Original Aerokits patrol torpedo boat,first time out after referb.This was found in a semi-uncomplete nature but did have the box and plans with it.Power by 600 motor and 7.2 nicad very surpisingly fast,very tight handling around the bouys.Finishing details will be added as I go but for now very pleased with results.
Patrol boat in action latest picture taken on a very grey day at Gang Werily Hants.
Changed battery for a 4200 nicad much better run times now entering 15 mins plus,usually at full pelt.

gearbox fitted, tested today with 8.4v graupner, running on 19.2v nimh. GPS Data logger installed, measured at 14.63mph, sound like a jet turbine!!, and this video was the slower of the 2 props tested.
Improvements with gearbox, motor is stone cold (it is water cooled, but was still hot as direct drive) , quieter, longer run time, esc cold, now able to upgrade from 2 blade 40mm prop to 3 blade, and possibly 4 blade, amp draw much less. Video taken at Newsham Park, Liverpool. Handling is now difficult, as its going way too fast, but its great fun! and might go faster, with the motor thats been fited tonight, watch this space!!

This is my Sea Hornet which was rescued from Ebay see photo 1. Gray (Froggyt996) recognised it as a Sea Hornet even with the hideous cabin attched which the prvious owner had made. Also see the propshaft angle in photo 1 - would this have ever worked? Gray again restored this for me, I wanted a mahogany boat which looked like an italian speedboat and this is what he did for me see photo 2. Photo 3 sees the Sea Hornet on the sea at Southsea just after the start of the Round Britain Race in 2008. The receiver battery failed and a very nice Lifeboat Man from Southsea happened to be watching me run the boat and rescued it when it stopped running. it was put in dry dock over this winter to be tidied up again after a couple of years constant use and photo 4 sees it with its 2 new screens, re-varnished and 2 new rubbing strake. it is powered by 2 Graupner Speed 600 motors, a Ripmax sea sprint watercooled speed controller and 2 x 3 blade prop shop props on 2 x light weight shafts. it is also filled with bouyancy foam it case the inevitable happens which makes it quite heavy. it is ran on 2 x 8.4 volts nicad sticks and gives me a running time of approx. 20 minutes with quite a good turn of speed.
Marie (alias Mrs Froggyt996)

here is my Fireboat after extensive testing of motors, batteries and props. Full details in "power set up".

Its about to have a gearbox fitted, this should enable me to fit a larger prop, and get longer run times, hopfully!

The hull of this model was my own design in 2004 and was sailed for 2 years, and then a new upper decks and battery system were added during the winter of 2005. The hull performed well enough but my original cabin design was too crude to keep.

The boat shown here depicts my effort to copy a 1958 ChrisCraft Cabin Cruiser at a scale of 1" = 1'.

The hull is 1/8" thick pine planks on frames with hand cut Walnut decking and 3/16" Walnut cabin sides. No epoxy or glass was used on the hull - just a good paint job.

The big change was to replace a bulky & heavy 12VDC leac acid battery with 9 AA dry cells connected in series. Bathtub testing indicated I could expect about 2 hours running time at full speed and that estimate was about right. A Dumas 12VDC motor and mechanical speed control were used with a JR XR 2 control.

The reduction in battery weight made a very large speed and appearance difference. Availability of the AA cells was an economic plus.