Todays Boating

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

/Chris, good question to which I have no answer.

BUT I would have though it would be less efficient than a "normal" motor and prop setup.?

Paul T may have an opinion as he has used these pumps as well.

This is the third boat using the pumps, the other two use the pump buried in the hull and the water is ducted out, as this is how the originals were configured, but on the saucer this was by far and away the easiest and cheapest way to power it, plus the outlet was fairly central which I wanted in order to get the manoeuvrability.

Trevor made a speedboat hull to accommodate a 3700 GPH pump and that goes ok, with lots of whoosh out the back, but its heavy for the thrust and possibly three 1100GPH pumps may have delivered more considering the much lesser weight. But unless you build one….?

Ashley

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Chris

I used these pumps in a tug, they were great for vectored steering and for additional thrust but they couldn't compete with thrust compared with the main motors.

[Chris EParticipant @chrise]

Paul T

That is quite some drive system that you have got there!

I expected that they would not be very efficient but if you don't ask……………

Chris

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hi Chris

The pumps are quite efficient and a single unit can move 1.3 litres p/second, if the outlet nozzle is restricted down to 15mm you can achieve a very good thrust, This type of propulsion is used in some bait boats

I used them for tight steering as the vectored nozzles were far more effective than traditional props and bow thrusters.

However the combined forward thrust of the combined props and pumps was very impressive and was capable of towing my friends 9 ton canal boat.

Paul

[Chris EParticipant @chrise]

Paul

I can well believe that they work well as thrusters.

Some bilge pumps can have the complete waterproof motor unit removed from the housing and connected directly to a normal prop – making an azipod. The whole lot can then be used as a underwater steerable drive system. The underwater ROV crowd used them.

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Chris

I have often thought of building an ROV for cistern inspections but still haven't got around to it.

This photo is from LINK Tech Monkey Business

Paul

Edited By Paul T on 20/07/2021 13:59:31

[Chris EParticipant @chrise]

Thats it although the ones that I knew about had a rather more streamlined motor housing than that..

There are now lots of thrusters on ebay although I know nothing about how well they work nor how waterproof they are.

Edited By Chris E on 20/07/2021 15:59:03

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Interesting finding these alternatives.

New boat painted. Mirror finish all round. Excellent. Let it harden for a few days before applying lining and so forth.

Underneath painted in black gloss oil paint to avoid any issues with spray and foam. This is the chine essentially and is sort of unseen, however the oil paint is very glossy.

I am almost afraid to touch it as my fingers always seen to be sweaty and oily in this heat.

Ashley.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Will it won’t it rain tomorrow?. Wait and see.

Saucer article looked very good thanks Richard (the graphics man) and obv Lindsey.

its a fact of life that the people who moan most do the most posting on sites…trip advisor or whatever, and I almost detect a sort of apology in the editorial column for having the UFO on the cover. Doubtless Mr Angry who couldn’t see the value of the Walrus will be having fits at seeing something so alien to his tastes in the mag. But was the saucer the only oddity in the entire mag?. I think so?

But let me assure you all.. THERE IS PLENTY MORE where that came from ! Oh yes!

Saying anything in the mag is of course talking to the converted, modellers buy the thing, not someone who, scanning the shelves thinks “ooo a flying saucer I’ll buy that publication.

The pond audience is exactly where the arrow of interest needs to be aimed. They love the Pirates. minions, Woody, croc, Saucer….Barbies (later geezers). If only radio gear was much cheaper I am sure we could flog loads of…things….to the kids, but it’s too dear. Even the cheapest built boat would take £100 to get in the water if you were a brand new owner (gear, batt, batt charger alone at least £60).

Ashley (aligning Dilithium Crystal as I post)

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

I think it only fair to point out that when it comes to realism, there has been a non flying walrus in the Scilly Isles for the last couple of weeks…

Colin

[Chris EParticipant @chrise]

I enjoy your weird builds Ashley.

