Harbour directory
Lobster Boat
Specifications
- Boat Length
- 22" (55.88 cm)
- Boat Weight
- 1kg (35 oz)
- Motor Type
- Brushless
- Drive Type
- Direct
- Props
- Single
- Battery Type
- LiPo
- Battery mAh
- 1.2Ah (1,200 mAh)
- Prop Type
- 3 Blade
- Prop Size
- 35mm
- Run Time
- 3+ hrs
Photos
About this boat
This is the 23" Midwest kit - I built this in 1990, and am still running it. She's on her 3rd power train and has had a couple of minor renovations over the years.
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I suspect you're very familiar with this, but recreating Dumas kits would be a noticeably harder job than with Midwest kits, as Dumas never delivered accurate full size plans and some of their die cutting was a bit iffy. And something like the Mt. Washington, with its ton of vacu-formed parts, would be a nightmare.
I'm just hoping to live long enough to make a dent in this stash, especially as I'm also scratch building a 1:16 version of the Freedom Song Nellie G. (with her being a local vessel to me). This is a comparatively rare kit - I've seen exactly 2 in the wild, and most of the online photos that show up if you search it are of the example I have here.
The kit hull is vastly simplified and turned into a hard chine, so I'm re-drawing the hull as accurately as possible from the kit and photos. I'm planning to keep records and put up posts on it - I've never done so in the past.
For the record, I'm not a fan of the kit. The frame plans are not included - you have to figure them out from the drawings - and the cabin sides provided make a cabin significantly shorter than the one shown on the plans. Also, not only is the hull done as a hard chine (to be fair, that DOES make sense in context), but he badly blew the sheer. The original boat had a lot of sheer up front but a flat sheer aft, but the stern of the kit kicks up hard.
This pic of my hull from Fusion is with the kit sheer - I've since corrected it, but haven't fixed the cabin yet - so this is what I can show that looks decent.
By the way, if you ever run into a Freedom Song kit - it's all the same guy - Laughing Whale, Midwest, and Freedom Song designs all came from the desk of Ted Stinson. After he sold the rights of the various models to Midwest, he waited out his noncompete and then founded Freedom Song. Members of my model boat club were around for all that. This is very local stuff for me. Not only is the grand-daughter of the Seguin's owner a member of my model boat club, but we had a big Laughing Whale Muscungus kit show up NIB at a show we did the other week!
Thanks for the additional information on the Swamp Buggy.
I had a feeling it was a Dumas airboat, but I wasn't aware that it had been produced in several versions over the years, or that it was often powered by a glow engine. That's interesting history.
And yes, I completely understand what you mean about the Lobster Boat.
When you've lived in coastal Maine and spent a lifetime around these boats, the differences aren't just a matter of a few details—they really stand out. I can certainly understand why that particular kit would be personal to you, especially since it was your first kit as an adult.
As far as Dumas is concerned, though, I wouldn't get my hopes up too much.
One thing I can tell you is that, as I understand the situation, the Brandon family, who own Dumas, have decided to close the company permanently.
At the moment, they don't appear to have any focus on passing the models or the licenses to reproduce them on to another company. That seems to be the way they've chosen to bring Dumas to an end.
I have some connection to the Model Expo side of this as well.
Mark, the owner of Model Expo, is a very close friend of the family, so I've had the opportunity to learn a little about what's going on.
Because of the way the Dumas situation stands right now, the possibility of a major model company acquiring the Dumas models and bringing them back is, unfortunately, pretty remote.
I certainly wish it were otherwise! There are so many great old Dumas kits that deserve another life.
That's also why I think what Model Expo is doing with the old Midwest kits is so exciting. At least some of those designs are getting a chance to come back, even if they don't always return exactly as we remember them.
And now you've got me even more curious about that Pilar build! Patrick Matthews' version really is something special.
If you enlarge yours, use cherry for the darker wood, and convert it to RC, I think that could become one very impressive model.
