quo vadis?

[PierreParticipant @pierre]

Hi All

Two weeks ago I was browsing in a second hand bookshop and had the good fortune to stumble on a cache of about thirty Model Boat magazines dating back to the late 60s and early 70s.
Needless to say I grabbed them with glee (they were about 50p each) and have had many enjoyable hours browsing through them.
I was struck by the differences then and now  – this is a trite statement, obviously times have moved on, but  I found the old magazines far more interesting than present day.
The big difference no Ready to Run ,no Almost Ready to Run, virtually no kits. These werent generally available so modellers actually BUILT their models from the hulls up.  The mags were crammed with interesting articles on all sorts of  topics scale, yachting, steam, tugging, fast electrics, hydros, straight running, various methods of construction etc etc.
Every time I receive my latest magazine, Im struck by the proportion of models that are built on a commercially available hull Im  sticking my neck out here, but I reckon the ratio could be as high as 80 per cent. 
Here in the colonies, where our currency is rubbish, we have to build our hulls ourselves is basic hull construction gradually dying out in the UK?  Will the colonies gradually take over the world??
Listening to Eve of Destruction  and buckling on the flak jacket!
Cheers – Pierre
TESTHi All

Two weeks ago I was browsing in a second hand bookshop and had the good fortune to stumble on a cache of about thirty Model Boat magazines dating back to the late 60s and early 70s.
Needless to say I grabbed them with glee (they were about 50p each) and have had many enjoyable hours browsing through them.
I was struck by the differences then and now – this is a trite statement, obviously times have moved on, but I found the old magazines far more interesting than present day.
The big difference no Ready to Run ,no Almost Ready to Run, virtually no kits. These werent generally available so modellers actually BUILT their models from the hulls up. The mags were crammed with interesting articles on all sorts of topics scale, yachting, steam, tugging, fast electrics, hydros, straight running, various methods of construction etc etc.
Every time I receive my latest magazine, Im struck by the proportion of models that are built on a commercially available hull Im sticking my neck out here, but I reckon the ratio could be as high as 80 per cent.
Here in the colonies, where our currency is rubbish, we have to build our hulls ourselves is basic hull construction gradually dying out in the UK? Will the colonies gradually take over the world??
Listening to Eve of Destruction and buckling on the flak jacket!
Cheers – Pierre

[PierreParticipant @pierre]

[PierreParticipant @pierre]

WHOOAAH, sorry, don’t know what happened there, somehow pasted a double entry.

Apologies to the list!!

Pierre

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hi Pierre

Speaking for myself I prefer to build my own hulls as that is the best part of the build. don’t know about the value of your money but ours has fallen through the floor its now worth less than a herbiditian half dong.

 

Paul

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

The model boat hobby is going down the same path as model aircraft!

 

Even the electric car kits have disappeared……………..all you get now is…………………………………..RTR……….or RTS………or RTF

 

But I still make all my hulls…………..the hard way………………….POF every time

 

Old Stickinthemud Bob

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Pierre & Bob

I don’t see the point of RTR except as toys; surely the whole point of modelling is to create something that is individual and to use your skills to the best of your ability.

If the trend for pre-built models continues then the lakeside will become a boring place, mind you the way our economy is going we will all be sailing paper boats made from 2nd hand newspapers.

 

Paul (looking on the brightside)

[PierreParticipant @pierre]

Hi Paul and Bob

 

I tend to agree with both of you- building the hull is definitely the best  part – I feel a huge sense of accomplishment when I’ve finally cut out all the frames and they all fair up (well almost, anyway!). I’ve been forced to switch to balsa planking as it’s about the only cheaply available wood (?) here.  After two layers of epoxy resin, fibre cloth and huge amounts of elbow grease, it’s not too bad.

 

Our currency is currently about 15 to 1 here in SA so you do the maths!!

Cheers -Pierre

 

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Pierre

 

In the UK the current exchange rate is £1 to a rotten fish head.

 

Balsa is very expensive over here….perhaps we should set up an import buisness.

 

Paul

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

 Pierre. A very good point, and no doubt true, driven mainly I should think by the preponderance of MONEY in peoples pockets. Lets face it, everyone has much more money than ever used to be the case. No arguments…car,computer,telly,mobile phone,ordinary phone..etc etc etc. Life is that much “faster” and of course there are more poeple catering for this excess money, namely….model suppliers!!   And after all we are all human, and the ability to buy a nice prefinished hull, and bits,and ready made ESC and all the rest of the paraphanalia that goes with it is too much temptation.  its only evolution.  Me, I like mainly to build all the bits myself, but but I am not immune to the draw of purchasing the odd hull, or even my shiny new Fantome.  Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

 Pierre. A very good point, and no doubt true, driven mainly I should think by the preponderance of MONEY in peoples pockets. Lets face it, everyone has much more money than ever used to be the case. No arguments…car,computer,telly,mobile phone,ordinary phone..etc etc etc. Life is that much “faster” and of course there are more poeple catering for this excess money, namely….model suppliers!!   And after all we are all human, and the ability to buy a nice prefinished hull, and bits,and ready made ESC and all the rest of the paraphanalia that goes with it is too much temptation.  its only evolution.  Me, I like mainly to build all the bits myself, but but I am not immune to the draw of purchasing the odd hull, or even my shiny new Fantome.  Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

whoops,   a

touch of the pierres!