The magazine content will always be contraversial. The name "model boats" means different things to different prople. Yachts, warships, lifeboats, fast models etc all have their advocates and then we divide those into detail ehthusiasts (including static modellers) as opposed to less demanding scale modellers. My father regarded anything less than around 50in as a toy whilst I increasingly like small models.etc etc. An ever growing contingent are RTR model boaters, some only buy kits whilst others are scratch builders. Judging by forums bait boats are important as well!! Add to all that the range from beginner to expert.

To cram all that lot into around 50 pages of content takes some doing.

At least part of the trick must be to include articles that the majority will enjoy reading. That is where your articles come in. They raise a smile and are very welcome. I am not about to build a flying saucer but I am delighted that you did.

The are occasionally articles that I just wonder how they ever got included – there was one in the July issue (not from Ashley).

 

Edited By Chris E on 25/07/2021 09:32:40

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Yes, I know the one.

Saucer looked really good today as the sky was grey and the water was dark. Probably the best the lights have looked! The top secret projects have lights but are virtually unseen in any sort of sun, but would look good at a show or summit.

 Ashley

Edited By ashley needham on 25/07/2021 17:58:37

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Been busy on eBay today. Ordered lettering for the new boat, in a sort of 50’s American custom style font. And some clear shrink wrap to re-do the Nimh packs I have repaired.

Why is it I have not thought of battery sized shrink wrap before eh?

Sellotape just does not work on packs, it looks horrible and unless you put 10 layers on, does not hold the packs tight. I can also re-cover some of the other packs while I am at it.

ALSO, realised I missed a trick with the saucer lights.. Terror fish has internal coloured lights courtesy of a Xmas light string…so easy…and I could have used same on saucer rather than faff around with separate leds. I could have got one of the ones that does sequences and has all sorts of effects, and how easy would that have been? Self contained, ready wired. I am kicking myself (figuratively speaking)

Ashley

Edited By ashley needham on 26/07/2021 13:03:26

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Sellotape also comes apart when wet!

As regards the Christmas lights that is a pretty good idea, as you say sequencing is already programmed in and you can buy them in a wide range of colours and lengths.  A lot of them plug into the transformer so they could be arranged to work off a battery supply quite easily. 

Maybe your UFO needs a mother ship, think of the final scene in Close Encounters, or maybe we still have not yet seen the limit of your imagination!

Edited By Richard Simpson on 26/07/2021 13:14:21

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Unfortunately Richard the limits for my imagination are governed by the exacting issue of storage space. The saucer box sort of takes up four smaller boat boxes.

Ashley

[Kev.WParticipant @kev-w]

We are but human Ashley, we cannot get it right all the time.

To quote a well known phrase, "To err, is to be human"

What you do might not be to every ones taste, but even if it isn't to my taste of 'Model boating', I still find it entertaining, & hope it is fun enough to entice the younger members of our society to take up the hobby, us old farts have a limited lifespan, we need to entice youngsters away from their electronic boxes & tv screens.

You carry on mate, if you get 6 or more young'uns a year, to take up the hobby, it's more than worthwhile.

[Malcolm FraryParticipant @malcolmfrary95515]

I'm surprised about the sellotape comment.

For some time past I have given my packs a covering of the stuff when doing repairs brought about by relying on the manufactures shrink sleeve.

Provided it is laid on with care (no fingerprints on the sticky side) on a clean dry surface and no unexpected gaps left, I have yet to have one come apart in use. Perhaps early learning by applying handlebar tape on my bike helped with the technique, but on an awkward shape like a 5 cell humped AA pack, I aim for two layers using a spiral layout pattern and usually end up with three or four, which is still thinner than heatshrink. The basic trick is to have a long flat start and finish while ensuring that the pack lead has adequate support where it leaves. Important words are "clean" and "dry". As anybody who has ever tried to start pulling sellotape off the roll without a tab (like when the cut end has been allowed to settle itself without a folded-over bit) it sticks to itself amazingly well.

