Lovely Weather For The Pond

With the way that weather has been this season, perhaps stormy or too hot, too windy, too wet or just too unpredictable, the Club’s been lucky to choose some of the “just right days” to get together at the pond. It’s a pleasure to say that, most recently, it’s been possible to put the waders on and carry out ballast and stability tests that couldn’t get done at home, and to get some long awaited sea trials started. In addition, we brought along of one of our more venerable craft. As something of a prize possession, it’s only when Poseidon approves that it gets to part the waves. It was great to see that some of us were able to get together again, get the models working, and to sit in the sun and “shoot the breeze”.

Now, just to show that we’re all nice and tidy and things get prepared properly onsite, some of the lads graciously allowed this picture to be taken to assure the Mrs’s that they really were at the pond.

The reeds have grown rather quickly this year, at the end of our little jetty, but we still have good launching and recovery for the boats. When clear of this well known (to the members) hazard, it’s “plain sailing” in deep water (the pond is an old road stone quarry).

Bob got his lobster boat in for some good test runs but found a bit of seepage around the shaft. It’s back to the builder’s yard for the “Lorraine Ann” for some improvements ASAP. Hopefully the fixing won’t take too long and the boat will be ready for the next pond get together.

John has a load of electronics and deck gear to install on the “maid of Styrene” and has been concerned about the load-line and vessel stability. The box shaped hull is definitely a bit tippy, even with a few pounds of ballast)! So what to do? Like his Thames barge, a clear plastic temporary keel will be the answer. It will be removed for display and can be weighted at an appropriate depth to provide stability (it probably will not be visible when in the water).

Now here’s a question for any interested site visitors, do you remember this model? Our final images show a model of the Victorian fantail steam launch (“China Rose”). It was built some years ago by one of our now departed members (previously of Metro Marine Modellers, Toronto). Also, some background information. In many ways, it brings to mind the Kreber tug “Liman” thought the original is probably a bit older. The model is largely scratch built and uses a fiberglass hull from Dean's Marine (UK).

Members' Comments: Looking in detail, one of the fellows is holding a bottle of Chivas and it's said that Bob put a few drops of the real thing in the bottle. Don't you love the chain link steering?

Truly this is one of the finest bits of scratch modelling I’ve seen. And it was operational and well used and so much remains in good shape. The battery holders have been changed, the model has been cleaned up a little bit and the shaft re-oiled thru the oil tube. She runs like a top including sound. The smoke unit hasn’t been tried in case it gets too hot and does some damage.

The building board itself is a lovely piece of carpentry.