[PierreParticipant @pierre]

Hi Ashley

 

Good Point……………..Life is faster, money more accessible. It’s tempting to buy something ready made, obviously I’ve done the same………I dont build ESCs, motors, computers etc.

But I do like to differentiate between hobbies and pastimes. Hobbies to  me are creative, making something, using your talents to build something to the best of your ability. Pastimes are exactly that, buying something ready made and using it to, well… pass the time.  I’m passionate about reading but I wouldn’t call it a hobby. I love motorbikes but because I don’t fix them  riding them is only a pastime.  I fly kites, but because I make them (yes I sew) I class that as a hobby.

Sorry for the rant, I really dont want to put any one off RTRs, everone to their own, I guess.

Cheers – Pierre

 

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hi Ashley

 

As with everything else in modern life its all to easy……just pick up your mobile phone or log onto the interweb and throw money at the next “shiny” desire.

 

My grown up kids call it bling.

 

I must be getting old because I believe, like Bob, that true model building depends upon doing the work yourself…….knowing that the satisfaction comes from a job well done and not from instant gratification by using a credit card.

 

This does show a trend in our fast paced world of buying another persons skills rather than doing it yourself…………..how long will it be before we run out of skilled people and just become a nation of button pushing, suit wearing spendaholics.

 

Paul…another stick in the mud.

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello Paul

 

I`ve been thinking about what you`ve said about not being abell to power your BarrelBack speedboat……………….mainly the insurance problem………………..er………

 

But what about the powerboat boys that already use this type of engine?

 

Why not join the club?

 

 

Don`t be an old stick in the mud……….Gerrout there!

 

 

Just a early morning thought……………….Bob

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hi Bob

 

I had also thought about the power boat chaps and mentioned this to the insurance company but the problem is the barrel back is a “one off” and very rigid & heavy.

 

The risk is that if control was lost then the model would become a very effective torpedo and could do a lot of damage to full size fiberglass boats on the canal, which is the only place that I could sail as I dont want to travel huge distances to float my boat.

 

The nearest pool would be the large seawater lake next to the Perch rock at New Brighton and I dont fancy competing for pool space with the idiots on jet skis.

 

So its back to electric.

 

Paul

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Perch Rock pool would be ideal………….The lake is hardly used these days?

 

Could you not design your boat to accept both power sources?……..Tricky!…but don`t burn your bridges yet!

 

However you mount the engine, reproduce the mounts and fit the electric motor in it……..you could use two electric motors driving one prop shaft?….eh?

 

Bob

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Food for thought……speaking of which its lunch time..

[Peter FitnessParticipant @peterfitness34857]

The old argument of RTR v kit v scratch built has no definitive answer, it is simply a matter of personal preference. Which route we decide to go down depends on a number of factors, in many cases it is time, or a lack of it. In others it may be an unwillingness to tackle what may seem to be a difficult build, due to a perceived lack of skill.

Personally, I have never bought an RTR model, but I have built 3 kits. However, my preference is scratch building, for a number of reasons – it gives a wider choice of subject and, for me anyway, presents many challenges which I enjoy. How successfully I meet the challenges I will leave to others to judge.

Peter. 

[Andy HustlerParticipant @andyhustler32076]

Gentle men please put the handbags down.Does it really matter what we build our boats with as long as we have fun.In fact i have built a boat from cardboard !!!! wellit’s called mounting board and i reckon i’ve done it for about a tenner ,give or take a few pennys,the cost goes up when you put all the running gear in.Why cant it be cheaper ?? this i’m sure you will all agree on.I’ve used wood from fruit boxes and dowel rods found after rugby and football matches,the wooden stirrers from mac donalds are excellent planks.Gentlemen i put this to you that we are all brothers in this hobby a port of sanity in a mad world .

Yours from a cold wet Cardiff

Andy

[Peter FitnessParticipant @peterfitness34857]

Andy, I put my handbag down some time ago, and now I can’t find it

I’m sure many of us use whatever materials we can, regardless of their origin, and the cheaper the better. Having been a modeller of one kind or another for most of my life, I tend to look at things thinking “How can I use that in my hobby?”

 

I like your analogy “A port of sanity in a mad world”, I’ll file that away in my memory bank for future reference

 

Peter, from a warm and sunny Lennox Head.

Edited By Peter Fitness on 25/03/2009 02:51:36

Edited By Peter Fitness on 25/03/2009 02:52:29

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

“brothers in this hobby, a port of sanity in a mad world “.

 

What a lovely phrase! I like it.

[Author]

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