44ft Waveney rebuild

As promised this thread is about the refit/rebuild of a 44ft Waveney class lifeboat for a client in Torquay.

Boat as delivered to me.Cofigured like a US Coastguard boat but in RNLI colours.


Motor compartment full of horrible foam around the shafts.


The 'vintage' mechanical speed contollers in the rear compartment.


Solid timber fenders instead of rubber.


Stabilizing fins at the stern are oversize and the rudders are not the correct shape.


A lot of correctionsd to make.

Good luck, that's far more work then i'ld ever take on for a restoration.

Are those ''Bobs boards'' there or some cheap and nasty tamiya style mechanical's?

If there bobs save em, collectors love them for sympathetic restorations.

Roadrunner wrote:

Good luck, that's far more work then i'ld ever take on for a restoration.

Are those ''Bobs boards'' there or some cheap and nasty tamiya style mechanical's?

If there bobs save em, collectors love them for sympathetic restorations.

They are not Bob's Boards ( I have about four of those for my small lifeboats), no idea what they are and don't care, they are being replaced with modern esc's. I don't get too sentimental when refitting a boat I just use what is needed.

,
mike........I have a few yards of D SHAPED RUBBER BELTING THAT CAME FROM A SPEEDLINE.Trent lifeboat that I forgot to pass on to the purchaser of the trent kit some years ago...........is it any good to you.

by the way, do you have any ga plans for a 47' Watson lifeboat....a friend from the ALR resto group is after looking at some to see if there's any bits that will fit the ALR.CHEERS.

nhp651 wrote:

mike........I have a few yards of D SHAPED RUBBER BELTING THAT CAME FROM A SPEEDLINE.Trent lifeboat that I forgot to pass on to the purchaser of the trent kit some years ago...........is it any good to you.

Yes please Neil!!

OF to Liverpool to see an old girlfriend tomorrow so will post it off on Monday.

My son, the sorcerers apprentice, removing all the old fittings from the Waveney.


Taking off the wooden fenders with a hammer and chisel!!



Bit of a mess but the hull is now back to basics and ready to start again!

nhp651 wrote:

OF to Liverpool to see an old girlfriend tomorrow so will post it off on Monday.

just measured it up matey, and I think you just might have enough.........there's 7.2 metres of the stuff. base of "D" is 12mm wide with a height of 6.5mm.

hope it's ok for you.

Loving the apprentice, i keep trying to get my 7 year old son into boats, but hes got my feelings for racing RC cars ( funny thing is he drives em better then i used !)
guess i'll have to get one of my 3 daughters into boats instead, my 16 month little nipper loves my row boat think I've got her hooked!

Great to see sons take over from fathers. 

Quote :

OF to Liverpool to see an old girlfriend tomorrow so will post it off on Monday

Neil you sly old dog,   

aye, just an old college reunion.

The outside of the hull has been given a general sand down followed by two coats of epoxy resin to seal all the small gaps and fix the planks to each other.


After sanding again the hull has been given a coat of matt black.


The matt black has been sanded back to leave it in the low spots on the hull.


All the low spots now filled ready for sanding back again.


After more sanding and priming the hull is now ready to rebuild.

Like the combined effort! The apprentice is doing well! Keep up the good work!
Still hoping A "Will", will appear on the build list lol.
Its Falmouth 150th anniversary next year!
Will watch this masterclass with a lot of interest
Mick

mike.......Fleetwood are looking for someone to build a freebee of the outgoing William street Tyne.......they have a battered and beaten one that was in a local pub before someone nicked it and then it was recovered.....know anyone who would build it for them.....out old Tyne goes from the port on the 10th of this month, and contrary to rumors she's not going to china but has been bought as a private yacht and is based in the UK....Better still. your belting will be on its way asap, please pm me your address .

The large glass table used as a reference level was set up, the boat levelled and the reference water line marked onto the hull.


A start has also been made fitting the new bases for the fenders.


The basic superstructre has also been rebuilt to the correct size.



The apprentice has been busy building the main control console.


In position in the wheelhouse, it will be fixed in place later.

bloody marvellous............your apprentice is catching you up, lol............first rate work.

Indeed first class from you both. 

The new well deck has been constructed and the inspection hatches added. The curved bits of wood are to hold the walls in place whilst the glue dries.





The new coamings have been fitted for the rear cabin. This needs to be kept as dry as possible as all the r/c gear will be housed there.


The rear cabin is constructed around the coamings to ensure a good fit.



