WEST VALLEY R/C MODELERS

[My personal web site]




Thoughts on what to do with a scale model, once built



I've heard it said...."scale boats are fine....but once they are built".....it's once around the pond.....and then what do you do? Actually, if one accepts the challange every real boat skipper has.........there is much to do.

It takes but an hour to make a "U shaped" foam dock with a PVC pipe frame that you can lay in a slot you cut in the foam and attach with liquidnail. You can even attach the corners with screw plastic fitting so it easily collapses. If you add to 90 degree intersection fittings, vertically, at the end, a smaller pvc pipe will then slip through which you can pound into the lake bed to hold it firm. Then, 3 or 4 "U shaped" vertical pipe frames, that again, screw together at the corners, so they can collapse to which you slide circle foam disk, on each vertical pipe and you have some "gates" that you can simply throw out from shore with a weight........ [as we do the sail marks] And presto you have a dock and a channel......

NOW YOU ARE READY TO TRY AND DEAL WITH THE FOUR CHALLANGES: CURRENT, HEAVY SHIP MOMENTUM, PROPELLOR TORQUE.....AND JUST AS WTIH SAIL BOATS .... PREDICTING AND DEALING WITH THE WIND
IT REQUIRES HOURS AND HOURS OF PRACTICE.... TO EVEN BEGIN TO BE ABLE TO MANEUVER A SCALE BOAT, COMPETENTLY.....WHICH AFTER SPENDING MONTHS BUILDING THEM.....ANY BEAUTIFUL SCALE BOAT DESERVES!

Ask yourself....would I be a happy camper, if I was a passenger on the real version....if it came into the dock as I do with my model???????