Destroyer!

[NoelParticipant @noel26080]

Here is a lovely old Destroyer that I was lucky enough to pick up on ebay recently.

The gentleman I purchased it from had acquired it in a poor state and re-built it from the deck upwards. He also had a handful of old box-brownie sized snapshots of it in it's original form (which was not dissimilar to its rebuilt state).

On the back on one photo it is written "HMS Thunder", so I intend that that shall be her name! Although I have not found any documented Destroyer or similar sized vessel ever named this.

The hull is from a single carved piece of timber and is quite a nice shape.

Only had about 1 minute of time on the water before the UJ came loose on the prop, but it went well. There was an action electronics Destoyer siren with it that I just need to connect up.

Whoop whoooop!

[NoelParticipant @noel26080]

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Is that the mascot on the shelf???

​Can confirm, very nice boat. Hewn from a single mighty oak (possibly) and finished to a good standard. A few additions and it will look really nice.

Notr to Noel: check your nuts before sailing….

Ashley

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

HI Ashley

Always check you grub screws and nuts and keep them dry!!!

Harry

[NoelParticipant @noel26080]

He he, didn't notice the dog sneaking into shot. He is very easy to look after, just requires AA batteries.

I can't work out if this is really a Destroyer or a Sloop or something, but it looks more Destroyer-ish to me.
I am going to make the turrets rotate (once the important stuff is done like a prop that actually turns), and add some signal flags.

One thing that strikes me is the depth charge rack at the stern prevents an ensign being flown… would a vessel such as this have a second mast of some kind toward the stern for such a purpose?

Noel.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Probably not a mast as such, just a pole for the ensign I would have thought.

​Ashley

[Kev.WParticipant @kev-w]

It would be flown from an ensign staff attached to the rear of the mainmast, or the second mast if fitted.

Ensign staffs were also fitted to the left of centre at the stern if they could not be mounted on the centre line.

**LINK**

[Kev.WParticipant @kev-w]

My tug shows how an ensign staff is located on the main mast, albiet for a red ensign in this case.

[NoelParticipant @noel26080]

Thank you.

Ensign staff on the port side I think, that seems simplest.

[NoelParticipant @noel26080]

Here's a couple of snaps that came with it of it's original configuration.

It had a lot more AA armament and twin turrets all round, still its current guise suits me as there's lots of scope to add bits, and its kind of in-keeping with my modelling capabilities!

[NoelParticipant @noel26080]

Next thing was trying to get to the bottom of the leak that caused quite a bit of water to come in during its brief trial on Sunday.

 

I put a plastic washer/collar on the propshaft as this should stop anything coming up the tube:

 

I then floated it in a paddling pool for about 20 minutes, and lo and behold there was a small puddle form towards the bow/midships:

There was a bit of step here, and a couple of what looked like old screw holes, so I painted it with PVA:

 

 

I still couldn't work out why so much had come in on Sunday, then I realised the anchor ports on the bow are not just cosmetic, and I recalled the bow wave being so pronounced it reached up past them. So that accounts for why it was so wet inside.

 

 

 

Anyway this morning I thought I'd better check if the PVA coat had solved the static leak, so I removed all electrical items and filled the vessel with water.

After 20 minutes or so there was no significant leak from the prop tube (good), or anywhere else – but there was this seepage and a small puddle on the worktop from what I thought was a cosmetic crack in the bow:

 

So there it is. What is the best way to seal this up without major re-finishing?

Ashley you spoke of eeze-kote? Would that do the trick?

 

Thanks for all the help so far.

 

Noel.

Edited By Noel on 26/07/2017 12:09:43

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

This product is used on full size boats to seal hairline cracks:

**LINK**

Also known as Captain Tolley's Creeping Crack Cure:

**LINK**

Are you going to repaint the hull to cover up the crack?

Coin

[NoelParticipant @noel26080]

This looks just the stuff, I will look into it.

Was not intending to repaint the hull as it looks good as is. That's what I was hoping to avoid!

Thanks yo

[Trevor HollowayParticipant @trevorholloway99134]

Noel,

If the outside of the hull can take "Scotch tape" (less sticky residue than Sellotape) without damage you could seal the outside and apply the sealer inside.

Look forward to seeing it at the pond.

[NoelParticipant @noel26080]

Will try that too if the Tolley's crack cure isn't available.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Hmm.. assuming it goes all the way through (and it might be quite thin there) I would scrape the crack out a bit, drip superglue in the crack and then fill. You will presumably have to a re-paint that bit in any case.

​Ashley

[NoelParticipant @noel26080]

Will try the tolley crack cure. Will do an amazon order, should have it tomorrow.

Also got a new UJ so hopefully no more propulsion failures!
Am trying out a smaller prop too as it did seem a little over powered and we can't have the bow wave washing in through the anchor pipes again.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

I like the creeping crack cure ! just the thing if you don't want to repaint.

​Overpowered !!!! At Bushy park…is there such a thing???

​Ashley

[Trevor HollowayParticipant @trevorholloway99134]

No such thing as too much power, there are no mamby pamby fast electric prohibitions at Bushey Park.

[NoelParticipant @noel26080]

If the crack cure doesn't work, then I might "plank over" the crack with some thin sheet I have, then draw rivets around the edge and call it patched battle damage!!

I guess there is no such thing as too much poke, but will be interesting to see if the smaller prop (formerly on the tugboat) gives it enough speed without overdoing it wave-wise.

I got a bit carried away last night after refitting the electronics, and mounted a servo under the rear turret. It now moves though the 90degree arc of a standard servo. Front two turrets will be a bit trickier but I couldn't resist the quick win of the rear one.
Can you get servos that do about 180-270 degrees, without going all the way to sailing winch multi-turn ones?

Not sure when I will next be down at Bushey park as have visitors this Sunday, then a couple of weeks away camping after that..

Noel.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Cycle race on Sunday causing havoc, so it will be difficult to get to the park. No boating.

​The crack stuff should work, but if you are able/willing to repaint a bit then the superglue/filler method is easy and cheap. Ashley

[NoelParticipant @noel26080]

Crack cure applied and it filled up after about 3 applications.

Test it out tomorrow and see if that did the trick.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

The water wont make the edges of the crack wet will it ?and expand the wood making/opening up the crack again/a bit more??

​Ashley

[NoelParticipant @noel26080]

 

Tried it out this morning. Forward area completely dry after 40 mins on water.

Bit of water around propshaft area but nothing much.

Thanks for the tip. Really good stuff!

 

 

Edited By Noel on 30/07/2017 21:27:32

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

It is a very thin resin Ashley so should do the job OK.

Colin

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