Model Boat Mayhem

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Author Topic: An Observation  (Read 7222 times)

Bob K

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An Observation
« on: March 02, 2014, 04:08:15 pm »

An Observation


Whilst taking advantage of a window in the weather today I could not help notice a larger than usual number of young children fascinated by our R.C. boats at the lake.  Viewed as objects of wonder.

So, if there is such interest by those with reins and wellie boots why does it often take six decades for their fascination to blossom into going out and building one?

Maybe "I was so much older then. I’m younger than that now."
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Tug-Kenny RIP

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Re: An Observation
« Reply #1 on: March 02, 2014, 04:18:27 pm »


Life gets in the way


ken

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Nordlys

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Re: An Observation
« Reply #2 on: March 02, 2014, 05:47:51 pm »

What a lovely observation and such a gentile reply!

I suspect the parents of these children just don't have
spare money to splash out on this type of interest unlike
us old boys.
I feel somewhat lucky.......
N
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Jerry C

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Re: An Observation
« Reply #3 on: March 02, 2014, 06:32:32 pm »

With me it was the money too.
Jerry.

RAAArtyGunner

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Re: An Observation
« Reply #4 on: March 02, 2014, 11:17:33 pm »

With me it was the money too.
Jerry.

It still is  O0 O0 O0 O0
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NFMike

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Re: An Observation
« Reply #5 on: March 02, 2014, 11:23:03 pm »

Life gets in the way


ken



Life?
You mean girls, Shirley.

Bob K

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Re: An Observation
« Reply #6 on: March 03, 2014, 10:09:46 am »

Life?  You mean girls, Shirley.

On a purely philosophical level, I hope that building boats is not an early symptom of a lessening of interest in Ladies ?  Do not be afraid, be VERY afraid !
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grendel

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Re: An Observation
« Reply #7 on: March 03, 2014, 01:12:02 pm »

when I was young, we didn't have TV to fill our time up, so as kids we spent time on toys- with me it was meccano, when I was bigger we had a modeller at the youth club I went to (his wife taught badmington at the club) so I got more into model making. I have always pottered with bits and pieces, but now the internet gets in the way too. taking up time.
So recently- bored with whats on TV and the internet I have started modelling again, I still cant really afford to spend a fortune doing it, and I don't consider myself old just yet (at 54), the biggest stopper is lack of space and lack of time.
I pity poor modern kids who don't know how to enjoy themselves without all their electronics.
Grendel
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Martin (Admin)

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Re: An Observation
« Reply #8 on: March 03, 2014, 01:40:46 pm »


Good post Grendel!

Also I think it's alien to parents too, I mean, if you go to the park, see us 'old duffers' playing model boats, immediately parents think, "where do I buy a complete one ready to go?" Buy a crap one of ebay, immediately despondency sets in, wait 40 years and then think, 'Hmmm.... I'll have another look at those model boats!'
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Raymond

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Re: An Observation
« Reply #9 on: March 03, 2014, 02:19:02 pm »

Many towns when I was a child had parks or recreation grounds with small boating ponds and pools our town had two, we would spend hours at the pond in school holidays and weekends ,there were loads of boys with all manner of things which sailed, floated ,or sunk as the case may be, this I believe sowed the model boating seeds or at least it did with me ,but with the doing away with park keepers these ponds were filled in on the grounds of safety , so nowhere local for the kids to play with toy or model boats etc. that may just have planted that seed, even if it lays dormant for years as in my case.
             
                                        Ray
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Nordlys

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Re: An Observation
« Reply #10 on: March 03, 2014, 04:08:07 pm »

A local pond I used to sail on with my yacht was so busy with great models
including ic on weekends - that was back in the 50's.
Now, you take a boat anywhere near it and the old lady's tell
you off for scaring the ducks and Canada geese which they feed.
As if they were there first!
Blackheath pond.
N...
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Colin Bishop

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Re: An Observation
« Reply #11 on: March 03, 2014, 04:32:53 pm »

Feeding difficult old ladies to Canada geese seems an excellent idea.....
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GAZOU

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Re: An Observation
« Reply #12 on: March 03, 2014, 04:37:31 pm »

The solution: you take on the clear(net) a photo of a duck near a model and you put the photo in your box(cash register) of ground.

