Via email to Mayhem...
Hello,
Over the past 25-30 years I've always enjoyed my r/c cars, but I've always had a love for boats. About 20 years ago I purchased all the materials and supplies and a Prather deep V fiberglass boat kit with an outboard 3.5 nitro. While building it I began to recognize the lakes and ponds in my area don't permit the use of any gas/nitro engines and they only permit electric motors. Well, needless to say, I lost interest in finishing the build, and to date I haven't finished it. I just gave it back to the hobby shop I purchased it from 20 years ago, for them to try and sell it for me.
My youngest son and I are now entertaining the idea of using the money from it after it sells to get a couple of electric boats. I have always had an appreciation for tugboats (that's what I'm interested in), and what my youngest son is interested in the simple mini rc boats. The mini boat isn't difficult for me to find one he'll be happy with and it's relatively inexpensive, but the tugboat is what I'm having difficulty with on a budget. I live in the Eastern part of Pennsylvania, USA, and there aren't any clubs near me that share the same appreciation for scale work boats. The clubs and r/c hobby shops in my area are only interested in the fast sport boats. With that in mind, I'm having a difficult time locating a source to purchase from. Another obstacle is my lack of experience with electric r/c boats kits (tugboats in particular) and knowing all of the hardware needed. The boat and radio equipment are obvious, but the other hardware is a little more obscure. And of course, my main obstacle is $$$. I'm looking to spend no more than around $350.00 - $400.00 U.S. Dollars completed with the radio system (I'm looking to get a used 6 channel 2.4Mhz locally). I've done countless searches online and watched as many if not more video's of the huge range of different r/c tugs, and unfortunately the ones I like the most are about double my budget. Is that always the case, lol. The dream is always bigger than what reality allows.
The reason I'm contacting you is both because of your experience and because it appears there are many more people in your area (for that matter even your country in total compared to mine) who have an appreciation for scale r/c boats. Could you share some of your knowledge and recommendations with me as to decent quality tugboats in or near my price range? I'm even hoping to spark an interest in scale r/c boats with others in my area. My greatest fear is finding something online that looks decent, only to discover I've been ripped off with a 12”-20” long junky toy that isn't expandable, and that I can't return it without wasted time and money.
I'm particularly interested in dual prop tug boats (with what I think is called Kort rudders/propulsion), and expandability for the future with a functioning crane and water guns eventually. I realize my biggest obstacle is $$$, the budget, well, maybe my wife too, lol. Is it common also in your area (UK) that women don't seem to share the same sense of adventure and imagination as men?
Questions I have:
Is it financially better to just get the plans, and then purchase (or find) the wood and do the build from scratch, or purchase the boat as a kit? Obviously it will take significantly longer this way which is a bit of an annoyance when your excited to just get one and get out to have fun with it. How long would you estimate it would take to do it this way for someone having access to a wood working shop with all of the necessary tools, and not rushing? I want to do a quality build if I do it this way.
The hobby shop I purchased the supplies and materials, Prather deep V boat kit, and the outboard 3.5 nitro engine from is trying to sell all of it for me, and they feel it should go for around $450.00 with the radio system (Futaba Magnum 3 channel 75Mhz system) included. Would you know of anyone who might be interested (price is definitely flexible within reason)?
Do you have any links you can provide me with to learn more about r/c tugboats and related projects?
Do you have any answers to questions I haven't thought of asking?
It's ok with me if you write me a book of details. The more information you can share with me, the better I can make an educated decision.
Love,
R. B. B.
