Billings Kadet

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hi Lads

I bought  the worse Kadet off Flea Bay!!!!

I was one on my bucket list.

So the pictures show how bad it is !!!!

Harry

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Looks like it has been used as a ‘rescue’ boat.

Colin

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hi Colin

Looks like now it requires rescue-ing by far !!!

Saved from a rubbish bin.

I started removing all the bits.

One lot to keep and the other in the bin.

Old vanish over paint with vanish on top on ABS hull to be removed ??

Harry

 

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Old vanish over paint with vanish on top on ABS hull to be removed ??

Could be a problem. Might be best to sand it down and repaint. Paint remover could damage the underlying plastic.

Colin

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hi Colin

Yes, just what I thought !!!

I have tested out scrapping with a knife blade and 80 grit sandpaper.

It works, but it’s going to be a long job.

But I will replace the inner floor and frames plus a few stingers to strenghten up the hull.

Harry

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hi Lads

Replaced the hull frames with new ones and added four stringers to straighten up the hull.

It has a few waves in the bottom of the hull.

Harry

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hi All

Finally glued the deck in, now sanding off the paint with 80 grit sandpaper.

Also started on making a stand for the boat.

Harry

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hi Ewe Guys

Well sanding, sanding with scrapping and more sanding !!!!

I found a boat hull !!!

So next is filling the waves in the bottom of the hull.

Guess what, more sanding !!!

Harry

 

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

HI All

Had to replace part of the sides on the cabin plus the whole front.

Also installed the missing wheelhouse floor.

With a lot of filling and sanding the hull is starting to get back in shape.

I also added chine rails which are a lot easier to add with no deck.

Plus being plastic clamp into place and run the glue along the joint.

When dry remove clamps and add glue to the missed areas.

Interesting working in plastic for the first time !!!!

I did not like the stern hatch, so I made a new one with thin plywood and decked with coffee stir sticks.

Harry

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Well done Harry. You must be the world’s No1 knackered boat restorer!

As usual, good and thorough work, it’s looking better already.

Brushless to go in…?

Ashley

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hi Ashley

I think it’s the most knackered boat that I have ever had a go at by far.

I sold both my Sea Scout and Diva boats without the motors and ESCs.

So one set is going into the Kadet.

28mm 1800kv, 45Amp ESC but only 2S lipo.

I had the Diva on 3S and it got christen the FLYING FLEA !!!

I have a Sea Rover arriving next week.

Looks better than the Kadet.

Harry

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hi All

Well finally some paint on the hull sides !!!

Motor installed and the cabin has a front.

Next up is install the drive line and paint the hull bottom.

Harry

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Well Gentlemen

I am seeing light at the end of the restoration.

I sat a few bits on to see what the boat will look like.

The one piece curved windscreen always fun to make !!!!!!

Matching curved window for the cabin front and easy straight ones for the cabin sides.

I do have the front cabin hand rails, so another problem is making the stern hand railings.

Harry

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hello Gentleman

It’s time to stick a few bits on the boat including the final install of prop and shaft with the rudder.

Harry

 

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Very smart.  There is something particularly satisfying about restoration work.  I probably get more of a buzz out of that than I do a new build.

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Restoration or new builds have their likes and dislikes !!!

It’s restorating the soul back into the boat.

I have a SLEC Sea Commander and a copy of one, but to me it’s not an Aerokits original model.

So my next restoration projectis a Sea Rover in memory of a mate that had one years ago.

I plan on going the same white hull with vanished deck and pale blue roof.

The brush motor and two SLA batteries which powered his are in for an upgrade.

We talk about this before he passed, so it’s brushless with Lipo battery and chine rails.

Harry

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hello All

Started really adding on bits and pieces also found out I missed some !!!

So the mast mainly, so I printed out the Billings page and cut that out.

Scanned it into the laptop and by using the file as a PDF, I resized it to 200% after a few goes.

Looks the right size going on one of the hatches and the steering wheel.

Eight pieces, really, so I used 4mm western red cedar for the main section with 2mm plywood for the rest.

As I am not having wired up lights, I am cutting the wires from LED lights for lights.

I have an old searchlight with no wires, so it looks like that will do.

Harry

[James Hill 5Participant @jameshill5]

When you look at what you started with Harry and what you’ve turned it into.

A really lovely looking model. You should have fun with it.

Jim.

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Very impressive restoration Harry. Let’s see some on the water photos in due course.

Colin

[Roger FugeParticipant @rogerfuge]

What a transformation looks great well done

rog

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Very smart, got a bit of a police launch look about it.

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hi Me Lads

Just finished the boat this afternoon !!!

Only require setting the batteries in place.

Using two 3S 80mm long Lipos (1500mah) because the wheelhouse floor limits a larger standard battery.

Harry

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hi All

Thank you all for your replies.

I ran the boat for the first time and other than moving the battery back a bit the boat run well.

I am not getting full power out of the motor, but has a good scale speed look.

So I had started my next restoration after the boat arrived 10days later.

This one is in better shape, all real wood and Birch plywood !!!!

Harry

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

That looks superb.  Scale speed is good!  There is nothing more sure to make a model boat look like a toy than having it fly around the pond at a ridiculous speed.

[geconParticipant @gecon]

Very nice job Harry. We look foreward to seeing the Sea Rover too.

George

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