chrish85

Evening all,

I have recently collected my childhood RC boat from my folks that has been in the loft for many many years. its been at least 25 years since its been in water. I've now got a two year old boy and over the course of this year, id like to restore it to close as i can to its former glory. I think its the sentiment of doing something with my boy that me and my dad once did.

I have no idea of what the model it is for me to start looking for parts and no clue where to start in terms of stripping the cracked and flaking paint back to make it water proof again.

Its that old the remote takes 8 AA batteries and another 4 inside the boat so an upgrade to a more modern controller and receiver etc ill be looking to do.

So, my plan will be to start with the paint work. Can any one recommend a reliable product.

It wont let upload any photos until i have done 10 posts... Boooooo!


Cheers

Chris

mfr02

The transmitter that I bought last year takes 8 AA batteries, so yours isn't that far out. First thing is to clean all of the electrical contacts that you can get to to give yourself a chance to test whether or not it is going to work. Then do lots of replies so you get the chance to post pictures.
For painting, a lot depends on what it is made of. Plastic (and what kind of plastic), wood, something else. Then knowing what the old paint is helps a lot. It is disappointing when a layer of new paint bubbles and falls off because it has reacted with the old layer.

chrish85

Oh that's good to know. I would of thought in 30 odd years progression, the controller would be more slim line.

It's a wooden boat, war ship looking thing. It was until time took over!

Do you know any websites that are good for spares?

Tidnab

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chrish85,sent you a PM.

mfr02

From 30 years ago, depending on where in the world you are, the transmitter might be one side or the other of legality. In the early days, radios used a fairly wide band and could only fit a dozen or so channels into their allowed part of the spectrum (talking 27MHz here). About then, the "rules" changed and rather than the simple, easy colour coding for crystals, a complicated colour+number system appeared to give about 25 channels, all squeezed in tighter. I don't think anybody ever sold any, I've never seen any for sale.
Fortunately, modern radio outfits running on 2.4GHz are available for little more than the cost of a pair of crystals for the old sets, so if the old set doesn't work, it isn't that big a disaster.
A 30 year old wood boat is likely to have been painted with oil based paint. I would stick with that, less chance of re-awakening old solvents.
A clue as to whereabouts in the world you are helps with product recommends, products get different names in different parts of the world.

chrish85

Hi All,

I put a post out on Facebook a few days ago. I have a KD Perkasa MTB boat. Circ 60s/70s apparently. Whilst its not the most attractive boat in its current form, it brings back good memories.

I had a chance at work to pop in to the £ shop today whilst at work and pick up a dozen AA Batteries. Cleaned up the terminals on for the battery connector and it came to life! I am pleased so i know i can crack on with the paint stripping over this weekend and when i get the chance. I have no idea how i found the controller comfortable as a kid, the thing is massive!

So, it currently has a Sanwa ' DASH' digital proportional radio control system. If you google it, its the square controller with a small ring above the on/off switch.

Im based in the UK.

I've email Tidnab who is happy to post them for me as i am still limited. ( Thanks again )

Tidnab

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PM me the link to your boats pics on Facebook. I probably could save them from there and then repost them to here.

mfr02

Sanwa, back then, produced really good gear, but they also wanted to be "individual". They did that by having their plugs the same spacing as everybody else, but with the pins wired differently. OK as long as it was all Sanwa gear, but a PITA if mixed with other makes. And no, after all the past time, I can't remember which wires were what, only that where everybody else had something like black, red and white, Sanwa had all black with one of the wires carrying a grey stripe. Or something like that.

Tidnab

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Here's pics of your KD Perkasa MTB boat.

mfr02

I foresee much work with washing up liquid and a brush, followed by much sand paper use.
While the electric fire element probably works sort of OK, a nice new modern ESC would work better. Probably something like a Marine Viper 25, and use a NiMH battery of whatever voltage it says on the motor label. When built, it probably had a lead battery. These were far from ideal, but back then the only game in town. Much better alternatives are available today. Anything modern to plug into the radio will need the wiring pins shuffled to work with the Sanwa radio.
I had a bit of a google, and found this - "the positive is one of the outside wire, the neg is the center wire and the signal is the other outside." The standard that all known modern gear comes with is that the outside wire (i.e. the one that goes nearest the edge of the radio board) is ground (batt -ve) and black. The center wire is +5 volts, red, the inboard wire is the control signal, and white. So basically, on a modern ESC or servo, winkle out the red and black pins from the plug, and fit them back into each others hole in the plug. The plug might need a bit of attention from a craft knife if it has a polarising tab.
Keep posting questions, you will get up to your 10 soon.

Tidnab

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There's videos online showing a boat like yours in the water. There is probably some threads on r/c boat forums for upgrades,like modern electronics,radio and brushless motors and batteries.

satlite440

nice restore project