You show the photo to the old lady
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Nordlys

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Re: An Observation
« Reply #13 on: March 03, 2014, 04:46:18 pm »

Gazou!!  You have completely lost me -I'm just not tuned in to your plan??
Please explain !!
N....
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sparkey

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Re: An Observation
« Reply #14 on: March 03, 2014, 05:01:51 pm »

 :-)) I had this guy come up to me to inform me that my model was bad for the environment, and that all that wood was helping to deforest the planet and other materals I was using did the same,after I told him to perform an impossible sexual act on himself,he got in a massive chelsea tractor and drove off,back to the topic I don't think people today have time to spend with their kids let alone build models for/with them that's where we granddads come into it build it for them and get them interested in the hobby,I all way's keep a bullet proof model for the kids to play with down at the lake,happy sailing,Ray :-)) :-))   
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wrongtimeben

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Re: An Observation
« Reply #15 on: March 03, 2014, 05:43:34 pm »

For me, its a combination of time, illness, money and space.


a wife, three kids - not enough time to get the necessities of the day done.


illness- crippling depression, anxiety etc. just got back to work and three months in ive gone pop again. hey ho more diazepam and i cant walk or see straight.


money. illness means no work means no money.


space - two up two down, cheap argos shed and 2 foot of snow means the flamin shed roof turned into a funnel.

please dont read this as a moan or a whine, merely a stating of situation. but also i grateful to all of you who've posted on here with inspirational models and to peeps like my uncle jem (jerry c) who show me what is possible.



i think it is imperitive that i demonstrate to my children a 'have a go' attitude and the need to occupy and stimulate your brain. 


i recently became employed after a 7 year period of education followed by ill health, only to find i had to battle to get home in time to read my boy of 5 a bedtime story. forget that for a game of soldiers.


i have also recently been delighted to see said boy whacking the side of our van with a claw hammer. i couldnt tell him off because he was "fixing like daddy"


couldnt tell him off when he twoc'd his moms cordless hot glue pen.  he wanted to make a boat out of lollipop sticks. i told him he'd burn his fingers a bit but he'd get over it.  i was chuffed to bits.


hopefully ill have a cobbled up piece of junk that floats and preferably moves under it own power sometime this year, but if it takes me till im sixty then hey ho that will the way of it.
be blessed
ben
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GAZOU

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Re: An Observation
« Reply #16 on: March 03, 2014, 07:53:30 pm »

NORDLYS,

You print these photos found on the Internet

You put photos in your pocket

When the old lady grumbles you take(bring) out photos







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grendel

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Re: An Observation
« Reply #17 on: March 03, 2014, 07:57:16 pm »

my hope too is to produce a working model to a decent standard, while I might be able to do a lot of it with minimal outlay, things like prop shafts, rudders and radio gear would, I think be the biggest expenses, this is why my test model is being made from cardboard, once I start to build for real the raw materials will be from what I have lying around, using tools I already have, much as I would love a bandsaw to cut planks, I can see they might well be cut using a circular saw converted to a table saw (somehow), motors and batteries I have, the rest, well, I'll start saving now.
Grendel
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Umi_Ryuzuki

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Re: An Observation
« Reply #18 on: March 03, 2014, 08:16:14 pm »

I was first fascinated by RC in magazines, then during Summer science classes at
the local museum, I would spend lunch peering at a Tamiya Sherman tank that a
gentleman was  displaying. At the end of the week, that man generously allowed
me to run his precious model. I was smitten and inspired.

It would be well after college that I would trend back into hobby modeling.
Architecture had honed my modeling fascination and skills.
A group of RC ship modelers taught me ship building.

Looking back to that first gentleman and his tank, I spent a week and built a Springer tug just
for the local children to run. If they are like me, they will remember that experience, and perhaps
work toward, or come into the hobby someday.

grendel

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Re: An Observation
« Reply #19 on: March 03, 2014, 08:51:04 pm »

is the trick to jump the tug from one pool to the other?
Grendel
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html

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Re: An Observation
« Reply #20 on: March 03, 2014, 10:33:22 pm »

I think a lot of the youngsters do not have a wish to do things with their hands, they think they will come up with a programme, write an app or become a footballer to make lots of money. I also thing that their parents possibly because their fathers did not make anything, are not interested in this type of hobby.

