Weather was perfect tonight for a test, so I did the 15km trip out to the Gulf harbour pond (most weed free pond) to throw the boat in. After a thorough under water hull inspection from the marine department, she was off. Everything worked ok except the silicone drive tube which had become enlarged due to soaking in the grease coming out the front of the jet shaft. It was slipping badly and probably losing about 60% of its' thrust. Manoeuvrability is excellent but reverse leaves a bit to be be desired. Steering in reverse is perfect but the thrust is not going forwards enough from the bucket. Might have to build in some nozzles to direct it better.

Smoke air and water are working as well as can be expected, (smoke is a bit wafty, but with too much air introduced it will disappear as it gets thinned out too much to see) I was not expecting miracles as this was a bit of an experiment (modified cheap jet unit with unknown abilities) but at least it shows promise😁. If I can find a coupling which is concentric it will solve the drive problem.

Trouble is, the Chinese insist on making a 4mm shaft, 4.95 (or whatever) which is useless for balance in a 4mm ID bearing for example. Fine for cars, but no good for boats or planes due to balance requirements (it's a mission trying to balance plane props due to this thinking,- they do it with everything) shafts for electric motors are a nightmare at times as the play they build in, can ruin an otherwise good motor. I might have to buy a flexible rubber/nylon universal or a collet style( preferable as these take up any undersize on shafts) to fix it. They included a spiral alloy one with the jet unit which is as loose as a rooster in a sock, and only good for slower things like 3D printers etc. One of these days they will learn how to machine things to fit.😐

Scratch built 1:12 Shannon Ilfracombe 13 09

This amazing model is SCRATCH built (including the plug for the hull!!!) by John Sluman

Most fittings are machined metal, some incredcible skill in construction.

Boat in this video is running on brushed motors - it is now converted to brushless.

Think I've finally sorted the mixing smoke and water for exhausts problem. Graham has already done his using the same pen / e-cig unit but with some nice electronic controls for the on off system, but not having the electronic abilities I've just gone with a more basic method. Wired up the pen and installed a filler tube (2 tubes are better - one for a breather) these are capped after filling to prevent air getting back from the pump. This system has a water pump, an air pump and the smoke unit, (all adjustable with their own voltage buck) Thanks to Martin for his pen suggestion. I was previously using large capacity elements fitted in various containers for my experiments (truckloads of smoke available) but these pens are great for tight spaces and don't draw much current.

Air, and a small amount of the cooling water are mixed by venturis just short of the exits (the air pushing the smoke and blowing the water clear of the smoke tubes). I've fitted the same system into my ST but am still waiting for the air pump from China (postal system problem there, then Chinese new year holidays with new rules apparently) Get the odd bubble at rest but with the low exhaust you can't have everything.
Latest vid with boat in the tank.

JB

This is the top of the line, premium, top grade, no expense spared, gold standard, fully reverse flowed liquid converter. Assembled by skilled Latvian craftsmen using quality hammers and pick axes, and working in the most modern up to date farm sheds. We at Smoke R&D, present the Smoker Model X - "A smoker for the discerning modeler" (said Botswana Model Monthly)
JB, Head Sherang, Smoke R&D.

"Genie" was a classic Marblehead 50" long. Designed by Vic Smeed, she had a hard chine hull construction.
This was my first "home brew" model yacht and I ended up building 4 of these in total - so pleased I took some picies.

Long gone now, but not forgotten !.

Finally managed to get this to come out the right way up on You Tube (didn't like MP4,- came out upside down). Running the 2 boats from an HK 6ch 2.4 radio (slight crash and jostling by the Maiami at the start) . You'll get sick of it in a few minutes and fall asleep but I've put it up anyhow😁 If this doesn't make you seasick, nothing will!😊 Hit a Koi carp (Chinese sub) at 3.01!

This ship was a lightship tender named "Coeur de Lion" that was armed and drafted into the Union during the civil war to counter blockade runners. This model is scratch built and is inspired by a paper model designed by Magnus Mörck. A sidewheel steamer equipped with the typical walking beam machinery, it was rebuilt to carry three guns. A line of iron plates along the gun wales added a measure of armoured protection. After the war it was returned to lightship service. On my model the paddles are independently driven, mainly because I have a Robbe Navy F14 transmitter with twin sticks. The walking beam is operated by a servo modified for continuous rotation. The original ship towed a barge that flew an observation balloon and could be described as the first 'aircraft carrier' the fifth picture shows the barge I have made - I hope one day to emulate the real thing by raising and lowering a suitable balloon. I have included some pictures of the rest of my paddle fleet.The 'Rachel Erin' is a freelance sternwheeler 'quarter wheeler' tug that uses a worm drive to the paddles. She does not steer well. The last ship is an enlarged version of Graham Goodchild's Santa Anna.

