Just got back from lake and had some fun with my son. His Veron Swordsman that I bought from a second hand shop £30.00. Flew the Canadair again against a stunning sunset, and a shot of my Veron Fast Patrol Boat with its new motors (555's) running on 10v A123's, very scale speed but could do with a few more volts to really bring it on the plane.
HI Ian, yes Phil did start from a very young age. I've seen photos of him at the Great West Aerodrome (now Heathrow) with free flight petrol in the 1920's.
If your going to I of W it's worth calling into Westbourne Models on the way that's if your going along the coast.
If your going brushless be warned that the ESC's are a lot of money. I would recommend the Graupner one. I have one and cannot fault it. its a bit strange to program at first but once I got use to it no probs. You can have it for planes, cars, helicopters or boats, it changes the start up differently, I had nothing but trouble with some cheap ones until I went to Westbourne emptied my wallet and put it in my Huntsman by Precedent, the slow speed is fantastic you have so much control and when you open it up it is smooth. I put a water jacket on it and it is always cool no matter how I drive the boat. if you do go to Westbourne let me know, if you like, and you could come in for a drink (tea!) would like to meet you,
speak to you soon, Brian
Sometime back I posted pictures of my Fireboat questioning it's heritage. it is not a Vosper Mk II but could be the elusive Mk I.
I gave her a makeover earlier this year and thought I would post some pics.
Alan
HI Ian as promised some more photos
No 1 My First landing on water last Thursday eve.
No 2 Modified funnel, 2 extra vents on top and vents at side to allow the fan to push air out
No 3 Bow of boat the gun base is a CD with 1/8 square glued on sprayed Ford Dove Grey
No 4 I took this one Thursday Eve hence still in water!!
Hope they are OK for you
Brian
HI Ian, thanks. As regards LIPOs I use Turnigy 2200 $40-40c Discharge. I have doubled them up in the boat 4400 11.1v. So good capacity, no more power. No problems with the brushed engines. On my Veron Huntsman, 52" again, with a brushless no problems, but I have used 20-25c discharge and they puffed up, I can still use them on low powered aircraft, flying time is just down a tad. So get the biggest mAh battery you can afford, with the biggest discharge available you shouldn't have any problems, just don't get salt water near them. As far as costs a re concerned go for reputable supplier, I only use Turnigy, in the early days I used various suppliers but I was Ignorant and did most of the damage myself!! so I can't blame the battery, but I do know that Turnigy are pretty bullet proof, but if you want a recommendation I would go for A123's but make sure you can charge them from your existing charger, (LIFE4 is how I charge mine), good luck
Brian
Thanks for the info Brian- just gathering as much info and opinion as I can before I part with hard earned cash. The Turnigy Lipos seem to get mainly favourable reviews and they seem a bit cheaper than some. I suppose in the end I shall just have to try some and see what happens. Not sure whether my charger would charge A123's- I'd need to check- it's a Sigma intelligent Charger- pretty standard I think.
Second decent run with this boat- rather sedate I think. At the moment it's drawing 33amps (stationary, 16.5 amps each motor) with both motors running from a 12v Nimh pack. I want to get each motor running off a separate LiPo and then I could probably increase the prop size- still well within the esc rating and the motors are very cool after a run at the moment. it seems a bit back heavy and I'd like to get it running flatter- so will try moving the batteries more amidships.
HI Ian
See you are making good use of the wattmeter 😀
Like the video and agree the balance could benefit with a bit more weight amidships.
Listening to the video sound suggests your motors are not developing full power so I suspect the NiMh's are not capable of delivering the amps required.
You could try smaller props with the NiMh's to see if the performance Improves, could be your motors are working just below the optimum.
Dave, I found that the Nimh batteries were dropping off to around 9v at full power when measured with the wattmeter and this is why I want to go for Lipos, one on each motor. At the moment I'm taking everything from one pack and I think this is the limiting factor.
