Originally designed and prepared as a fun entry to the MMI Solar Boat Challenge.
Scratch designed and built of depron to run in standard house guttering - size and construction details on the video. There are a number of 'solar' boats on another video of several including the eventual winner of the challenge. inexpensive, fun and unsinkable!
Here is a Graupner Bremen 9 converted to represent a UK Police boat. She is called DEVA which is the Roman name for the county capital of Cheshire - Chester.
If the Cheshire Constabulary owned a vessel of the size of the original Bremen 9, I am reliably informed that the 'Battenburg' and transom diagonal stripes would be correct. The 'BA 07' lettering on the superstructure is also the correct national and regional code for the Cheshire Constabulary. The constabulary crest on the cabin doors however has now been superseded by a more modern constabulary logo that looks sh1te.
The RIB provided with the kit is too small and in my opinion not to scale; I will replace it at some point. The light bar and all other blue and navigation lights work off 9v batteries.
Chris M
Here is my 1/7 Riva scratch built from plans downloaded from net. A complete stranger ask permission to photo the boat and said he would send on said photo. He is doing a photo diary for a year and this is todays photo! I think it is a excellent shot of the Riva. Brian
HI John, thanks for your interest and comments, I'm sure yours is good and you will get a lot of envious remarks about it, they are just that sort of boat! People love them!!
My boat is 1/7 scale.The fittings came from Vietnam. The sites to go to are: www.gianhien.net or www.qualityboats.com. They make desk models of a great varitey of boats The Riva is done in 1/5, 1/7 and 1/10 scale. I paid about £124.00 delivered, they took about 20 days to deliver, if you look on the build blog there are some photos of what comes in the fittings kit. The quality is good, not excellent but good. The value for money is excellent, you'll never get them in this country for that price.Send us a photo or put it on this site there is a lot of interest in these boats, thanks again Brian
HI Brian not Sharpy then thanks for the info think I have to make a better boat before I spend that sort of cash on it,
But I will try again, number one I think I need better plans the ones I have are very basic ,will put some pics on soon as I can work out how to
all the best John
this is the Maggie B she is a modified Sothampton R T R tug. there is a video of her in the video section. the main casing was taken off and the lower three quarters of it was cut off, so that it reduced the overall height., she is fitted with two M tronic speed controllers and a new larger5,000millI amp battery which is fitted across the hull behind the motors and in front of the steering servo, she still has the original props but they are now turnig outwards to go ahead. she is now a very handy and stable boat.
Hello to all my Fellow ShipWrites, I have been away for many months due to the Passing of a lovely Lady that was a huge part of my life. After re-locating in the Fall, I plan to finish off projects that have been waiting far to long.
I have a great lakes freighter that needs finishing, a build of a 1/72 scale Gato class submarine and a small scale fishing boat that needs to come out of the box and take a space I have for her on my book case. Cheers to All ....Viewing your Works has cheered me Up...see you in the fall with updates.....
Well done Brian, my proposed 1/12 scale Sunderland has been set back a while due to working currently on 5 metre span glider SF27M - the M denotes motor (retractable electric on pylon), trying for completion by May 2014.
NB: 1/12 scale Sunderland (Palmer) plans (& CNC cut part kit) are available from Belair Kits, Dereham, Norfolk
This boat is currently being cleaned and minor repairs to be carried out. Twin electric motors are going into hull and will be a r/c conversion. Super detailed interior.
Hi,
I am also trying to build the Robert Thelwell. its been three years now, but I don't seem to be getting on. Too many problems regarding detail and availibility. May get to it again later this year but unfortunately it does'nt look too hopeful. I did go to Wells-next-Sea the other week to find the Mabel Alice there, with three other lifeboats, an unusual coincidence. Good luck with the build - Gordon
Although not strictly speaking a boat it is a yacht and fun when you can't get to the pond but fancy a sail!
Built from magazine free plans mainly of balsa, carbon mast and drafting film it is just as challenging as normal RC sailing.
Operated on a 2CH Rc is has front wheel steering. The wheels are model aircraft wheels. The rear outrigger wheels and mast can easily be dsmantled for transportation. The outrigger is also ballasted to Improve handling.
You don't see too many of these around but there are a number of plans available. in all the time I've had this I've not yet had a race with another! (You tend not to see yachts sailing in car parks...) Still, fun to sail - and a different technique to control, so needs practice. As with the full size land yachts the best is sailing on two wheels.
The big difference is that you keep your feet dry to recover a capsized yacht! 😊
This model was built from a model slipway Tamar kit. it was modified substantially.all rails are soldered brass. info was from the website of Peterhead R.N.L.I. Station were there are excellent photos. The models engines are thumper motors 4240' at 900kv and run on three cell lipos @ 5000ma. Which give me at least an hour. With a speed of at least 10 mph, which lifts her bow out of the water,way passed the bow thruster , which is a graupner 400. Radar works through an old servo . Flashing blue light on mast. Running and accommodation lights. These boats are normally red below waterline however Scarborough life boats have always been white below the waterline. The crew are star war figures modified with plastic putty and a sharp knife. Not an easy build but very enjoyable. Eric Plaxton was the chairman of plaxtons coaches, and platoons building services. He left 9 million pounds to the boro of Scarborough, and 3 million to scarborough R.N.L.I., for a new boat .
Many thanks , Yes I like the colour scheme as well. I have several projects I would like to start one being the jet drive boat. as I already have the jet drives in the drawer for the last 12 months,regards Jim clark
Lady Wooes, by Mobile Marine of Lincoln. SemI kit. I bought the hull all the timber and drawings along with dozens of white metal fittings ages ago, started it and left it for 5 years, moved to North wales and finished it. Drive is 2 Ford Cortina fan heater motors driving a pair of 55mm Prop Shop props by tank steering, reciprocating steam engine sound board, smoke unit and full working lights all from 2 X 12 v 7 Amp batteries........a good and interesting but very frustrating build to get things right.
Sailed at Erias Park, Colwyn Bay Model Boat Club and sometimes at West Shore LLandudno.
Hello from Australia Thought it was time I made a an effort. Three of my models shown here at last years local model show in Port Macquarie. L to R they are Cervia,now 20 years old,Wyola, an Australian built tug.Twin motors and Kort nozzles.and Old Trafford, MSC paddle tuc in 1/35 scale. All are totally scratch built. The only things bought were materials,paint and glue, Except the stantions for Old Trafford. Currenly finishing a Maycraft Mercury(started in 1962 in England) and a Vosper fireboat.Hope this may be of interest
