Bunker Boat-
A bunker boat is a purse seiner after menhaden (AKA bunker, pogy, alewife, shad). The fish is use in animal feeds, fertilizer, paint, cosmetics, and its oil has commercial value, It's not a human food fish. The Atlantic seaboard is the largest fishery and a huge fleet of these boats, all architecturally similar, were maintained there. Some sources call the menhaden catch the most important commercial catch in American waters.
The plans for this model are loosely drawn after the Helen Euphane, a 114 foot 293 ton steam powered example of the type. She was built in 1902, and served temporarily in both world wars in the Coast Guard, as a minesweeper and patrol boat. The last history I have of her is from the 50s, at which time she was still working the fishery.
This the model of the Tug "Amsterdam" I acquired from Norm Milne. This is a first class build.
Wijsmuller salvage and long distance towage tug ''Amsterdam''
Built in 1971 by Scheepswerf Johann Oelkers K.G., Hamburg (563) as ''Hamburg'' for Petersen and Alpers.
Sold to Bureau Wijsmuller in 1974 and renamed ''Amsterdam''.
Sustained major machinery damage on 20/01/1986 and sold to Pakistani breakers where she arrived at Gadani Beach on 22/05/86 for demolition.
Model is fully R/C and 1/50 scale and is 43” LOA x 10”
December 1st 2022 . - Getting colder now with heavy mist early in the mornings. A good day to try another set of slightly bigger high aspect sails.
Still very light wind but just managing to get from A to B.
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!
Ron, I will not go into too much detail on Jim. He is retired, in his early 70's, and has building models since before I met him about 12 years ago. He doesn't bother with computers too much but enjoys his Canon digital cameras.
The story of building the model of the "Whaleback" seems to stem from where is lived many years ago up in the great lakes area of the U.S.
Jim is a laid-back person and deeply interested in building his models. Most of them are 1/48 scale, but in recent years he took a turn and started going after some complicated kits, some out of production for many years, like Sterling kits he found on Ebay. Other recent builds include some WWII battleships, plastic models that are motorized for RC.
One unique thing about Jim is all (I believe) of his models involve gear reduction between the motor(s) and shaft(s). He hand makes small parts where many people will avoid the small details. Here is a video of one of his other models, the City Of Buffalo:
This was the last sailing at Spencer's in Burlington in November 2022 My friend was running his TSS Beaverford real ship built 1928 was sunk 1940.was run by Canadian Pacific Steamship line. I liked the steam coming out of stack P/S Pool has now been drain & will soon will be a winter skating rink
Held this year on 30th of October 2022, the "Venetian Night Sailing" is an annual event which is always popular amongst Buxton Model Boat Club members and the local community.
Very sorry our local member Graham93 couldn`t be with us due to unforeseen circumstances.
Graham, look forward to seeing you back soon with "Bill & Ben" and maybe "Kayak Kev" !!!.
Hello everyone! I hope good things are in store for you all, a new boat, a new love, something grand.
I have a question:
Does anyone have a source for very thin, 3/32 or thereabouts strips which in the Sterling CTLL kit were identified as "reed" strips, 3/32. They are perfect for edges and accents and they can take a bend without being steamed. If anyone knows a place that has this type of material I would really appreciate any info you can provide.
Thanks!😎🤗😇👍
Hello, and good morning. I would suggest you give Cornwall ModelBoats a good coat of looking at. As besides the flexible beech strip they sell which is very flexible, and a short length can be bent around into a circle without any problem. So if you bought three strips, one at the thickness you require, and two more to go on the inside and outside, to make up a channel type capping. they also sell numerous hardwood mouldings shaped, into channels, right-angles, mouldings for hardwood window frames. ect. ect. Give it a looking at and I think you will be pleasantly surprised. Regards, Gary.
Built plank on frame from plans scaled down from 24 -12th scale - "Branksome" was built by proud owner Alan Brundrett many years ago, originally steam powered, Alan converted her to electric in recent years.
