After Triton

[Steve Walker 1Participant @stevewalker1]

I am in the process of completing a Triton with another to follow. I must admit I am becoming quite enthused by boats as a hobby and am already thinking about what the next step should be. However, at this stage, I don't want to shell out pots of money and a boxed kit doesn't really excite me.

Looking at past beginner topics and pics it looks like the sort of thing I should aim for next is something like the UTE which was a free plan in 2013(?). Free plan is attractive but probably 'simple' is my greater need. It seems that RC is also the way I have to go.

Can you suggest a simple model with a ply hull rather than balsa and a simple drive system that won't use up all my pocket money. Not worried about size or type but my granddaughter will be driving it so it will get bashed about.

Thanks, Steve.

[Steve Walker 1Participant @stevewalker1]

[Dodgy Geezer 1Participant @dodgygeezer1]

The classic would probably be a 'Springer'. I think the original plans come from here: **LINK**

Springers are simple 'square' boats, made of ply, very robust, with a huge variety of different superstructures. Fun boats.

The EeZebilt 50+ series would still be cheap, and can be made with hull skins in ply – but they are really intended for teaching people to build rather than being robust.

Many modern boat kits use fibreglass hulls, and you could also buy such a hull and put your own superstructure on. But that's starting to cost a bit…

[Steve Walker 1Participant @stevewalker1]

Thanks Dodgy,

I am getting a bit ahead of myself but have already discovered that I have to plan what I need as I can save the cost of a boat in postage by sorting out my orders ahead of time.

I have had a good look around and think that one of the 50+'s is the way to go. They look more like boats than the Skipper. I still have lots of balsa left, most of it soft, now I know that there's a difference, and I'm not too precious about the build. As you say I will learn a bit more about building boats before deciding if it's really something I want to improve at. The PT boat is the favourite because there is quite a bit to finishing it, and there are pictures!

What is the appropriate thickness of ply for the hull and indeed what type of ply? I presume a sharp knife still works but what's the best glue for ply to balsa? Could I reinforce the bow with a solid bit of balsa or is there no need?

Can I buy a complete RC kit for this online or do I have to buy, or is it better to buy, separate components?

Regards, Steve

[Dodgy Geezer 1Participant @dodgygeezer1]

Hmm…. quite a lot to consider there!

There are lots of ways to get into model boating, of course – and it's probably worth waiting for a few more people to come round with their ideas and advice!

In (what I think is) your position, I would not be looking at specific boats at the moment. I'd be looking at the local facilities and where I might be able to sail the boat – and then making a choice accordingly. Are you up in the Hebrides? Lots of quite big lakes up there, and it can get quite windy – you might find a high-sided boat like the Sea Princess more suitable for those conditions? And bigger boats are easier to work on if you're installing radio – the PT boat can be quite fiddly. Then, again, if you print out the A4 plans on A3, you automatically go up a size…

The classic wooden boats in the UK were the old 'Aerokit' range – these were made with bulkheads in 1/8" or 5/32" birch resin-bonded ply and skinned in 1/16" ply. Keels might be 1/4" ply for the bigger ones. This is often called 'Marine' to distinguish it from 'Lite-Ply', which is poplar-based, and not waterproof, and good for planes. Here are a couple of links to good suppliers:

**LINK**

**LINK**

There is a wide selection of sheet modelling materials. You can get Obechi, Basswood, Balsa, Ply, various veneers, MDF, Spruce – and that's just some of the woods. You can get ABS, Styrene, Depron, Acrylic, Fibreglass/Carbon fibre and Correx – some of the plastics. And then there's metals… Each of these have particular qualities, different ways of cutting, joining, gluing and finishing… Really, it's best to find a place which stocks a lot of them and have a look yourself. Here is a link to an architectural model supplier in London that you can browse to get an idea of materials available:

**LINK**

As you go to bigger boats and harder materials, you will need better cutting/sanding capability, and probably different glues. 1/16"/1.5mm Lite-Ply is fairly easy to cut with a good modelling knife, but for 1/16" Birch ply you really need a Stanley. By the time you get to 1/8" and 1/4", you need a fretsaw. Balsa cement will not work so well on less absorbent surfaces – you need to be thinking about waterproof PVA, Aliphatic or Epoxy.

