A 45 year old Chris Craft from Okinawa
09-27-2008, 09:32 AM
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A 45 year old Chris Craft from Okinawa
My father was stationed in Okinawa in 1963. He was in the US Marines. At the time he had 1 son, my older brother who is mentally handicapped. One of my Dad's platoon buddies built the model i have pictured below for my Dad to give to my brother. They were not allowed to bring some things like that back to the States, so my Dad wrapped it an extra shirt and packed it in the middle of his sea bag for the ride home. The boat originally had 2 motors/screws, a compartment for 4 "D" batteries, a steering wheel that was a switch to turn on the red and green lights, and a rudder that you could manually turn for the boat to go in circles or to go straight. There was also a plastic wind shield that was surrounded by metal that has long since disappeared.
By the time i came along ( my brother is 15 years older than me ) the boat did not run, scuffed up pretty bad, and did little more than sit on a shelf. As a child i would look at it and play with it with my brother, even though the boat did not run. I always wanted to fix it up and make it RC so my brother could really get a chance to pilot it. So my brother gave it to me when i moved away from home 16 years ago. The boat moved around with me, usually sitting on a shelf. Three years ago my wife got tired of hearing me say that i wanted to fix it up some day, and bought me a RC boat to cannibalize for parts to make it run.
That boat only had 1 motor, but it also had reverse (not a common thing, i hear, for an rc boat from the toy store). So i immediately set about stripping the other boat and fitting the parts into Okie 63. I changed the 2 screw setup to one, moved the rudder forward a bit to allow it to attach to the steering control box, and tried making the openings in the deck water tight. I had to install all of the components into the boat with the deck in place, because i didn't want to risk breaking the deck while removing it. That was not easy. None of the openings had a lip for the hatches to sit on so i attached lips to each one with nuts embedded in them. Then i covered the lips with a waterproof putty that i molded to the shape of the hatches. The two hatches at seem out of place were made by me because the seating openings would let in water, and i didn't have room to build a seat in the front, as the motor is in that area. I also added the flag.
The little boat is really quick and only ships about 1 teaspoon of water during an outing. I think that comes in through the rudders tube, or possibly when i back up. I have a few things i want to improve upon, but remember there is a lot of sentimental value to all of the little bits of this boat, so i want to use as many original parts as possible. So, after that long story, here are my questions:
1. Does anyone recognize the boat or know of a way to find out the original kit manufacturer?
2. Where can i get a new windshield? The original one wrapped part way around the front and was on piece of plastic edged in chrome.
3. Is there any way, maybe a different linkage, that i could move the motor back closer to the shaft so that i could build a seat and driving compartment and maybe put the steering wheel back?
4. The lights have little bulbs in them, but i can not figure out how to open the housing to remove the bulbs. Does anyone know how so that i can put in LEDs? Or is there a replacement that looks EXACTLY like those?
5. Any ideas on how to better water proof the openings? The rear hatch, with the flag, slides into place and the sides where it slides into are slanted. The other ones drop in.
6. I would like to put the other screw back in, is it a matter of simply soldering in another motor, or is there a gearbox i can use to power both screws with one motor. I'm not looking for more speed, i just want to get it back to original. I can't see a way to remove the shaft from the propeller, so any linkage needs to be be able to have a collar put in to fit the smaller shaft. Or i need to figure out how to put a new shaft on... that might be better because the shaft on the LH propeller bent, as is the stuffing box. (why is it called a stuffing box, when it's a pipe?)
7. I've seen other models with metal over the keel. How can i do this? (i know, it's not original, but the keel is getting pretty banged-up after 45 years.)
8. I used polyurethane to protect the boat. Is there a better product i can use when i strip it and re-sand the hull? I need to strip it so i can fix the ugly patch job i had to do when the back plate started pulling away from the rest of the hull.
9. Any other comments/advice would be appreciated!
10. What would be the best book i could get on RC Scale boating? Or are there any online articles that are recommended? After i make some of the above repairs, this boat will only go out on special occasions. I am planning on building a PT from the Korean War Era, maybe PT-809 that will be my main boat. I plan on building it from scratch, so a book on how to go about that would be great. I could use a kit, like dumas pt-109 as a base, but that one has one prop/rudder and the later PT-809 had 2 ( and the 109 had 3, so i don't know how they can call the pt-109 kit a scale kit...)
