http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2088771Sure simplifies the engine room!!

I added 4 lbs of lead ballast in the center but removed it as it really dosen't need it, UNLESS you operate in heavy wind and big water. All up, with two, 5000 MAH 2C 7.4V LiPoly packs, it is still under 10 lbs. I will try and upload a video of it under way so the guys can see that the speed is quite scale. Of course it is NOT a scale model of the original Dauntless as I built it the way I would have fitted it out if it were mine. Too bad they removed the two 1500 H Packard V-12's and replaced them with four GMC 6-71 diesels. Probably for fire concerns with high octane aviation fuel on board. Each 6-71 only produced about 220 HP so it went from 3000 HP down to 880. I wonder if it would have even had enough power to get up on plane with those four boat anchor diesels!

Actually, they changed out the engines for fuel economy reasons. The big Packards were real gas guzzlers. It was normal for a PT boat to go through almost all of their 3000 gallons of fuel over the course of a patrol and most of that was only using one engine to keep the wake and noise levels down. Nelson Rockefeller basically raced the boat from Tarrytown to Brooklyn and back every day, burning hundreds of gallons of avgas along the way. By comparison, an Unlimited Hydroplane with the similar Packard built Merlin(and no, they are not the same as the PT's marine engine) burns through close to 60 gallons of avgas in 10 minutes during the prerace and actual 10-15 miles of racing running at a maximum of 4000RPM

That's true, they used allot of fuel, BUT when you own a little outfit called Standard Oil; who cares! I have a friend here in the Prescott area that remembers seeing the Dauntless on the Hudson river when he was a kid growing up in NYC. It must have been quite a sight AND sound to see that thing running at full tilt. I think I read somewhere they did have a fire on board and that also prompted the move to much less explosive diesel fuel.

From the notes and research I've done, it appears those massive Packard twin engines were replaced in 1965. At some point, perhaps when the engines were replaced, the four exhaust ports were moved from the top of the transom to the bottom, below the waterline. This must have made her much quieter at speed. Rockefeller sold the boat in 1980 and the fire happened in 1981.

Thanks for the info. I wonder what that engine change did to the top speed of the vessel? I have also read that there were transmissions that allowed the use of one engine per shaft or both if more power was needed. Kind of funny, a Rockefeller wanting to save fuel! I think it was more a safety concern of fire as the old marina name for gasoline powered boats was "Marina Bomb". I have made some propulsion system changes to my boat, "Miss 'B' Haven" with a new 4 mm stainless steel prop shaft and 6.5 mm stuffing tube with bushings at each end and a brass 5 bladed 2' diameter propeller. Hope to do some testing on the pond here in Prescott Valley today; weather permitting.

Hi Deepster- I cut off 5/8" and rounded to pretty. Hope this helps
Stevehttp://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2119630

i think thats about what i cut off look good

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2127408http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2127409http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2127410 Three looks for Dauntless bridge. Open - Sporty - Covered.

Time to post pictures of my new build.http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2127407 Cant seem to load rest of pictures. Will keep trying.Wagonmen2

Will try this again and see what happens .http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2127411http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2127412http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2127413http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2127414http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2127415http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2127416http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2127417http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2127418http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2127419Looks like they came uphttp://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2127420http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2127421http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2127422

Fantastic American Enterprise!

Thanks for the reply.

Koka - all look great but my vote is for the sport model!

Wagonman - impressive and great job on the wheelhouse detail!

Thanks Scott-
Thought the Dauntless guys all retired. I hesitate to post pics of the same old stuff but I do have lots of innovations and changes I'll share from time to time. As I live in an OCD world, its takes me 4X as long to finish details but its all good. I will probably have 40 plus hours in the dingy alone. I'll share those pics when it is finished. I laid the keel in Feb 2013 on Dauntless and am about 60% done. I do miss the give and take on Dauntless but realize most have moved on to other projects.
Steve

I stopped work on mine last year mostly because I don't have the money for running gear.

Koka,

Looking at your "Three looks for Dauntless bridge" I seem to remember one of your innovations being the use of 1/8" (maybe smaller?) rare earth magnets to attach (attract) the Covered and Sporty Bridge additions. I don't remember how you got them attached and so well hidden, but that is quite an innovation. Have you had any chance to try them out under full speed to see how well they hold?

Bob

Hey Bob-
Not yet. I will be ready for sea trials just after the lakes freeze. There are 8 magnets holding each top so I'm sure they will hold. Perhaps I'll use a tether just to be safe.

Steve

Nah, not retired from tinkering with my Dauntless, just cut back due to family, work, etc.. I also rescued a 40 year-old fiberglass daysailer from being sent to the landfill last summer and have been working on getting her back in the water. It's been interesting to apply my model boat experience to a boat I'll actually be able to sail in.

I hang out with Rich404 every so often since he lives close now and he's been talking about getting back to work on his Dauntless soon.

Post away! I like checking out progress of other Dauntless projects.

How much more can Rich do to his boat? It's probably more accurate than any other model out there already

Hello Captains!! I do tune in every now and again but i'm not always logged in. I'm glad to see you guys still doing things here. My yacht is so many pages back and in between other builds that I don't do as much here. I have been posting more on the sister forum.

I have not have been doing as much as I would like due to job changes and the demands of the little-ones but my heart is still in this hobby. I did sail my Dauntless recently and she got a lot of attention in my community. I did fix the old coupler fiasco so she is in running condition.

Hey Hydro, I still have more to do to her but it is fine details at this point. Most of the model aspect is done so the next things to be done is fitting her with leather covered tempur-foam cushions, bedding in tempur-pedic and linens, carpeting, curtains, tables, a half-dozen of so doors, cabinetry and other interior decorating items. Some misc details around the helm, radar mast and other areas need attention as well.

I am also going to rewire the lighting with switches within the superstructure rather than the spring style for reliability and the wiring will be setup for battery and also for ship-to-shore electrical plug (dollhouse plug) for display at home.

Finally, I have to wire in that sound module..

-Rich.

Koka, I love the sporty bridge. I think Mr. Rockefeller would have approved. ;)

Just wondering though, why the wrap around railings and no bow cockpit? The access near the bow was so that the deck-hand could use the hatch and have easy access back to the captains quarters without interrupting the owners or their guests.

In most cases, one of the tell-tale signs of a Commuter was the bow cockpit.

-Rich.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2130940Rich-
The photos are from a while back during weight distribution tests to ballast to waterline. There is a hatch similar to original like yours with crystal. Just no bow seating as it reminded me of my gap toothed sister in law. I have taken many small liberties with the original design. I radiused all windows including owners cabins and hinged the hatch cover from bridge to salon rather than the under windshield slider. etc as well as vinder treatments. more pics to follow. I thought the railing looked cool !

ok gotcha. :)

-Rich.