For my first foray into boats I have acquired what is like a Vosper Firefloat Mk.2 but it is different. The wheel house section of my boat is different, being longer, the mid-ship section having three windows in lieu of two and the stern is completely different in profile.
I have spent many nights trawling the internet to see if there is anything like my very detailed model but to no avail and I have even asked a few of my old work colleagues who are ex-naval men if they can help out in identification. I am wondering whether this could be an elusive Mk. 1 - the boat that was never put into commission.
I attach a few photos of my model in the hope that someone out there can throw some light on it. it is in very good condition and a few years old, is fitted with a Graupner Eco 600 motor on a single prop with 7.2 NiMh batteries. it is about 34" in length and 9" beam and goes really well, planes quickly and turns very tightly - in all a cracking boat. The numbers on the side of the boat are strange as they relate to what I believe is a coastal command unit - the numbers are not new as they appear to be original under the paintwork. Any help in identifying what actual boat it is modelled on would be appreciated.
HI Alan, it reminds me of an air sea rescue launch I went for a ride in when I was an air cadet in the year dot! Had three packhard engines as I remember and went like the proverbial!
Roger
First try in the water this morning at Crealy.
Found out that she's a bit bow heavy and that the old VW camper blower motor I was trying isn't really up to the job! so off to trawl through to see what the rest of you have powered the 34" boat with ( ideally to take 12v supply as I've got 2 x 6v jelly cells in situ. Although that might be part of the weight problem!)
HI I run mine on a Johnson 600 6V-9.6V with one 6 volt 4Ah gel cell and either a 35 or 40 mm 2 blade prop, and keep all running gear towards the stern and it will plane reasonably well. When I require some more performance I run either a 7.2 volt nicad/Nimh or a 8.4 volt nicad/Nimh. Any help with your problem?
Original 1960s boat aquired this summer from the family a deceased former club member in scruffy, non running but basically sound condition. Was petrol powered at some stage and still had original vintage mechanical speed controller from a later electric power set up. Restored with two (secondhand) MFA850 motors in tandem driving a new single 20 in M5 shaft. . Using a 50 Amp Tornado speed control and plastic X55 Graupner prop.
Sprayed (Volvo) Flash Green Metallic with orginal decks stripped back and restained (using tea bags!) and relaquered
Planing gently on our club sailing water at Knightcote, Warwickshire on 25 October
My Sun Tug MK25 version, originally adapted from a Lesro Sun Tug Kit, actually still being built [not quite yet complete] but seaworthy enough to get some testing time in the water. it has more than enough power to haul my dusseldorf along when the batteries are flat after some time sailing, so rather than pull the fireboat out, decided to let the tug do some work.
Powered by a hectoperm motor with 3:1 gearbox,twin 6v gel batteries,water pump to operate the fire monitors,engine sound, nav lights, interior lights [cabins] rotating radar scanner,
For photos of my fire boat on lake lllawarra n.s.w Austrlia about 15mins drive from home.
I am running a ( OS FP40 motor ) the boat is about 18 years old. And still goes like a new one. (member ID 126 Lyie) and I go boating together on Saturday afternoons.
MARK BEAVER.
Thames fireboat gamma,stationed in london cherry tree dock about WW2 used in blitz raids.
Fibreglass hull,wooden deck,twin 550 motors,single working fire monitor,twin working spot lights,and nav lights.
Was a older display model now fully working but steam generator is a bit temperamental.only used at shows has been at Twyford water works open day recently.
HI Everybody,
Went to an autojumble looking for car bits an ended up with these instead.
Sea urchin in need of total refit,sea nymph has 380 motor and prop already in it minor refurb required.
Will keep you posted on progress.
Just finished Sea urchin,yet to do sea trials.
Hi Harleydream1, I like what you have done with the Sea Urchin, its hard to see in the image but are you operating the tiller steering with lines run forward to a servo?
Here's a photo of the initial on the water run yesterday at Crealy of the Vosper 73' ASRL I've been asking for help with in the forum .
Not yet finished with deck fittings & rigging aerials but performed very reasonably. it has a JP Power 480 motor driving a 25mm 3 blade prop. Powered by a 6v 4Ah LA battery with a RadioLink 2.4ghz RX. and a 15A Mtronics ESC
Mrs Froggyt996's Solent Class Lifeboat which is running on 2 x MFA 800 motors. it has 4 x 12v 7amp gel batteries and a P92 combined mixer and speedcontrollers from Action.
Here is my Aerokits Sea Urchin on its first outing in July 2010 at Fleetwood. Running on a 7.2v Lipo on a small outrunner motor costing less the £5.00 from Giantcod.co.uk.
looks good whatever it is Alan.
Dean
Roger