3 GPLs on the lake at once, all with different engines, 2 with onboard GoPros, 1 unfortunately with a battery that was about to fail...

Graham Royle joined the Model Boat Website last summer, returning to modelling after a 45 year break. It was a display at Buxton Model Boat Club last year where he spoke with one of the members that got him started again.

Graham who is now a member of the Buxton Model Boat Club started his latest project "Bionic Bill", only 3 months ago at the beginning of lockdown.

What resulted is truly magnificent working model example of engineering, woodworking, electronics, perseverance and total dedication ! .

Well done Graham !.
PS - Remember, set video resolution quality to HD 1080p (Bottom right cog wheel).
Show less

A test post on behalf of redpmg.
The engines are built by a mate of his.
"The boats are built by a 90+ year old gent by the name of Alan Raubenheimer, who used to make Rose Pop Pop Boats - used to advertise in MB etc.
Now into his 90s he has finally given up production."
Here goes🤞
Doug
It woiks 😊; just ignore the 'Invalid file' notice and click the blue magnifying glass and then the download button.
Run with Windows Media Player.
When it opens Press F11 for full screen or drag a corner with the cursor to enlarge.
Resolution is not too good I'm afraid🤔
Despite the music the action takes place in SA not Hawaii!😉

PS 8.5.20. Video fixed and enhanced a little 😀😎

Here's a short video to show some of the varied and interesting exhibits and features seen at the London Model Engineering Exhibition, Alexandra Palace 17th - 19th January 2020.
Enjoy....😀
Robbob.

A fan powered smoke unit (modified Heng Long) tried in the HSL. Not particularly good but it's output is reasonably scale(ish). As the fan (12v comp snail fan) just blows into the back of the smoke box without any positive connection, a fair bit of smoke escapes into the engine bay. The fan is hooked up to run with the cooling pump and is left on while running after the smoke (on off remote from the rotary switch) is turned off, and blows the residual smoke from the engine bay out the exhausts.

There are also the 2 small air pumps plumbed into the exhaust outlets via venturi pipe inserts, to blow the water out of the exhausts, (just on the waterline) as any water stops the smoke coming out (surface tension holds it in the pipe). Once I find a decent high volume small quiet air pump, I can do away with these and the fan, which should make things a bit better.
I've ordered some small 12v 40W printer elements to try another smoker idea, but they will be a while coming. Smoke will only be on for startup so shouldn't be too much of a problem.

I've almost become water/vaporlogged/glycerogged with all these experiments, and the other night I actually set off the smoke detectors,- house smells like a glycerine factory for hours afterwards,- but my skin's getting really smooth😂😂😂😂
JB

Full size Detroit 453 2 stroke diesel as fitted to this seaplane tender.
I have the same Rev counter he's using by strange coincidence!
JB

Found a sound by accident which sounds quite a bit like the sound of the GM Detroit 453 2 stroke diesels fitted to this boat (still has these today) Vid from cockpit is the sound I discovered while mucking around with some old electric motors, and my new voltage controllers which just turned up.
I'll add the link to the real engine for comparison (next post here). Sounds to be revving really high but being 2 stroke it's only doing around 2800 rpm!

JB

A ship that I served on 1966 - 1969 Scratched Built. (Sails well)
Wiesel German Torpedo Boat was given by a family who had dropped it and smashed completely had to rebuild(persons were going to dustbin it + radio and engines SAVED( and sails well) HMS Daring sailing at Maunsell Lock 18th Aug 2019 also Bismark making its Maiden Sailing after many trials in the Bath Great Day Out with Tone Valley MBC

This is my latest build and first time at scratch building. Other than the hull I've done everything else so far and learned a great deal in scratch building. The hull was built for me by John Elsy of Newcastle as I had no experience of lifting details from the basic layout plan I had, but will learn this soon. Various stages in the build to date. it has a Graupner 500 ECKO motor pulley drive. Motor sits above the propshaft on special engine mount and the shaft has an oiler. 2 ch Futaba `T2ER 40 MHz radio which is all hidden under the false planked aft working deck. it will run on a 12v 7amp gell cell battery with a FR30HX Electronize ESC. Currently building one of the cranes.

H.Martin Stevenson

I hadn't built a model of any sort since I was 15 years old and that was a control line aeroplane with a glow worm engine. 45 years later and regressing nicely back to my teenage years, my wife bought me (reluctantly!) a RC Boat Kit - Mowe 2. I had been wanting to build again for many years, but children and family and home situation did not allow.
So, over the cold Autumn and Winter Months I carefully put my spare nights to good use, rather than watching night after night TV box sets and re-watching the entire James Bond movies, not once but 2 or 3 times....
Anyhow after 3 months...the finished product. I should have started a blog but didn't know of this site until a few weeks ago.
Not a brilliant finished job, but a satisfying one, and it sails nicely on Bushy Park boating lake in Kingston-upon-Thames.
Now o nto bigger and more complicated things...a Fairey Huntsman 31.
This time I'll do a blog....👍

USS Chesty B Puller, I was a marine, 63 inches long, prebuilt by Aquacraft, engines installed, but no radio, batteries or speed control. Looks great in water. preforms like a real one, especially in still water, but we don't have much of that in Kansas.

Tug Brooklyn

Steam Engine Sound along with Steam Whistle Sound!
Sorry about the shaky camera.
Trying to do too much at one time!