Repairing Basket case boats !!!

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hi All

One of our club members is more of a collector of model boats !!!

So he ask me to repair a deceased members Cervia tug boat.

So paid me (not a lot) to repair it .

I charged him for my costs, but no time.

So some months later, he arrives with a dam BIG tug boat.

Half pulled apart, no deck frames, it looked like it was at some time ago a kit boat with a fibreglass hull.

It’s a HONG KONG TUG ( KWAI-CHUNG)with twin large brush motors with 70mm 4 blade props in nozzles.

The belt drives were totally past using .

The two frames in the boat did not get to deck level.

So reverse designing frames was interesting !!!!!!

The access to the rudder and servo was totally in the wrong spot, so another mess to fix !!!

I did find some pictures of the real boat and some other of the same company.

Harry

 

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hi All

So on to deck frames !!!!

Harry

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hi All

So a bit of work on the stern deck for access to the rudders and servo.

Harry

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Sometimes there can be more work in a restoration than there is in a new build.  This looks like a good example.

A friend of mine at the club, sadly no longer with us, was given a model that was saved from a skip.  It was in appalling condition but he completely stripped it out, including the very suspect coating inside the hull that could be scrapped out, and made a beautiful model out of it.  I bought it off his wife and sail it in memory of him occasionally.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

There’s no doubt that renovating old things can be time consuming and expensive.

As usual Harry you are doing a Sterling job on this, like all your other refurbs.

Ashley

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hi All

the big bath test at the lauderdale canal !!!

A truck load of lead and a very large 12 pound Sla battery to get the tug to the water line!!!

Also added two 3S Lipo batteries for power !!!

Well one drive totally failled, so only one motor .

So it floats!!!

Harry

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hi All

All bow section,railings and supports also added the pipe insulation to the bow.

New stainless screw eyelets from Aliexpress.

Installed two new drive belts and marine grade greased the shafts.

Getting new names for the tug on the sides and adding the missing name on the stern.

Harry

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hi All

Well that’s the finish of that one !!!!

Next is a Solent Lifeboat 48 x 14 inches !!!

Just wiring with a sound system, railings, a bit of delamenting and broken stern post.

Also cut back the prop shafts which are to long by about 45mm and re-aligment of the motors.

Harry

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hi All

Started on the Lifeboat, it’s that bad !!!

Out with all the wiring including tagging what is what.

Port motor totally out of alignement.

Shafts out and trimmed the whole lot back 45mm, the props were far outside the tunnels.

I must say these little 28mm brushless (1100kv) on 3S Lipo batteries is going to be a interest test in the water.

Harry

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hi All

Just a few more pics.

Harry

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Are you going for independent or simultaneous motor control?

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hi Richard

Just simultaneous motor control, just a Y Lead minus the red wire from the starboard ESC.

Hopefully the turning will be OK with the hole in the keel to direct the water on turning.

Harry

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hi All

So it’s out with the tools, claps, tape and glue.

Also found just the right size dowel for the stern post.

Harry

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hi All

With the stern and bow all finished and 40mm off the prop shafts, I decided to take another 5mm off.

Replaced some ends of the handle rails and reglued some back on.

The port motor is totally out off alignement, so thats next.

The New D rubber arrived, so thats going to be fun removing the old glue !!!!

Replaced the red lights on the wheelhouse, so both are working( only the LED and kept the outer case).

Harry

 

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hi All

Sorry a bit slow on posting updates !!!

Well , I finally finished the lifeboat and did give it a run !!!

Boy Oh boy these little brushless motors are  super powerful !!!

At a third throttle to boat was up to speed and at full power the stern was down to near deck level.

The bow was out of the water!!!

In real size you would be skiing behind the boat !!!

So another one finished onto a tug boat ???

Harry

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hi All

A video clip of the boat on trial day.

The boat was in the 2025 Hobart Wooden Boat Show with three of the four boats I restored.

Harry

[James Hill 5Participant @jameshill5]

Hi Harry,

Been watching your video post. Very enjoyable, especially to see a Pilot boat on there. I’d be interested to know which power unit you used , as I’ve also built one. Mine is a scatch bulit 40″ model pwered by two brushed motors. As yet it hasn’t been in the water , so I was interested to see how yours performed.

Jim.

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hi Jim

I think it’s powered by a single 1250/1450kv 35mm brushless motor on a 3S(11.1volt) Lipo battey.

Harry

[James Hill 5Participant @jameshill5]

Hi Harry, thanks for that. I need to see how mine goes eventually. Brushless I would need to study  as I’ve not been down that route yet.

Jim.

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hi Jim

The only wiring difference is three wires between the ESC and motor.

If the motor spins the wrong way just change two of the wires around(any two) between the motor and ESC.

A lot more power, so changing to Lipo batteries which are lighter than NMIH.

I use Lipo’s in all my boats including the tug and fishing boats with brushed motors.

Harry

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