This model took me 3 years. Copper plated the hull panel by panel. Even found a crew for her, then added an RC and took her to the lake.
She sailed well, but my enthusiasm to leave the gun ports open cost me dear. The water got in the hull and knocked out the RC, leaving her listing and drifting some way from shore.
Salvation came in the shape of a 10 year son of a friend, who strip to his underwear and swam out to rescue her!
Now she sits retired in a glass case.

This model of a German North Sea FishingTrawler was built from a Graupner kit in January 1974. The crew are South American, the dog Welsh the owner English and her home port is Maldon. She is powered by a 6volt 400 motor coupled with a Viper 15amp controller and my Spectrum radio outfit. The 6volt 10 amp gel cell also acts as ballast.

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

YET ANOTHER FERRY BOAT.
THE MODEL WAS BUILT BY MYSELF IN 2008 ON A FIBREGLASS HULL FOR WHICH I AM PART OWNER OF THE MOULD. THE REST OF THE MODEL IS BUILT FROM LITEPLY AND PLASTICARD. BEING WIDE BEAM AND SHALLOW DRAUGHT THESE MODELS SAIL WELL AND REQUIRE NO BALLAST APART FROM THE JELLY BATTERY.
IT IS TWIN SCREW AND TWIN RUDDER SO IS VERY MANOUVERABLE.

My latest project - Hull and some bits from a static display model, based on several photo's of Greek fishing boats, Mtroniks 400 motor, & 15A ESC, 12v SLA battery & 30mm 3 blade prop. 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 this week at Weymouth & Portland MBC, Miles Cross Farm lake . Hope to post video soon.
Chris

Fighting Cock was one of the fleet of North West Tugs (Liverpool Screw Towing and Lighterage Company) steam tugs, built by Cammell Laird in 1953. The model is built on a Kingston Mouldings Sun tug hull, the superstructure is scratchbuilt from styrene, with many fittings from Mobile Marine Models. The motor was 'rescued' from a mainframe computer data drive, and is direct drive to the propeller. Power is from 12V gell cell batteries with a speed control by EA Electronics. Both hull and motor were given to my father many many years ago, and the model was completed approx 7 years ago.

here are my three boats, oakgarth 42" twin screw 4 blade props with kort nozzles she also has a working bow thruster.She running two speed controllers off a 12volt sla battery and has full working lights I would love to say I built her but I never, all I have done is added lights and give her a full makeover. Next is Doug the26" pusher tug twin screw 3 blade props full working lights and water jet single speed controller futaba radio set up I have just changed the crane on this again I have only done cosmetics to this tug and my last boat is a 20" seaport tug this is what my grandchildren sail and for 60 quid its great thay love it .the paddling pool was 15 quid for argos and perfect for testing well better than filling the bath .

This style of launch is gaining popularity for fast crew and supply boats in the North sea.

This boat was designed by me from photos available on the web. The hull id fg, all the rest is plastic and wood

My latest scratch build a junk cedar plank on frame /draft film mast cranked controlled,
crew ex footballers , wearing masking tape clothes , false keel fitted when sailed ,
cheers Larry..

This model was built from a model slipway Tamar kit. it was modified substantially.all rails are soldered brass. info was from the website of Peterhead R.N.L.I. Station were there are excellent photos. The models engines are thumper motors 4240' at 900kv and run on three cell lipos @ 5000ma. Which give me at least an hour. With a speed of at least 10 mph, which lifts her bow out of the water,way passed the bow thruster , which is a graupner 400. Radar works through an old servo . Flashing blue light on mast. Running and accommodation lights. These boats are normally red below waterline however Scarborough life boats have always been white below the waterline. The crew are star war figures modified with plastic putty and a sharp knife. Not an easy build but very enjoyable. Eric Plaxton was the chairman of plaxtons coaches, and platoons building services. He left 9 million pounds to the boro of Scarborough, and 3 million to scarborough R.N.L.I., for a new boat .

J. R. MORE - LAST OF THE LARGEST STEAM TUGS BUILT ON THE CLYDE. The best looking tugs ever built!

This model is scratch build at 1:48 scale of the SAR&H Durban tug J. R. More, which was the last large steam tug built on the Clyde in 1962.
It took over 2 years to complete this model, which was my first scratch build from the modified plans of a sister tug called the F.C Sturrock, which was also stationed at Durban as the shift tug for that harbour. Other tugs of the class were also stationed at Port Elizabeth and Cape Town.

The J. R. More was the newer day tug in Durban, most often used to service the Union Castle ships and others in, out of Durban and remembered by so many visitors to South Africa of that time.

This model tug on the water has differential motor control, software linked with the rudder, can go about on the spot and a delight to sail as a model, capable of 6 or more hours on the water. Working Rotating Radar, lights and woop-woop sounder as per the original tug. I would also like to install the Telegraph bells, however these would drive fellow modellers to distraction, as they were a very distinctive sound and very regular, Implanted and well remembered by the crews and those in and around the harbour, even today. The engines on the other hand were almost quiet and by all accounts very reliable.

This model is ballasted mainly by two 7 Ah 12 Volt SLA Batteries for the main drive motors and a 2 Ah 12 Volt SLA (Aft ballast) for the Lights, Radar and Sound unit. All up weight is 14Kgs and capable of above scale speed from the two MFA 6:1 ratio Geared Motors driving two 4 bladed 70mm screws.

This model has onboard charge regulator circuit, built-in minature dual volt meter to allow quick on-board voltage inspection and single plug-in charge and regulator socket for charging all 3 Batteries together.

The actual full size J. R. More tug still survives and can be visited at the Durban Maritime Museum in Durban, South Africa. Local supporters are undergoing essential repairs, restoration and preservation with private and company financial support.

J R More is the only surviving large steam tug left of this class and as Important to the skills of the Scottish shipbuilders of the Clyde.

This is a 40" long model of a gas powered Berkley Company kit of a US Air Force crash boat from 1955. The plank on frame kit was in production for about 10 years and was meant to be powered by a model airplane gas motor with a single shaft. it depicts an experimental 50 knot rescue boat (painted in a peace time color scheme) during service with the USAF. if successfull it would have been put into production designed to be a replacement rescue craft for all Air Force 65' crash boats. Unfortunately for the crash boat program the Air Force lost interest as helicopters were become a reliable way of rescueing downed pilots along the coast. The prototype and a sister boat were scrapped, as was the entire program.
The model was given to me to be restored(top picture) for the son of a retired USAF veteran that was a crash boat crewman. The model was built in 1957 and had been run a few times on a tether line, R/C was pretty expensive back in the day. I stripped the hull, filled in all the cracks and rebuilt the mast. I added a small boat, davit, liferaft, coxswain station, spray shield and deck hardware among other things. Actually all the owner wanted was a paint job, he was very happy with it's new appearencep! Although I fiberglassed the wooden hull and made it watertight, the owner doesn't plan to run it, just a memorial to his dad's service. I really enjoyed working on this "rare bird".