After about 6yrs of the model being 'laid up', I thought it was about time to get it back in 'survey' again, and get some better videos with new camera. Checked it over, cleaned the smoke system (glycerin mixture had separated) oiled everything up and off to the pond. Ran as well as ever and everything still worked which was pleasing.

For those who missed the build blog way back, the model is 36", glass over strip planked balsa, has twin 28mm 2000kv inrunners with twin 60A car escs, twin GT Power sound units, a smoke and water exhaust system (developed by myself and Graham 96, -which he and Mike Turpin successfully fitted to their excellent fireboats) and lighting. Uses 2 -2s 2200mah LiPos for the motors, and an 1800mah 2s LiPo for the air and water pumps.

Boat was shipped to the RNZAF in 1940 and was eventually sold to a private owner in the late 50s. It is still around in Auckland after suffering 3 major modifications to the coamings, and is now fully airconditioned, and can be operated from an I Pad. Today powered with a Detroit 8V96 in place of twin Grey Marine (Detroit) 671s, which replaced the 3 original Napier sea lions. Did 38knts with the 3 Napiers, (1500hp) and does 22knots today with a single 500hp Detroit. It was the only one of the 22 built to be sold in the southern hemisphere. The only other one running is HSL 102 in the UK

I have been on board once in 1968 when it was still in original form, and then again 50yrs later in its' present form.

JB

HMS Exploit is an Archer-class (or P2000) patrol vessel of the British Royal Navy, built in Woolston by Vosper Thornycroft and commissioned in 1988.[1][2] She is assigned to the Royal Navy Coastal Forces Squadron, carrying out a range of activities both in the U.K. and overseas.
The ship's company consists of a permanent staff of the commanding officer, two senior rates and two junior rates, but can take up to twelve students with training officers usually embarked when conducting navigational training. Whilst at sea, students are able to put into practice navigation and seamanship skills they have learnt in the classroom during weekly training nights. These include chart planning, acting as Officer of the Watch, using the ship's radar and carrying out seamanship evolutions from anchoring to securing alongside. Instruction is given in engineering, firefighting, damage control and ship handling. The ship is based in HMNB Portsmouth.
Operational history

Royal Naval Auxiliary Service
XSV Exploit was originally ordered for the now defunct Royal Naval Auxiliary Service (RNXS) and had a distinctive black hull like other RNXS vessels.
On 19 March 1994, a serious machinery space fire occurred on Exploit approximately 30 miles off Lundy island as she was being transferred to Portsmouth from Greenock as part of the managed run down of the service by RNXS crew. The Padstow lifeboat and the RAF SAR Helicopter from Chivenor, were scrambled, and a tanker on route to Milford Haven was diverted to help, but were not needed. The fire was later attributed to a major mechanical failure of the starboard main engine, resulting in a large hole in the sump casing. The fire spread quickly to the air ducts, igniting various rubber coolant pipes causing thick acrid smoke.[3]
Royal Navy
In June 2017, Exploit, in company with HM Ships Smiter, Ranger and Archer, deployed to the Baltic to take part in the NATO BALTOPS exercise, the first time that Royal Navy P2000s have been involved in such an exercise.[4]
In the early 2020s, Exploit, along with other Archer-class vessels, was given a more operational role as part of the reconstituted Coastal Forces Squadron. In early 2024, Exploit and three of her sister ships deployed to northern Norway as part of the NATO exercise "Steadfast Defender".[5]

Was asked for more info . So here are a few photos . This mini humidifier uses water only to generate fake smoke no smelly baby oil & varsol odor 50%-50% mix for Graupner smokers .I get the power to run unit from the receiver battery port as the unit uses a USD port to make it work so I got a old servo & cut the wire off it removed the signal white wire & used the black & red wires to power up unit . I have to turn model on then power up the Humidifier to start fake smoke put the cabin on model & away we go. Make sure Positive & Negative are put in proper receiver slots Please don't damage receiver if it's plugged in wrong.

This is a mini Humidifier got it on Amazon I got idea from a club member

Had a chance to run my Midwest model of a lobster Boat at Spencer's in Burlington It's the 150 anniversary of the town of Burlington Ontario . The forest fire smoke wasn't to bad the day I ran the boat . I named model off of a Canadian Singer Stompin' Tom Connors - Wikipedia songs about a lobster boat The Gumboot Clogaroo .

A friend in the model boat club made a simple smoke generator so I decided I'd try .Use a small humidifier & powered U.S.D plug with 4 NMH batteries & installed it in a model I built a while ago. Some of my old style Graupner smoke generators don't work any more .

