New guy

I am an old dude with much model making and full sized boat designing experience. Mostly sail but some power boat models.  I have a well equipped workshop and still have most of my fingers.  I build mostly in wood, often high end ply. I am in my second childhood according to some of the observers when I am exercising my boats in a local lake.  I have no patience will them but I am polite enough to agree that yes I am in my second childhood and enjoy playing with "toy" boats. Some of what I do with the models is observe behavior, power or sail requirements, eventual performance observations etc.

Full on high speed is not my cup of tea but I am OK with having my models going quickly.  In the past I used nitro engines  but I much prefer electrics these days. I live in Lakeland Florida where I can use my models almost year round.

Welcome matey

you sound as though you are just like me...……..I don't mind people asking me where they can buy a "toy" like mine...……..

I just love their faces though when I say you can't, unless you have a good bank balance and a spare 4 figure number in mins...……….

that usually shuts them up, lol. 

welcome to the site and enjoy the stay...……..

ps...………….we love photos of members models...…...gives inspiration to others.

My models are almost always rather pedestrian in appearance.  I build them to develop the parts for full sized copies of the model. I do actual, stability experiments and make assessments of wake making. power required to drive them at various speed length ratios. etc.    I do the design work almost always on the drawing board, then fiddle around with the involved math.  Most of them are simple skiff like boats. 

The current iteration is a quarter scale model of a four meter sailing skiff. I am doing this in concert with a young friend in Lithuania.  He wants a simple boat that is light in weight enough to transport on his car top. The boat is to be a competitive racer that has the ability to plane or nearly plane in moderate wind strengths.  I do all this stuff to escape boredom as I am a retired engineer with not much to do.  It is strictly a project for fun or perhaps some satisfaction if I happen to get lucky with a design.  

It appears that most of the members are building replicas of ship models of various chronological intervals .......such as the one in your Avatar.  I do admire that sort of model building. 

I will try to round up a few photos to post at a later time.

Best regards to all you "toy boat" builders.  I know something that the casual observer does not appear to know: Scale model builders are craftsmen of the first order.

very interesting, what you do, and design...…..

I think we would love to see your work and input...….its always good to know that some use their professional knowledge and skills in order to further the development of actual craft.

thanks for joining our group, and post away. 

neil.