This is my scratch built inshore fishing boat, I adapted the plans from a model boat mag. The hull and deck are planked using cut up blinds from Ikea (they are made if Lime) it has working lights and radar via a 4 way switching unit on one channel, the working winch and trawl net are worked from another channel. Powered with an 18v drill motor working from 12v lead acid battery

HI fellow model leers.this is my latest model.Built in 1926' for the Ffyfe(bananas) family. Originally it was run on steam,but in 1939 converted to diesel,this was kept until 1957 when all the staterooms were replaced by cargo holds . She was then made into a feeder bringing eleven thousand boxes from Rotterdam to Southampton. She was scrapped in the seventies.my model of her was from 1926 the scale is approx 1/30th her length is 48 inches including bowsprit, and has a beam of 10 inch amidships. She is totally scratch built, plank on frame, all the decks are individually planked with black card in between , wheel house and all other parts are mahogany. She runs on a decaperm geared motor @ 6 volts, and the lighting system consists of 10 accommodation lights, port and starboard , wheelhouse, and both mast headlights,the large saloon skylight is also lit up with a set of disco lights on a separate circuit. The funnel houses a heavy duty smoke unit switched on by switching unit.

This was scratch built apart from the fibre glass hull which I purchased.
Model is 65" long with a beam of 10". Power is by electric running via a gearbox at 300 rpm. Ihave taken almost 2years to complete the model working most days on it. Attention to detail was the order of the day.
I am using a Planet T5 Tx and Rx, 5 channels. I have a smoke generator pushing steam out of the twin funnels,synchronised to forward speed, faster the revs, faster the steam. Conventional rudder operation.
Have an operating Radar, ships horn, simulated steam noise varies as speed is altered, full navigation lights,all cabin lights can be switched on and to keep the 106 passengers happy I have a Banjo Band playing to complete the scene. Have sailed it recently at Peterborough and performs really really well. Have to say it tends to attract a lot of interest.
I am now constructing the Ayton Cross tug in 1:32 scale, with all the detail I want.Plan is to tow the Jeanie Deans around when completed as well assailing her

Purchased secondhand, upgraded to a proper motor esc rather than the original/factory on/off micro switch for the motor power. Running a graupner 600 race motor and 7.4 lipo, basically just to run the brushes in on the motor before raising the battery voltage,
bit of a shaky video but try holding the transmitter and filming at same time on your own [ha ha].
it does have the capacity to move a ot faster, but would sooner work the motor in fully first

HI everybody

Another ebay purchase, a Fire Tender which I think is from the 50's. it is fitted with a very unusual old motor with sprung loaded brushes, capacitors, and a fan.... seems to run happily on 12v, which I plan to reinstall. Does anybody recognise it? it was fitted with a 'spring' universal joint. I am fitting a conventional UJ. There is also a circular switch attached to the motor. This appears to be wired to switch in up to 3 battery supplies! but I think I will fit a modern controller with modern nicads.

I sail at the Maldon and Blackwater Model Boat Club at Heybridge.
Regards Frank Burgess

FINALLY !

the Lifeboat is looking more and more complete now, deck railings added, pushpit rails on, lifebelts on, deck painted etc. Still loads more to complete yet.
the ACTION sound system is still pulling the crowds every time I switch it on, People passing the pool have to stop and watch it. Ive tried running the Mersey with the sound system off, but naa ! it has to be On , every time [ha ha].

my boat is powered by a 26cc zenoah engine,I skinned the outside in real carbon fiber and the interior with carbon/kevlar.I use a spektrum DX3S 2.4ghz tx with a spektrum MR3000 marine rx.the boat is equipped with a killer bee remote kill switch that doesn't need any power source to work so it will still kill the engine instantly in the event of battery failure or broken wire or when I want to from the tx. the carbon fiber was hand laid and wetted out with a special resin,then around six weeks of hand sanding with different grades of wet and dry to get it super smooth,then polish.

Built from Aerokits kit originally but rebuilt/modified many times since then!
Twin 540's (geared) 6V Pb Gel battery for drive. 3 Blade 50mm props (contra rotating) lights (cabin, running Ights and searchlight) on 4.5V Deacs. radar scanner and winch on same supply, radar display screen on a single AA 1.5V.

Fleet Systems radio and speed controllers, Futaba rudders servo, RCME servo driving cam/micro switch unit for lights etc.

