Advice greatly appreciated

[Andi LloydParticipant @andilloyd78844]

Hello, last weekend I bought my first boat from a house clearance chap.

I will describe what I think I have-

Fairy Huntsman 31 hull, 44″ in ply. Comparisons with others appears to be complete.

Merco 61 engine, can feel compression when turned by hand, shafting to prop appears sound. Throttle rod not connected but present.cooling and fuel system appears fine.

Radio gear is a boxed WaltRon 2 consisting of controller, aerial and small 3″ black electrical bot with 4 plug wire and white disc on top.

The rudder is missing.

I live in Torbay and grew up here in the 70s so have a passion for the cowes-Torquay powerboats. This is why I bought the hull, however I now really want to get this beautiful old lady working again.

My initial questions are these

1. Can I replace the rudder with the one sold for the current model?

2. Bearing in mind the kit fitted, would it be best to try to get what I have working or strip out r/c for more modern kit. My gut feeling is to keep as is, is there any info out there on setting this up?

3. Any thoughts on what I am looking at (constantly). The chap I bought it off knew little about her.

Any help greatly appreciated.

Regards
Andi

[Andi LloydParticipant @andilloyd78844]

Fairey Huntsman 31

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

Andi

Strange though it may seem, the bloke who designed the original Huntsman kit is a member of this very forum…………….it's me, although I'm no longer the shy and callow 20-year old I was then!

If the motor feels like it will run then there should be no problem except finding somewhere you can operate it. Many local authorities have banned IC engines because of noise and pollution.

I would not recommend retaining the old Waltron 27MHz gear. Even in its day it wasn't a brilliant radio and a new set of 2-channel 40MHz or 2.4GHz radio with two servos will cost you less than the Waltron cost in 1972.

If you send me your regular E-Mail address by Private Message then I can send you a PDF copy of the original plan. You can check on the rudder size from that drawing, although it's not critical. We used a stock Ripmax rudder; I think SHG Marine Models made them – and still do.

Dave Milbourn

[Dodgy Geezer 1Participant @dodgygeezer1]

I might point out that the Waltron will probably fetch more on ebay as a vintage radio than a new 2.4Ghz radio will cost – vintage radios are worth good money.  The same applies to the Merco if you want to go electric…

Edited By Dodgy Geezer on 06/10/2015 14:28:38

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

DG. You are a canny chap to be sure. Dead right, selling these items might fund the refitting of the boat !!

DM. shy and callow?? really??

Ashley

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

Ashley

Which bit of "20 year old" did you not understand? 1972 was a long time ago, m'duck, but irony is timeless.

Edward Heath was PM; "Leila" was top of the charts; a new Ford Escort Mk1 was about £750 and Waltron 2 channel radios were about £60 (or £45 in kit form). I built one and also one of their 4-channel sets, then Mr Futaba stepped up and introduced the world to his 4-channel 'everything-in-the-box' set for £125.

Eee, by 'eck – them were t'days!

Dave M (Older, wiser and infinitely more sad…….)

[Andi LloydParticipant @andilloyd78844]

Thanks for the helpful advice, particularly Dave M,

Have decided to change out the radio in favour of reliability on the water, will bench test the waltron once I have new servos etc. just to see and work on trying the Merco for now…curiosity.

Am retaining all the bits with the boat as they do go well together, possibly work and smell great!, which is more than can be said about the well used mk1 escort I once had …phewee, sure that became razor blades years ago.

Andi

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Dave M (Older certainly, wiser not sure and infinitely more sad absolutely……) but shy and callow??

Eee, by 'eck – 3 day week, power cuts, petrol rationing, food shortages….yes them were t'days.

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

Paul

They certainly were. We were all very different at that age. You were what? About twelve? Possibly even a tad sly shy and shallow callow yourself?

Andi

From memory, Waltron servos ran from a centre-tapped battery (2.4v each way) and so had four wires, while all modern proportional servos have only three. You won't therefore be able to test the radio without the corresponding servos.
Also from memory, the smell of stale glow-fuel reminded me of the stairwells in a multi-storey car park. Ugh!
Please ignore the assorted jibes and miscellaneous persiflage from my 'colleagues' Messrs Thomason and Needham – they may know a lot about model boats but they have absolutely no sense of irony.

Dave M

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hello Dave

I know about irony….Jane uses one to smooth out creases.

I know exactly what you mean about the smell of old glow fuel…..I have a couple of gallons in the shed which are well past their sell by dates and I am dreading the prospect of having to dispose of them.

I was 13 in 1972 and far from shy or callow.

Sorry about the chaffing…I will prescribe some ointment for you.

Paul

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Paul. Council recycling centre should have an oil disposal cache to put old glow fuel in.

. I do "extreme ironing" as a sport, cant beat it.

Ashley

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

I know about irony….Jane uses one to smooth out creases.

I do "extreme ironing" as a sport, cant beat it.

QED.

[BanjomanParticipant @banjoman]

Irony = ressembling or of a quality like iron?!?