When I get my Lipos I will stick them in the middle and try larger props, probably 40mmS types to begin with, having measured what's going on with the wattmeter first. it may be that the existing props will do better if the batteries are delivering up what the motors want. You're right, there is still plenty of headroom with this setup.
Just got to rake up the cash for two largish capacity Lipos!
The wattmeter is a splendid purchase- I'd say essential for this type of thing.
Anyway, glad you liked the video- she still looks quite good toodling around at that speed.
Boats name is Who Ha
(Grand children) I'm afraid
Second trip on water in 30yrs plus it's what's known as long build
Upgraded from first sail from 3 blade 9.6v ni-cad to 4 blade 12v ni-mh
Speed and handling are fine for grand children at this time will wind it up at a later date
Built from a Veron plan, had to do the lofting myself!! Got two brushed motors in it at the moment, hope to maiden it tomorrow(2/9/12). Hash up of the Trinidad and Tobago boats. Not real scale but enjoyed making it.
Brian,
Ouch! Sounds a bit expensive.On the advice of Dave M on this forum I bought myself a wattmeter and it certainly takes the guesswork out. I went through three esc's on my Lesro Sportsman before I got it right- hopefully! Also spent a good deal of time anxiously waiting for my Rapier to drift back to shore after it popped a fuse- twice. Now I know what the limits are and I just didn't have a big enough fuse in.
I'm having just what you describe with batteries being too far astern- I'm going out Monday to try them in the middle of the boat. Also hoping to get some LiPos when I have decided on a make.
Hope the new motors and fans work out and that you get some good shots on the water eventually.
HI Ian, well the original motors came from a discount store, £2.00 each from memory, they work Ok in my USS Crokett, but I have no glazing and the hot air can escape! I think the sequence went like got hot, melted fan, fan fell off, jammed Motor, fuse blew. I couldn't get any water cooling pre bent from Westbourne so will make my own tomorrow. I have opened up the funnel a bit more on the side and place louvres over the hole, I will get a photo. I did use LIPOs (turnigy 3cell 3500) but now have gone over to A123's much better I have 3 in series X 3 in parellel Giving 6600 MAmps @ 10.4volts.These are very safe batteries, almost unbreakable, I use them in my planes they weigh a little more than LIPOs but a lot less than Gel cells about a quarter and can be forces charged but you would have to sail all day to flatten them. Thanks for your interest, speak to you soon, Brian
I've had this boat in the shed for years and at last have started to do some mods on it but will it work, will hopefully try it tomorrow at Cwmbran. Has any one tried this before, it will run on a 3800KVa Brushless Outrunner from an Helicopter with a 70 Amp Red Brick Forward only speed controller, first runs on a 7.4 2 Cell Lipo and then 3 cell 11.1 volt Lipo and if I feel brave I have a 4 Cell 14.8 volt Lipo as well, it's prop is 30mm but have 25mm and 35mm two blade bronze ones to try.
Looks like you are in for some serious fun. You may be able to get the best performance if you have or can borrow a wattmeter to see the effect of different battery / prop set ups. Brushless motors and LiPo's don't like it if you exceed their power ratings.
Looking forward to hearing the results, or maybe a video of the boat on the water.
Good luck 😀
HI I am not sure what kit this is or was but I know that its not the Aerokits version. it was bought on Ebay about 2 years ago and it has been restored to what you see attached. it is running on a Johnson 600 and a 35x prop, power is from a 11.1 volt Lipo.