Thanks in advance for any help for all these newbie questions!
By the time i came along ( my brother is 15 years older than me ) the boat did not run, scuffed up pretty bad, and did little more than sit on a shelf. As a child i would look at it and play with it with my brother, even though the boat did not run. I always wanted to fix it up and make it RC so my brother could really get a chance to pilot it. So my brother gave it to me when i moved away from home 16 years ago. The boat moved around with me, usually sitting on a shelf. Three years ago my wife got tired of hearing me say that i wanted to fix it up some day, and bought me a RC boat to cannibalize for parts to make it run.
That boat only had 1 motor, but it also had reverse (not a common thing, i hear, for an rc boat from the toy store). So i immediately set about stripping the other boat and fitting the parts into Okie 63. I changed the 2 screw setup to one, moved the rudder forward a bit to allow it to attach to the steering control box, and tried making the openings in the deck water tight. I had to install all of the components into the boat with the deck in place, because i didn't want to risk breaking the deck while removing it. That was not easy. None of the openings had a lip for the hatches to sit on so i attached lips to each one with nuts embedded in them. Then i covered the lips with a waterproof putty that i molded to the shape of the hatches. The two hatches at seem out of place were made by me because the seating openings would let in water, and i didn't have room to build a seat in the front, as the motor is in that area. I also added the flag.
The little boat is really quick and only ships about 1 teaspoon of water during an outing. I think that comes in through the rudders tube, or possibly when i back up. I have a few things i want to improve upon, but remember there is a lot of sentimental value to all of the little bits of this boat, so i want to use as many original parts as possible. So, after that long story, here are my questions:
1. Does anyone recognize the boat or know of a way to find out the original kit manufacturer?
2. Where can i get a new windshield? The original one wrapped part way around the front and was on piece of plastic edged in chrome.
3. Is there any way, maybe a different linkage, that i could move the motor back closer to the shaft so that i could build a seat and driving compartment and maybe put the steering wheel back?
4. The lights have little bulbs in them, but i can not figure out how to open the housing to remove the bulbs. Does anyone know how so that i can put in LEDs? Or is there a replacement that looks EXACTLY like those?
5. Any ideas on how to better water proof the openings? The rear hatch, with the flag, slides into place and the sides where it slides into are slanted. The other ones drop in.
6. I would like to put the other screw back in, is it a matter of simply soldering in another motor, or is there a gearbox i can use to power both screws with one motor. I'm not looking for more speed, i just want to get it back to original. I can't see a way to remove the shaft from the propeller, so any linkage needs to be be able to have a collar put in to fit the smaller shaft. Or i need to figure out how to put a new shaft on... that might be better because the shaft on the LH propeller bent, as is the stuffing box. (why is it called a stuffing box, when it's a pipe?)
7. I've seen other models with metal over the keel. How can i do this? (i know, it's not original, but the keel is getting pretty banged-up after 45 years.)
8. I used polyurethane to protect the boat. Is there a better product i can use when i strip it and re-sand the hull? I need to strip it so i can fix the ugly patch job i had to do when the back plate started pulling away from the rest of the hull.
9. Any other comments/advice would be appreciated!
10. What would be the best book i could get on RC Scale boating? Or are there any online articles that are recommended? After i make some of the above repairs, this boat will only go out on special occasions. I am planning on building a PT from the Korean War Era, maybe PT-809 that will be my main boat. I plan on building it from scratch, so a book on how to go about that would be great. I could use a kit, like dumas pt-109 as a base, but that one has one prop/rudder and the later PT-809 had 2 ( and the 109 had 3, so i don't know how they can call the pt-109 kit a scale kit...)
Thanks in advance for any help for all these newbie questions!
09-27-2008, 12:51 PM
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RE: A 45 year old Chris Craft from Okinawa
Here are some pics of Okie 63 under way.
A note about previous picture of rudder control box. you may notice a clunky wooden piece that connects the rudders shaft to the steering box. There was a plastic linkage there, but that cracked and Okie could only do circles! So i got out my trusty leatherman and carved a replacement out of a piece of oak firewood. I then used my gimlets to make the holes.
