My Vic Smeed Thornycroft MTB has been sitting in dry dock over the summer, due to holidays but also procrastination due to my fear that when I finally launched her she'd go straight to the bottom...

Anyway, this morning I plucked up courage, took her down to Black Park lake near Slough and chucked her in. She appeared to sit well in the water. I gently engaged the throttle and waved a tearful farewell as she moved off 20 yards or so towards the middle of the lake. I took her round in a wide arc and back to port. I repeated this a couple of times and did some straight runs until the tiller mechanism jammed, fortunately she was within grabbing distance.

I was so relieved and pleased that she worked. She had a good turn of speed (nothing too dramatic) and seemed to steer well, keeping fairly upright.

There appeared to be little if any water ingress. The water cooling system for the ESC didn't work (I suspect kinks in the tube) but it didn't appear to be overheating. I'll attend to that and also the tiller mechanism before I take her out again.

Finally got my sea legs!

MODEL BOAT SAILING - AT BUGSWORTH BASIN
Bugsworth Canal Basin, the head of navigation of the Peak Forest Canal, was the largest and busiest inland port on Britain’s narrow canal system and the only one to survive intact. Famous canal and tramway engineer, Benjamin Outram, built the 14 mile long Peak Forest Canal from Dukinfield to Bugsworth, although plans to extend to Chapel Milton via Whitehough were never realised. Construction of the six mile Peak Forest Tramway in 1795 linked Bugsworth Basin to the limestone and gritstone quarries in Derbyshire, and the canal linked Bugsworth to Manchester and the trans-Pennine canal network.

Part 1. ideal conditions; nearly 30°C, cool Bier at hand😜
Sea Scout built by Dad in the early sixties with a Taycol Target and 6V lead acid wet cells (very wet😡). Renovated and dragged into the 21st century over the last several months 😉
See Build Blog 'Sea Scout 'Jessica'' for details!
Motor: Propdrive 2830, 1000kV, 30mm 3 blade Raboesch prop. Quicrun 16BL30 (30A) ESC with BEC.
Tested with 3 battery types, all started with 99% measured capacity-
1. NiMh 4.2Ah 7.2V, nom. 408gm.
Result: Speed sedate (OK 😉scale river cruising!) No planing.
Max current: 3.6A
End status V / capacity left: At end of short run ca 3 mins. 7.78V 99%.
2. 2S LiPo 4.0Ah 7.4V nom. 257gm.
Result: Speed still sedate but due to lower batt weight at least the forefoot came out of the wet stuff! Max current: 4.1A
End status V / capacity left: At end of short run ca 3 mins. 8.25V 93%.
3. 3S LiPo 4.0Ah 11.1V nom. 315gm.
Result: Now we're getting somewhere!!😁
Good speed, manoeuvrability and planing 😊 Max current: 7.5A
End status: 11.95V 74% after several long runs, ca 20 mins total.
Estimated (extrapolated) endurance on a 4Ah LiPo around one hour - mostly 'full bore' - 'Pedal to the metal man' 😊

See also:

The competition!

Final run. (Beer was getting warm😁)

Cap'ns log entry:
Boat dead-weight w/o battery: 1.8kg.
Spray rails to be added!😲
Slight list to port to be trimmed.
Rudder servo to be reversed!!😲
Keel protection to be added: some scratches and flaking from stony sloping shore 🤔
Summary: much as expected👍 Forget anything less than 3S.
Anyone want to buy a batch (4) of new 2S 4Ah 45C Lipos? 'One careful owner'!
Happy boating people, Cheers Doug 😎
PS Many thanks to Camera girl Gisela 👍
Recorded in 1080p HD.

I wanted to try the driveshaft brake I'd recently fitted and thought I might as well do it on an actual ramp. This ramp has around a 30deg slope so it was a good spot for a test. Tried it with just the trailer first, (don't want my boat model disappearing down the ramp at high speed) and it worked well. I've done another vid where I but a 3kg water bottle on the trailer to simulate the weight of the boat, and that also worked well (although it's a bit scary when 13lbs starts rolling down the ramp backwards.

Lost the trailer a few times going over a big join in the ramp ( forgot the tow ball lock nut) so had a few goes to get it right. I was surprised how well a piece of string round the driveshaft could hold that weight so easily. Only negative is that it's not as good in forward, (would need another wound the opposite hand on the shaft) but that's not as important as reverse control. Still waiting for the weather and tides so I can try another launch. This ramp's not bad, but a little rough !

Ontario Premier Doug Ford's cabinet has approved a provincewide stay-at-home order and will close non-essential retail stores for all but curbside pickup, multiple sources told CBC News Tuesday night.

The move comes in the wake of criticism that restrictions announced last week — what the government called "emergency brake" measures — are insufficient to slow the spread of Ontario's third wave of COVID-19.

The Ministry of Health reported another 3,215 cases of the illness Wednesday morning, the most on a single day since Jan. 17, when the second wave was at its peak in the province. Health units also logged 17 more deaths of people with COVID-19, pushing the official toll to 7,475.

The seven-day average of daily cases has climbed to 2,988, its highest point since January 18.

The upward trend in new infections comes as the province logged a record-high day for vaccinations, with 104,382 doses administered yesterday, according to the ministry.

On Bank Holiday monday 31st August 2020 , Buxton MBC put on a display at Buxworth Basin in the High Peak of Derbyshire.

Ref Wikipedia - Bugsworth Basin is a canal basin at the terminus of the Peak Forest Canal. It is located at Buxworth in the valley of the Black Brook, close to Whaley Bridge. It was once a busy interchange with the Peak Forest Tramway, for the transport of limestone and burnt lime.

FOR MORE PHOTOS SEE:- Boats Clubs & Lakes - Buxton Model Boat Club
https://model-boats.com/places/60518

By Sterling.... she is 48" long. I have videos but the file type is not supported... (MP4)

Taped some plastic on the hull to protect it and took it for a skid round the back yard, (you can see boredom is setting in😀). Can't wait to try it on the big sports fields (maybe bolt some wheels on it😁) and the big estuary down the road. Bit loud at the mo due to the wooden prop. More than enough power! Could do with more rudder travel and maybe a bit more area.

Super tug and steering wonder. Bought as a kit and made from wood and plastic.
There was no instructions, and without them a nightmare.eventually getting them put the basics into perspective, eventually building the boat.i changed the motor to a 480 and made my own propshaft on the lathe, also a brass rudder, which is operated by mini servo.The esc is a 10 amp m.troniks which works great small but powerful, turns in its own length to port and starboard either astern or forwards

Ideal first build, convenient size, easy to transport, easy to rig, easy to sail. Will post more detail if required. Pure fun !
Enjoy !

This is a 1984 re-issue of a Lindberg Chris Craft Sport fishermen purchased used on Ebay. Some of the parts where broken and some partially assembled. The model did come with 2 MACK RC motors and some fabricated wood parts, including a template for the aft deck. The interior was assembled from quarter scale doll house items except for the dinette. There are 4 underwater LED bulbs with a dedicated power supply. The running, interior and radar unit are powered by a separate systems from the hull electrics. The second Li-po battery is for backup and balast. There are number of additional items added since these photos were taken including a stern seat and larger radar array .

the rotty on the water at our pool in the hooton park trust siteellesmere port