Well my friends, I've gone and done it again. Through some dumb luck I stumbled upon a reasonably priced discontinued bucket-list kit that I've always had my eyes on and took the plunge. Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while! The Dumas Brooklyn Tug was one of their best kits and much to my surprise it came with a very strong set of directions...unusual for Dumas in my humble opinion. Be that as it may, it's a large (40 inches) and quite a beautiful kit. The version I was lucky enough to find was the final version before Dumas dropped it. The first version (I understand) from way back in the day was meant to be a plank- on-frame build. But it seems Dumas felt it would not sell well, not to mention the wood production problems it would incur. So they engineered a fiberglass hull that became highly prized to builders. My version is the last version with a PVC hull. The hull is nice, but the two hull molds come with a ton of excess PVC and feel like wobbly bathtub parts coming out of the box. Very worrisome to start, as cutting the mold flanges away was not a simple task, no to mention Bondo and a ton of sanding...yes, with mask on and vacuum at the ready. Next came a heavy inner fiberglass keel inlay, an addition PVC skeg support. Then an outer long false keel is installed with the stuffing box installation...more Bondo and sanding. Uggh. Worrisome or not, the instructions have a tongue-and-cheek feel about them as the writer and engineers slip in comments like "no need to worry" and "now don't panic!" Sheesh!!!! So, after a couple of days of bitching and worry I managed to get the two halves joined and on the stand. The next issue is the PVC deck with the basswood supports. The joining of these two deck halves was not the "issue," but the total lack of wood decking aggravated me. I want a more scale appearance, so I have to have a planked deck! As a result of my own needs I lowered the deck supports 1/8th of an inch to accommodate my planking. I did a scale deck test shot to get an idea of what I'm after. Believe or not, the PVC hull will not be fully "true" until you squeeze the deck halves with the bass cross-members into it. I know, it's weird. So I will trace the deck shape onto paper and do my planking as a side project to begin this weekend. Call me crazy, but my instinct is pushing me in that direction. I am going to give it a go. My wife, Mary is like, "Where are you going to put that one?" "In the water!" I shoot back, "then on the mantle, because it's going to be a like museum scale!" Don't you get it?" I think she's glad I have this hobby...it keeps me from pestering her for other things. Onwards and upwards and more to follow. Best -- Guy

This is a kit from Clyde Model Dockyard of Swallow - from the stories of Swallows and Amazon https://www.clydemodeldockyard.com/shop/p/clinker-boat-model-kit It could be argued that this is the most famous dinghy in the world? The kit is very well designed and manufactured. However, there is minimal advice about making it into a RC sailing model which I want to do. The kit was featured in the April edition of Model Boats magazine here in the UK - although the model was well made in the article it was not a sailing model.

This is a model that I built many years ago. Soon after the Richard Branson’s Virgin Atlantic Challenger met it’s tragic fate in 1985, Radio Control Boat Modeller published a semi-scale 1/32 (3/8” = 1’) plan in the January/February1986 issue created by Ernst-Bernd Bahn of West Germany (German unification, seems like a long time ago) to build this classic tunnel hull vessel.

This will be my first boat build at this scale, so who knows how it will turn out. I got a set of Vic Smeed's plans from Sarik Hobbies along with their wood packs for the model - I thought having some laser cut parts might be helpful. I grew up in Alness, so if the build goes well I'll probably paint it as 2757 which was based at 1100 MCU Alness/Invergordon in the late 1950's to early 1960's.

I’m in the middle of building a 1:48 Directors‑class paddle tug — Forceful. I’m using the fibreglass hull and working from plan No. 1292, plus the two Marine Modelling International articles from Jan/Feb 2017. The paddle wheels are built from drawing No. 1293, and every part of the feathering mechanism has been machined from raw stock. Only the bearings and fixings are bought in. The feathering wheels and drive are now complete, and I’ve set up a small test tank so I can run a wheel under load before moving on. Hopefully you’ll enjoy following along with the build.

