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Author Topic: Bantam tug and barge  (Read 3011 times)

wideawake

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Bantam tug and barge
« on: October 27, 2008, 10:31:40 am »

Hi all

I decided a while ago to stockpile a couple of hulls for buliding after I retire properly next spring in case I can't afford them on my pension  :((

As a result, I found myself in Poole at Kingston Mouldings last Saturday to collect a Mascotte Pilot Cutter and a Duncan launch (which is destined to be fitted with my second Gemini engine and a (ebay) Hemmens vertical boiler.

What has this got to do with the Bantam Tug I hear you ask!   Well, being a part time canal dweller, I'm familiar with various of the little tugs around the system so added the tug and barge mouldings to my order almost as an afterthought.

Now Ive got them I quite fancy interrupting the other things I'm doing to build them up.   It'll be something different for me in many ways.  A model small enough to carry in one hand, styrene used in the build for the first time and most of all this strange electrickery stuff to drive it!  What's more I they'll be small enough to work on when I'm travelling.

For those of you who don't know the hull, it's about 300mm long and substantially non-scale underwater to increase the space available.   I'm also not aware that any Bantams were built with a square counter, all had a semicircular one AFAIK so I'll need to mod the hull in that area.  This will give me a rather more scale uxter plate overhang as well and allow me to fair the stern post to a point instead of the 1cm flat end it has at present.   Above water it'll look pretty believable I think.   I probably plan to base it on Bantam No 4 which is an exhibit at the London Canal Museum.   A quick check suggests that I have a total of about 1lb 10oz to play with in total to get it down to it's (very low freeboard) waterline.

Hence I need advice on a suitable motor and ESC for the combination (tug pushing barge).   It needs to swing a 3 blade prop of about 1 1/4 inch diameter to be approx scale.
I'll also need a small diesel sound generator as well.  Ideally a twin or three cylinder one if available.

BTW I can't speak too highly of both the quality of all the hulls and also Robin's customer service in getting them done in time for me to collect while I was in the area for other reasons.

All suggestions gratefully received.

Guy
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portside II

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Re: Bantam tug and barge
« Reply #1 on: October 27, 2008, 10:31:03 pm »

Hi Guy , i did fancy having a go at the bantum and barge set up but stopped when i realised that they are realy only sutable for calm waters ,dont get to many of those at goole  :D . There is a bantum tug on the docks at goole still working and i might have a go at this but in a larger scale  to cope with the unsettled water .
Regarding a power source for yours ,due to its size maybe a 300/400 motor direct drive and combined battery for the drive and reciever split either side of the motor for ballast , by the looks of the hull you wont need much . thing is if you need more battery power then you could always use the barge as the carrier for the drive batterys and keep the tug and barge coupled together .
daz
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I like to build my boats to play with, not to just look pretty, so they dont !

wideawake

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Re: Bantam tug and barge
« Reply #2 on: October 27, 2008, 10:40:11 pm »

Hi Daz

Thanks for the input.   Yes the freeboard on the tug wuill certainly be very limited.  At full scale they often squat enough to put the counter under water.   I did wonder about putting the battery (ies) in the barge.  It would be relatively easy to make a plug and socket connectuin between the two for transport.

Knowing nothing about electric motors at all I'm glad of any help on that front.   I shall take the opportunity at the Fosse to do some more research and also to have a look at FLJ's ESCs.

Cheers

Guy
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longshanks

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Re: Bantam tug and barge
« Reply #3 on: October 28, 2008, 10:37:22 pm »

Hi Guy ,

Interesting " little " project !

To give you some ideas check out George Turner s site

http://www.georgeturnermodels.com/index.php?page=shopping&shop_cat_id=2

He offers a 14" tug & a 12" fishing boat with suggested  motors, batteries  etc.

The tug is reviewed in this months (Winter) Model Boats Tug & warship special.

If you need any further info, you could try giving him a call - really helpful guy when I've spoken to him at shows

Regards
longshanks
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