Firstly, I decided to leave the seat colour alone. I still plan to make some soft seats to replace the kit’s plastic moulded ones, so I can make a colour change then if I want to. Way back in March the late Patternmaker posted a picture of his build of this kit, and he had a similar colour for his upholstery. If it's good enough for Mick....
On to the painting. Here is the bottom getting its red paint –
And here is everything except the waterline boot topping masked off, waterline sprayed on. I did this as I described previously, masking each area in turn to try and keep all the paint and varnish at the same level.
I was a little too keen to pull the masking tape off and some of the waterline paint came away with it. However, some touching up will fix that before I cut back and polish everything. Here’s how the boat looks at the moment.
As I had a fully functioning boat, albeit without fittings, I couldn’t resist the lovely weather we are enjoying to pop down to the lake with her and try a first run. A few posts ago, George (ooyah2) asked what batteries I was going to use. I said 7.2v NiMH but since then I have splashed out on a 3s LiPo to give something close to the 12v nominal voltage of my CEM 750 motor without loading the boat down with battery weight. I also fitted a shiny 35mm Prop Shop propeller, so of I went. I have to say I was delighted with how she ran, up on the plane in a trice, a good turn of speed, nice carving turns and everything looking superb.
OK, I hear you say, where’s the photos, where’s the video?
Well…..
I had my camera with me, all nicely charged and ready to go.
But you know that locking nut you are supposed to tighten against the propeller to make sure it doesn’t unscrew when you go into reverse? It seems it should have been a little tighter than I actually did it. I think I probably only did it finger tight, and that, it transpires, isn’t quite enough. I tried a couple of astern manoeuvres to see how she handles astern steering (very well, actually) and then all motive power seemed to vanish. I thought at first that one of my connections between motor and shaft was slipping, but when I recovered the boat there was no shiny Prop Shop propeller any more.
So no piccies, no video. Sorry folks.
I do have a spare prop and I will use something more than finger tips to tighten the nut next time. But now I know she will perform, I plan to finish her properly before trying again. Hopefully within the next month or so we will all see a proper maiden voyage captured on film (well, electronic film) for all to see. Watch this space.
Greg