The Imperial Shipyards
Imperial Creative Engineering => Models, Scratch Builds, and Miscellaneous => Topic started by: hangarbay94 on June 14, 2010, 04:53:59 AM
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If any of you were wondering why I have this insatiable urge to create stuff, it's probably in my blood. In his spare time my Father used to spend hours making the most inticate and lifelike model trainsets I have ever seen.
Unfortunately, after a long battle with cancer he died a couple of years ago, and it was while I was rooting around in my parents loft just after his death that I found a remote controlled boat he made for me as a boy. Like most of my father's projects the ship was mainly his own creation, wood decking and cabin area with a fibreglass hull. I made a promise to myself that it would one day take to the water again and hopefully my kids would get as much enjoyment sailing her as I did as a yong boy.
I must have been six when my father built her, and the last time we took it out must have been about 30 years ago. I remember it's maiden voyage like it was yesterday. With so many years gone by the boat was in pretty poor condition. The ship was fithly from being in an attic for so long, the batteries were long gone, as was the rear mast, the lifeboat gear was damaged and the electronics were shot.
After sitting in my loft for a year I finally decided to get to work at restoring the old girl. The first thing I did was take her to our local Model specialist for advice, where the staff instantly took a very keen interest in her restoration. To my amazement, when they attached the engine to a power supply it whirred into action. They told me that my father had used some of the best components available at the time and that most of the important stuff was still usable. She did'nt leak and all I needed to do was to install new servos and batteries and away she would go... So they supplied me with all of the parts I needed, they even through in a lighting pack for free.
This wekend she was finally ready. God blessed us with a beautiful English summers day and me and the kids went to the local lake (where they just happen to have a remote controlled boat club with a hut and a cafe where they make the meanest cooked breakfast). With batteries fully charged, and good for at least a couple of hours, I delicately placed her in the water and gently applied the throttle... It was a beautiful moment I can tell you, it brought back so many wonderful memories, and seeing my kids enjoying taking turns was a very proud moment...
She's now back at home taking pride of place in the kids playroom (next to the Millennium Falcon of course).
Here she is pre restoration:
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4020/4699695368_61f319316b_b.jpg)
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4014/4699695116_594a2415d5_b.jpg)
And here she is back on the water in all her glory...
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4026/4699065373_ff2ef49d47_b.jpg)
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4061/4699695690_ee6a6f2fc8_b.jpg)
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Jules, what a great story. I now see where you get many of your skills from, your father. That boat is a masterpiece! It is obviously very well made and has stood the test of time. Good thing you got her out and dusted her off for your kids. I know they had just as awesome a day as you did, well hopefully almost as good. I know it warmed your heart to see her in the water again this time with you and your children. Thanks for sharing your story.
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BRAVO!
That's the stuff memories are made of - for *everybody* involved. Excellent pics, too. Thanks much for sharing!
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you should be very proud of your father ,that is a superb piece of work and i'm sure he was watching the grandchildren at play with the biggest smile on his face my friend ..
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What a terrific, heartwarming story! She looks beautiful at sea like that!
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beautiful story man, she looks beautiful too in the sea
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As always it's great reading your reactions to my post. Thank you all for your kind words.
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Great story, congrats on getting her seaworth again.
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That was a great story, Jules. That boat is a masterpiece. I would love to be able to see some of his trainset creations.
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thats making me cry jules great stroy and boat look you made smilie cry too! :'( :'(
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Clonehead...
It's amazing but my father, who spent years creating his railways never took any picturesd of them. He actually built a large shed at the back of our garden to house the last one, it was huge, with a mountain pass, tunnels and a village in the middle. Everything had lights and was totally authentic. We're talking the most expensive German made rolling stock and swiss made buildings. I think it was a model of a Swiss railway circa 1920.
In his last years he scratch-built wooden replicas of East European Synagogues that were destroyed by the Nazi's during the war. Using images taken before their destruction and some architectural plans he found he built these replicas exactly, including complete interiors. He'd spend hours and hours cutting each individual roof tile, the detail in each one is breathtaking. By the time he finished he'd completed around a dozen examples. They are now being stored in a museum in Florida as they are the only examples of their kind in the world. They are due to be exibited in the States starting next year.
Also just before he died he gave me his pilots log book (he used to fly DC6's and Bristol Britannias) and when I read it, it showed me a side of him I never knew. Being attacked by Mig's in Vietnam, being hit by ground fire in Biafra, several emergency landings while flying for the red cross, test flying Victor Bombers during the Cuban Missile Crisis... He was very cool...and will always be missed.
Charlie, thanks man!
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the fact the an entire continent is going to enjoy your fathers work is a breathtaking legacy very few people achieve be as proud of your father as i am sure he is of you my friend
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amazing story. I love it. It's interesting that you just finished a restoration project on your father's work because I'm starting my own and trying to finish it by fathers day. I'm blessed to have my father still around and he is the one who got me into science fiction as a child... I hope that he can appreciate the restoration I'm doing...
I know your father would probably be proud that not only did his work survive to this day but you took the time, care, and effort to restore it to it's former glory so that another generation could enjoy it!
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Amazing and beautiful story. Please keep us posted as to when those models will tour the States. And that boat...wow.
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Soo Cool Jules !!
I loved Trains, Planes, Boats (and Hot Wheels) as a kid. We didn't have Star Wars.
Kinda make me want to get into things I have no time for. :D
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The apple certainly did not fall far from the tree here, Jules.
It was a beautiful piece before restoration, and your final product is indeed breathtaking.
And to pass this on and share it with the next generation of mastercraftsmen, for that is what both you and your father are, is something others only dream of.
A very touching story and a happy ending of sorts.
Thanks for sharing this masterpiece with us, Jules.
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I'm not going to lie, as a father myself, that story puts some tears in the old eyes, luckily, I was able to control it, :)
Thank you for sharing.
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Beautiful story Jules. I was fighting back tears myself. My grandfather use to build train sets too. As a boy me and my brother had one of his creations in our room. It could fold down from the wall when you wanted to use it. Kind of like those beds that fold out from the wall. Anyway, I just wanted to thank you for sharing your story with all of us.
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My Girlfriend has a grandbaby boy and I was considering doing up a decent sized trainset layout for him using my dusty diorama skills. Perhaps I can inspire Pat to get his set going.
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Yepper Jules, one great story. I am sure your father looked down on you that day and definitely enjoyed your outing right along with you. I too hope to give my daughter some of the same feelings as this.
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thats a great story hb94
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I didn't know we had this section, after stumbling onto Spuda's thread, I was looking and love this kind of stuff. Love the boat, love the story about the Synagogues and love the story about the log books. My dad used to be into slot cars and trains when he was younger, nothing huge, just small tracks and kits he'd build himself.. I'd still like to get ahold of a couple of his old cars and rebuild them for him... Anyway, thanks for the beautiful stories... I gotta ask, how do you display the boat now? It looks like something that would be in the white house or Smithsonian under a glass case or something like that. Too cool.
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Cheers JR for such a great reply.
This is quite an old post, so I apologise it's taken a while for me to respond. In answer to your question, the boat currently takes pride of place in my kids playroom on a top shelf (above all of the SW stuff)... Now that the weather is getting warmer she'll be going out on her voyages at the local boating lake, where she is a firm favourite with all of the model boat enthusiasts.
My father would be very happy if he knew that his old boat was still in use...As we get older legacy is such a wonderful thing....