Also, is the boat riding to high out of the water? if so, i can move the battery to the front and maybe bring it down a bit.
Enjoy the action shots!
A note about previous picture of rudder control box. you may notice a clunky wooden piece that connects the rudders shaft to the steering box. There was a plastic linkage there, but that cracked and Okie could only do circles! So i got out my trusty leatherman and carved a replacement out of a piece of oak firewood. I then used my gimlets to make the holes.
Also, is the boat riding to high out of the water? if so, i can move the battery to the front and maybe bring it down a bit.
Enjoy the action shots!
09-27-2008, 07:36 PM
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RE: A 45 year old Chris Craft from Okinawa
Welcome to the forum Daemuon and thats an interesting story about your 'family' boat.
To answer some of your questions..
1/ No, i dont recognise the boat, but someone on here may do.
2/ The windshield can be made from some clear acetate and some railway (model) line. It takes some practice to get it right but it can be done.
3/ Yes, some linkages (Universal joints) are shorter than you have in your boat.
Do you have a local model shop that has some of these joints in stock?... If not, let us know how long the joint is over all and we will endevour to find you a shorter one.
The chances are though it will only move the motor by a fraction of an inch... (more in Q6)
4/ To remove the bulbs from the lights, you may have to remove them from the boat. Do they not work?. Adding LED's would probably bot give the 'right' type of light by the way.
Mack Products may have something similar. http://www.mackproductsrc.com/index.htm
5/ Dont put hatches on the cockpits. I have a similar boat and very little water gets in through the cockpits. The rear hatch probably gets water in when going in reverse... only back up in emergencies!.
6/ If you want to put the other prop / tube back in, then get two motors and shafts / tubes that are matched. Also get two new props..
Again try Mack.. or Harbor Models http://www.harbormodels.com/Harborma...lates/home.htm or Loyalhanna Dockyard http://www.loyalhannadockyard.com/
7/ Metal over the keel?.. do you mean at the bow?.. This is just thin sheet of Aluminium polished. Try your Local hobby shop.
8/ Try some quality varnish from the likes of West Marine. Alternativly, you could Glass Fibre.. if you feel you could manage this.
9/ WOW... show us the progress of your re-build!...
10/ The 'must have' book you are looking for (especially for your current project) is Pat Mathews 'Mahogany in Scale'
http://www.amazon.com/Mahogany-Scale...2560777&sr=1-2
Also, read through some of the builds threads on here and on other Model sites on the internet, you will learn a lot!.
You can find new linkages at your Local hobby shop.
Move the battery forwards in small increments, say 1/2" at a time so the boat rides with the bow down a little. Dont try to get the boat to run 'flat' because it wont. it wants to put its bow upwards slightly.
Will 'Private Message' you with other details..
To answer some of your questions..
1/ No, i dont recognise the boat, but someone on here may do.
2/ The windshield can be made from some clear acetate and some railway (model) line. It takes some practice to get it right but it can be done.
3/ Yes, some linkages (Universal joints) are shorter than you have in your boat.
Do you have a local model shop that has some of these joints in stock?... If not, let us know how long the joint is over all and we will endevour to find you a shorter one.
The chances are though it will only move the motor by a fraction of an inch... (more in Q6)
4/ To remove the bulbs from the lights, you may have to remove them from the boat. Do they not work?. Adding LED's would probably bot give the 'right' type of light by the way.
Mack Products may have something similar. http://www.mackproductsrc.com/index.htm
5/ Dont put hatches on the cockpits. I have a similar boat and very little water gets in through the cockpits. The rear hatch probably gets water in when going in reverse... only back up in emergencies!.
6/ If you want to put the other prop / tube back in, then get two motors and shafts / tubes that are matched. Also get two new props..
Again try Mack.. or Harbor Models http://www.harbormodels.com/Harborma...lates/home.htm or Loyalhanna Dockyard http://www.loyalhannadockyard.com/
7/ Metal over the keel?.. do you mean at the bow?.. This is just thin sheet of Aluminium polished. Try your Local hobby shop.
8/ Try some quality varnish from the likes of West Marine. Alternativly, you could Glass Fibre.. if you feel you could manage this.
