I or our club [Chasewater Model boat Club] don't produce complete kits [as yet], but its our club Chairman Mark Hough who purchased the moulds from prestwich Models and it is "he" who is producing the mould kits, originally as a "club race boat" for all our members to use.
its cheap to produce, simple to build, not too big in size thats you cant get more than 3 out on the water at a time. We should be able to race at least 6 per event [depending on numbers of course]
PLus this little boat "self rights", so if it does get knocked on a turn round a buoy, it dont matter, it turns itself back over. UNLIKE the "club 500" which constantly needs someone out on/in the water to "rescue" upturned craft.
it is going to bring the FUN back in to boat racing we hope.
Deak's models who is sponsering our clubs racing is in the process of setting up "stock" of spares for this boat, so it will be initially "him" that will be able to provide "full kits", but to be honest, the bits needed to build dont amount to much anyway.
6 inch M4 propshaft.
35mm 2 blade prop [not X or S type]
540 motor [is standard] but goes and lasts so much better on a 600.
motor cooling coil
water pickup pipe and outlet [can be simply brass/copper pipe - bent to shape]
standard/universal "mini" rudder brass blade type
standard or mini rudder servo [ there is spare styrene supplied with the kit to make motor and servo mounts]
7.2 v nimh OR 7.4 v Lipo battery.
suitable capacity esc [depending on motor choice]
what could be simpler, as most of the above items most boat builders have tucked away in their spares boxes.
nothing in the build is really "type specific", its designed to be easy to build and EASIER to replace damaged or broken components without returning to the supplier for specialist bits.
If you build a standard one, try it out, I bet you will then order a second hull kist and build a "modified one", with a brushless motor, external mounted rudder and a semi surface prop, THEN watch it go like stink ! AND still retain its self righting skills, so you can always run the boat without the fear of it sinking. Although you may think the boat is a bit on the small side, we at our club have even let the prevailing breeze gently blow the boat to shoreline in the event of a power failure, so no, you're never stuck out in the middle of a stretch of water.
If you view our clubs website, there are quite a few different video clips of these "HUFFIES" on there for you to view, then you can decide if you want one or not.
Afterall, they are NOT going top break the bank are they. its not as if you've just spent over 300 quid on a sports boat and you can walk twice round the pool before your boat reaches the opposite shore.
http://chasewatermbc.blogspot.com/