Hello,
Trying this a second time because I couldn’t upload a picture and lost the whole post. I’ve registered recently because I have been browsing for years and couldn’t believe that model boaters never took any pictures!! Then I saw the message about registering. Not sure if I’ve registered before –my tug is on the original website anyway, possibly from before the forum started!
I moved from Aberdeen to Inverness some 12 years ago and lack of any locally suitable boating ponds or clubs pushed me towards model railways again. I dabbled in N gauge for years but got absolutely fed up of price hikes recently and lower built-in reliability / serviceability so I wasn’t being held to ransom any longer. Some products are now 100% more than they were 2-3 years ago!
I am a degree qualified Naval Architect but always worked in oil and gas until the industry collapsed. I think this pushed me more to model boating again since I can’t seem to get work in the marine industry again and stuck back on terra firma which I am eternally bitter about –I might as well make play boats instead.
My Sangsetia from pre-2005 is still sat 95% complete and never seen anything but bath water. It’s huge but I have tried selling several times with no success. I’ll keep it as one day I’ll do the last 5% of painting etc. and it's kind of part of me now. My tug isin the cupboard needing work -can't believe I followed a suggestion years ago to use olive oil in the prop tubes, it may take allot of work to clear the congealed gunge out without damaging anything.
I thought I’d try a simple project “coffee tabletop” modelling to get me back in to it. So I made one of the later VIC type puffers, feehand to 1:48/1:50 but based on VIC56. 500’odd mm long from wood and polystyrene sheet. I got to 90% done before I realised it is way too top heavy on a dunking in the bathtub (oops!!!).
After a quick trip to quote a Scottish Water job on Rassay last year I thought I’d try something inherently stable, again coffee table top modelling freehand based on pictures and I have something akin to MV Raasay. Think I will call it “Raas’ich”. It’s at painting stage but I seem to have messed up with prop shaft angles and I now need a vehicle on-deck to hide the motor in. This is proving a little limiting at 1:48/1:50 scale!!!
Hull building is effort zapping so I was looking for another small project without losing enthusiasm before finishing. Just taken delivery of an ABS Pilot 40 hull and I’ll base the topsides on photos and the pictures of plans on the internet but I’ll make my own stamp on it as I think I can better a few angles. I am amazed there is only one model build / pictures on-line though! It’s really a bit big for me but hey ho.
I am amazed how technology has progressed and prices have fallen compared to hikes in model railways! I still have my 27 and 40MHz radio gear and Ni-Mh prices don’t warrant changing to Li-Po or brushless yet. I just hope I get these models get on the water. The pond in Elgin is likely, or I think I stumbled across a boating pond in Nairn I never knew about!!
I’ll try and get some pics up. It used to be easy with photobucket but I haven’t decided on an alternative yet. I used to be on allot of car and model forums but went away from it. I'm not on facebook either. I'll try and post-up and chip-in yhough.
Cheers,
Rich