/Mattias

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

That would be 'ferrous', which is an adjective. 'Irony' is a noun and has nothing to do with iron or ironing. The clearest definition I have found of the word is thus:

The expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect.

So now we all know, don't we?

DM

[Dodgy Geezer 1Participant @dodgygeezer1]

Posted by Dave Milbourn on 07/10/2015 10:46:33:

…

Edward Heath was PM; "Leila" was top of the charts; a new Ford Escort Mk1 was about £750 and Waltron 2 channel radios were about £60 (or £45 in kit form). I built one and also one of their 4-channel sets………

Around '71 I had save up enough to get one of the new breed of 2-channel proportionals – a World Engines Digit Midget. Happy days!

There are a few of us who still hanker after the freedom, unpredictability and mechanical complexity of the early days – you can find a lot of nostalgia here – **LINK**

[BanjomanParticipant @banjoman]

Thus, instead of describing a character as fishy, one ought call him or her ichtyous? …

On a (slightly) more serious note, I rather suspect that we all know what irony means (although, admittedely, this does not necessarily equate with recognising it even were it to bite one's posterior); however, irony is not the only way in which language can be used for humorous effect. Wilful misunderstanding or misconstruction — such as choosing to interpret a noun with an ending common to adjectives as though it were an adjective — can also be used to this end. Not necessarily with great success (or any at all for that matter), but still.

Finally, I should perhaps also confess that that the irony = ferrous "joke" is one that I've shamelessly borrowed from Sir Terry Pratchett, whose work I greatly admire. He used it rather better than I (there's a surprise for ya!), and, in my view, most decidedly to humorous effect.

/Mattias

Edited By Banjoman on 08/10/2015 10:36:29

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

DG

Thanks for the 'vintage' link. You've made a happy man feel very old!

Mattias

Wilful misunderstanding or misconstruction — …………. — can also be used to this end. Not necessarily with great success (or any at all for that matter)

Quite.

DM

[Dodgy Geezer 1Participant @dodgygeezer1]

Posted by Banjoman on 08/10/2015 10:23:41:

Thus, instead of describing a character as fishy, one ought call him or her ichtyous? …

On a (slightly) more serious note, I rather suspect that we all know what irony means (although, admittedely, this does not necessarily equate with recognising it even were it to bite one's posterior); however, irony is not the only way in which language can be used for humorous effect. Wilful misunderstanding or misconstruction — such as choosing to interpret a noun with an ending common to adjectives as though it were an adjective — can also be used to this end. Not necessarily with great success (or any at all for that matter), but still.

……

I'm sure we are all so well acquainted with Sir William Empson's master work of literary criticism which covers this phenomenon – "Seven Types of Ambiguity" – that it hardly needs any further reference. However, since this is in the 'Beginners' section, perhaps I ought to provide a wiki link. **LINK**

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Definition of Irony

“Sort of like iron.”…… “When you get hit on the head with it, you know it.”

Terry Pratchett

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

I made a self-deprecating remark, and the forum's clever-dicks decided to jump onto the bandwagon and ride it until the wheels fall off.

O well spotted, you! My sides are splitting and my ribs are cracking. If I don't stop laughing so hard I'm sure I'll burst.

Now please can we return to Andi's Huntsman? The poor man must be wondering what part of Bedlam he's wandered innocently into.

DM

[BanjomanParticipant @banjoman]

Dave,

Point taken. Apologies, in particular to Andi for my part in hi-jacking his thread.

/Mattias

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Fair point

Andi this clever dick also apologises for hi-hacking your thread.

On a serious note will you be running your boat in the sea?

Paul

Edited By Paul T on 08/10/2015 15:06:05

[Andi LloydParticipant @andilloyd78844]

Apologies really not necessary have enjoyed the banter,history lessons et al along the way. I like mayhem.

Paul, running the boat at sea would be a option, surrounded by water here both sea and fresh. Would certainly be a way to get round the local authority bans on the glow engine, I know that they are not mentioned in Marpol!
I also have a sit on kayak with a big tank well from which to deploy, chase if necessary and recover.

Clearly corrosion may be a bigger issue than with fresh water, If all was thoroughly cleaned and protected is this viable?

Dave, plans printed rudder ordered and linkages replaced. There are 5 wires coming out of each red servo on the board but looks like a third 3 wire has been prepped, it’s hanging out of the receiver and a spare servo is in the box.

Off to get some batteries to see what happens. Will let you know.

Andi

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hi Andi

Speaking for myself, if going for IC, I would avoid using a glow engine and opt for a small 2 stroke unit instead, they are easier to maintain, easier to start and don't stall as often.

Salt water corrosion can be an issue but if you flush the system out with fresh water after every seawater sailing then there wont be a problem.

If you want to sail on boating lakes aswell as the sea then its a case of fitting the best electric motor that you can afford, I would plump for twin shafts and a pair of MFA 800's.

Good luck with the build and we will all be happy to answer any questions………….don't worry about being a victim of the banter as we tend to reserve that for the most senior members.

Paul

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