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California Steve
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Out to sea on the Bonnie Leanne.... A floaty thing..

July 10, 2016 · in Uncategorized · 22 · 1.5K

Well what has California Steve been doing? I have wanted this RC boat for a few years now.
This is the Bristol Bay trawler. If you have ever wanted to get into a RC boat this is the way to go. This model comes almost ready to run. It has a fiberglass hull, five LED running lights, and all of the electronics installed. All you have to do is add the masts and rigging, throw in some batteries and go.
This RC falls in the (toy) category so it uses a lower frequency that other RCs. It is good to about one hundred yards. But by then you can barely see it. Run time on a 3000mAh NiMH battery is about forty minutes. I have added a Faller German railroad crew. These were fun to paint. A smoke generator in the stack, and weathered her up a bit. The motor is extremely powerful and she steers like a dream. I named her after my two sisters Bonnie and Leanne. And went to a trophy shop for the name plates in brass.
Here are some photos and a U-Tube link a guy posted of my boat at Hanson Dam in L.A.
I'm still building models, and I'll add this into that category.
Enjoy,
California Steve

here is the video link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4HXuCEwNk4

Reader reactions:
3  Awesome

7 additional images. Click to enlarge.


22 responses

  1. Great fun project Steve…..always want to have a RC sailboat but never got around to getting one. No place to play with it close by. I like what you did with it.

  2. Thanks Jack, I think if you look around you will find a place. Once I started looking I found about seven locations within a hour from my home.
    The black mount on top of the pilot house is an attachment for my Go-Pro camera. Talk about fun.
    I'm Glad you like her.
    California Steve

  3. I like it...the thing hauls butt, too, doesn't it? Just hope someone with an RC submarine doesn't torpedo it! 🙁

  4. Nice little boat Steve, and she actually floats and moves too.
    Great, I like the addition of the crew, adds something to a model, , a sense of size maybe.

  5. Thanks Simon, The crew was fun to detail. They are a railroad work crew so I had to get a bit creative with their duties aboard the boat.
    This also gives my son and I a chance to get out together and have some fun.
    Steve

  6. Fun is what it's all about, how about some seagulls circling round the boat?

  7. Hello George, How are you doing? I don't want the seagulls bombing
    my little boat. Haa Haa! It is a great duck chaser though.
    It is fun.
    Thanks for the nice words George.
    Steve

  8. da,da,da,da, is that a fin in the water just off the stern in the first pic, quick another barrel Mr. Hooper, says Cpt. Quint. Steve,That actually looks like it would be lots of fun. Nice model mans touch.

  9. Steve, nice change of pace, I like the ex-railroad deck force. Beats dancing the gandy.

  10. Thanks Bernard, I had to Shanghai the whole lot. They keep grumbling about some sort of railroad pension. Ha! Their mine now.
    Sorry, I got a bit carried away. Probably too much fresh air.
    Thanks for the like. It sure is fun.
    Steve

  11. Hey, they ought to be happy, out there in them ocean breezes and sunlight, out of the freight yards, where one could lose an appendage. Plus, this'll teach 'em to drink with the press gang at Walthers. Well, maybe.
    I'm sure you're a benevolent skipper, and use the knout judiciously. Hey, they're new to the sea, and we don't want to break their spirit. That'll be later.

  12. Well Bernard, They were more acquainted with ships than I initially thought. They told me the ship will sail more true if I let them use this thing they call Bier for the ships ballast. They were right. This Bier works great. Except the longer we are out to sea the more the boat is tippy.
    You know, like it is loosing ballast. They are a nice lot of German fellows
    who are always happy. I am proud to be their Skipper... Steve

  13. What would Cal Steve think of next? I like it very much. She looks great and the added bonus is that you can enjoy playing with it. Well done!

  14. Thanks Morne, I don't know who is having more fun, me, or the kids who chase it along the shoreline.
    Thank you for the nice comments.
    Steve

  15. Looks great and like a lot of fun 🙂

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