HI Fellow enthusiasts
The first photo shows the boat as it was bought from an E Bay auction in late February for the price of 14.50, for that price I had to bid on it, even thought I had a new kit of the same model on order from a model shop from the end of December, before VAT went up. The models turned out to be the 4 feet versions some 11 inch wide and now is about 19 inch high. This model turned up several days before the new kit turned up, and was a bit worse for ware than anticipated as the deck had started to part company from the hull. After stripping the deck of all remaining deck furniture the deck was re laminated to the hull, prop shafts and rudder tubes also refitted using plenty of resin and cloth. A rubbing strip was fitted around the deck hull line to tidy up the visible damage. When I was happy with repairs the hull and deck was rubbed down and sprayed. Using the information in the new kit and some photos of actual boats, MJB's (My junk boxes) supplied all the required parts to scratch build 90% of the models fittings as seen, this includes the figures on the deck. These being obtained off an EBay site as 1/24 unpainted train scene figures that required some or may be a lot of adjustments to their appearance. Several items have still to be made and fitted. As I'm working on her sister boat P147, will make extra parts in one go.
The boat has twin electric drives, the motors, MFA 919D series, are fitted with their own 2.5/1 gearboxes and they drive 40 mm three bladed conta rotating brass props. They have independent 15 amp Electonize speed controllers run from two 7.2 volt packs in series. The switching arrangements for lighting has still to be finished off. Don't know if I'll fit a sound system as the boat is for my grandson.
The boat has had several trips on the Society's water at Cwmbran with myself and my grandson at the helm. it seems to go fast enough for him. (The new boat P147 has been built with triple screws.) Can't wait to see both models on the water together.
Hope you have enjoyed the pictures and information.
Regards
GreyWolf

HI Fellow Enthusiasts
These pictures show my scratch built RAF Air Sea Rescue launch 2507. it was built using my own scaled up planes over the period July 2006 to August 2008. its approx. 4 feet long by 11 inch wide and stands 24 inch high.
The boat has twin Johnson brushed electric drives via 2.5/1 reduction gearboxes with three bladed 40 mm brass props. The speed controllers being 15 amp Electronize supplied from 4.5 amp D cells made into a 12 volt battery pack.
The boat sound system consists of a Diesel sound generator and machine guns being fired by an electronic ring counter circuit that allows the guns to fire individually or together depending on their selection via a diode network. The unit is switched on and off via a Electonize switch unit that also switches the boats lighting system on and off.
All the special fixtures required for this model being self made this includes the figures found on and in the boat. The basic figures are usually obtained from car boot sales or the local ÂA£ shop for next to nothing and then modified to the model boats requirements.
Launch 2507 was commanded by F/O W. Garret who reputedly made the most northerly pick up on the 26th June 1944 for the crew of a downed Catalina, for this action he was awarded a M.B.E. The Catalina pilot F/Lt. Horner R.C.A.F. died of exposure and was awarded a posthumous V.C.
I hope you enjoyed the pics and information.
Regards
GreyWolf

HI Fellow Enthusiasts
Photo shows my RAF crash tender in the colours as it was when first built in 1956/57 from a kit. (Red tops like all fire engines, well I was only 9 at the time.) This photo was taken at lakeside in 1993 when I first joined the Cwmbran Modelling Society. The Second photo shows the boat on display at the Portis Head Open Day event in 2000 several modifications taking place to the overall look of the boat. in 2008/9 I decided for it's belated 50th. birthday to revamp the model and bring it closer to the real thing. Damage to the woodwork being repaired and a colour scheme close to that of the real boat being applied. Several new deck fittings being made along with new window surrounds made out of plastic replacing the cardboard ones fitted in 2000. New decals and correct flag also fitted. The model was entered in the 2010 society Chairmans Comp. winning joint first place with one of my other models. Photo 4 shows my model as she is to-day repaired once again ready to sail, after hitting some Ice over the christmas period 2010 resulting in a hole in the bow that almost caused her to sink.
The model over the 54 years it's been around has been fitted with single and twin electric drives and to day it has a single johnson 550 brushed electric drive via a 2.5/1 gear box run off two 7.2 volt racing packs in series. The torque generated being too great for standard plastic props resulting in me using 40mm three blade brass props. The motor controller is an electolize 15 amp unit and I also use one of their switch units to activate the water pump for the scratch built water cannons. The water pump being salvaged from a 1960's car washer system and still goes to-day.
Hope you enjoy the pic,s as much as Ive enjoyed this model over the last 50 years plus.
Regards
GreyWolf

HI all, I was given this model in a rather sad state as it had been in a junk box in a farm out-building and had been subjected to the weather from time to time . it had been there for about 20 yrs or more and the balsa hull was 60% rotten . I think it was originally IC powered but had been fitted with a Graupner Jumbo 6v motor and an old style rheostatic sc, ( I did try using the sc but it sucked so much power I gave it a miss - also had no reverse)
Amazingly the motor and sc still worked and with a bit of oil and cleaning the motor is still running well ! I'm using a 1975 Futaba 24v 10A sc and 3cell LiPo which pushes it along nicely. I stripped everything and replaced large bits of the hull, (which was fun as every time you picked it up you would poke another hole in it it was so fragile !) I got it to the stage where it would hang together fairly well and glassed the hull which has made it like the proverbial "brick one". The rest was very careful sanding of the deck and cabin, (they were ply so fared a bit better) and a lot of little filling bits to get it right.
Nav lights and cabin lights all work from the micro switch board, the curtains are left over Graupner Commodore (1975), I've added a mast, new windows,flag pole, cleats, ladder and handrails. Any ideas as to its manufacturer would be great. I have seen another one on our local "Trade Me" web site recently.