Hi Andy
Been considering the build cost of the Aquarama.
So as you say the kit from CMB is around £280.00.
Then its either the running gear in their extra hardware kit at £150.00, or sourcing / building better parts.
There is a set here for the Riva by Krick at around £200.00 that's interesting, but I don't like the rudders...
https://www.krickshop.de/Accessories-Spare-Parts/Accessories-for-Ship-Models/Accessories-for-special-Shipmodels/Motorisierungssatz-ital-Sportboot-25035.htm?shop=krick_e&SessionId=&a=article&ProdNr=25036&p=197&rdeocl=1&rdetpl=productpage&rdebox=box4I've gone for a pair of Overlander Brushless Outrunner 3530 1100kv motors at around £20.00 each. Built my own shafts and P Brackets, I think prop shop would supply similar for around £30 each.
And two standard scale 1415 (35mm) Prop shop props at around £15 each.
A pair of ZTW Shark 30A ESCs at £20.00 each.
And I've built my own rudders / shafts from scratch. Maybe a value of say £15.00 each...
So I think that's about £200.00 worth of running hardware, that equates to the contents list of the 'hardware kit' by Amati and sold by CMB for £150.00.
A pair of Turnigy Graphene 3000mAh 3S Lipos at £25.00 each provides the power.
Then its the RC bits and consumables as for any build.
So in round figures so far we're at:
£280.00 Main kit
£200.00 ish for the running hardware
£ 50.00 ish for the Lipos
[size=78%]______[/size]£530.00
I have spent on some specialist parts.... £50.00 for a micro water pump... £10.00 on faux leather... LEDs and so on.
I did purchase a couple of 1/10 figures too, say £40.00.
So I'd say overall we're around the £600.00 mark, and if it makes it to the water for £750.00, I'll count that as a win.
A couple of your specific points:
1. Etched brass parts and deck fittings are all in the kit.
Here are the Cap Marquettes Dock Lights (UKMike kindly sent these as they were surplus, they're available via CMB), the kit versions are not good:
Here are the Lipos in place:
Here's a motor / ESC combo:
2. Seating / cushions are in the kit, but a bit nasty. They're heavy and just a bit agricultural, so will be binned. I haven't seen a third party set at all.
Looking at your other builds I think you'll love the Aquarama... It deserves attention to detail and it looks to me like you have that in spades..! I do think the standard kit build can be improved upon, mainly to get decent performance in terms of handing on the water. Everyone seems to add a harder chine, and it has to be built light.
[/size]Hope that helps.[/size]David.