There should be no need to reinforce any of the 50+ bows – they are actually quite strong, and will be even better with 1/6" Lite-Ply (properly sealed) skins. If you are looking to make them somewhat bigger, you might need to add extra bulkheads to provide more support to the sides and hull bottom – See Steve Heward's double-sized Triton at the bottom of this page: **LINK**

Radio has a separate page on the EeZeBilt site – **LINK** – but many of the links are outdated. That should kick off a discussion all of its own – the two camps respectively support more costly but better made reliable equipment, or the cheap-as-chips kit from China – less well-made, but with no support if it goes wrong….

For the small EeZeBilts I am firmly in the 'cheap' camp, particularly if someone is just trying out the hobby. If there is a club nearby you can always get advice and practice there before buying, but I'm guessing that you are on your own? What I would do in your position is buy a cheap 2.4Ghz 2-function radio from Hobby-King or somewhere similar – here's an example: **LINK**

You usually buy radios as a Transmitter/Receiver combo and then add a servo (for the rudder) and an Electronic Speed Control (ESC) for the motor separately. Small servos are a few pounds – the ESC you need will depend on the motor you want to buy.

Well – that set of advice ought to ruffle a few feathers – what do other people think?

[Steve Walker 1Participant @stevewalker1]

I am in North Bragar, on the west side of Lewis, and have so far been unable to trace other builders. Interested to find out if anyone knows of any. Given that we are surrounded by sea there must be some.

Lots of interesting points, ie I hadn't even thought about the simple printing from A4 to A3, never mind the details of wood and glues.

My general thinking was to have a 'play around' (if that's an acceptable phrase for modellers) through this summer, using my granddaughter as an excuse for failures, with a view to being able to start a winter project of a 'proper' model boat. In my first attempts though I would like to be preparing to build a larger heavier boat so I don't want to be mean but at the same time I don't want to spend money on stuff I will never use. I am already struck by the difficulties some beginners like me seem to get into with complicated kits. In common with all forums, I find it a bit difficult to sort out the wheat from the chaff and discussions always go off on a tangent at some point. I was struggling with the RC. Must be thick! After reading a couple of paragraphs in most my brain had turned to mush. Your sentence has cleared up the concept.

As you say, there's lots of big water here and the boundary of my croft is a river, but also lots of lochans and pools that the girls play in. Just the job on a nice day for a shipwreck!

[Andy CParticipant @andyc56856]

Hi Steve

I was (am) in the the same boat (ha ha) as you. I have a large selection of plans that came fee with magazines over the years. Too many to build in fact. A couple of good ones you could try are fro Paul Thomason. There is a huge thread on here about the build of Ellie, a broads cruiser. The hull is basically the same, but makes three models, the broads cruiser, a sports cruiser and a torpedoe boat. Plans available from Paul after a donation to his charity. The good thing about Ellie is the thread answers pretty much all the build questions along the way.

Andy

[Steve Walker 1Participant @stevewalker1]

Thanks Andy, although I made a terrible mistake in having a look at the Ellie thread at 10pm last night. I had just become a member of the small group of breast hook enthusiasts when I thought I'd better look at the last post to see how many pages there were as more just kept appearing. Oh dear… I will however carry on as I'm learning rather a lot which will help me decide what to do over the winter. Not the least of those considerations will be working space. Clearly the dining room table will no longer suffice. Can't decide whether to move my beloved Land Rover and Fergie into my sons garage but looks like I will have to.

The other sensible consideration too is a band saw so I will look into that over the next couple of months. I think it looks as if it's more important to get the outside cuts exact and the inside cuts tidy, rather than the other way around.

Also good to learn more about glues. Didn't realise for instance that some of the glue I have in the garage might disintegrate in a leak. Doesn't really matter in my daily life but a model boat is a bit different I guess.

Cheers, Steve

[Andy CParticipant @andyc56856]

Learning is ha.f the fun, a bit of a battle sometimes, but worth it when it burns out ok. The good thing about this forum is the number of genuine people with a wealth of experience and always ready to chip in. If in doubt, shout. Someone will hear and answer.

Liking forward to seeing what you build.

Andy

[Dodgy Geezer 1Participant @dodgygeezer1]

Posted by Steve Walker 1 on 11/03/2016 09:12:34:

…….I had just become a member of the small group of breast hook enthusiasts when I thought I'd better look at the last post to see how many pages there were as more just kept appearing. Oh dear… I will however carry on as I'm learning rather a lot which will help me decide what to do over the winter. Not the least of those considerations will be working space. Clearly the dining room table will no longer suffice. …….

