If I may suggest, a 21 size engine will be far too small and you'll be disappointed if you want it to plane, you would need something more like a 52 or even a 61 for a 46" hull. Moreover with the monotonous high pitch whine they'd also sound and therefore look pretty un-realistic. With an abundance of highly efficient brushed or brushless electric motors now on the market, electric is really now the way to go. Although initially electric propulsion is a bit more expensive to set up than I.C. electric motors are now equally as powerful as I.C.,if not more so, and there is a size to suit practically any model. They are also extremely reliable and convenient and due to environmental issues you are going to have a far greater choice of sailing locations to choose from and with the bonus that your model will always stay clean!
This boat is a model of the Judge McCombs which is the fire boat in Hamilton Ontario Canada. The model was built by Don Hodgson of the Confederation Marine Modellers of Hamilton. Scatch built with about 700 hours, has 3 water pumps run by 12 volt.
The boat started out as the tug Betty-Bess in 1947, in 1950 a small fire pump was installed driven by a separate engine, in 1972 the extra 2 monitors where installed. it will now pump a 1000 gpm. Enclosed find 3 pictures of the model and 1 picture of the real thing.
The boat has no name as yet, it is scrach bult from two photos. I found in a loft as usual. it is about 25/30 years old, she is powered by a darke horse 785 turbo with a 2.5 to 1 gearbox and two 9.6 volt 3700maH NiMH bateries and a 50mm 3 bladed prop, sailed at our local lake.
The boat is far from finished and is not to scale as you can see, but for a first time build it looks pritty fair out on the water. Just one last word, many thanks to all the members of the forum for all your help.bit of a muck here lads the photos were in the loft,the hull I bought for £30.and every thing else is scratch built.
Bought this boat for £20 from a guy who was given it from a house clearence. As you can see it's quite big measuring 70" long.
It's in needs lots of TLC, will run off 2 electric motors as no IC around here. Hope to start late summer and get it to water late next year. I sail at silvermere golf course in surrey.
Aerokits Boats built by Christian Sheppard-Capurro
This is an Aerokits 34" built over 20 years ago and runs an Enya glow engine with Futaba 2-ch radio (upgraded from 1 ch). All fittings were built from scratch.
The second boat is also from the 34" kit, re-cut into a Hants & Dorset RAF HSL. Also powered by Enya.
The third boat used to be an Aerokits Sea Commander, converted into RAF 63ft Pinnace.Powered by an ancient diesel.
The fourth boat is an Aerokits Swordsman flat out in the Bay Of Gibraltar. Big Enya!
46 Inch Aerokits Crash Tender Restored By Paul Devlin
This was originally built circa 1960 by my Uncle, with no radio control, you set the rudder, and let it go! it was then powered by an IC engine. All the fittings, engine and electrics where removed in 1965(ish) for conversion to electric, but the project was scrapped and everything was lost.
After a number of years carrying Action-Man around the living room, it was condemned to 30 years in the loft. Restoration started 3 years ago, completed after 1 year and given back to my Father as a Xmas present.
Sadly, he never got to use it much and it's now back in my possession. After 6 months or so (see posts!) sorting a better motor/esc/battery combo, it's ready for another restoration to bring it back to former glory.
Look closely on the 3rd picture, in the background you can see Fort Perch Rock Lighthouse, a listed building which stands at the entrance to the Mersey, and the famous Liverpool Waterfront further down river. New Brighton lake is in a fabulous setting for boat enthusiasts.
46 Inch Crash Tender rescued from E-bay By Peter Harvey
46 inch Crash Tender rescued from E-bay. Currently in the process of total restoration and have had to scratch build the entire super structure. Have fitted a Merco 61 engine with tuned pipe (the noise is awesome).
Have gone for it with the radio control- - employing a Robbe F14 plus an extra 8 channel module with decoder. So far extra controls are : each monitor (scratch built using brass pipe & sheet) left & right (using Robbe pulley set to give me 270 degrees travel), two Irvine water pumps, (real car) hooter, winch (using gearbox from Maplins) and movement for jib and search light.
I sail at Brentwood in Essex - where you can still run IC boats.
This is a model of a sidewall hovercraft fire and rescue boat (Hovermarine HM218) built by James Ramsey.
This started its life as a broken hand vacuum cleaner. Opened up there are two squirrel cage fans. He obtained pictures, sale data, amd small GA drawings from a Hovercraft Museum and was able to scratch build.
It has twin motors operated through mixer and two ESCs, steerable fire monitors plus nav lights, deck lights, flasher, fire pump, siren, rear mast lights and serch lights operated from the transmitter via a Digiserv unit.
