When I was at the international model boat show last I was quite taken with some of the vintage models on display which has led me to acquire this model from ebay and give it in new lease of life. It was a bit of punt buying a boat which could potentially be a bit of wreck but having received the model, I've been impressed by the robustness of the model and design.
I'm only at the beginning stages and have a few questions and will listen to any advice offered.
Here is the model in question -
Based upon the electric motor sold with the boat (what looks like ford cortina washer pump motor) I'd estimate this is about 35-40 years old.
It had some fittings in the cockpit which I ripped out - a cork for a seat, a ships wheel and fake doors leading forwards.
It has had the optional lifebelts fitted to it at some point. Note the destroyed windscreen which I will need to replace.
Complete with ropey looking rudder, water pickup and plastic prop. Note the liberal use a brass panel pins.
The rear compartment complete with meccano tiller. Under the blue coat, is a green and a white coat of paint. The ply deck has been stained. There's an aerial (maybe from the same ford cortina!) for the receiver.
The forward engine comparrtment, complete with what I thought was a prop shaft stuffing tube but it actually terminates above the prop shaft, complete with bottle case drip collector. I have removed a couple of balsa blocks from the rear wall.
TD02, initials? note the nails.
At some point it had an anchor and a flagstaff.
Under the white paint is some black paint.
This is a printed? crew deck, It looks water? damaged, dunno if I should replace it.
Under that deck (it was glued in) there's a couple of bottles (bouyancy tanks? should you have these in a model? would they work if it capsized?) and a decent chunky prop shaft tube.
Not sure what I should do with this.
The hull is basically sound.
This a bodged front cover, it's made from balsa and has not been sealed (I can tell as I've done similar myself).
I will be making a ply replacement for this.
Next steps - remove the aerial - replace the rudder - strip as much paint off as I can - primer - which primer? what paint?
remove the strips on the decks, plank and varnish the decks, find some fittings of the right scale, replace both windscreens and the front cover, add rails to the covers, glaze the windows.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks
Si