First outing in 51 years for my 1/16th scale Seaplane tender, built originally by my father in 1953 and believed to be an Adamcraft Kit, found with a damaged hull and virtually no superstructure in the loft of their house after my mother had moved to a residential home several years ago. I had moved to Lyme Regis in Dorset where several of these craft were based and which was my fathers inspiration for building this initially, so I thought it time to try and restore her.
I had some difficulty finding plans of the ST and eventually bought and built the Deans Marine 1/24th version of this craft, which I then scaled up to rebuild the original.
Power is by a 600 motor with 2 channel radio and seems to work
well on a 7.2 v battery pack.
I've now joined Exeter & District MBC as it appears to be one of the nearest to us in Lyme and the pics show the ST on the Dragonfly Lake at Crealy.
I would be interested in any info. anyone might have as to Adamcraft as my searches have turned up very little. I believe they specified a Tacol electric or Mills 1.3 petrol engine at the time, but my memory might well be flawed as I was only around 10years old at the time.
COMPLETED THIS ONE ABOUT A YEAR AGO,
LOVE THIS BOAT AND SHE LOOKS GREAT ON THE WATER,
REALLY LOVE THE STYLE OF THE OLD WOODEN BOATS, THEY HAVE A CERTAIN CHARM!!!
WORKING MY WAY THRU THE AEROKITS COLLECTION,
LOOKING FOR A SEA NYMPH IF ANYBODY SEES ONE LET ME KNOW,
Just got my Sea Rover today as well as an Aerokits MTB with a lovely Taycol Double Special in it. I'd forgotten how twisted the Sea Rover is!!
It'll need some serious cutting and regluing aft. I need to remake the screen area and canopy. it has an original MFA Humming Bird 15 motor complete with the label.
Westquay
COMPLETED THIS ONE ABOUT A YEAR AGO,
LOVE THIS BOAT AND SHE LOOKS GREAT ON THE WATER,
REALLY LOVE THE STYLE OF THE OLD WOODEN BOATS, THEY HAVE A CERTAIN CHARM!!!
WORKING MY WAY THRU THE AEROKITS COLLECTION,
LOOKING FOR A SEA NYMPH IF ANYBODY SEES ONE LET ME KNOW,
I've been tidying this beauty up for a while now, no major work because it's almost all original. I've repaired her bottom and replaced the old bobs boards with modern RC gear from Action Electronics. She looked scruffy at first but much of the problem was smoke discolouration, after careful use of T cut it still seems to have a slightly aged look (like me) which I'm OK with.
Hoping to trial in the next couple of weeks if I can lift it once the lead ballast is in. I'd like to get her to the Funday in September - fingers crossed.
Ahoy
here is a few pictures underway and display of my 1978 issue Lindberg PT-109. I had this old boat for 32 years for power nothing to get excited about. not to much into speed but she goes fast enought not enough to raise the bow out of the water. I didn,t use the kit motor it was to much of a toy its design was primarley used for pool opperation. there for I replaced it with dumas 6 volt electric motor useing the kits reduction gearbox they give you. at the time of the build I had no forsight discard it, perhaps in the near future Iwill scuttle it and use 2 direct 6 volt motors the gear reduction slows down the speed pretty much if you use scale speed it is good for cruiseing at 6 knotts. the gear reduction has been coated with grifite grease as long as I had this old relic there are no wear on the gear teeth so she is good to go untill I decide to scuttle this old gear box. Here are a few attachments of this ols sailor
Has anyone any details of the cockpit canopy, is it a permanent fixture or can it be removed ??. I only have a small b/w picture from a 1972 Keilkraft catalogue (Kit price then was £4.35 !!! )
Kalamunda, I could send you a set of paper templates from mine if thats any help? pm me for details. I need the plan details for the supports for the canopy for mine, will send you some photos too if thats a help
I built this kit in early 1977 while stationed at RAAF Amberley in Queensland. it originally was engined with an Enya 35 and at some time later ended up fitted with an OS40.
