the sea rover was bought locally as a wreck with much of the forward section of the cabin missing , however it has been rebuilt in a matter of weeks to sailing condition , its now running a single vision 600 motor on 7.2 volts , & has a reasonable turn of speed and very good rudder response ! the fpl was a double purchase as I bought a pair of hulls , one had a better finish than its sister although this didnt matter as they were both stripped back to bare timber and resprayed with wilkinsons enamel spray . as the cabins were not remaining Ive made both boats into vospers mk2 range safety launches , neither models are fully finished but Ive started to use 1640 , I know 1646 wasnt a number issued by the raf , but as the model is to be operated by my neice it was the number she has chosen !
For my first foray into boats I have acquired what is like a Vosper Firefloat Mk.2 but it is different. The wheel house section of my boat is different, being longer, the mid-ship section having three windows in lieu of two and the stern is completely different in profile.
I have spent many nights trawling the internet to see if there is anything like my very detailed model but to no avail and I have even asked a few of my old work colleagues who are ex-naval men if they can help out in identification. I am wondering whether this could be an elusive Mk. 1 - the boat that was never put into commission.
I attach a few photos of my model in the hope that someone out there can throw some light on it. it is in very good condition and a few years old, is fitted with a Graupner Eco 600 motor on a single prop with 7.2 NiMh batteries. it is about 34" in length and 9" beam and goes really well, planes quickly and turns very tightly - in all a cracking boat. The numbers on the side of the boat are strange as they relate to what I believe is a coastal command unit - the numbers are not new as they appear to be original under the paintwork. Any help in identifying what actual boat it is modelled on would be appreciated.
HI Alan, it reminds me of an air sea rescue launch I went for a ride in when I was an air cadet in the year dot! Had three packhard engines as I remember and went like the proverbial!
Roger
First try in the water this morning at Crealy.
Found out that she's a bit bow heavy and that the old VW camper blower motor I was trying isn't really up to the job! so off to trawl through to see what the rest of you have powered the 34" boat with ( ideally to take 12v supply as I've got 2 x 6v jelly cells in situ. Although that might be part of the weight problem!)
HI I run mine on a Johnson 600 6V-9.6V with one 6 volt 4Ah gel cell and either a 35 or 40 mm 2 blade prop, and keep all running gear towards the stern and it will plane reasonably well. When I require some more performance I run either a 7.2 volt nicad/Nimh or a 8.4 volt nicad/Nimh. Any help with your problem?
Bit of fun with a video camera on my restored 1960's fireboat at my home club St. Helens MBC. had to be really carefull with the throttle and rudder sticks so the whole lot didnt end up upside down due to the camera position...
34" fireboat built 1965 restored late 2009 by me
running graupner 8.4v speed 600 on 8 cells (9.6v).
love the way the boat is in and out of shadow and sunlight throughout the video
I've finally got around to posting the video of my restored 1/16th Adamcraft BPB Seaplane Tender
See details in photo gallery.
A bit tentative as it was it's first time in the water for 51 years !
At the lake in Crealy, Nr Exeter in July this year.
I had always admired the lines of 1950s American wooden runabouts and built this Aerokits model when I was an apprentice at Jaguar Cars and it had stayed in my loft since completion nearly 40 years ago. Recently dusted off and upgraded with a Graupner Speed 500 and Mtroniks 40Amp controller and P35 prop. Seen here at Knightcote Boat Club on 25 October
Original 1960s boat aquired this summer from the family a deceased former club member in scruffy, non running but basically sound condition. Was petrol powered at some stage and still had original vintage mechanical speed controller from a later electric power set up. Restored with two (secondhand) MFA850 motors in tandem driving a new single 20 in M5 shaft. . Using a 50 Amp Tornado speed control and plastic X55 Graupner prop.
Sprayed (Volvo) Flash Green Metallic with orginal decks stripped back and restained (using tea bags!) and relaquered
Planing gently on our club sailing water at Knightcote, Warwickshire on 25 October
The weather on Sunday was great here in Peterborough and the perfect opportunity for the first trip out since restoration work was finished. The boat with ballast is very heavy so help from a few friends at the boat club was much appreciated! Performance from a pair of original Decaperms isn't earth shattering but good enough to give a nice scale performance, I might decide to upgrade them over the winter but haven't worked out what the best option might be so any suggestions based on your own experience would be appreciated. Thanks for looking, Roger
Hi,I run my solent at about 3rd power most of the time,normaly just the trim on the hand set is enough ,the mfa 800s with the props I said will give you plenty of power if needed,,at the Cwmbran show I used the solent to tow my Arun around for best part of a hour and still had loads of power let in the battery,and thats running a 12v 12amp lead acid battery,Both motors are run through a single 60amp controller with 15 amp fuses feed each motor...did try plastic props in the 35 and 45 size but found I got reversing problems,,my solent weighs in at 23.3 kg all up and afloat
cheers
Owen
HI again Roger ,good tip for getting boats to the water,I now use my carp fishing trolly,its great for it,can get a 54" Arun and a 48" solent on it with there bits and bobs and just wheel it all to the lake,bought mine off ebay for around ÂA£30 mark
My Sun Tug MK25 version, originally adapted from a Lesro Sun Tug Kit, actually still being built [not quite yet complete] but seaworthy enough to get some testing time in the water. it has more than enough power to haul my dusseldorf along when the batteries are flat after some time sailing, so rather than pull the fireboat out, decided to let the tug do some work.
Powered by a hectoperm motor with 3:1 gearbox,twin 6v gel batteries,water pump to operate the fire monitors,engine sound, nav lights, interior lights [cabins] rotating radar scanner,
My own Dusseldorf,powered by origninal robbe navy direckts as these give more than sufficient power to propel the boat at a reasonable speed, all fire monitors operate to fire water and rotate, nav lights, radar, engine sound and fog horn.
