Repairing Basket case boats !!!

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Repairing Basket case boats !!!

This topic has 19 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 4 months, 2 weeks ago by harry smith 1.

Viewing 20 posts - 1 through 20 (of 20 total)

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1 February 2025 at 07:02 #124610
harry smith 1
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@harrysmith1
Hi All

One of our club members is more of a collector of model boats !!!

So he ask me to repair a deceased members Cervia tug boat.

So paid me (not a lot) to repair it .

I charged him for my costs, but no time.

So some months later, he arrives with a dam BIG tug boat.

Half pulled apart, no deck frames, it looked like it was at some time ago a kit boat with a fibreglass hull.

It’s a HONG KONG TUG ( KWAI-CHUNG)with twin large brush motors with 70mm 4 blade props in nozzles.

The belt drives were totally past using .

The two frames in the boat did not get to deck level.

So reverse designing frames was interesting !!!!!!

The access to the rudder and servo was totally in the wrong spot, so another mess to fix !!!

I did find some pictures of the real boat and some other of the same company.

Harry
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1 February 2025 at 07:07 #124611
harry smith 1
Participant
@harrysmith1
Hi All

So on to deck frames !!!!

Harry
1 February 2025 at 08:09 #124612
harry smith 1
Participant
@harrysmith1
Hi All

So a bit of work on the stern deck for access to the rudders and servo.

Harry
1 February 2025 at 09:48 #124613
Richard Simpson
Participant
@richardsimpson88330
Sometimes there can be more work in a restoration than there is in a new build. This looks like a good example.

A friend of mine at the club, sadly no longer with us, was given a model that was saved from a skip. It was in appalling condition but he completely stripped it out, including the very suspect coating inside the hull that could be scrapped out, and made a beautiful model out of it. I bought it off his wife and sail it in memory of him occasionally.
1 February 2025 at 10:48 #124614
ashley needham
Participant
@ashleyneedham69188
There’s no doubt that renovating old things can be time consuming and expensive.

As usual Harry you are doing a Sterling job on this, like all your other refurbs.

Ashley
1 February 2025 at 11:45 #124617
harry smith 1
Participant
@harrysmith1
Hi All

the big bath test at the lauderdale canal !!!

A truck load of lead and a very large 12 pound Sla battery to get the tug to the water line!!!

Also added two 3S Lipo batteries for power !!!

Well one drive totally failled, so only one motor .

So it floats!!!

Harry
2 February 2025 at 09:32 #124635
harry smith 1
Participant
@harrysmith1
Hi All

All bow section,railings and supports also added the pipe insulation to the bow.

New stainless screw eyelets from Aliexpress.

Installed two new drive belts and marine grade greased the shafts.

Getting new names for the tug on the sides and adding the missing name on the stern.

Harry
3 February 2025 at 05:06 #124661
harry smith 1
Participant
@harrysmith1
Hi All

Well that’s the finish of that one !!!!

Next is a Solent Lifeboat 48 x 14 inches !!!

Just wiring with a sound system, railings, a bit of delamenting and broken stern post.

Also cut back the prop shafts which are to long by about 45mm and re-aligment of the motors.

Harry
4 February 2025 at 09:17 #124687
harry smith 1
Participant
@harrysmith1
Hi All

Started on the Lifeboat, it’s that bad !!!

Out with all the wiring including tagging what is what.

Port motor totally out of alignement.

Shafts out and trimmed the whole lot back 45mm, the props were far outside the tunnels.

I must say these little 28mm brushless (1100kv) on 3S Lipo batteries is going to be a interest test in the water.

Harry
4 February 2025 at 09:18 #124688
harry smith 1
Participant
@harrysmith1
Hi All

Just a few more pics.

Harry
4 February 2025 at 09:46 #124694
Richard Simpson
Participant
@richardsimpson88330
Are you going for independent or simultaneous motor control?
4 February 2025 at 10:33 #124696
harry smith 1
Participant
@harrysmith1
Hi Richard

Just simultaneous motor control, just a Y Lead minus the red wire from the starboard ESC.

Hopefully the turning will be OK with the hole in the keel to direct the water on turning.

Harry
5 February 2025 at 04:59 #124708
harry smith 1
Participant
@harrysmith1
Hi All

So it’s out with the tools, claps, tape and glue.

Also found just the right size dowel for the stern post.

Harry
7 February 2025 at 08:11 #124715
harry smith 1
Participant
@harrysmith1
Hi All

With the stern and bow all finished and 40mm off the prop shafts, I decided to take another 5mm off.

Replaced some ends of the handle rails and reglued some back on.

The port motor is totally out off alignement, so thats next.

The New D rubber arrived, so thats going to be fun removing the old glue !!!!

Replaced the red lights on the wheelhouse, so both are working( only the LED and kept the outer case).

Harry
9 February 2025 at 10:13 #124720
harry smith 1
Participant
@harrysmith1
Hi All

Sorry a bit slow on posting updates !!!

Well , I finally finished the lifeboat and did give it a run !!!

Boy Oh boy these little brushless motors are super powerful !!!

At a third throttle to boat was up to speed and at full power the stern was down to near deck level.

The bow was out of the water!!!

In real size you would be skiing behind the boat !!!

So another one finished onto a tug boat ???

Harry
9 February 2025 at 10:23 #124721
harry smith 1
Participant
@harrysmith1
Hi All

A video clip of the boat on trial day.

The boat was in the 2025 Hobart Wooden Boat Show with three of the four boats I restored.

Harry
9 February 2025 at 14:10 #124726
James Hill 5
Participant
@jameshill5
Hi Harry,

Been watching your video post. Very enjoyable, especially to see a Pilot boat on there. I’d be interested to know which power unit you used , as I’ve also built one. Mine is a scatch bulit 40″ model pwered by two brushed motors. As yet it hasn’t been in the water , so I was interested to see how yours performed.

Jim.
9 February 2025 at 22:54 #124738
harry smith 1
Participant
@harrysmith1
Hi Jim

I think it’s powered by a single 1250/1450kv 35mm brushless motor on a 3S(11.1volt) Lipo battey.

Harry
10 February 2025 at 11:24 #124741
James Hill 5
Participant
@jameshill5
Hi Harry, thanks for that. I need to see how mine goes eventually. Brushless I would need to study as I’ve not been down that route yet.

Jim.
10 February 2025 at 12:08 #124748
harry smith 1
Participant
@harrysmith1
Hi Jim

The only wiring difference is three wires between the ESC and motor.

If the motor spins the wrong way just change two of the wires around(any two) between the motor and ESC.

A lot more power, so changing to Lipo batteries which are lighter than NMIH.

I use Lipo’s in all my boats including the tug and fishing boats with brushed motors.

Harry
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