9/ WOW... show us the progress of your re-build!...
10/ The 'must have' book you are looking for (especially for your current project) is Pat Mathews 'Mahogany in Scale'
http://www.amazon.com/Mahogany-Scale...2560777&sr=1-2
Also, read through some of the builds threads on here and on other Model sites on the internet, you will learn a lot!.
You can find new linkages at your Local hobby shop.
Move the battery forwards in small increments, say 1/2" at a time so the boat rides with the bow down a little. Dont try to get the boat to run 'flat' because it wont. it wants to put its bow upwards slightly.
Will 'Private Message' you with other details..
09-28-2008, 08:40 AM
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RE: A 45 year old Chris Craft from Okinawa
toesupwa,
Thank for the input! i have a few questions about your answers...
2/ Would railway model line be the "track" of a model train? Would i use N scale, HO scale?
3/ The last i checked the local model shop closed, and the next closest one is dedicated to RC car racing. The current joint is 1 3/4 inches long. I have another one that is about 1 inch, but the holes in it for the shaft are way too big. The current drive shaft is about 1/16", the hole in the joint i'm currently using is 1/8" and it fits the motor fine. But i had to put a collar in the hole to get it to fit the prop shaft. This may be a moot point, if i do #6.
4/ Thanks! Mack Products has Bullet lights that look exactly like the ones i have. http://www.mackproductsrc.com/bullet.htm i notice that they are 3 volt. do i add another battery? The old lights had a 9V battery, i think.
5/ I need to have something at least on the back. When the boat stops, water swells up over the back 2 hatches. Maybe the boat is too fast for it's size. It's 18" long with a 6" beam.
6/ If i go with 2 props, new tubes, shafts and props would be the way to go i take it. Would i be able to use my current controller board, or would i need to buy new controller components, too? Maybe i should build my next boat so i have something to run, then strip this one down and do a complete rebuild with new running gear! it would be nice to have proportional speed control...
8/ If you cover the boat hull with Glass Fibre, do you still see the wood?
10/ I might not do the PT. I might do another mahogany boat. Still up in the air on that one. Someone gave me a plastic kit for an Elco 80 PT they want me to build for them, so maybe when i'm done with that i'll see if i like the PT.
Thanks again!
Thank for the input! i have a few questions about your answers...
2/ Would railway model line be the "track" of a model train? Would i use N scale, HO scale?
3/ The last i checked the local model shop closed, and the next closest one is dedicated to RC car racing. The current joint is 1 3/4 inches long. I have another one that is about 1 inch, but the holes in it for the shaft are way too big. The current drive shaft is about 1/16", the hole in the joint i'm currently using is 1/8" and it fits the motor fine. But i had to put a collar in the hole to get it to fit the prop shaft. This may be a moot point, if i do #6.
4/ Thanks! Mack Products has Bullet lights that look exactly like the ones i have. http://www.mackproductsrc.com/bullet.htm i notice that they are 3 volt. do i add another battery? The old lights had a 9V battery, i think.
5/ I need to have something at least on the back. When the boat stops, water swells up over the back 2 hatches. Maybe the boat is too fast for it's size. It's 18" long with a 6" beam.
6/ If i go with 2 props, new tubes, shafts and props would be the way to go i take it. Would i be able to use my current controller board, or would i need to buy new controller components, too? Maybe i should build my next boat so i have something to run, then strip this one down and do a complete rebuild with new running gear! it would be nice to have proportional speed control...
8/ If you cover the boat hull with Glass Fibre, do you still see the wood?
10/ I might not do the PT. I might do another mahogany boat. Still up in the air on that one. Someone gave me a plastic kit for an Elco 80 PT they want me to build for them, so maybe when i'm done with that i'll see if i like the PT.
Thanks again!
09-28-2008, 06:21 PM
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RE: A 45 year old Chris Craft from Okinawa
ORIGINAL: daemuon
2/ Would railway model line be the "track" of a model train? Would i use N scale, HO scale?
3/ The current joint is 1 3/4 inches long.
This may be a moot point, if i do #6.
4/ Thanks! Mack Products has Bullet lights that look exactly like the ones i have. http://www.mackproductsrc.com/bullet.htm i notice that they are 3 volt. do i add another battery?
