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[Dave_S.]

Had a great time this afternoon at our club's pond in Oxford, playing icebreaker with my Billing's Samson II. The ice wasn't too bad but just thick enough to make clearing a path through it a challenge. The boat isn't ideal for this role, being rather light and lacking any reinforcement in the bow.


I now have the urge to add an icebreaker to my pile of 'to do' projects, what's out there and available as either plan or kit? I am aware of the little Billings one, but think it would be too small and light to be effective, and I think I've seen a picture of some hugely expensive one that Graupner used to do.


Ideally looking for something fairly strong and about 3ft long - any bigger and it won't fit my bench or my storage area. Prefer something older rather a modern tower block - something like the good old Tarmo that's now a museum ship in Kotka, and would remind me of the many years I lived in Finland.

[raflaunches]

I bought a hull on eBay of US Coastguard Polar Star last year and it came with plans and a photo USB of the vessel. Decent sized and quality hull. Plans are copies of the ships originals and show a helpful amount. Haven’t started it yet but is next on my list…


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254942717061?hash=item3b5bc52485:g:IpAAAOSwurBgd-fD

[Dave_S.]

That does look good, but it's too big for my place.

[Umi_Ryuzuki]

Kontio might still be available 
https://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,67188.msg724656.html#msg724656

[Dave_S.]

Thank you, I have seen that post before - too modern for me, I prefer something older. Just my personal taste.

[cos918]

there are plans for the russian icebreaker Lenin
john

[Dave_S.]

Thanks, I'll look into that

[rnli12]

Hi,
On a similar note,
Does anyone know or have a set of plans for HMS Endurance [ex MV Anita Dan] @ 1988 i could borrow or if any commercial sets exist? or even a scale model?

Many thanks,
Rich

[Peter57]

I think Billings had a kit of an icebreaker named Elbjorn. I think the kit number was BB536. I am not sure of availability.

[JimG]

If planning to go icebreaking with a model then make sure that the bow is well reinforced, what seems like thin and weak ice can cause quite a bit of damage. A friend tried this with a model with a balsa block bow, it came in with several large slits in the blocks where the ice had dug in. I had a Billings Smit Nederland sink due to breaking ice. I had replaced the anchor recesses moulded into the abs hull with plasticard to get the correct square corners instead of the rounded ones from vacforming. As the recesses are on the waterline the ice forced a recess in, breaking it away from the hull leaving a large hole which allowed the hull to quickly fill. At least I was informed by others at the pond side that it was a nice scale sinking.
Jim

[Dave_S.]

I think Billings had a kit of an icebreaker named Elbjorn. I think the kit number was BB536. I am not sure of availability.

I think it is still available, but it's quite small and light, so would be defeated by quite thin ice. Not that I'm expecting to try in anything more than a few mm thick.

[Dave_S.]

If planning to go icebreaking with a model then make sure that the bow is well reinforced, what seems like thin and weak ice can cause quite a bit of damage. A friend tried this with a model with a balsa block bow, it came in with several large slits in the blocks where the ice had dug in. I had a Billings Smit Nederland sink due to breaking ice. I had replaced the anchor recesses moulded into the abs hull with plasticard to get the correct square corners instead of the rounded ones from vacforming. As the recesses are on the waterline the ice forced a recess in, breaking it away from the hull leaving a large hole which allowed the hull to quickly fill. At least I was informed by others at the pond side that it was a nice scale sinking.
Jim

The ABS hull of my Samson II survived yesterday's icebreaking, though the paintwork has acquired a bit more weathering.
If a model's going to sink, I guess a scale-like sinking is the way to go. Hope you were able to retrieve and repair the Nederland, far too good a model to lose like that.

[cos918]

There is the St Canute by Billings
Billing Boats St Canute Tug B700 Model Boat Kit | Cornwall Model Boats

John

[Dave_S.]

There is the St Canute by Billings
Billing Boats St Canute Tug B700 Model Boat Kit | Cornwall Model Boats

John

Another good looking boat, but rather too small (and therefore light) to deal with much more than very thin ice. I live just up the road from you (Standlake) but my sense of ice is still based on my years of living in Finland!

[JimG]

The ABS hull of my Samson II survived yesterday's icebreaking, though the paintwork has acquired a bit more weathering.
If a model's going to sink, I guess a scale-like sinking is the way to go. Hope you were able to retrieve and repair the Nederland, far too good a model to lose like that.

Easily retrieved, our pond is not too deep and the club keeps a pair of waders for setting out buoys and recovery. It was soon repaired and sailed regularly, even went on to do several 24 hour sails although was never used as an icebreaker again. The bow was eventually filled with expanding foam for extra boyancy during the 24 hour events, it did come in with at least 1 inch of water in the hull after one night where we had a downpour putting the rest of the boats out of action. We had to call off the 24 hour event after the park we were in had to close the weekend festival on the Sunday morning due to the rain.
Jim

[cos918]

Another good looking boat, but rather too small (and therefore light) to deal with much more than very thin ice. I live just up the road from you (Standlake) but my sense of ice is still based on my years of living in Finland!

Hi Dave
The St Canute is small.
 I have a set of of the Lenin plans . So if you want ot have a look at them  . I not far away in Abingdon.
John

[Umi_Ryuzuki]

Russian Nuk-clear Arktika

[Dave_S.]

Thank you, very interesting and useful post.

[Akira]

Coast Guard Models in Illinios has plans and hulls of several USCG icebreakers. http://www.coastguardmodels.com/
http://www.coastguardmodels.com/fullscreen.htm

[Dave_S.]

Coast Guard Models in Illinios has plans and hulls of several USCG icebreakers. http://www.coastguardmodels.com/
http://www.coastguardmodels.com/fullscreen.htm

Thank you, links saved, definitely on the right track

[Umi_Ryuzuki]

Sometimes searching in a related language is helpful. 
 ледокол Теоретический чертеж
 
.

[Dave_S.]

Thank you for the link - the pictures are useful but the words are impossible - even though I spent years less than 2 hours from the Russian border in Finland (locals used to say "here we are only 2 hours from Russian border….. (long pause)……by tank").


I would like to try a scratch build of one of the older steam powered icebreakers, such as Tarmo as they have so much character, but haven't found any drawings yet. They were built in Newcastle, England by Armstrongs, so there might be drawings available there. I will be in that part of the country (North East England) in a few weeks.

[tonyH]

Sankt Erik could be an option. Steam driven and moored at the Vasa Museum.

[Dave_S.]

Good call, that one certainly has plenty of character. I haven't seen it before, but it is interesting.

[tonyH]

Sorry Dave, a bit too late. There are a couple of drawings of Sviatogor which was built for Archangel and HMS Alexander which ended up as Lenin! They're in a 1919 issue of The Engineer magazine so if you wish I'll have to e-mail. Both Armstrong from 1916 or so.