TRACKER DUNDEE PILOT BOAT
FORTH Ports, the UK’s third largest port group, has placed an order for two new pilot boats to join their fleet working on the Rivers Forth and Tay. The investment in the vessels to work on the busy waterways will see the arrival next year of the next generation of pilot boats built by Holyhead Marine.
Pilot boats are important vessels on the river as they transport maritime pilots to the ships that need guided safely into port through the lock gates in Leith and Grangemouth, to a berth at a quayside in Dundee or Rosyth or to one of the deep-water anchorages in the River Forth. As the statutory river authority for the Forth and Tay, Forth Ports marine team operate over an area of 280 square miles of navigable waters.
The two pilot boats have been designed in Scotland by Camarc Design and will be built this year by Holyhead Marine in Wales. The pilot boats are 16.6 metres long and are the most advanced boats in operation with an updated hull design and engines offering increased efficiency. In the future, the engines would be capable of operating on HVO fuel (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) which could result in a C02 emission reduction of up to 90%. [**NB: further tech info is listed below]
Alan McPherson, Chief Harbour Master for Forth Ports’ Scottish operations, said: “It is important that we invest in our marine fleet to deliver the best service for river users and at the same time, decarbonise our vessels using the very latest engine technology. The Rivers Forth and Tay are two of the largest and busiest waterways in the UK with thousands of vessels using the rivers each year, ranging from very large offshore drilling rigs in Dundee, to container vessels heading to Grangemouth and cruise liners sailing into both rivers. We look forward to receiving the new pilot boats next year.”
Forth Ports currently has 5 pilot boats and 11 tugs operating across the River Forth and Tay.

Second test was slightly better, using the aluminium spiral cut universal which came with the jet unit. As you can probably hear, it was horribly out of balance (even with cable ties to reduce it). It was not even drilled centrally and the spiral is right hand when it should be left hand, (like a spring twisted against the wind, it wants to deform). Slight improvement in speed on the first test (no slip this time) but the noise was horrendous.

Have pulled the jet apart and found that the 3 blade prop is around 1 mm too small for the hole, causing cavitation (see loads of bubbles in the jet stream) which is causing loss of thrust. The prop is the wrong type as well, with rounded blades, so I have modified a larger prop with more pitch to fit snugly in the unit to hopefully increase thrust. The shaft is also wrong, with a flat cut almost half the diam and carrying on through the bearing, allowing the grease to fly out.

I actually saw a Chinese site on Al Expr stating that "some dimensions on the product may be different due to the number of machines and operators involved in its' manufacture," SERIOUSLY!!??? their quality control must be utter crap and the operators not skilled enough to eat their lunch😐 Why bother having a dimension at all?? Little wonder nothing fits properly.

Unfortunately, most model shops sell the very same stuff, unless you want to shell out muchos dolleros for European stuff. I have just ordered some 4mm silver steel to make a new shaft, so a coupling or silicone tube will fit better. Also ordered some solid connectors to try. Vibration is wasted energy so it needs to be eliminated. Hopefully the mods will improve things and allow the motor to run on 4s rater than 3s. Worked out that the motor is only 1200KV, so it's only doing around 13,000 rpm under load. Probably will need around
18,000 rpm for proper performance. Onwards and upwards (or forwards as the case may be.😁)

Sorry about the blurry vid again, but my camera lens is knackered.

" Elsa ", is a steam dredge barge built by Buxton Model Boat Club member Dean Ratcliffe.
She is roughly 1.24 scale, approximately 43 inches by 8 inches and is made from recycled and up cycled materials wherever possible. She has a single rudder and propeller, powered by a single motor from a drill, and two 6v lead acid batteries. She is a totally freelance design.

Building a German Police launch right now and thought that the radar scanner components were a bit 'heath robinsonish', so decided to see if I could make an alternative unit.

Photo 1 shows the Radar scanner parts obtained from MMB (ebay) for the princely sum of ONE POUND !!!!! plus 28p postage, and construction is of a medium soft resin that isn't prone to breaking or splitting when shaped or drilled, and a short length of 2mm brass rod becomes the drive shaft. This particular unit has a 44mm sweep bar but there are many other sizes available

Photo 2 shows the drive motor which operates on voltages between 1.5 and 6v, ideal for the control driver which is the next item. Available from saih.tan on Ebay for under 7 pounds, and if the motor is mounted on a removable bracket as I have done, this unit can be used in several models without the need for major 'surgery', the motor and radar shaft being connected with a short piece of rubber tubing

Photo 3 shows the receiver driven radar motor speed control which operates from an auxiliary receiver channel and takes the motor voltage from the main receiver supply, thus obviating the need for a separate supply and switch.
This unit is available from www.mr-rcworld.co.uk and costs a staggering 14.50 post free sheesh !

I must add here that I am in NO way connected to any of the suppliers mentioned here, but just though some other modellers may be interested in 'home brew' accessories and suchlike.

This is my 6 month in build of a fully working fishing boat .she has a real I have modified and put a 20kg winch servo so u can real in and out and have drill a hole in to the real and put another servo so u can lock the reel out to.made a back plate on the end of a cut off rod and bolted in to the hull. She has full fpv from the wheel house with a 360 spin HD camera and have even put a digital amp meter so u can look at to and see how mUchida power u have left full running lights controls off hand setc to twin brushless motor water cooled and a large 100 amp esc with air fan and own power supply going to take her out tomorrow for her maiden voyage. Witch has bin a real long time coming and a lot of blood sweat and stress to get it all to work but finally I'm there hope u all enjoy and like what I have dun thanks for reading my post Ben

This is the first sail of this boat its running two geared Como-Drill 2.5:1 motors and seems to be OK with it current setup.

This is my scratch built inshore fishing boat, I adapted the plans from a model boat mag. The hull and deck are planked using cut up blinds from Ikea (they are made if Lime) it has working lights and radar via a 4 way switching unit on one channel, the working winch and trawl net are worked from another channel. Powered with an 18v drill motor working from 12v lead acid battery

Standard wood drills (as in this photograph) work well for cutting neat, point centralised plastic-card port holes, as good as they do for wood or MFD etc. (instead of high-speed steel drills, which can end up a mess).

For clear plastic glazing to match these ports. I use circular punch's which cut neat clear round plastic glazing to fit, also for cutting round plastic-card for circular objects etc. I have found that it works better if punched with a hard hammer tap onto a flat hard-wood backing.

Photo examples and tools. These tools are both available on-line in sets between 3mm and 8mm.

Thanks to all those that made suggestions about making the Suction Hoses, here are my efforts. The boat looks OK now thought there is much to do still. I am using two Johnson drill motors in paralell with one 50 amp ESC & 20A fuses in each motor + supply lead, all running on 8.4V NiMhi. the current props are 40 X 21 three blade. The boat is fast enough but battery life is short and the battery is very hot after the end of the run. I water cooled the motors and ESC. I will try some smaller props and 7,2V to see if there is an Improvement.