I decided to start this following a suggestion from one of you on this website, that the smaller Lesro designs such as the Sea Urchin, Sea Nymph and Fast Patrol Boat would perhaps be able to be sailed relatively safely on my backyard pond with reduced power settings. As I have most of the plans for these designs, it stood to reason that my severe building addiction could be somewhat satisfied in the background whist trying to solve arising issues on another much larger build I had already embarked on but which had stalled for the time being (namely Vivacity). So here goes with just a few pics to set the ball rolling; 1) 20FEB2026 - measuring and transferring shape of parts onto paper templates and balsa - I decided to use balsa for most of the frame as I had plenty, and I find it much easier to work with on smaller boats. And the model was for modest electric power, not small diesel, so it should be plenty strong enough if the outer hull is covered with tissue, as on the Knocker White Tug model completed earlier. 2)&3) Keel and bulkhead parts cut from 3/16" balsa. Keel doublers glued on first side using exterior grade PVA, all excess 'splurge' immediately wiped away using damp rag - I cannot stress enough the importance of this, as it really minimises/eases the 'fettling' required to fit bulkhead/other parts as the build progresses. 4)Keel assembly turned over and propshaft 'slot' cut away/filed. 5)Remaining keel doublers glued with PVA, as well as 5 minute epoxy around prop shaft/keel/doubler sandwich. 6)Bulkhead shapes reinforced with scrap 1/16" balsa crossgrain at edges where slots are to be cut, creating a sort of 'liteply'. 7)Keel assembly completed with proptube reinforcement and bow doublers glued. Bulkhead slots for cabin sides/keel cut. 8)Fettling and test fitting bulkheads to keel - and a celebratory glass of Henkell Trocken to mark the progress to date - 01MAR2026. More to come once I've done this weekend's property jobs! Best regards to all reading, Nick

I just had a need to clamp some parts together in a tight space and none of my other clamps would work. I came up with the _spring loaded clamp_ and thought that if any of you need one I can email (PM me) you the OBJ (for 3D Printer) file. Similar clamps use a little wedge but often slip. The pressure is applied to the moving jaw and is adjustable for varying work thickness. The hole in the adjustable ferrule is .05inch (1.27mm) and can be drilled out and tapped for a screw. The screw only needs to be finger tight to avoid slipping. The spring is about .31inch (7.8mm) ID and the length can be about 1inch (25mm) +After I printed these I saw the need for making this a one hand operation, so I added the "L" shape trigger to pull the sliding jaw back. It will be cemented to the sliding jaw as seen in the assembly CAD drawing. (I will upgrade mine tomorrow.)+ Lew

The Northern Bay lobster and sport fishing boats are built in Qgunquit, Maine. Known as Down East boats they are semi-displacement hulls. They are very good sea boats stable in heavy seas. Compared to semi-vee hulls common to many other sport fisherman boats in the U.S. the Down East hulls tend to be wet boats. As with everything else, boat design is always a compromise. 1&2 The inspiration 3&4 Beginning steps

Hi y’all. The Tug formerly known as Harbor is now in her berth, flagged, and is now known as the O Wulf 8. She’s done!! Well..mostly. Got a couple more things to do to her, but she’s out of the shipyard, which means another project must commence. Union rules Y’know…I’m not union, but the gremlins in my garage are… Anyway, I WAS going to start one of the kits that’s been in my hoard for a while, but I decided to build a birthday kit. She’s the Model Slipway Vosper RTTL. It was in my wishlist on Ages of Sail, my wife picked it out of a list I gave her. Woman knows my heart. Anyway, I wanted something relatively simple, although the kit does have some head scratching moments. To start off, it’s a nice kit. Molded hull, deck and superstructure, good brass and plastic, printed plastic parts and white metal fittings. The downside is the 2mm shaft and tube, press on propeller and a rubber tube coupling. First thing I did was find a suitable tube and shaft in my stash, I like 4mm and 1/8th inch. Found an unused Dumas 1/8 tube and shaft that was just a wee bit longer, so I chose that and a 3 blades prop with a 3mm hole that I gently cleaned out to 1/8. The kit is designed to be powered by a 6 volt Speed 400, and one was included, but I’m going brushless with this build. First thing after cutting out the hull, deck and interior liner is to clean up and trim, then you’re supposed to build up the rudder from 2 abs halves and a metal shaft. I had a commercially made rudder that was the right shape and size, so I chose that and a 3mm ID tube. Now, the builder is supposed to make sure the liner fits, then tape it in place so one can drill the rudder tube hole thru the hull and up into the aft part of the liner. I thought I’d be able to just hold it in place. And, of course, it slipped leaving me with an elongated hole too far forward. Looking at the plans, the tube comes thru the bottom of the hull and is glued ther and at the liner. No reinforcements on the hull bottom. So, me being me, I found a nice piece of hard balsa, drilled to fit, and then slid that over the tube, and used black ca on the bottom of the hull and used epoxy to glue the tube and block inside. I made the offending hole in the liner a little bigger, and once it was glued in i made up a plate to go over the tube, the glue the plate to the tube and topside of the liner. Before I could accomplish that, I had to mod the liner to accept my choice of brushless outrunner. Plus I had to cut the slot for the stuffing box. Once I had all that done, I tacked the tube in place with ca, made sure it was lined up, the used tape on the bottoms of the hull to keep excess epoxy from running out and then glued it home.skeg was installed at this time. Then I installed the modified liner. I made up my motor mount and installed it and the motor. I tacked the mount in place with the motor installed to make darn sure the motor, shaft and coupler were a slip fit with no binding, then I bonded the mount to the hull and liner. After that I installed the deck, and the spray rails. You’re supposed to cut the strip from tha plastic sheet, but I cheated and used some strip styrene I already had. The superstructure has been started. I’ve got the aft bulkhead, aft bulkhead outside fairing doublers, cockpit and windbreak installed. At this point I have to measure the drawing on the plans to mark the windows, then tape 2mm strips in position, glue the strips and uprights at the window locations, cut away the unglued excess strip, then cut the windows out. I’ll probably get the locations marked this week, and get the horizontal strips taped down, then wait till this weekend to finish that job. Cash

