LtDoc

This is my current project, the Billing's Banckert. It's keeping me off the streets and out of the pool halls.
- LtDoc

ballgunner

My Feedback: (1)

Very pretty ship. No pool halls or mean streets. Works for me too and I'm no longer stealing wheel covers either. Along with and EC12 yacht a tug is near the top of the I'll have one of those someday list.

LtDoc

I'm getting closer! Tried out one motor which didn't quite have enough 'umph' with the prop I'm using. Just happened to have a larger motor (too large really) and this is how it'll stay. Now, just need to finish the 'small stuff', railings, a few touch-ups, and decide how I'm gonna power the thing. No openings large enough to remove a battery so whatever I use will have to be permanent. Either a 4Ahr gelcel or a 1500mAhr Nicad, think I'll use the gelcel...
- LtDoc

LtDoc

So... I think I'm finished. I've run out of parts to go on the boat (other than those you always end up having left over), and had her in the water. Thought I'd gotten some pictures but , naturally, something didn't work right with the camera (not that I ever make mistakes!). Did some 'microsurgery', since I forgot to put a charging plug on the battery before sealing it in, and I'm giving it a good charge now. This afternoon I should get to the 'duck pond' and get some more blurry pictures. If they are half-way recognizable as a boat, I'll post them.
The larger motor worked out very well. It won't put the boat up on the 'step', but it does make for one beautimus bow wave. The plastic hull makes a very satisfying 'thunking' sound when you run over a turtle. I can not only chase the ducks, but now I can catch them!! They hate me...
- LtDoc

ballgunner

My Feedback: (1)

Fair play for ducks includes getting them outta the way. The dirty little beasts befoul our launching area and people come down and feed them. Bah !! We also have our yearly inundation of Canada honkers but they mostly stay in the water and they're quite pretty. It's the domestic species of ducks and geese that we hate. There's a woman in town called the "Duck Lady" who is universally disliked by all RC sailors because she wants to protect them, especially from us. Even lobbied the Town Council to restrict the speed limit and give ducks and geese the right of way on the street near the pond. Our lake is surrounded by grass meant for people to spread their blankets, let the kids play or go fishing. Can't do that because of the duck c**p. Finally got the State Game & Fish people in on the act. Her mistake. They said there was a maximum allowance per hundred sq. ft. of surface and took away almost half of the fowl and are coming back to check to see if they reproduce to much. Hah ! Revenge is sweet.

LtDoc

We don't have a local 'duck lady' but we certainly have enough of the regular sort who think very highly of the ducks. I figure over the past summer, it averaged about 1/2 a loaf of bread plus 4 McDonald fries per duck, per day.
I've also come to associate the smell of duck 'dookie' with RC boating! So much so that in fact I've produced a product called "Ducky-Doo" (smells just like it), and am offering it at a very attractive price. Figure if I make two or three 'boat shows' it'll cover my over-head (or is that under-foot) and the rest is pure profit! I'm also prepared to make a special price for all the people here. Stock up for Christmas!!
- LtDoc

ballgunner

My Feedback: (1)

Thanks for the offer. My Christmas shopping is all completed. We also celebrated out 61st anniversary on the 18th and my son-in-law's birthday is the 26th. Poor timing to put all the expense in such a short span. Now all I have to worry about is the IRS.

mpyachts

Hi
I'm building a Banckert too and was reading your stream with interest. I made my hull and deck from fiberglass, using the supplied ones as molds. It worked well for me. I sealed the hull-deck joint with silicone and used sealing film/release agent to make it easy to re-open for maintenance. The motor I used is a 400 which pushes her pretty well. Not a real duck scarer but fast enough. The first launch ended in a sinking as I hadn't yet sealed the hatches properly and it took on lots of water in the choppy waves. I jumped in and rescued it as the bow was going under!
It's now very waterproof and hopefully won't sink again. The following link is to a pic of it at it's current stage of building, or you might like to check out my web-pages on the build at the second link.
http://magpieyachts.com/Tugflybridgedonepainted.jpg[/link]
www.magpieyachts.com/building4.html
Scroll down to see the Tug article.
There's also 2 videos on the second page of it; 1 on the first sea trial and one for the second with a better motor and sealed hatches.
Regards
Jason (Australia)