jet nozzles for propulsion. So, I just created a prototype template of the cabin so more to follow 😎.

This video supports my concluding blog, # 20.