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[Vulcan558]

I need some advise please off anyone who can give it.
I have the opportunity to bid for a THEODORE HEUSS Lifeboat on Ebay. It is very old, built in the 1960's and has a polystyrene hull. It can be seen here:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270588572978&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
This is the second time it has been advertised and the last time it reached £155.00
The question I have is: What would this be worth bidding to, taking into account it's age, the polystyrene hull and the fact the new ready built one would be £850 plus radio gear.
Would it be possible to resin over the top of the polystyrene to make a proper GRP hull? Or would it sink with the extra weight?
Any help would be appreciated.
Graham

[awvs]

Hi Graham,
I do have a "Theodor Heuss" and I would be careful buying this item. The styrofoam hull is fairly hard but small dents are almost unavoidable. Adding resin on top of the styrofoam hull would put the hull way below the waterline. I recently finished also an Adolph Bermpohl (see also my posting in the forum "SAR Boat Adolph Bermpohl") and in my point of view a much better buy (hull is ABS and a much bigger model). I payed around $200 for the kit on ebay plus accessories.  By the way, the Theodor Heuss and the Adolph Bermpohl are not identical. The Heuss belongs to the 23.2m class and the Bermpohl to the 26.6m class.

Regards
Wilhelm

[Vulcan558]

Thanks for all the info Willhelm,
I think I will either bid much lower or give it a miss and look for grp as I will be using it a lot.
Regards
Graham

[awvs]

Hi Graham,
another two very nice models are the "Gruben" or the "Berlin", but both are pretty expensive.

Have a nice Sunday.
Wilhelm

[Vulcan558]

Thanks. I will take a look at them
Regards
Graham

[lifeboatpaul]

I also bought a Theodor Heuss kit of EBay about five or six years ago , and didn't realise that the hull was polystyrene until I opened the box -what a shock I got!!, anyway I skinned the hull with fine glass weave cloth and coated it with laminating  epoxy resin which worked ok and not too heavy , as for the printed ply parts I photo copied them and made everything from 1.5mm styrene sheet.
The daughter boat was not with the kit so I adapted the robbe Stepke daughter boat from the Berlin SAR , which is 2" too  long so the dock and retriever had to a to altered to suit. I had to add weight in the stern of the model to get it lower enough for the daughter boat to be pulled back on baord.

In the end I have a fully working model that was almost scratch built .

If you look in the shows section on the main page ther are some pics of it and and my two other SAR boats plus Domonics/Bob`s Adolph bermphol on the water at Hop farm 2009

Paul.

[periscope]

Just wondered if you were any closer to deciding which to get Graham - I've finally got my Victoria yacht seaworthy after a few problems with the sail arm set up, but it's all Ok now.  See ya at Towerfest next week. 

Ian

[Vulcan558]

Just wondered if you were any closer to deciding which to get Graham - I've finally got my Victoria yacht seaworthy after a few problems with the sail arm set up, but it's all Ok now.  See ya at Towerfest next week. 

Ian

Hi Ian,
Not decided at all now. The fella wants £400 minimum. That's a lot of money for a polystyrene hull. I went onto Fire Boats and had one sorted but he ended it early. I have anotrher one I am interested in, a trawler, which ends of Sunday at lunchtime. I will see what it goes up to as it's value is apparantly £600 but it is only at £160 at the moment. I would go to £310 for it as it has won lots of prizes for exhibiting as well. It ends at 1.30 so, if I go to the Regatta at Goole I will take the laptop with me to bid on it if necessary.
Regards
Graham
PS. I may even sell the aircraft carrier at Goole if I go, you never know

[periscope]

Yep - I'd forgotten about the Goole Regatta on Sunday - I suppose I'll have to help put some gazebos up on Saturday - Sylvia is making some buns as usual - anyway see ya both there if you can make it, otherwise Towerfest is only a couple of weeks away - hope you get the aircraft carrier sold fairly quickly - it sure does take up a lot of storage space but it's a magnificent model when she's afloat with all it's lights and sirens and rocket displays etc ...... meanwhile, keep taking the tablets....

Ian