This is a scratch build from a plan designed by Basil Hardy and purchased last year. Its inspiration is from a photograph of Charles Fildes 'Fairy Queen' in the archives of the Windermere Nautical Trust. I chose it following a gift of a Meccano steam engine which was the power for Basil Hardy's paddle steamer. These lakeland steamers were very much family possessions. The plans include a design for the drive unit as well as the hull.

Construction tradi avec impréssion 3D à partir d'un plan récupéré sur un dépliant commercial

Well, I finally decided on my next project: *Overhaul the Schnellboot +Wiesel+*. _I bought this Graupner kit in 1975_ in London while we were doing some European travelling. Started working on it until "the kids" came along. I placed it in my attic (bad choice with the heat in Florida) then decided to _resume working on it again in 2003_. By then there was a lot of new information and photographs on these +Zobel+ Class type 142A Schnellboots. So I decided to rip it apart including the conversion to four motors and shafts. That required making a large part of the aft under hull off. At this time I decided to change the interior access cutout. This was a massive rectangular cutout leaving long seams with hold down levers. I decided to re-cover the deck and make several individual cutouts avoiding almost al seams and making the deck/hull stronger. The down side is that it makes it harder to access the inside components. Skip forward a few years and it was complete. _The first run was in January 2012_. The boat looked great but the performance was pathetic. Those little conventional shaped propellers would not make the boat move very fast. For the next few years I would bring it to model boat meets (back the the +Bay Area Electric Boaters+). I had only two RC boats back then, +Wiesel+ and my +Standard Oil+ tug. As I built more boats the +Wiesel+ dropped out of the picture. _How could I do that to my best looking boat_? In 2018 I got my first 3D printer. Upon finding a photo of what the real Schnellboot props looked like I thought that the model needed this upgrade. But with scale boats and tanks I had no time to complete the mission. Even my upgrades fell behind and my "to Do" list grew. So, yesterday I had to make a decision: Which would be my next project? (Last month was the 51st anniversary since I bought the kit,) So the Wiesel won the lottery and I am going through everything, stripping out all of the electronics. It will take a little while in converting from the old style to the newer, more compact and direct wiring. The first thing I am working on is getting the Loran turning again. The modified servo stopped working and it was embedded into the superstructure. I am attaching a few photos for you to view. Sorry US Coast Guard Cutter, Fireboat, Towboat, and Frederic Mistral tug. Sorry King Tiger, M26 Pershing, M10 trailers, M1 Abrams, second King Tiger, Deuce and a half, Semi- lowboy, and boom crane. You will have to wait in the queue. I also have more on the Wiesel in my harbor here on on my web site (see link). Lew https://www.rcflorida.org/lmb/lmbwiesel/