Boat name - Barbies's Teddy Tours
Engine - 2 x 180 Electric with ESC powered by 1200ma NiCad
Lenght - 20"
Beam - 8"
Weight - 2lb 4oz
Top speed estimated - 5 mph
Comments - I am a Radio Control aircraft flyer in the main however, a disaster with a model inadvertently led me into a crazy, unusual, workable, model boat (see attached photos). I had a twin engined Falcon Park Flyer as my first model some time ago and, like most know-it-all first timers, I flew it on my own with disastrous consequences. I picked up the pieces and my mates said, 'Well, that's the end of that then'. I told them then that an aircraft never dies and would live on one day in another form. The bits were stored in the shed and time went by until, one day whilst tidying the attic I spotted my grand-daughters old Barbie boat. I don't know where the inspiration came from but I thought of the old twin motored Falcon bits and thought, 'I wonder'. All over the kitchen table went the bits and the Barbie boat. Within 2 evenings Radio controlled Barbie Mk1 was built. The concept of Mk1 was 2 Channel steered by the motors. It worked well on the Canal, much to the amusement of passers by. Comments included, 'Mummy, why has that man got a Barbie boat in the water?'. A bewildered mother looked, stared at me and said to her 4 year old daughter, 'I really don't know my dear!!' and walked on. Barbie Mk1 worked Ok and turned on itself almost for a few sessions then, disaster struck. The circuit board packed up. Over to Barbie Mk2. Barbie Mk2 had both motors connected together for on Channel and a standard Servo sat on the back seat with a rudder fitted in the dummy motor box on the back. She is terrific., travelling at 3mph, turning within 1 metre and running for 30 minutes on a 7.2v 1200ma NiCad battery. On one session my mate was happily running his IC boat, some way from me as he did not want to be associated with it, when he suddenly ran out of fuel in the middle of the Canal with no hope of retrieval. Several people were watching trying to work out how to get it back. No problem!! Barbie to the rescue. She nudged his posh boat to the side much to the applaud of the spectators and his embarrassment. Since then Ken has come on the scene, complete with ski's. Still under development because he is too heavy for the skis and tends to sink too low in the water. There must be a way to keep him afloat!! Crazy idea it may be however, had it not been for an air tragedy I would never have had an interest in boating. I am now looking at building another crazy boat. Who knows what it will be!!
