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Author Topic: US Towboat 'Lake Charles'  (Read 3872 times)

Martin (Admin)

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US Towboat 'Lake Charles'
« on: October 02, 2008, 01:44:35 pm »

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Hi
I thought it was about time I dipped my toe in the water. I haven't posted yet but here are some photos of my latest build.
She is a US Towboat 'Lake Charles' scratch built from plans drawn by John L Fryant. The original is, I believe, still owned by CONOCO and based in Houston.
The model is not exactly to scale as I built her to try tug towing so some of the fiddly bits like rails have been left out and I have included towing equipment which I
don't think is on the prototype.                                                       
 
The model is built from sheet ply of various thickness and measures 32" by 12" beam. It was quite an easy build as she is just basically a series of boxes one on top of the other.
 
She has two Beuhler? motors from MMD, running on 24 volts, (I think this may be a bit much as on her first outing she tried to turn submarine).
At the moment both motors run off one 'RC Workshops' ESC, however I may treat myself to another if they are at Ellesmere this year.
 
The model has a full set of flanking rudders as per the original but for the life of me I cannot see what they do, they certainly don't make the model any more manoeuvrable, I hope they are more use on the prototype.
 
The motors power 2 X 68mm, 4 bladed props, from Prop Shop,  via 6mm shafts.
The boat looks quite good on the water but the 24 volt power made her a bit, shall we say, unruly. At Huddersfield two weeks ago I managed to sink a totally innocent tug being used as an obstacle on the course.
I haven't yet managed to couple her up to a tow but there should be no issues with power.
 
Happy Building     cheers........liam.......
 
 
 
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Weeds

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Re: US Towboat 'Lake Charles'
« Reply #1 on: October 02, 2008, 06:23:45 pm »

Excellent build log!
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Workboat

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Re: US Towboat 'Lake Charles'
« Reply #2 on: October 09, 2008, 12:32:37 pm »

Hi martin have you connected the flanking rudders as independent from the trailing as this will help, flanking rudders are for reverse with barge on front ask buncker barge how effective they are has he has this set up cheers Dave
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Piemann

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Re: US Towboat 'Lake Charles'
« Reply #3 on: October 09, 2008, 01:45:02 pm »

Hi, bit of a mix up here.
Not being really 'forum litterate' I sent the details of the Lake Charles to Martin the moderator and he put the item on for me.
I have been practicing elsewhere and understand the system a bit better now.
Lake Charles is now complete and running and thanx for the tip on the rudders. I have now rigged them to operate as mirror images of the trailing rudders and will try them out next time I get to the pond.
cheers.....liam.....
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ronkh

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Re: US Towboat 'Lake Charles'
« Reply #4 on: October 09, 2008, 01:57:10 pm »

Liam,

Nice build. Will we see it on the water soon?

Ron.
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towboatjoe

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Re: US Towboat 'Lake Charles'
« Reply #5 on: October 09, 2008, 02:15:18 pm »

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The model has a full set of flanking rudders as per the original but for the life of me I cannot see what they do, they certainly don't make the model any more manoeuvrable, I hope they are more use on the prototype.

Flanking rudders, alka backing rudders, are used for steering when backing primarily, but they can also enable an experienced pilot to shift the tow sideways. The trick is leaving the steering rudders straight, coming ahead on one wheel and backing on the other, then steer rhe backing rudders in the direction you want the tow to go.

There are three ways to connect the ruddes on a model..
Prototype: A servo controlling the steering rudders and a servo controlling the flanking rudders
Inline: One servo controls the port rudders and a servo controls the starboard rudders
Interconnect: One servo steers all rudders linked together turning the same direction
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Piemann

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Re: US Towboat 'Lake Charles'
« Reply #6 on: October 09, 2008, 02:57:09 pm »

Thanx.
The flanking rudders are linked to a seperate servo from the trailing rudders. they will operate independently but when I tried I just got confused,(happens to us old folks), so i cheated and mixed the two channels. Initially everything turned the same way at the same time which was where I was going wrong. I have changed that setup now.
I have no photos yet of her on the water, which for me is unusual, as soon as I do I will post some.
Thanx for the help.....liam.....
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