Ah – it looks like my work here is done – another one hooked on the hobby! But EeZeBilts on the kitchen table still provide some of the best memories…

If your granddaughter wants to get involved you could cut out the shapes of an EeZeBilt for her to glue up – that's very much what a die-cut kit is like. I would suggest something like the Sea Princess – big enough to carry a doll figure to add interest to her sailing. A cheap radio could be passed down to her if she gets interested…

[Steve Walker 1Participant @stevewalker1]

I'm ahead of you here Dodgy, Ava is 6 so I'm not letting her near the knife. Grandma would kill me at the thought of it. Parts will be all ready for her to glue. I've stuck to the Triton because it is a bit bigger for podgy fingers and the one I made up will give her an idea of what it's supposed to look like. I have reduced the number of windows and am also going to paint up some window scenes, ie curtains on spare balsa and glue them on as reinforcements. They are the bits most likely to get crushed. The rest should be okay but if we lose a tab here or there it won't really matter.

However, having fitted my wee motor and giving it the full 6v it sounds like 40 cats in boiling water. I don't remember my one making that racket in 1962! My tube or shaft must have a wee kink that's being amplified by the nice hollow hull.

I'm a bit more comfortable with the idea of RC but have no idea how big or small things are. Andy seemed to have a bit of difficulty putting RC into his one so, question of the day:

Is there something available that would let me put RC into the Triton and then use the same bits, or most of them, in a 50+ which I would like to build next. By then I am confident that my Tritons will be wrecked by a 4 year old and a 6 year old, or at least unseaworthy, and I will be considering a full winter project.

It also seems that RC companies come and go, builders swop this for that and the combinations seem endless. It does seem to me though that the senior members of the forum all seem to consider what system they are going to use before they even start a build. If I wanted to build 5 X 36" boats over the next 5 years is there a solid transmitter/receiver available that I should build on as my understanding is that the other bits just make things move. Maybe I should just ask which maker is likely to be in business in 10 rears? Or, are there just too many variables to make this a silly question to ask.

Next on the production line –

[Steve Walker 1Participant @stevewalker1]

I should say I am mindful of your earlier suggestion re a controller. I am also reading the comprehensive article by Dave on RC but each time I click on a pic to enlarge it I jump out of the thread then have to start again.

I am really I suppose looking to the future and thinking that if there is a good solid base to start with that is likely to last a number of years I would probably just go for it. Cheers, Steve

[Dodgy Geezer 1Participant @dodgygeezer1]

However, having fitted my wee motor and giving it the full 6v it sounds like 40 cats in boiling water. I don't remember my one making that racket in 1962! My tube or shaft must have a wee kink that's being amplified by the nice hollow hull.

You might just be revving very fast. Was that out of water? How big is your prop? Bigger props will rev lower and quieter…

I'm a bit more comfortable with the idea of RC but have no idea how big or small things are. Andy seemed to have a bit of difficulty putting RC into his one so, question of the day:

Is there something available that would let me put RC into the Triton and then use the same bits, or most of them, in a 50+ which I would like to build next. By then I am confident that my Tritons will be wrecked by a 4 year old and a 6 year old, or at least unseaworthy, and I will be considering a full winter project.

The original EeZeBilts are small, and never designed for radio. You CAN put radio into them – you can put it in smaller boats – but it's hard when there isn't much space to play with. You are much better off with a boat of 20"- 30" (like the 50+ range, which was why I designed it!). Look at the Radio section of the web-site. I will update the links…**LINK**

It also seems that RC companies come and go, builders swop this for that and the combinations seem endless. It does seem to me though that the senior members of the forum all seem to consider what system they are going to use before they even start a build. If I wanted to build 5 X 36" boats over the next 5 years is there a solid transmitter/receiver available that I should build on as my understanding is that the other bits just make things move. Maybe I should just ask which maker is likely to be in business in 10 rears? Or, are there just too many variables to make this a silly question to ask.

I would buy a cheap set to learn the concepts with, after which you can hand it down to your granddaughter, and buy a better one with some knowledge. But others' opinions will differ…

[Steve Walker 1Participant @stevewalker1]

Sorry Dodgy, I had forgotten you had this page for RC in the 50+'s. My head has been Milbourn'ed!

I hope the next post will include a pic of my Triton fleet and something bigger.

Thanks, Steve

[Author]

Posts