Just a few photos of the Three Musketeers sailing on Sunday 19th July. We seem to be the only three that turn up on a regular basis. Just so happened there was a young lady photographer (Inga Zaiat) taking pictures around the lake. She asked if she could take some of us and the boats. From left to right Myself, Arthur & Ian. Arthur picked up the Victoria for a song at Model Boat Mayhem and after a bit of tinkering we had it up and sailing. Considering the sails are in poor condition it sails very well. Ian's boat is a second hand DF65 and mine (Red one) is built from plans out of the Model Boats magazine but does have a purchased DF65 rig. All good fun. PS. I uploaded the photos in low res as they take up less space and load faster.
The Wiesel is Back: Sea Trial at Lake Seminole Park (Florida, USA)
Had a nice run with the Schnellboot Wiesel at the June 21,2026 meet of the Suncoast Scale Model Boat Club. First time back in the water after 15+ years in my display case. I was hoping for a little more speed but the boat ran well and looked good cutting the water. But then, don't all of the Schnellboot look good? Only issue was me letting it drift into some weeds while setting up my camera on the tripod. Most of the video was recorded at about 30 meters away but the decent zoom on the camera brought the boat in close. I hope you enjoy the video.
At the last SSMBC (Seminole, Florida, U.S.A.) Jim brought his RC scale model of the "Blue Devil" (WWII Fletcher Class destroyer) to the SSMBC meet. Having taken a video of it I decided to have some fun and edit it and add some sound effects to represent it looking for a German U-Boat. About 2-1/2 minutes long). Sound layers added: Water, engine, sonar, alarm, and voice. Lew
The sound track makes all the difference, it adds a sense of realism and character. The back end looks rather low in the water, and you don't want the crew to get wet feet when firing the depth charges.
We had pretty good weather for this meet of the Suncoast Scale Model Boat Club. The temperature was 84F instead of the usual 90-92F for this time of the year. No rain, clear skies and a light breeze. The photos show the variety of boats (leaning a little heavy on the tugs) present at the meet. Lew SSMBC Event Coordinator
The Confederation Marine model club put on a static show Saturday & Sunday.Rain all day Saturday, so I could not visit the small ship that is a replica of 1813 Hamilton sloop that sank along with the Scouge Aug.18 1813 Club had a good turnout of members.
IMAI CHEBEC (Xebec) – 1/80 Scale Plastic Sailing Ship Model
IMAI CHEBEC (Xebec) – 1/80 Scale Plastic Sailing Ship Model
Rare Vintage Japanese Kit – Long Out of Production
This model was built from the highly regarded IMAI No. B-296 CHEBEC kit in 1/80 scale. Produced in Japan many years ago and now long out of production, this kit is considered one of IMAI's finest offerings and has become a rare collector's item.
IMAI was famous for the exceptional quality of its molds and engineering. Although this is a plastic kit, the parts were molded with such precision and detail that they convincingly reproduce the appearance of a finely crafted wooden ship model.
The Chebec (or Xebec) was a fast and elegant Mediterranean vessel used extensively by Barbary corsairs during the 17th and 18th centuries. Its sleek hull, pronounced overhangs, and distinctive lateen rig make it one of the most beautiful and exotic sailing ships ever designed.
This model is fully rigged and armed with:
• 20 deck-mounted cannons
• 20 swivel guns
• Detailed anchors, yards, spars, and standing and running rigging
One of the most striking features of the kit is the elaborate decorative carving along the port and starboard bulwarks and across the stern. To highlight these intricate ornaments, I carefully hand-painted every detail using my finest brushes.
The flags were custom made from the lead foil wrappers found around wine bottle corks. After flattening the material, I hand-painted the Algerian corsair designs and shaped them to appear as if they were fluttering in the wind, adding a dramatic and highly realistic touch to the finished model.
Additional features include:
• Ship's boat mounted amidships
• Ornamental stern gallery with gilded relief work
• Open deck grating and finely detailed deck furniture
• Hand-painted decorative motifs throughout
Even after many years, this remains one of my favorite builds. The combination of IMAI's superb engineering and the unique character of the historic Chebec resulted in a model that captures the grace, power, and mystery of the legendary Mediterranean corsair vessels.
