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[thamestug]

Nearing completion, built on 40 year old much modified 54" Zwarte Zee fibreglass hull

[tugnut]

Very nice model .

John B

[thamestug]

Thanks John
Latest pic

[tugmad]

She definately deserves a bottle at her launch Pete  Very well done )and on and on.

[Martin (Admin)]

 Beautifully done sir!   

 Can you tell us a bit about her?

[thamestug]

About Thirty eight years ago I built a very freelance ocean going tug very loosely based on Bugsiers Oceanic and her sisters. This was built on a 54" GRP Zwarte Zee hull. My first major build, built on the kitchen table in rented accomodation and the only power tool I had was a Wolf electric drill. The main aim was to get afloat ASAP and the build suffered from this. However, controlled by a Skyleader Clubmate radio and running off two 6V motor cycle batteries driving a Ripmax motor she performed very well and was used a lot. For about the last 15 years Katrina B has stood in retirement on the utility room windowsill ['When are you going to move that thing!] and seeing the standards of the tugs on this forum began more and more to grate on my senses. So, I decided her time has come and a major rebuild was begun. Starting to strip decks etc I found that much of the original glue had degenerated and only answer was for everything to come out back to the hull. The  pic shows  her afloat in original condition. Sorry about pic condition, I had a Naf camera as well back then.
 

 

[Norseman]

What a lovely make over Pete - very nicely done.
Will she be moving from the utility room now?

Dave

[irishcarguy]

A very well built model & so good to see someone with the talent you have using it again. Be sure to post pictures of your launch day. Mick B.

[thamestug]

Thanks guys. This was only my second build after a 30+ year layoff from marine modelling. Just prior to this I built a freelance 41" plank on frame paddle tug as a static model. Thats another story. I will continue with this story bit by bit as you guys do seem to be interested.  Decks off, rot found, clear everything out. Bet that engine room set up brings back a few memories. It wasnt run in that state i had pulled the wires through from other compartments. The pink Tupperware [remember that??] on the left held the radio receiver and proved totally waterproof. The two 6volt m/cycle batteries sat in the green painted compartment forward of the engine room. Just a bit of the ballast visible, the rest fell out. She weighed in at about 60lbs. I fitted new bulkheads to stiffen the hull.
An issue which arose concerned the bulwarks at the bow. These finished with an outward flare, having been cut back from about midships at the start of the build. This end needed to come upright to match up with the railings to be fitted later.  After a bit of soul searching I cut along at deck level with a hacksaw blade to within about 1" of the bow. The wood block in the pic was temporarily screwed to the deck as an anchorage point for the G clamp. A shaped piece of perspex was also temporarily screwed to the deck at the bottom of the bulwarks to 'trip them up' as the clamp was tightened. Once upright a couple of perspex gussets [made from car registration plate blanks, a good source of thicker plastic material] were glued in. The block between them is the spacer used for getting equal spacing when the other gussets are fitted. The now opened up hacksaw cut was backfilled with filler and the lot left clamped up  overnight to set. I took the clamp off next  morning wondering what would happen as the fibreglass is about 1.5mm thick and fairly springy but bingo, all stayed put and sanding down the filler has created a nice knuckle

[thamestug]

As you will probably have guessed the build is roughly based on the WW2 Bustler class tugs of the RN. These pics show the new bulkheads being offered up, the towing deck laid in place and the new motor and radio set up. I do say new but i decided to continue using the old Ripmax motor and skyleader radio until I saw how she performed afloat. One problem with this build there was not going to be much removable superstructure and no removable deckhouse over the elec motor compartment. This would also have to be a hatch. Probably the salvage gear store and/or rope cradle. I am going to be restricted on battery size to a length of about 150mm as they will have to  go down through the upper deck through the hatch above the towing winch. I could however get a couple down through there and juggle them around once inside.  Whilst all this was going on, for a change I decided to make the funnel, which is quite a feature of these tugs, it also being set into the rear of the superstructure. The funnel started life as a cardboard Saxa Salt container. The whole plastic pourer top was removable and I then cut the metal bottom out with the electric can opener. A couple of ply templates to the shape of the funnel were made which were just an interference fit to knock up the container to get the right shape. It was then overlaid with thin plastic sheet. Twin exhaust outlets are compression fitting olives. The big domed air intake is an aluminium rivet.Where possible I love utilizing what is laying to hand around the workshop instead of buying proprietary fittings.

[Norseman]

Hi Pete

I'm enjoying your posts and it is nice to see a build that utilises items to hand.
I saw one of the Runcorn lads boats at the Victoria park steam show last year
and almost everything was 'things to hand' - a smashing build. It's a pity I can't
remember the name he had given her..... or his - a very nice chap anyway

Your funnel made me laugh again at my own ignorance. Until recently I thought a funnel
was just a big chimney hole with a fire at the bottom  I had no idea they contained
equipment or were capped etc  It was only when I was researching a build that
I saw a picture and then started wondering what I was looking at. I've got a lot to learn
and that's why I love the build/modification threads.

Keep posting Pete

Dave

[thamestug]

First fit of the superstructure. 1mm ply wrapped round 4mm ply former. Ply because i could not get a styrene sheet that was long enough at the time. The bridge deck was supported on 2"x2" wood blocks. These were drilled and on final fixing screwed to the main deck, the screw heads being concealed under 1mm ply deck. Nothing on the build was finally fixed down until practically everything had been made. I find sometimes you need to reposition slightly to get it all in if not building from a plan. The wheelhouse was then built as another separate unit, this eventually being glued and screwed to the bridge deck and likewise the flyingbridge. In the last pic you can see the funnel base was made higher before finally fitting. The flying bridge was also eventually rebuilt with wings.

[thamestug]

out of sequence, but a pic of her on trials yesterday.

[Norseman]

She looks great 
How was she underway?

Dave

[thamestug]

Hi Dave

Think these couple of pics say it all. Must upgrade the radio and get an ESC fitted.

[farrow]

Lovely looks the part of a ocean going tug to me.
David

[Norseman]

Anything on the go Pete?

Dave