I would consider using coloured electricians tape, but I haven't seen any that has decent adhesive properties commercially. OTOH, sellotape is easily come by, and cheap.

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Malcolm, what you have described are the correct precautions to take to ensure that the adhesive holds to the object.

Traditionally water will eventually cause the film backing to separate from the adhesive, leaving the adhesive in place. Modern versions may have now been improved to make it waterproof but you would need to be sure that you are not using an older roll that will come apart when wet.

[redpmgParticipant @redpmg]

Would Duck Tape be waterproof Richard ? Never seems to come in clear though. We only seem to be able to get the small rolls here in SA – not the big ones available in the UK.

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Funnily enough to me it has always been Duct Tape, which comes from the air conditioning world and was used to seal joints in AC ducting. I have always considered it as waterproof.

Nowadays there is also Duck Tape, which is classed as water resistant, so either would seem to be suitable and they are both a cloth based tape so why the two product names I'm not so sure.

It makes me smile to remember the Phillipino crew members who used to pack up their personnal effects and souveniers in large cardboard boxes and completely wrap them with rolls of Duct Tape, pinched from the stores when they went on leave.  The organised ones used to have a spare roll in their pocket just in case they had to cut open the box to present it to customs!  The less experienced ones didn't and sometimes paid the price!

Edited By Richard Simpson on 27/07/2021 18:43:02

[Malcolm FraryParticipant @malcolmfrary95515]

All my sellotape (which might be the real thing or just what the shop was selling) is fairly elderly, being the remains of a 5 pack of rolls about 4" diameter, a new one being broached every time the current one vanishes into its hiding place. But perhaps not that elderly as to be a porous variety.

Duck/duct/gaffer tape does a great job of aggressively sticking, but is a pig to remove should that be needed. The plastic comes away leaving a woven mess that really wants to stay where it is. It was waterproof enough for the Mythbusters to skin a boat with it and sail around in one episode. Mind, they also "proved" that a home design of personal flying machine couldn't work. Whether it was they who decided it should be built from scaffolding poles or the original plan was never made clear.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Shrink wrap (75mm flat) arrived am. Just shrunk some over three packs and it looks the business, well worth £3 or whatever, very professional look but mostly the packs are now nice and stiff.

New project a/w custom lettering. Repaired ram bow of Sutcliffe (yet again) and sprayed the end black.

Yet again rain has just been blasted under the shed door soaking one of the bits of carpet. Ho hum.

Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Great show, Mythbusters.

i would like to think that they used scaffold poles because that’s what was specified originally, as they do normally make an effort to get these things to work properly if poss.

My favourite was the lead balloon, made from lead foil, which actually left the ground (with the assistance of lots of gaffer tape to seal splits and leaks.

….or concrete gliders….

….or

Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Custom lettering arrived, a reasonable but not exact match. However I was all set to stick them on and I thought….is the hatch as shiny as the bow? and it wasn’t, quite….so I am respraying this now..and will have to wait a few days for the paint to harden.

Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

…and it was worth doing. The cover (as that’s what it was)looks like hot black tar has been poured over it..what a liquid shine!!,

Now all I have to do is stick the stickers on straight.

Curry tonight, butter chicken with a great big naan covered in garlic paste, cheese and chopped spring onion, done in the oven. Sorry that’s not boat related. Home home made Persimmon wine to glug.

Up town to meet the boys from work tomorrow (we are ALL retired now) for a few pints…obv only two or so. Sorry not boat related either. Actually, wondering if I should get to London early and look in at the 4d shop?? Loads of goodies there…almost anything a boater could want, material wise. But no…the car is in for service and MOT and they still have it…pick up a.m. no expensive issues thank the lord. (Sorry also not boat related)h but affects transporting boats to the park!!)

Ashley

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