Hi Colin . would be quite reluctant to admit how many half finished boats I possess - shall we say quite a few, at present there are about 15 completed that are still with me . Gave my grandson a large Ripmax speed boat - loves it but restricted to their swimming pool which is a bit small. (lots of home pools in SA). Making up a kit from a Graham Goodchild design to build with him when he visits in August. - easy and a more appropriate size. Tried to get my son interested but he was among the first of the IT generation - so computers got him to the extent its now his life's work. Did not help when aged about seven he fell into the harbour at our clubs dam whilst running my Rhodesian Patrol Boat - very proud of not getting the transmitter wet - but embarrassed and seemingly lost interest after that. Now he is a lot older and moving with work to Seattle it might be easier to get him interested as its got a lot of sailing places around.............
Saddest loss was a boat given by an old friend of the family - an aluminum hulled motor yacht driven by a Taycol "Star" via the then usual 4 1/2 volt cycle lamp battery. Saw the same hull on Ebay also with a Star fitted some years ago but was unable to come up with the 50 odd quid they wanted. Think it possibly could have been a Basset Lowke yacht hull available in those long ago days , to fit out with your own deck & superstructure as our old friend did.

Hi Colin,
I like that you are encouraging the younger generation to get in to this hobby.

Martin.

Thanks Redpmg, you're comments are a welcome change to us both. Some people think we are strange having such large collections of models. My wife used to design and build 1/12th scale dolls houses. But she got bored at the shows with me and my boats, so when she inherited her uncles collection of trucks she decided to build on this and has doubled this collection over the last few years. My love of boats started at a very young age, as my parents were both in the Royal Navy and my dad was a keen modeller, plus we had family boats right up to my dad's death in 2008. So we spent our summers out on the North Sea until dad retired in 1985 when he and mum moved to Aberystwyth on the Welsh coast. New waters to sail and fish in the Irish Sea. So boat modelling is a part of life, which I love to share and encourage anyone who shows an interest. My son is just getting started as my grandson who is 4 years old is really keen and I am teaching him how to control and manoeuver my tugs. We are building him a tug of his own later this year. Sorry about the waffling on but I get carried away.
Cheers Colin. 😊

Really great collection of boats and lorries between you - wish I still had the first boat I built (own design yacht) but its probably still rotting away at the bottom of the Leopard Rock swimming pool in whats now Zimbabwe.
Did you build entirely on your own or did you get some help? Gave up on my patrol boat aged about 10 as I could not get the skins to fit - not knowing the trick of wetting the ply first. Built a hobbies Anglian instead - sadly also long gone - lost in a move.
As an aside George Turner told me he designed a lot of models for LLedo and Corgi so I suspect there's a few among your wife's collection. Pity he did not continue with his boat kits - they were a real treat - but he said he got bored !

Hi Ed,
Thanks I'll pass on your comments to her, she has about 600 at present, also a 1/72scale Billy Smarts Circus that she takes to some of the shows, looks like I'll have to build a bigger trailer later this year as both our collections are growing.
Cheers Colin and Caroline.

Hi Collin,

Your Wife has an Impressive collection of Lorries!👍

Cheers, Ed

A few pics, if they manage to upload.
Cheers Colin.

Hi Colin,
So how'd it go?
Hope you managed to get a convenient parking space 👍
and took lotsa pics😉
Cheers, Doug 😎

Very nice collection Colin.

Martin.

Bon chance mon ami👍
Hope you get time to look around the show and take some pics for us👍
Cheers, Doug😎

Morning Doug, yes you spotted it, that was the first boat I ever built back in 1957 my 8th birthday present.
Just off now back to the show, need to be in showground before 7am to get a parking spot for car and trailer.
Cheers Colin. 👍

Hi Colin - Just make sure you put a 10amp fuse in line close to that Hitec ESC - mine had a slight problem with a "hot" 400 type motor and as a consequence would only handle about 3/4 throttle before going into jerks and spasms. So now its relegated to running a mild 280 instead which runs smoothly on full throttle.

A wonderful collection Colin 👍👍
Is that a Sea Scout I see before me???