I do remain shocked that the Lobster Boat kit is SO different. It's really a completely different boat. I live in coastal Maine and am a lifelong boater, so I am VERY familiar with Lobster Boats and have a pretty good handle on their history. It was also my first kit completed as an adult.
So, this kit, and any changes to it, are a bit personal for me. On the other hand, I'll take any available kit as a good thing. Besides, a boat similar in lines to the original Midwest is available in 3 sizes, with the largest being intended for RC, from Bluejacket (they're close enough for me to drop in occasionally, too).
With modern RC gear, it works great. I have 5.5 oz of weight in the stern, a small 800kv brushless (regrettably it's loud), a very small ESC and a 1300mAh 2S pack up front, along with 1oz of weight. It sits right to its lines. Takes a 35mm prop. The trick for the rudder is a flexible pushrod up under the gunwale with the servo up forward.
Fishercat, maybe you don’t know this, but Model Expo now holds the license to reissue all of the Midwest model ships. They already have a few available for sale, and the rest are still on the workbench, so to speak.
It can take them several months just to measure the original models, scan the parts, and create all the laser-cut files and other production files needed to reproduce a kit.
Sometimes they have the original kits available, and they will commission me and other modelers to build a prototype.
During the build, we give them our feedback and point out any problems or areas where we had to improvise, like I did with the Fire Boat, which very soon will be up for grabs.
They do listen to our opinions, which is great, although usually the Production Manager has the final word on what changes are made.
As for the Swamp Buggy, I don’t believe it was one of the Midwest models. I honestly don’t know who the original manufacturer was. But whenever I can get my hands on a good set of blueprints, I’m going to build one and show it to the folks at Model Expo. We’ll see if they like it enough to consider producing it as a kit.
The next time I go to Model Expo, I’ll also take some pictures of their facility so you guys can get an idea of what their warehouse and operation look like. I think you’ll find it pretty interesting.
I have the 30” Maine Lobster Yacht
I saw this Maine Lobster Boat on FB marketplace $120 but it says it’s a display model.
The smaller (actually about 22") was originally sold as an RC model (#953), but I think people had trouble squeezing the RC gear into it in the days of Nicad batteries and they started advertising it only as a static kit (#991). I can tell you from experience that it's hard to keep it on a waterline and find a place for the batteries with old school RC gear. That's why my model has a large motor box that is not on the plans - it was originally even larger and held a 7.2v NiCad 3+3 pack.
They also made another 2 variations on the kit, like the "Cranberry Island Lobster Yacht" and the "Shrimp Dragger" - I don't have the numbers here and I don't have time too look.
Yes I saw the video nice navigation, thanks for sharing.
The tug holds well and I like the way it sails (although I haven't seen any turns). As you say, the speed is higher than the scale speed, but was the gas lever at maximum? I guess so, so you can always navigate at minimum speed.
It's gone from a balsa over ply hull to blow-molded hull and cabin, and it's gone from round chine to square (that's the big thing for me!!). The aft deck is MUCH higher, etc. etc. I'll have to figure out if I like this or not.
What a fantastic old Midwest Lobster Boat!
The fact that you built her back in 1990 and she’s still running today, now on her third power train, is pretty amazing. That’s a true testament to the quality of the old Midwest kits—and to the builder!
For anyone who might not be familiar with this kit, Model Expo still offers the Midwest Maine Lobster Boat in 1:16 scale. Here’s a link to their page with all the details and photos:
Model Expo – Midwest Maine Lobster Boat 1:16
It’s great to see one of these old Midwest boats still out there doing what she was built to do after all these years! ⚓️
Thanks Fishercat, it will be a lot of fun to see them.
I have no video of the Ben Ain - but we're meeting again in 2 weeks and I hope to run her again. I don't think I have any clips of the Lobster Boat, She's just too quick for me to run and work a camera at the same time.
I have a couple of short clips of the ST tug. IIRC, they're from before I got the final paint on the hull or details mounted. If I can find them, I'll post them later on that page.
Small but charming; it looks great in the water, too.
Don't you have any videos of your models displayed in the Harbour section? I'd love to see them in action.