Both these models are scratch built Durban tugs in 1:48 scale.

Built J.R. More between 2011 and 2012 and is 41 inches in length. The original oil fired tug was built 1961 on the Clyde and was one of the last steam tugs to be built on the Clyde. This tug still exists at the Durban Museum and is undergoing restoration.

Started Sir William Hoy in 2013 and is 45 inches in length and I am still working on the fittings and finishing. The original coal fired tug was built 1929 in the N.E. of England.
Both model tugs have twin motors geared down 6 to 1 and have differential steering.

Just fancied doing something different. Started out with a deck mounted small camera and converted it on 27th Nov 2011 to an internally mounted Olympus C7070 camera. Fitted with 2 electric motors to give full manoeuvrability. Lots of small mods but not used during 2013. After lots of try with video decided to try single frame pictures. Decided to keep with still pictures. May 2014 started to rework boat to look more like a tug and decided to rename it - Owner AMD, Operated by ACME STUDIOS, Renamed LILIAN ROSE. Bought a new cheap camara from Tescos so if lost would only lose me £30. Also fitted bigger batteries. Then started selling pictures.

Designed by Vic Smeed in 1964 for the Magazine, Model Maker. Plan No. MM812. Found plans for free on internet and decided to build it as I did not have a vintage motor boat in my collection. Did not like the cabin so redesigned it. Powered by a Johnson 600 motor,2 * 7.2v 3300 mAh battery, 20 amp Mtroniks Viper Marine Controller and a 45mm dia course 2 bladed propeller. Goes really well.
Fitted trim tabs which finished the boats performance. Tested in rough weather and got 20 mins running on a fully charged battery.

First trip out 100Mtrs coupling broke, calmest day for weeks took an hour to get back!! Built from plans supplied by Colin Smith. 38/32 brushless motor, 125A ESC, 4 cell lipo. When it went it went! Motor, ESC and motor mount water cooled. I will get a new coupling and try to get a video of this hope we have some more calm days.

Hull hollowed out and some bits from a static display model, based on several photo's of Greek fishing boats, Fish boxes from Coffee shop stirrers, Fish from long grain rice, Crew from Pound shop (Soldiers chopped & reshaped. ) She sails fairly well on first trial at Weymouth & Portland MBC, Miles Cross Farm lake .

Spec: M'tronics Vision 400 brushed motor, M'tronics 15a ESC, 12v SLA battery, 3 blade 30mm Prop. with Led Navigation and deck lights.

Chris

Found this Dense block of foam, floating in local Ashton Canal, whilst sailing other boats with my brother, whilst rescue a stuck boat from the reeds, in 1996 was temporarily on the dole at the time, struck by her Landing craft shape on turning it over plus realised I could carve it like wood, later using my bits box, after carving a couple of box shaped groves, for battery, motors and rc equipment, literal rammed a prop shaft, and rudder shaft through hull, and fashioned some balsa sheet into superstructure suitable camouflaged , I had a "US Army Vietnamese River Craft" of sorts and with its 1 1/2 to 2" thick Hull virtually unsinkable, hence its name :-). Here she is in 2000 sailing at Ethrow Park. May in the future alter her superstructure, she makes a handy towing barge for both mine and my brothers Tug Boats, and if rc left connected can even act as rescue boat if they pack up or get weeded up :-) - Have delete this from You Tube and replaced with slightly clearer version, but it seems to be still working here mysteriously, may cease working eventually, new version above :-)

My scatch built 200th scale model of a KVG V class Battle Ship, the Duke of York. Based 0n 1/720th Revel plastic kit, 30 years old. First sail after a "refit" after being laid up in Garden shed for 10 or so years, fortunately was not as damaged as the Bismark store in same shed, as it was in a drier part of a leaky shed, just replaced some decking (with plastic sheet), added some missing small armament, lockers, Gun directors, Walrus Sea Plane etc I'd left of earlier model. She was original powered by 4 - 540 size motors, running 2mm Props (.50p each those where the days), upgraded her to run two on just twin props (4mm), leaving outer pair as dummies, may re connect at a later date. Brought her electrics upto 2.4 Ghz standard. Sailed well very steady on this her first sail after refit, at Ethrow Park.

Based on a 72nd scale Airfix Plastic kit, original needed 20volts worth of batteries to get it up to speed, but change of motors, tweaking strakes near bow, and moving batteries aft, now get same or better performance from 7.2volt pack' Since these videos have added 4 torpedo tubes, well rocket launching tubes found on field when walking dog last year day after the 5th Nov, with carved torpedo's poking out,us scratch builders will use anything. ;-)

Sirius was the first vessel to cross the Atlantic under steam power for the entire journey in 1847.
The model is scratch built almost entirely from wood with an plank on frame hull. She is powered by two geared electric motors on paddles. She is radio controlled by 40 Mhz Radio.
The plan was very basic as you can see from photo, but there is a model in the Liverpool Maritime museum which I was able to photograph and copy.
When completed she was purchased from me by the Beale Park, Child of Beale Trust in Reading and is still on display at that site.

SS (RMS) Empress Queen was a steel paddle steamer, which was the last of its type ordered by the isle of Man Steam Packet Company She was chartered by the Admiralty in 1915 and used for trooping duties until she ran aground off Bembridge, isle of Wight, England, and was subsequently abandoned.
The model was scratch built on a modified fibreglass hull. The plans were obtained from Glasgow University and the model was nearly 7ft long with an overall beam including paddles of about 14 inches. She was independently powered with two geared motors from Wulitzer juke box components. I hope to do a build blog in the near future.
She was purchased from me by the Beale Park, part of the Child Beale Trust Reading.

My son's boat , started life leaking like a sieve and fitted with a brushed motor . The brushed motor did however serve the purpose of being a trainer for him to get used to the boat and controls . He now has a brushless inrunner water cooled and 3 cell lipo's giving great performance and duration . Home Surf is Needham Lake in Suffolk

This was a very beat up and plain model when I bought it , but has cleaned up well . Original Power was from a Torpedo 850 and heavy 12v 7Ah lead acid battery giving run times of around 20 minutes of plod along performance . Now however Boat is powered by Thumper motor and 4 cell Lipo's giving over an hour of entertainment . Cut's a fairly mean wake too . Needham lake in Suffolk is it's home surf 👍