Hi! Fellow modelers, The Vosper kit was matketed by KeilKraft a British agent some time during the 60's, I actually was their agent in South America, but I believe that now they are no longer in business. it is a beautiful model. I did have a good run at my previous home in Guyana, in a cane field then flooded, it worked beautifully with the diesel engine/ screw prop assembly by Graupner. Now I have to look at electric of which I know very little., but I am hoping that the model shop will help when I am ready. Thanks Ray
HI Ray, The sail at Cwmbran today was a success the boat out performed the previous setup. Several members run Vosper fireboats all running electric power, one with a gearbox 2:1 reduction and two models like mine with 700 size electric my run time on 7.2 volt 3600Mah battery is about 30 to 35 minutes with some fast runs, shorter with all fast running. On 9.6 volt 3700Mah (4.8 x 2 in series) runtime is about the same but model is very quick. On 11.1 volt Lipo 2200Mah battery run time is about 15 to 20 minutes but very very quick. I buy most of the Johnson motors that I use on Ebay the prices vary but all are cheap and I have had no problems with any of them. Our Club is all Electric, but that does not mean slow boats. Electric power has evolved in leaps and bounds over the last few years.
Regards Graham
Another ebay purchase, a Fire Tender which I think is from the 50's. it is fitted with a very unusual old motor with sprung loaded brushes, capacitors, and a fan.... seems to run happily on 12v, which I plan to reinstall. Does anybody recognise it? it was fitted with a 'spring' universal joint. I am fitting a conventional UJ. There is also a circular switch attached to the motor. This appears to be wired to switch in up to 3 battery supplies! but I think I will fit a modern controller with modern nicads.
I sail at the Maldon and Blackwater Model Boat Club at Heybridge.
Regards Frank Burgess
Yes it is...I scratch built it using a GRP 'workboat' hull as a base. I used a simple drawing from the 'Jolie Brise' book blown up to size. I altered the bow, stern and the keel to match the drawing. The rig is slightly undersize and simple the keel is deeper, the deck layout is very approximate taken from photos but simplified to make it more robust for sailing. it has a winch for sail control and the rudder is controlled from the tiller via lines and blocks to a servo under the cabin top.
As you probably know the boat was bought as a Le Havre Pilot boat by EG Martin who then instigated the Fasnet Race, which Jolie Brise won 3 times.
HI Frank I have built model of jolie brise from plans I got from France made few years ago as static model, I have made uo a false keel that I can fit as and when I get round to making sails, have provision for steering via chords running thro the deck in tubes to the steering servo, as yet no thought as to how to install sail winch as have only small openings where hatches fit. you are right about her being pilot cutter and winning fastnet 3 times, she was however built by Monsieur Paumelle in 1913, I hope at some time to get her on the water.
Regards Chiffs
I have had this boat for about 5 years, so thought that it would like a day out. Sailing at Cwmbran August 2012. its a Billing Polar Trawler, not now made but at about 32 inch long is a managable size. Twin 385 motors 35mm 3 blade brass props. and running on a 7.2 volt 3700 mAh NiMh viper speed controller and a 2.4 Ghz RC it will potter around all morning on one battery. I originally ran it on a 6Volt 4Ah Gel Cell and 27 Mhz setup.
HI Rob if you have an email address that I could use I have photos of the boat, a friend at my club is also restoring one so I have just taken some photos but I could take some more of the areas that you require easily, sadly I do not have a plan myself as my polar was bought on Ebay at least 5 years ago and I had to work from a billing catalogue photo and some photos from old Model Boat Magazines. Hope to hear from you if that will help.
Graham
Thanks so much for getting back my email is PM only - Admin. Any advice or extra pics would be great I really appreciate it. I will upload a pic of the boat at the weekend and show everyone the PROJECT 😯
If your going to I of W it's worth calling into Westbourne Models on the way that's if your going along the coast.
If your going brushless be warned that the ESC's are a lot of money. I would recommend the Graupner one. I have one and cannot fault it. its a bit strange to program at first but once I got use to it no probs. You can have it for planes, cars, helicopters or boats, it changes the start up differently, I had nothing but trouble with some cheap ones until I went to Westbourne emptied my wallet and put it in my Huntsman by Precedent, the slow speed is fantastic you have so much control and when you open it up it is smooth. I put a water jacket on it and it is always cool no matter how I drive the boat. if you do go to Westbourne let me know, if you like, and you could come in for a drink (tea!) would like to meet you,
speak to you soon, Brian