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[Pearlsfirstmate]

Hi Guys,


Santa bought me my first R/C boat kit, a Caldercraft kit of the puffer Northlight.  The instructions recommend her powered by a Monoperm motor using 5 x 1.2v 3.5 amp nicads or similar.


Is this the way to go or can someone who has built one suggest a better set up. New to r/c boats but not to model making so any advice greatly appreciated.


Many thanks 

[Subculture]

A speed 500E run on 7.2 volts will do the same job, and be much cheaper. You could run NimH or lithium batteries.

[Pearlsfirstmate]

Many thanks Subculture for your reply, I'll check it out


 

[mikearace]

Or an MFA 500 (or you would even get away with a 400) running on a 6v Sealed LA for ballast.  Both will give you scale speed which isnt very fast as Im sure you will know and the sealed LA will help ballast as you do need a fair bit of ballast for a Northlight.

[Pearlsfirstmate]

Thanks mikearace - just the sort of advice and tips I'm looking for - a real novice when it comes to motors and batteries (I've just had to look up what a LA battery is) so you can tell the extent of my knowledge!   

[mikearace]

Im in the middle of Northlight myself and there are a couple of good build blogs on here that you might find helpful.  My northlight is one that I have had stored for a long long time so the instructions might have been updated but in case they arent be careful with the measurements for placing the stringers and bulkheadss and other points as on my instructions they are neither use to man nor beast.  For example the length of the bulkhead and bearer placements are set from stem to stern as:  95mm, 82mm and 45mm.  Now in my maths that makes a total length of 222mm - not bad for a vessel with a hull length of 660mm.  Where did the missing 440mm go??  And there are a quite a few other anomalies in the instructions so maybe they have been updated but check and read thoroughly.  Some of my wood is also erm less that ideal in either quality or measurements shall I say but I have replaced with 1.5mm plasticard in places - the deckhouse fore and aft ends. 
 
http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=9767.msg90621#msg90621

[Pearlsfirstmate]

Thanks mikerace - My last model build was the Billings kit of Bluenose II some 10 years ago so I decided to start with Northlights dinghy to get back into it and that's all I've done so far.


The last page of my instructions are "Important Changes to Northlight Kit" where it states all die cut parts are now CNC cut and parts 29-1 31-1 32-1 are to be glued over 29 31 32 so hopefully they have made some improvements, however my instructions still give the same measurements as yours for bulkhead placements - so many thanks I'll be careful - annoying though cos these kits ain't cheap!