It travelled around Australia with me and ended up in Perth where it has been stored in my shed for approx the last 20 years - I now have the time to restore it and and do a conversion to electric drive.
Can anyone please advise as to electric motor and speed control that I should be looking at and where I might be able to purchase a fittings kit.
HI Bob, glad you have eventually got round to renovating your crash tender... took a while eh!
for a wide ranging list of power set-ups for your boat, scroll down the list on the left of the home page to "all things RC" then scroll down the pop-up menu to "power set-up" and there they all are! my own 34" I use a graupner speed 600 8.4v on 9.6 numh's gives the boat a really nice sit in the water and doesnt cost an arm and a leg. but there are loads more options such as outrunners and lipo batteries etc.
fitting kits are still available for the 34" boat in the uk, just scroll down the "fireboat" page to find the contact details. good luck... it will be worth it
took me a while to find one.... my Aerokits Sea Rover.. I have never actually seen another? so pretty rare compared to fire boats and sea commanders.
the camera lies.. its no where near as good as the camera makes it look. but it is all there.
will be getting the full restoration, hull is sound, superstructure is very fragile.
my Aerokits fleet now includes..
34" fireboat x 2 (1 restored)
fast patrol launch
sea scout (restored)
sea rover
sea commander
fairey swordsman
following a couple new modifications my sea rover has been re motored with a vision 600 without the two torque rings , now running a 7.2 or 9.6 battery pack fitted under the rear floor , Ive also reinstated the box at the stern which has my steering servo mounted underneath it , the "box is to full deck height with a removable top for servo acsess , Ive included a helm position c/w a period helmsman ( hes still got his teddy boy quiff ! ) although Ive not fitted the roof over the cockpit , Ive also cut a door into the front cabin , which will in time have a pair of opening barn doors & a small hinged top hatch over them . working 3mm led navigation and cabin lamps have also been fitted although Ive used a more modern cover for them , After looking through one of my magazines the sea rover bears a very close resembelance to a moody 27 gentlemans sports boat of the mid sixties !
I have two sea rovers - both bought off e-bay. The first is in virtually original condition down to the original motor and speed controller although the speed controller now seems to have given up the ghost so will be replaced with a viper plug and play. I have added a small mast and wired in nav and masthead lights. it sails beautifully and creates a load of interest at the pond side
The second more recent acquisition is an abandoned project, but with most of the construction work done. I have had to rebuild the windscreen frame and I have done this by laminating plasticard. I have to say the finished affect is pretty good although purists are probably tearing their hair out at the very thought of using plasticard! Ah well everyone is entitled to their opinion.
The Revell New York Firefighter kit is out of production perhaps some day Revell might reissue the kit like everything else they produce so many and go to something else. the best suggestion I can give you is to check ebaythese New york fireboats appear from time to time, I bought this kit in 1966. Had it all those years, she was originally a static display peice got the urge to RC her I followed up on the urge to do this. Now I take out to the metro pond.
Just completed , not exactly origonal but not too far out. On the pond for the first time today after a rebuld, and very happy with it I am. Graupner kit, Don't know the builder, but when bought it was yellow! it just had to be put back to red. I didn't like the green deck, so it became mid-grey (gloss rubbed down to semi-mat). Powered by 3 Graupner 500 motors. Working radar and lights (worked from a key-fob, not transmitter). Sailed at inverleith Pond, Edinburgh. Home of Edinburgh Model Boat Club.
I have seen this boat operating on the water, it is a work of art, the detail is superb, the speed is I am sure
a very close scale down of the original boat.
Had a full refurb but still need the window frames making when I can get round to it . Goes really well with a Graupner 700BB Neodym on 14.4 volts. Still trying to find the right prop, but pretty close now to getting it right . Aim to getting it up to 19.2 volt
Should really fly then.