Built from old kit. I built one before and the Bluefin one too from Dumas. I cut the hull separation so a space is there. In general it was fun. I had to buy an older Rc as only 72 MHz works under water for maybe 3 ft. The ghz signal works surface only. I cut out all the hull flooding holes as per pictures I gathered. Basically built as per blueprints inside except used newer motor controller that can take LiPo batteries. Excuse the messy background.
Like your sub!! We have several sub guys in our club, at least one of them uses 2.4. He runs an extension for his antenna up the sail (conning tower) and hides it in either the periscope or antenna. His boats are static divers, but he stays at periscope depth when he submerges. The boats set up to blow ballast and full up planes if he loses contact. Not trying to criticize anything you’re doing, just letting you know 2.4 is doable with restrictions. Most of the ponds here in North Texas are too murky for much below periscope depth anyway.
Anyway, good luck with your sub! Let me know how it turns out.
Cash
I had thought of a float with antenna but in he end use a MHz transmitter was easier. I had sold all mine so I picked up one from eBay. Actually I wound up with two one AM one FM. FM worked better. The dc motor controller was from a car as it had reverse capability plus switchable micas or LiPo. The Ghz band gets water attenuation so it won’t work under water well. Bathtub test showed at least a few feet under was ok. Only thing o don’t like is you seal electronics so it has to be really tested. Battery is on a plastic box like that can open fir access but I put a soda bottle cap structure to access charge connector anyway it’s fun
Here's a few pics of the Lumba. It is ready for fiberglass and the superstructure is here just test fit. I need suggestions on how to power it; I want it to move scale, about 20 knots and it is going to be twin screw. I have a pair of 800 motors that are great but might be too much, even though I would rather this be over-powered than under. She has very cool lines, like an airplane. Lots of curves and twists all over her. She's a big girl, ready to carry quite a few angry oil rig employees on a dark and stormy night.
In the 1940s and 50s, many traditional Thames Sailing barges were converted into motor barges. This is a model, based on photos and my memory of the 'Nellie'. The sailing barge 'Nellie' was built by Cremers at Hollowshore, Faversham in 1901,. She traded under sail carrying about 90 tons of cargo around the Thames, Medway and Swale until about 1952 and then had the gear taken out, a Chrysler Crown petrol/paraffin motor installed and carried on trading for some years owned by R.Lapthorne & Co of Hoo on the River Medway.. She was eventually sold out of trade and is now privately owned. She has been rerigged with a reduced sailing barge rig without a topsail. My model is based on a 30" barge hull from Dave Watts Mastman.
NOTE More information from Nerys - read on ........
Hi Phil,
I'll just add a little more information to that. I was Nellie's skipper in the mid 50's for a few years. We were based at Hoo on the Medway and carried cargoes around the Medway, Swale, Thames and Colne. Regular trips were such as ballast from Fingringhoe on the Colne to Hoo, sand from Upnor on the Medway to the Ford works at Dagenham, fertilizers from London to Faversham and Queenborough, wheat from London docks to Whitstable and more or less anything that could be carried between ships in the London docks to anywhere in the Estuary. We were paid by the freight. Half the value of the carriage charges going to the owners and the other half to the crew, shared 2/3 for the skipper, 1/3 for the mate, Then fuel and other expenses were divided up similarly.
Nellie, of all the barges I served on was the one I liked best. She was the smallest, but there was just something about her. However as a footnote, in the 1970's I built a forty three foot schooner rigged barge yacht in the same yard as Nellie was built.
Yes, Nellie visited Buxton. We had been on holiday in the Lake District and on the way home, made a diversion into Buxton. We were made most welcome by the members we met and particularly by Phil and Graham. Enjoyed a nice little sail with Nellie. Made a pleasant interlude in an otherwise long 300 mile drive.
Cheers,
Ed-