Ok I have been making model boats of differing size / type /style for a fare few years and prior to that model aircraft .
Since taking up model boating on retirement I have always bought Action kit as I found that when I had issues and learning the ropes D M was a sound source of unbiased advice .
I have bought in total some 53 assorted items from there range and most have served me very well over the past 12 years of boating .
Whilst not always popular , I tend to speak from the shoulder and if asked try to help others .
I must admit that it is only recently that I have been a follower of this Forum and taken the time to read through the items that could have helped me prior to last weekends event .
Amongst others I have a Tug which is both great fun and helps drag less careful members models at our club back to the shore line .
On this particular day I noticed that my Kort nozzles were very slightly offset , and thought ok I will put a little trim in when out on the lake , which I did , and all seemed well and after a good 1/2 hours run around the edges stopped in the centre and chatted to others ......as you do
When I restarted the Tug and headed for shore she seemed hard to steer in a straight line and was very sluggish compared to her usual speed but managed to get her ashore [ incidentally this model has worked very well for over 14 months with only minor upgrades but has not been used during the last eighteen weeks of lock down .
When she reached shore and I berthed her in her cradle prior to wheeling her up to the assembly area I noticed the dreaded Bakelite aroma and new things were going to get worse , and when the superstructure was removed I noticed that the rear of one of the motors was partly melted .
When I carried out the autopsy I removed the starboard 540 geared motor and clip on cooling fan and binned them as they were not of any further use
and ordered replacements and upon receipt and fixing found that only the Portside units functioned .
checked fusing which seemed fine , no lose fittings , so as I had a spare P94 which had been refurbished , fitted that and hey presto everything worked perfectly again
Now , I ponder the fact that was there an issue with this ESC that eluded me [ purchased in 2010 ] that having not been noticed slowly got worse and then threw the towel in ?
Should I have smelt a rat and not gone on the water
.....still at least I was saved the embarrassment of being towed back in
Has anyone else had this experience ?