165footer job from Bangladesh navy. Armed with 1 37mm Chinese naval cannon (which I replaced with type 76F variant), 2 orlicons.
Actually used to patrol costal area here , also used in coast guard.
The class name is padma class patrol vessel, designed and made by BN.
Tried to make its rc version in 1:110th scale(I'm not great like you guys so please help me do better and suggest me where I can do better). Length 45cm, beam 7cm. Powered with dual 180.
The only thing I'm suffering is motor shaft connectoŕ. Those two universal joints I bought are not good enough for smooth rotation. They vibrates. So I used silicone tubes. Now I'm using latex rubber tubes .
Any suggestions or plan what I can use in peace!😆

British Power Boat 64 ft RNZAF HSL scratch built 36" R/C model with twin systems including sound. Brushless 2000kv w/cooled (pump) in-runners, 30A car ESCs, 2200mah 2s LiPos remote lights etc. Started off in 1940, new with the RNZAF and had many modifications over the years till decommissioned, including machinery reduced to twin 671 Greymarine GMs (from the original 3x 500hp Napier Sea Lions) which were finally removed around 7yrs ago and replaced with a single 650hp GM Detroit 8v92T1 (still does 20 knots in its latest configuration ! - see this on the photo gallery of this model) This boat is in far better condition than the ex Phil Clabburn restoration of HSL 102 (he didn't have much to start with) and the hull has never had any major rebuild apart from being glassed to the W/L. Even today there is no way most people would pick it for 80yrs old. Those hulls never age! (ie some of the beautiful 'Whale Back' conversions still around)

This is my scratch built 36" RNZAF British Power Boat 64' HSL (arrived in NZ 1940). I actually went on board this vessel in 1968 when it was still in original form (the RNZAF having disposed of it in the 50s) This vessel is still around and has been recently re modelled (2nd time since early 70s) and I was lucky last year to have met the present owner and go on board (2nd time in 49yrs!)and take a few photos. The vessel was modified a number of times by the RNZAF over the years (air intakes, removal of the fore deck machine guns, wheelhouse turret etc so I sort of went in the middle. I found a few drawings of the type in an old mag which had side and top views plus the bulkheads and their positions, so I took them along to a copying shop and kept enlarging them until I had the desired proportions. This worked out quite well and using a few methods from other models I had built, managed to frame (ply) the hull and then fully strip plank it in balsa. it was then fiber glassed. The deck is ply, lined and varnish stained. The wheelhouse is varnished balsa with the top removable for access. The wheelhouse interior has detail such as controls, instrument panels, skipper, steps to wardroom etc but is not too detailed as it is not seen. The boat has full lighting by remote switch, lights are all LED.
The propulsion side has dual everything (motors, ESCs, sound units), would have had 3x but ran out of space! Motors are 28mm 2200Kv water jacketed in-runners (cooled by remotely switched pump) using 30A Chinese ESCs (have 5A BEC, Fwd and Rev). Twin sound units are 'GT Power' car units which have around 40 different sound selections, from Cosworths to diesels and are computer programmable (as well as manually on the unit ) for various functions. I am using one of the v8 sounds (8 cyls short in my application) which I think is as near as you are going to get to 3 Napier Sea Lions (for which there is obviously no sound available) They 'start' 'Idle' and are fully proportional in fwd and rev and can sound quite realistic (will attempt to put up a vid later).
Batteries are 2x 2200mah 2s 20c LiPos which will last around 2hrs at least of sailing (they also run the sound units) Still have a few small things left to do (have just made wheelhouse air intakes) but don't want to get too fiddly. Just want to keep it a practical model.

This is a restoration of a launch I was given that was found in a rubbish bin on a farm here in Auckland it is an old RCM ? plan built 'Fairacre' and was pretty rotten when I received it as it is made in balsa and had been wet for quite a while. I stripped it down, re 'planked' large portions of the hull and fiber glassed it, re- built the cabin, re- marked the deck planks, fitted lights, curtains (ex Graupner Commodore bits from the 70s I had kept), stern ladder, cleats etc. it is fitted with a 540 brushed motor (originally had an old Graupner monoperm) and 70s Graupner ESC and Using 2.4 Radio gear. I still have a few things I'd like to do such as a re-wire, fitting chine spray rails, better motor and maybe some safety rails, but for now it does the job.

Model undergoing sea trials after painting, note rudders are too aggressive.

Command Boat 90 (CB90) Stridsbåt 90 H is a class of fast military assault craft originally developed for the Swedish Navy by Dockstavarvet.

Speed: 40 knots (74 km/h)
Draught: 0.8 m (2 ft 7 in)
Length: 15.9 m (52 ft) Overall; 14.9 (48') Waterline
Builders: Dockstavarvet

Complement: 3 plus up to 21 troops and equipment
Armament: 3 × Browning M2HB machine guns; 1 × Mk 19 grenade launcher; 4 naval mines or 6 depth charges