If Professor Pat can do it...so can I...lol.. The history of boating spans millennia, evolving from dugout canoes and rafts in prehistory to sophisticated vessels powered by steam and advanced engines. Early boats, appearing around 10,000 years ago, were used for fishing and coastal travel, with Egyptians developing reed and wooden boats for transport and trade by 4000 BCE. Over centuries, innovations like the Viking longboat, the Chinese junk with its rudder, and the Dutch yacht transformed seafaring, eventually leading to the Age of Exploration and the flourishing of yachting as a recreational pursuit in the 17th century. Modern boating integrates electronic systems, computer-aided design, and emerging eco-friendly propulsion, reflecting its continuous adaptation.

For over 60 years the "model boat" pond at Lake Seminole Park (Seminole, Florida) has been a popular place for R/C model boats. I know that is only a short time compared to our Euro friends, but keep in mind that Florida was not a well populated state 150 years ago.

Today, I was at our meet (not many ther, too hot) and I found Pinellas County Parks had moved the dock about 3 feet further away from the shore. They also added two safety rails on the corners of the floating dock (about 8' X 35') at my request. I must say they have been very responsive to my requests.

From my view I feel that this is one of the best natural facilities in the state, perhaps in the US for model boating.

Lew

A few years back one of the TV stations in the Tampa Bay area sent a professional media crew out to record one of our meets. I got a copy of the finished video (permission granted by the TV station for reproducing). It is quite uplifting and shows you what model boating in Florida looks like.
I hope you enjoy it!
Lew
Florida 😎, USA❤️

A mild start to 2023 enticed a small number of Buxton Model Boat Club yachting enthusiasts down to the local boating lake.

I have begun the process, the Sterling kits living up to its rep, at one point there is some plywood, but mainly it's made from what appear to be second matchsticks...it weighs so little, it is hilarious. I plan on glassing it all over so it will eventually get some strength to her. But she's long and frail in this state...but I love her. Everything appears to be as straight as possibe, no horrible curves or bends. Still got my fingers crossed for her. Peace my friends, happy boating👍🤑😂😎😊😊

Back in May I was able to get my boats out on a the local boating lake, it went ok and it was magical to have them on the water again, although I did have battery issues, and my small type 24 frigate had a leak, well I live and learn, back to shed to discharge and recharge my NMHI batteries, and address the leak! More to follow soon!

Here is pitcure of both my boats sailing on a boating lake not far from my home, the larger of the two was commandeered by my 8 year old son for a trainning mission he had in mind, which gave me an excuse to build another one, which is the smaller boat the picture, as the young captain needed escorting while getting use to his new command!
They are both made from balsa wood, which the material for the hull, it is sealed with a acrylic varnish,painted over the top with enammel paint with clear varnish on top of the paint! The superstructure on the larger destoyer is made from thin plywood, and on the smaller frigate its made of plasticard!
I got the lynx helicoptors on Ebay from "The Dorest Print Man" I think it was, which are 3D printed by him!

Once again our intrepid members meet at Josey Ranch in Carrollton Texas to have fun, give each other a hard time and promote the hobby of model boating. 😀

Annual Venetian Night Sailing at the Pavilion Gardens Boating Lake Buxton - with the Buxton Model Boat Club.
"Many thanks to all - spectators and participant's".
Phil

More Photos Here :- https://model-boats.com/places/60518#103782

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 hadn't built a model of any sort since I was 15 years old and that was a control line aeroplane with a glow worm engine. 45 years later and regressing nicely back to my teenage years, my wife bought me (reluctantly!) a RC Boat Kit - Mowe 2. I had been wanting to build again for many years, but children and family and home situation did not allow.
So, over the cold Autumn and Winter Months I carefully put my spare nights to good use, rather than watching night after night TV box sets and re-watching the entire James Bond movies, not once but 2 or 3 times....
Anyhow after 3 months...the finished product. I should have started a blog but didn't know of this site until a few weeks ago.
Not a brilliant finished job, but a satisfying one, and it sails nicely on Bushy Park boating lake in Kingston-upon-Thames.
Now o nto bigger and more complicated things...a Fairey Huntsman 31.
This time I'll do a blog....👍