Overall view of the boat with its new cabins in place.

Superb, the refit is looking great, real credit to you

The door for the rear cabin has been fabricated.



After being given a coat of clear mdf sealer the rear cabin has had the rivet positions marked out and some of the rear details added as well as the door being fixed in place.




The floor grating for the well deck has been made and given its coat of anti slip.



The rear cabin has been sprayed orange and looks correct when in position with the well deck grating.

Very nice workmanship from both of you   and thanks for showing the method for marking the waterline.

Excellent work

Time to give the hull its traditional colours.

Three coats of Oxford Blue


Two coats of red/brown antifoul.


Lastly the white boot topping and three coats of clear satin varnish.

Break from boat building with the sorting out of the helmsman.

One of the Adrians Marine Figures range of RNLI crew in the siting position was bought to drive the boat.


I had also ordered from Adrian a couple of spare heads so it was off with the original and the new head grafted in place. The lifejacket was also altered to the appropriate type. The legs and arms were also cut and repositioned to suit the steering position.


A coat of primer makes the whole thing look a lot better.


Finally he was given a repaint and is now ready to fit later.


The client has has named him  'Albert' !!  When I asked why he said 'because he looks like an Albert!'

Back to the build.

The main cabin has been given its rivet details and painted.



The console is now in place and the rest of the instruments made and added.


Window frames painted, glazed and fitted.


The mast has been built.

Something I have been wondering for a while is, what you use for the rivets and bolts to such good effect? I thought a of using pin heads but that would only work for one or two particular scale sizing's.

troutrunner wrote:

Something I have been wondering for a while is, what you use for the rivets and bolts to such good effect? I thought a of using pin heads but that would only work for one or two particular scale sizing's.

As I mentioned in one of my other builds I use small diamante crystals of the type that ladies use on their nails, they come in packs of 1000 and in many sizes. I buy 2-3mm diameter on ebay in batches of 3-4000 for about £1 per 1000.I also have some 4mm for the larger sise bolt/rivet. Place spots of superglue in the place you want the rivet using a pin or cocktail stick and place the rivets on top, job done.

thanks for that, I either missed your post or it may have been before my time hear and on a build blog that I have not yet read.

   Anyway     thanks  

All the mast wiring for the leds is now connected to the resistor board in the roof.


The roof is finished as well as the mast rigging and the radar.


Hey Presto!! Everything works, including the panel lights on the main console.

The pulpit on the bow has been made and fitted along with the other fittings.


The rope reel is now in position.


The stern cabin has now been given its number and nameplates, RNLB Thomas Forehead and Mary Rowse II Plymouth Lifeboat.


The fire fighting equipment is now in place along with the goose neck vents and the steps.

The rope bin on the front of the superstructure has been made and fitted. The top layer of ropes lift out on a tray as all the switches for the mast lighting will be underneath.


The main aerials and their supports have been made, fitted and painted.


The main tow post/vent has been built and fixed in place along with the safety rails. The liferaft canister has been made and fixed alongside the tow post. The discharge pump has also been added to the rear of the tow post. In the well deck the deck lights are now in place.


They also work!


Finally for today, an up to date overall view of the boat.

looking good

goldslinger wrote:

looking good

  she certainly is

What a transformation while I have been on holiday

Barrie

fabulous, much better then how it started the owner will be pleased! ( remind him that a the first pints on him) 

The switches for the lighting circuits are now fitted into the rope box and all wired up.




The stanchions have been made from brass tube and rod, primed and painted. The one looking like a gate is where the life ring hangs.




All now fitted in place ready to add the handrails.




Nearly ready to return to station.

The running gear has been refitted with new rudders and new, better, props.




Motors refitted.



Completly new electronics replacing the old mechanical systems and new 2.4Ghz radio.




Sea trials took place this afternoon.






New travelling case made as the old one it came in was too small and the hull kept getting stuck!




Final check over by the 'Apprentice' before delivery to Torquay this Friday.




If anybody is in Brixham this weekend, 13-14th August, it will be on display with its owner's other model lifeboats at the Torbay Lifeboat 150th Anniversary near to the lifeboat station in Brixham harbour. I will also be there so come and have a chat about Lifeboats!!

Mike

Would anyone have a set of plans going spare for a 1:15 scale, I have just purchased a second hand part built one but don't have any plans or information

No files as this Waveney was all hand built before I aquired a 3D printer.

Ok no worries, I've got a 1:15 scale but missing alot of frame work and no other fittings or plans