I know this is not one of my boats, but belongs to one of our club members. It is a 1/48 scale model of a "whaleback" freighter. The real George Washburn was built in 1885 had a length of 320 feet. What is unique about this is it had a almost tubular cross-section hull. Many times I heard visitors call it a submarine.

Jim's model includes horn sound, lights, homemade smoke generator and a ballast fill/empty system to reduce transportation weight. Video Link (this is not on YouTube, you have to copy this link to your browser to see the video): http://ssmbc-fl.org/Videos/Video-03-30-2014-01.mp4 (😮The link icon below WILL NOT WORK!😮)

I though some of you might enjoy this wonderful scratch built model!

Lew

Found it would fit in the paddling pool, so being a nice sunny day, thought it was about time to wet its' bum. So bright today, smoke and water was hard to see, (I can't win ! - either too bright or too dull😐) Anyhow, everything works well, (just need to adjust the rudders,- bit of right needed), plenty of grunt (only about 1/2 throttle max here,- mostly just 1 motor - don't want to bash the paint off !)- bit hard to control in a small tub !,- needed someone to hold it.

Next stop, the lake !, after I modify the launching trolley and making a stand. Unfortunately can't demo the stereo working due to new YT music censoring rubbish. No different to sitting at the beach with a radio, but YT warns you about copyright which is just moronic.

(dry test)

After going over everything to make sure nothing had come adrift after being upside down after painting, thought I'd give it a quick dry run (no water ) . Did the vid and found that YT had put the vid/sound way out of sync. Tried to sort it but gave it up as a bad joke. You will see the smoke start, and then a while later you will hear the engine start (they actually start together,- the smoke being on a 5 sec timer to allow the element to heat up before the air turns on, giving it a puff on start-up. )

You'll have to pretend you are seeing them together, (very annoying). Apologise for the 'music' as I had to create it myself using a free beat app to get round the YT copyright rubbish. It's only there as a demo, showing using the remote to change the volume.

Transferred this from my build blog. Quick vid of the starting - sound/ smoke /water exhaust sequence (water not plugged in, but can be started a few seconds later than the smoke). Smoke starts first to heat up, then air pump (timer for 5 seconds delay) then water (TX switch,) - could put in another timer to make it fully auto, but enough spaghetti there already. Also handy for future water cooling if the motors need it (fan cooled so probably not needed.) Left stick is held over to start the sequence, then released to turn the smoke and air off.

Fitted a new bottom skin fitting for the water pump pickup(air/water/exhaust smoke system) - removing the pickup from the jet, as flow stopped when the jet stopped. Fitted a new transom skin fitting (RH side transom) for the ESC cooler exit, and took the water from the jet pickup for the ESC cooler. Everything seems to work well now, with the ESC water flow increasing with throttle. Now for a test on a decent day, (has to start with the rain and wind now, doesn't it?☹️)

Set-up pics in blog,

Weather was perfect tonight for a test, so I did the 15km trip out to the Gulf harbour pond (most weed free pond) to throw the boat in. After a thorough under water hull inspection from the marine department, she was off. Everything worked ok except the silicone drive tube which had become enlarged due to soaking in the grease coming out the front of the jet shaft. It was slipping badly and probably losing about 60% of its' thrust. Manoeuvrability is excellent but reverse leaves a bit to be be desired. Steering in reverse is perfect but the thrust is not going forwards enough from the bucket. Might have to build in some nozzles to direct it better.

Smoke air and water are working as well as can be expected, (smoke is a bit wafty, but with too much air introduced it will disappear as it gets thinned out too much to see) I was not expecting miracles as this was a bit of an experiment (modified cheap jet unit with unknown abilities) but at least it shows promise😁. If I can find a coupling which is concentric it will solve the drive problem.

Trouble is, the Chinese insist on making a 4mm shaft, 4.95 (or whatever) which is useless for balance in a 4mm ID bearing for example. Fine for cars, but no good for boats or planes due to balance requirements (it's a mission trying to balance plane props due to this thinking,- they do it with everything) shafts for electric motors are a nightmare at times as the play they build in, can ruin an otherwise good motor. I might have to buy a flexible rubber/nylon universal or a collet style( preferable as these take up any undersize on shafts) to fix it. They included a spiral alloy one with the jet unit which is as loose as a rooster in a sock, and only good for slower things like 3D printers etc. One of these days they will learn how to machine things to fit.😐