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[Underpressure]

I have all but completed my conversion of 'big tug' from electric to steam. I have also identified the model as a Corel Muimota, which is plank on frame construction.

I bought the boat several years ago complete and with 1970's or 80's Skyleader receiver and servos. It didn't cost an awful lot and I had a spare steam engine I fancied would work well. Over the last couple of weeks I have successfully finished what I started about five years ago and having bench run the plant, I ran it for the first time in the boat today and all worked well, including my Heath Robinson twin prop counter rotating mechanism (two Meccano pulley's and a round belt with a twist in it.

So, having done all that and contemplating a first run on the lake it was time to ballast (or re-ballast). Bath full, lumps of lead to hand, boat bobbing somewhat float like in the bath I set to work. Admiring the results of my handiwork I looked into the bowls of the boat to see how secure the ballast was and spotted......WATER! Rather a lot of water and more of it accumulating by the minute!

Some while later, in the workshop, with everything removed from inside and out of the Muimota, I was able to find the problem(s). I was aware the boat had taken a bump in the past, there are a couple of minor repairs to the bridge, what I had not realised was that whoever bumped the boat thought that sprung planks could be made watertight again with a coat of paint....which they can't.

There will now be a delay in the relaunch of Muimota while I get busy with resin and glass cloth and a repaint of the hull 

Still, better than watching The Great Escape....again!

Neil

[kno3]

Why not post some pictures of the boat and steam plant?
Good luck with the repairs!

[dodgy geezer]

I feel cheated - this wasn't what I was expecting from the title....

[Underpressure]

Why not post some pictures of the boat and steam plant?
Good luck with the repairs!

When it's finished, I will (if I can work out how).

Oh and I found a second sprung plank. Both are now repaired and I will be putting resins and fine mat on the inside of all the affected panels over the weekend.

Neil

[Underpressure]

Bit of an update: Two sprung planks in the bow are repaired and just to make sure resin and fine cloth were worked into the inside to all the affected panels. On further investigation I also found a sprung plank above the water line on the stern. I have repaired the crack, and will resin the inside of the hull toady, but the affected planks are too close to the deck to get cloth to, so I may mash some into the resin to make up a more substantial repair.

Now, with any luck, I can get on with preparing the boat for the water.

Neil