2010 Scale R/C Boats Calendar

Like scale R/C model boats so much that you need to seem them all year long? On your wall? Then hey, get a calendar!

I offer this one through Cafe Press.

USS Nicholas DD-449: A Fletcher Destroyer by Fine Art Models

Mk. 37 gun director, USS Nicholas

We amateur model ship builders fumble along at our own speed and occasionally produce some pretty nice work. But at the other end of the spectrum lay the professional builders, those who supply museums, shipyards, and private collectors with works whose values would represent a sizable fraction of the amateur’s annual income. Along with fine manual craftsmanship, these model builders can utilize professional manufacturing tools and processes that are simply out of reach of most amateurs. Here is one such example from Fine Art Models in Birmingham, Michigan.

Read on for more of the story…

San Francisco MYC “Wood Boats on Parade”, 2006

Maggie A, one of the delightful Monterey Clippers at the show.

One of my favorite events, for great models, great people, and spectacular location, has to be the San Francisco Model Yacht Club’s “Wood Boats on Parade”, a season ender with no competitions, just an enjoyable day at the lake.

This article covers the 2006 event, but the beautiful models are timeless. Enjoy!

See it in Writings.

.

Converting Aquacraft’s Bristol Bay Fishing Boat

A great way to for a beginner to dive into scale model boating is to start with one of the many available “Ready to Run” or “Almost RTR” models. These are usually mostly all built up models with either all R/C gear included and installed, or perhaps you’ll need to supply and install some of it. If the latter, clear instructions and mounting positions are usually provided.

Now, these “models” have a few caveats. First, many are barely more than toys, not quite true “scale” models. Secondly, the Asian producers often are clueless about packaging, so damaged goods are not unusual. These points can work to your advantage– Tower Hobbies often has a number of boats like this in their “Scratch & Dent” section… and once damaged, you’ll have no problem with tearing the boat apart for further improvements!

A few years ago, I took on an improvement project using Aquacraft’s Bristol Bay fishing boat. Since I did a build thread at RC Groups, I’ll just give you the link instead of repeating it all here:

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=413023

Since then, I’ve learned a lot more about fishing boats, and would do some things differently… but take a look at my build and those of several others that added to the thread, and I think you’ll get a few ideas. And as always, have fun with it!

Ships in Scale Magazine – the Covers

I mentioned elsewhere that I contributed a bit to Ships in Scale, a magazine devoted to scale ship modeling… which, yes, CAN include R/C models (harumph!). It was a real rush to get some of my photos on the cover, which I’ll unabashedly share here. And of course, many back issues are available in print, and many more on CD albums… just check in at the publisher’s web site, www.seaways.com.

	Jan/Feb 2006 was my debut, with the magazine taking an effort to feature extra R/C material. The cover photo is Andrew Charter’s schooner Cicely, taken at the 2005 Vintage Traditional Watercraft regatta on Solomons Island, Maryland… for which we have an article over there -> in “Writings”.
	Goodness, another schoner! This time, Jan/Feb 2007, it’s Robbe’s Valdivia, for which we have another story over there -> under “Writings”.
	PT-41, the boat most famous for removing General MacArthur from the Philippines (Mar/Apr 2007). My first serious scale R/C model, which involved significant research over several years. And yep, we have the story here in Writings.
	Nov/Dec 2007– Not far from me is the home of Fine Art Models, which builds commercially available and truly fine models of many transportation subjects. I was able to catch one of their 1:48 scale, 7 foot long USS Nicholas Fletcher-class destroyers before it was delivered, and a short photo essay was presented inside.

Baywatch Lifeguard Boat

The LA County Fire Department includes the Lifeguard division, which is the real Baywatch. Pam Anderson need not apply. The Baywatch fleet is comprised of multipurpose rescue boats in a few variations… but they all appear to be twin prop diesel powered deep vees with a third diesel to run a fire pump. Crew is two highly qualified lifeguards– these guys are swimmers, paramedics, firemen, and Coast Guard-approved for boat handling and towing. I started a thread on the boats themselves here:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=530370

I’ll fit this job in between others, so the going may be slow! But watch the model build progress at RC Groups .

Foundation Franklin

My next big project is underway– the famous salvage tug “Foundation Franklin”. And it is a big project- five feet long and about 70 pounds. FF was a WW1 “Dainty Class” tug in His Majesty’s service. Converted to commercial salvage work, she performed years of heroic North Atlantic work for Foundation Marine out of Halifax. You can read her story in Farley Mowat’s “Grey Seas Under”. And you can follow my build at RC Groups.

2005 Great Lakes Model Boat Show

This was one of my first articles, describing what may have been one of the last great model boat regattas in the Midwest. OK, that could be controversial, but let me explain. Starting back in the Golden Era of R/C model boating (80’s and 90’s), Regattas were grand affairs, resplendant in fine models, on-the-water competitions, and sponsors and prizes. Lots of prizes– radios, full kits, etc. And they were a bear to organize– I know, as I helped chair this particular show. It can drain you to the point that you don’t want to do another one… which might be why most shows today are much more informal. And maybe that’s a good thing– some of the most enjoyable Regattas I’ve attended have little in the way of formal competitions or fancy prizes, because it’s quite enough to merely arrange the tables at the venue.

So read about how one of these shows runs– in Writings, 2005 Great Lakes Model Boat Show.

Robbe’s “Valdivia” R/C Schooner

Robbe's Valdivia

A few years back, I had the pleasure of building Robbe’s big R/C schooner, the “Valdivia”. Find the article under Writings.

Four-part Valdivia article

Scale Ship Modeler Magazine, 1978-2000

As a model boat writer, I must pay homage to one of the great publications of yore… Scale Ship Modeler ran from 1978 to 2000, and was always chock full of great builds– some static, but mostly R/C. Plenty of evidence that one can combine fine modeling AND fun operation on the water… or as I like to say, R/C’ers model Form and Function!

Just for fun, I posted images of the SSM covers at RC Groups:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1061340