Detailing

The fore and aft decks were planked using individual cut veneer planks. The wheelhouse was
half-clad using the same. The planks were weathered with pastels and the edge caulking
applied using black marker pen, before sticking to the deck/wheelhouse, rubbing down and
sealing with varnish. The two forward cabins (near the winch) were veneered (stained and
varnished) on the sides and the roofing material simulated using (sprayed) fine-grade
sandpaper - this being weathered to give a light moss and sea-salt effect, before sealing
with varnish. The wheelhouse roof was covered with wood veneer (stained, weathered and
varnished). The wheelhouse was detailed internally with plasticard bulkheads, shelves and
a scratch-built wheel.

The storage area was modified to represent a more open working environment. Wooden slats
were cut from veneer and stained/varnished, these being randomly placed on top. Tarpaulin
covers were made using Bare Metal Foil (self-adhesive), sprayed green and weathered.

The three figures were sourced from a Preiser HO/OO-gauge railway workers figure set and
modified to represent a Skipper and two shipmates - although these are just a bit smaller
than 1/72, they look okay.

The rigging is a mixture of elastic thread and sewing thread (stained and waxed).
The white-metal navigation lights, once painted, were lined with gold (self-adhesive) foil
(Bare Metal Foil).

RC installation

MTroniks 10A micro-ESC, Cirrus 40MHz (FM) mini-receiver, Ultra-Flite micro-servo,
George Turner Models aerial, custom NiMH flat 2400mAh 6-cell battery pack.

Paint

Acrylic (car) spray primer, red, below waterline.
Acrylic (car) spray, satin black, above waterline.
The lettering is 4mm self-adhesive vinyl from the BECC range (with hindsight, I think
that 3mm would be better).
Hull then coated in acrylic (car) spray satin varnish - this gives a hard-wearing surface.
All other components and superstructure were sprayed/hand-painted using Humbrol enamels.
Weathering then applied (everywhere) using various pastels, applied with cotton buds.
Everything (including hull) then sealed by spraying several coats of Humbrol matt varnish.

On The Water

Quite a bit of lead sheet ballast is required to get the model to sit on the waterline - keeping
it as low as possible in the hull makes the boat more stable on the water. The motor supplied
with the kit draws very little current under full (wet) load - I measured about 30mA.

Running a 2400mAH battery, the expected duration is therefore 80 hours!