Even as a kid I was interested in how things worked, I had to be I kept taking things apart. As an engineer in my 61st year I am still interested in how things work, and building models is very relaxing after work.
Where I work we have 6 apprentice, they are supposed to be multi-skilled, out of these I would say none of them would take up a hobby of any type unless it could be done on their phones.

I believe eventually hobbies like this will die out as people will be more interested in sitting in front of a screen of some sorts than using their hands and brains to produce something.

Brian
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RAAArtyGunner

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Re: An Observation
« Reply #21 on: March 04, 2014, 02:57:43 am »

I think a lot of the youngsters do not have a wish to do things with their hands, they think they will come up with a programme, write an app or become a footballer to make lots of money. I also thing that their parents possibly because their fathers did not make anything, are not interested in this type of hobby.

Even as a kid I was interested in how things worked, I had to be I kept taking things apart. As an engineer in my 61st year I am still interested in how things work, and building models is very relaxing after work.
Where I work we have 6 apprentice, they are supposed to be multi-skilled, out of these I would say none of them would take up a hobby of any type unless it could be done on their phones.

I believe eventually hobbies like this will die out as people will be more interested in sitting in front of a screen of some sorts than using their hands and brains to produce something.

Brian

Do 3D printers fall into this catergory  O0 O0 O0
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Circlip

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Re: An Observation
« Reply #22 on: March 04, 2014, 10:41:00 am »

Most younger than two score have been raised in a throw away society and the hiccup that spawned B@Q and suchlike as "Hobby" suppliers did nothing to help. Those of us at three score(and nearly ten) were brought up at dads elbows learning the intricacies of how to make it work again. By eleven, 240V mains and spark plug leads held no mystery's and helping to rebuild a Vespa at that time certainly helped in later life for virtually all car repairs. I also still go to the door when a strange overhead engine is heard and the odd Merlin or four still causes the hairs to tingle.
 
  Full marks to Dodgy for trying to resurrect E-Z-B and his vintage site but the era of wonderment for kids has long passed unless it's associated with Txt or car crash and reset, there are a few exceptions but not like seventy years ago.
 
  Regards   Ian. 
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Bob K

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Re: An Observation
« Reply #23 on: March 04, 2014, 10:44:43 am »

As I started this thread some might wonder why it took this long for me to take up boat building.

I was brought up in the era of Meccano, rubber band powered Kiel Kraft balsa planes, and back when Airfix kits came in transparent plastic bags with instructions stapled to the top.  Radio control was virtually unheard of, and hideously expensive.  Small shallow boating ponds were very common, so you fitted a sail and launched from upwind.  If you were lucky you recovered it from the other side. 

The few kits available were beyond my means so I built a balsa escort carrier but lost it on its first outing to a frisky dog.  Shipping mortality rate was high so no point adding detail. 

Weeks of pocket money was invested in a Mamod Marine steam engine. “Suitable for ships up to 3 feet”, so I build a softwood HMS Cressey hull of that length which I hoped would go at a realistic speed.  With fixed rudder it went off like a MTB. With a non removable prop there was no point in finishing it off.

After that I specialised in scratch built static models, then scratch slot cars.

From my late teens onwards life’s other priorities relegated model making to history, or so I thought.

However, with the kids now with their own homes and families, retirement, and the mortgage paid off, I am back into it.  I am not sure what the answer is.  Building boats is not cheap and requires skills that the pre-girlfriend generation seldom acquires in time. 

Until a solution is found members of model boat clubs will perhaps remain predominantly retired folk like me. 
 
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Subculture

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Re: An Observation
« Reply #24 on: March 04, 2014, 11:24:02 am »

I think it's nurture rather than nature.

There were plenty of other distractions for young minds years ago prior to the advent of computers and associated technology- sports, cinema, cars/motorcycles etc.

Modelmaking and associated crafts were encouraged more, because we had an economy based on industry, and people had to be good with their hands, and that was one method of gaining valuable skills. From the 1970's onwards industry was gradually sold off, moved overseas and a move made towards a service based economy. Making things was no longer encouraged in the same way, and in many cases activities like modelmaking are lampooned in the media as immature pursuits.

Can't agree that modelmaking is expensive, it has to be about the cheapest pursuit you can engage in. It can be expensive if you purchase kits, but if you learn to scratchbuild, you can make models for next to nothing.
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