Modified HegI Fairplay V tug built by My late Father. Mods include bigger 65mm Prop in a brass kort nozzle, working fire monitors, lights, radar, engine sound and grappling hooks to rescue nitro boats. Built 1980-81.

Guess most of you have heard of the Khetanna, Jabba The Hut's sail barge from Star Wars. I looked around on the net and to my big surprise, the search engines did not spit out radio controlled versions of this model. Which made me think, and then decide to built my own.
It is scratch build, based on a "scudder" hull, a design by Glenn G. I printed a few pictures of Khetanna from the net and used those for guidance in the process.
The superstructure is a combination of balsa and ply wood. in the Star Wars tradition, the boat is propelled by a jet propelled engine. To finish it off, a Lego version of Jabba was added for extra detail.
It was a fun and fast project to built, maybe a dozen or so evenings.
(scratch) building is my passion and only sail the boats with my son about once a month. We've got a pond near Newcastle (AUS) harbour which is pretty good (providing there's no weed in it) but the disadvantage of this pond is salt water, meaning a proper rinse of the models is needed after each sailing session. Recently we have moved our sailing sessions as well to the liberty pond in town. The model captures the audience, the vast majority recognize the Khetanna immediately.
Happy sailing.

Jeroen

Lovely afternoon at Fleetwood with no other boats in sight. Went for a first sail with Deans HMS Cossack, but a little unstable , so let snuffy loose. She needs an engine change from a 650 and a new paint job. So maybe next year. 😎 😎 😎

This is my newest project an Ebay buy of a delapidated HSL possibly used to advertise Model boat insurance at some time maybe 50 years old !. I have removed all broken, out of scale and incorrect items, removed old repairs and internal engine mounts. Superstructure is not too accurate but good enough to keep. I have noticed the keel is slightly twisted so will have to try and rectify that and the rear deck is going to be removed also as the adhesive is soft and pliable and there is no rigidity in the build aft of the superstructure. I intend fitting 2 x 12v johnson 600 type brushed motors as the original had 2 props. I have plenty of photos of the external layout but lack any detail of the open bridge 😟 . I think this will be a difficult project to complete hope I do it justice

Ayton Cross Tug by Jose Miguel, Madrid
Two engines
Lenght 120 cmts

This 1/12 scale model is based on the Aerokits Solent Class lifeboat. Over the past 5 months it has been under going a major refit. I originally built the boat about 35 years ago and got the "bug" again last September. I've done the best I can to make a silk purse out of a sows ear.

Its powered by two MFA Torpedo 800 electric motors. power comes from two lead acid batteries, each rated at 12v 7Ah. Control is provided by two Mtroniks Tio ESC. The twin spade rudders are linked to one servo. Each ESC has its own receiver. I found that one receiver, using a Y lead, could not continuesly keep the two ESC supplied with a signal and they kept going into Failsafe mode alternately. I got round it by binding two receivers to the one transmitter. Within the engine compartment is an automatic bilge pump. Two probes detect if/when the water level rises to a certain amount in the bilge and activates the pump.

The model has working radar scanner , navigation lights, search light and blue flashing light.

If you want to see the boat in action please go to my You Tube page at https://www.youtube.com/user/coljacktonvale

This is a raft that one of our members Noel built from bean cans soldered together powered by a blower motor /12v 9mah battery it is a model of his fathers full size raft made from 45gallon drums powered by a car engine it was sailed off Cresswell near Newbiggin by the sea it made headlines in the local newspapers as Noel can no longer join us at the lake due to his failing health I will keep it and sail it on his behalf and use it as a rescue craft

Built from a plan in 'Model Boats' in the 80's with a balsa hull and ply decking. Powered by a single cylinder 'Unit Steam Engine' from the same era, and a meths fired boiler. Only recently has radio control been added.

here is a couple of photos on her maiden voyage just a couple of hiccups winch
motor not right ordered new one had to modify the deck to remove the motor
engine sound system not right other wise very pleased with te boat r w angus

here is a couple of photos of my trawler at sea all went ok yesterday had a couple hic ups sound system wouldn't rev with the engine winch didn't work right
Robert waterson angus

Mk 2 engine running on air. will be installed in model of Kingswear Castle, one day. Again running on low pressure. The gear centre of crank runs 3to1 in gear on paddle shaft.

Built this in early 70's . I couldn't at that time afford rc or an engine so it was a display model until around 2000.
Now, one of 18...............I'm going to have to stop , or get a bigger house ......