5/ I need to have something at least on the back. When the boat stops, water swells up over the back 2 hatches. Maybe the boat is too fast for it's size. It's 18" long with a 6" beam.
6/ If i go with 2 props, new tubes, shafts and props would be the way to go i take it. Would i be able to use my current controller board, or would i need to buy new controller components, too? Maybe i should build my next boat so i have something to run, then strip this one down and do a complete rebuild with new running gear! it would be nice to have proportional speed control...
8/ If you cover the boat hull with Glass Fibre, do you still see the wood?
10/ I might not do the PT. I might do another mahogany boat. Still up in the air on that one. Someone gave me a plastic kit for an Elco 80 PT they want me to build for them, so maybe when i'm done with that i'll see if i like the PT.
2/ Would railway model line be the "track" of a model train? Would i use N scale, HO scale?
3/ The current joint is 1 3/4 inches long.
This may be a moot point, if i do #6.
4/ Thanks! Mack Products has Bullet lights that look exactly like the ones i have. http://www.mackproductsrc.com/bullet.htm i notice that they are 3 volt. do i add another battery?
5/ I need to have something at least on the back. When the boat stops, water swells up over the back 2 hatches. Maybe the boat is too fast for it's size. It's 18" long with a 6" beam.
6/ If i go with 2 props, new tubes, shafts and props would be the way to go i take it. Would i be able to use my current controller board, or would i need to buy new controller components, too? Maybe i should build my next boat so i have something to run, then strip this one down and do a complete rebuild with new running gear! it would be nice to have proportional speed control...
8/ If you cover the boat hull with Glass Fibre, do you still see the wood?
10/ I might not do the PT. I might do another mahogany boat. Still up in the air on that one. Someone gave me a plastic kit for an Elco 80 PT they want me to build for them, so maybe when i'm done with that i'll see if i like the PT.
If you need help, just ask.. most of us here (and on other forums
) are only too pleased to help...2/ It depends on the size of the windshield... one line (yes, the metal track part) may be to big or too small. Its best to estimate the size you need and go from there.
3/ See 6
4/ If you are doing a complete refurb, then change the voltage to all the lights to 3v
5/ With the 'on / off' speed control you have at the moment thats not surprizing. With a proportional electronic speed control (ESC) its less likely to get water in through the rear hatch as you can slow progressivly. Also, moving the battery forwards will help...
6/ If you go props, tubes, shafts and motors.. it would be best to go with a new ESC too. Also, if you are putting in new shafts and tubes, it would be best to move the motors at this stage and replace the U joint with ones that allow the motor to move towards the stern. By replacing the shafts / tubes, these can also be shorter to move the motor rearwards.
8/ Yes, you can still see the wood... but aim to go with very light cloth... less than 1oz if you can find it. You may need to do a test piece (probably on the bottom of the boat) to make sure the resin wont react with the varnish thats still within the wood.
10/ It may be best to get some experience with another boat rather than go headlong in to your 'family' boat and make a mess of it. There are some wonderfull kits out there and you will learn a lot along the way... this will help when it comes to doing your 'family' boat.
Have a look at a few of the Dumas boats...
http://www.dumasestore.com/catalog/i...vt70vmle0l6r64
09-28-2008, 09:03 PM
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RE: A 45 year old Chris Craft from Okinawa
Thanks for the input. I'm going to order that book you mentioned.
Once i finish the Italeri Elco 80' Torpedo Boat PT-596 for my Doctor, i think i'll start on a Dumas Chris Craft. I've been wanting to do one, so i think i do that before i tackle the family boat. But once i get some more experience with mahogany, i'm going to re-do Okie.
That is, if i can wait until i'm done with the Elco! The Elco shouldn't take too long, it's not going to be RC.
Thanks again.
Once i finish the Italeri Elco 80' Torpedo Boat PT-596 for my Doctor, i think i'll start on a Dumas Chris Craft. I've been wanting to do one, so i think i do that before i tackle the family boat. But once i get some more experience with mahogany, i'm going to re-do Okie.
That is, if i can wait until i'm done with the Elco! The Elco shouldn't take too long, it's not going to be RC.
Thanks again.
