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[rnli12]

Hi,


Tried my Solent class out today really disappointed with the brushed set up has anyone put brushless and what type and size of prop to use.


Looking at 6 or 12v SLA or Lipo setup.


Also the turning circle was poor!


 

[Canterbury Coxswain]

Hi RNLI 12,
Before you change anything in a radical way [and you will not require brushless for this vessel - seriously] I had the privilege to know the late Pat Kemp who was a RNLI Engineer for this area and used to deliver Solents from HQ to RNLSs in the South and South East. He had a model of one too, which handled beautifully! He said the key was..................the propellers should be right and left handed and SHOULD TURN INWARDS! This is not convention, they normally turn outwards when viewed from the stern. However, he said that this is what the set-up was on the real lifeboats and when he changed his model to do the same it was a completely different 'animal'. Now, he should know. He did say that you will have to put up with people at Shows saying 'you've got your props on the wrong way round', but as he said to me, 'What do they know!'.
Hope this might help. I too have an AeroKit's Solent which is being restored [well gathering dust on a shelf at the top of the workshop, actually, but there is a Shannon, Trent, Arun [x2] and Atlantic '21, all in various stages of build, to say nothing of the superb Rob Smith Mersey hull with fixed deck and wheelhouse [one of just three built] in all it's glory!].
Happy modelling,
Kim
Canterbury Coxswain

[rnli12]

Kim,
 
Thanks for the info and funny you should say that as I had fitted them the wrong way around from normal convention so will now leave as is [inwards].
 
I think moving to a 4 bladed brass prop @ 50mm rather than the 3 blade plastic I am trialling as that allows sufficient clearance.
 
Again thanks.
 
Regards,
 
Rich

[Canterbury Coxswain]

Rich,
That sound a good idea. If you have a problem, get back to me and I will see what size I have got [although not on the water] - I have the original boatyard plans from Camper and Nicholson of Gosport at 1/12th scale. 7 sheets and cost me £121 back in 2004!! I could measure the prop size off those for you. I would definitely use 12 volt SLA in mine, but have a lovely set of Buhler motors to power mine. My various friends say that my coffin will be painted in grey, and my tombstone will have the words Buhler and Volvo on it!! Can't beat quality.
Kim

[rnli12]

Kim,
 
That would be good thanks, and if anyone has a shot of the props it would be really useful.
 
Never used Buhler motors but again any ideas welcome.
 
Regards,
 
Rich

[Canterbury Coxswain]

Rich,
Just measured the three bladed propeller off the original plans at 1/12th scale and they are 31mm from the tip of the blade to the centre of the shaft, therefore a 62mm propeller would be required - as mentioned earlier, as you know a left and right 'handed' pair. I have not looked, but Raboesch [the Dutch manufacturer] might do one, good quality, but cheaper than PropShop, where they will be cast [not braised on blades as in Raboesch], balanced and a lot more cost.
I have attached some photos off the DVD I do for modellers [this DVD has around 200 photos of general and detailed items for us modellers to work to] - the white hull is RNLB Douglas Currie 48-016, the last to be built and the red hull is RNLB Hugh William, Viscount Gough 48-015. I am making 48-010 RNLB The Royal British Legion, of which my plans are of. I got them from the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich, where they had been archived by the RNLI. If you want a DVD it is £6.50 and includes P&P and all the money goes to the RNLI.
I have a friend, Graham, who has a model of the Solent and regularly sails her in some very rough water, where she handles well and ploughs through the waves. He runs her on brushed 500 size motors, off 12 volts. He is a member of King Lear MBC and might even be reading this very 'thread'!!
Hope this might take you further forward.
Kim

[rnli12]

Kim,
 
Much appreciate your prompt response and the photos, interesting the 3 blade might be worth a punt a 50/55mm possibly the d type from Raboesch.
 
I will drop a pm for the DVD, may look a the Douglas Currie as I have some photos from when she was at Portishead.
 
Regards,
 
Rich

[gribeauval]

One of the problems with using plastic props is that they are of a too fine pitch.

The Raboesch brass ones at 55mm are a much coarser pitch and will drive the boat at a nice displacement speed, remember it's not supposed to plane!!

Mike

[spongie]

Rich,
Just measured the three bladed propeller off the original plans at 1/12th scale and they are 31mm from the tip of the blade to the centre of the shaft, therefore a 62mm propeller would be required - as mentioned earlier, as you know a left and right 'handed' pair. I have not looked, but Raboesch [the Dutch manufacturer] might do one, good quality, but cheaper than PropShop, where they will be cast [not braised on blades as in Raboesch], balanced and a lot more cost.
I have attached some photos off the DVD I do for modellers [this DVD has around 200 photos of general and detailed items for us modellers to work to] - the white hull is RNLB Douglas Currie 48-016, the last to be built and the red hull is RNLB Hugh William, Viscount Gough 48-015. I am making 48-010 RNLB The Royal British Legion, of which my plans are of. I got them from the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich, where they had been archived by the RNLI. If you want a DVD it is £6.50 and includes P&P and all the money goes to the RNLI.
I have a friend, Graham, who has a model of the Solent and regularly sails her in some very rough water, where she handles well and ploughs through the waves. He runs her on brushed 500 size motors, off 12 volts. He is a member of King Lear MBC and might even be reading this very 'thread'!!
Hope this might take you further forward.
Kim

Any photos of the 50ft Thames on there?

[Delboy1958]

Hi Rich
Just make sure the props you buy will fit the tunnels I had to go to 40mm on the Anne L Russell
as the 45mm ones I bought as per plan rubbed on of the tunnels as there is a slight difference
in the lay up of the hull.

Regards

Derek

[Canterbury Coxswain]

Spongie,
My DVDs of photos are for separate Classes of lifeboat and at the moment I do not do one for the Thames - quite hard to get decent photos of, not only the actual lifeboat, but more importantly close-up shots of detail for fixtures and fittings [which once you know what they are, are quite often generic to other types]. However, I have recently 'inherited' thousands of photos from a good single source and am in the process of sorting them in Classes and then individual boats. I have come across a few Thames Class and these will go into my personal collection, but how many there will be when I've finished cataloguing I know not. I am hoping to have these for sale on the LBES stand at the 'Warwick' Show - all monies going to the RNLI. I am sure there is someone else out there that might have some. The Classes I do so far are - Shannon, Trent, Severn, Solent, Mersey, Tamar, Arun and Atlantic '75+'85, some with just 100+ photos and others with 1,200+.
Kim [C.C.]

[spongie]

I'm very lucky to have unrivalled access to a 1/1 scale Thames I guess! I'd be very appreciative of any pics of the Thames class boats once you've sorted through.




Thanks

[Damien Mac]

Always wondered if the solent class props can turn in opposite direction to help steer ( one forward one reverse or are they same all the time) sorry new to Lifeboats