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[Patrick Henry]

Well, I've finally succumbed and bought myself a lifeboat, a German Graupner Paul Denker DRzRS search and rescue vessel.

(cat not included...I hope!)


Anybody else got one? Or built one? Mine is ready built, bought off good old ebay (item number 260898620909), I collect it tomorrow.

Does anyone (another one of my long shots here...) have a set of the build instructions they could scan for me, please? Any comments or criticisms on the boat?


Ta,


Rich

[gregk9]

If its anything like the Adolph Bermphol that graupner made, watch the hull!, its very thin plastic and very prone to damage, it does flex to a degree, but after that it cracks if flexed too far.

I bonded in a length of wooden dowel along the inside of the keel to give it some rigidity.
These boats do also tend to have a high centre of gravity so watch you get the ballasting right, or it leans a bit too far on fast turns, can be quite un nerving to say the least.

I used twin batteries to help spread the weight around and even the ballasting out to both sides of the hull, rather than centrally.
Im in the process of a rather "extensive" rebuild on my secondhand one, as im trying to get the boat retrieval system up and running, as the previous owner gave up on it.

[Patrick Henry]

Thanks for that Greg, much appreciated...I'll give it a good going over when I get it tomorrow and check on that hull flexing you mention.


Thanks again,



Rich

[lifeboatpaul]

Hi,
That particular one you just bought used to be my Paul Denker , I sold it on Ebay a  month ago , you can see pics of her taken at the 2009 southern model air show on the "commercial events thread " on this forum  together with my two other SAR`s and a friends Adolph bermpol. There pretty rare though!! I bought that one from german Ebay as I have never seen another for sale over here.

Regards Paul.

[lifeboatpaul]

There are Better pictures on the main page of modelboat mayhem in the shows section " southern model airshow 2009" .

Paul.

[Patrick Henry]

Well, they say it's a small world Paul!

She looks as though she's had a bit of a hard life recently, the plan is just to tidy her up a bit for the rest of this year, then over the hard water period I'll give her a good going over. I've replaced the rigging wires with shirring elastic, glued a few bits back on her and there, and fitted her out with a Planet 2.4gHz radio.

The radar is supposed to revolve and the lights are supposed to work, but I haven't fathomed that out yet...any ideas? What battery does the radar use?

Thanks for pictures link as well, some very useful information to be gleaned from some of them.


Cheers,



Rich

[lifeboatpaul]

Hi Rich,

Cant help you out there as it didn't have a working radar or lights when I sold it .
Regards Paul.

[Patrick Henry]

Ok Paul, thanks anyway...that's one main job on  the list, to make a totally new mast and fit new lights.

Hoping to get her out on the water tomorrow, batteries are on charge now.


Thanks Paul,




Rich

[gregk9]

Before applying voltage to the radar motor, i would suggest looking at the motor to see if it might give you a clue to its "working voltage". What you dont want to do is put the wrong voltage across it and melt the brush arms off the motor in a split second. As you can appreciate, motors can use anything from 1.2v to 24v. if you can post a pic of the motor, someone on here may be able to recognise it and  assist further.

As for the lights, depend on if they are simply "wheat grain" types or led's, but again, could be 6v or 12v wheat grain or 3v led's. It all depends on what the installer fitted.

[Patrick Henry]

Greg, I would if I could find it! It must a real tiny can type motor, I'll not know what it is or where it is until I rebuild the mast later on.

As for the lights....well, one or two of them flickered a bit with 3 volts applied to a pair of loose wires I found, but most of them don't work, so again, when the mast gets a refit, then I can install proper LED's and have done with it.

Rich

[Patrick Henry]

Anybody know what this is? (follow the red line down to the white circular ball shaped object)




Is it a radar dome? Or is it just a table tennis ball...? Whatever it is, my boat doesn't have one.



Rich

[6705russell]

Hi Rich

Looks to me like a ping pong ball being used as as fender perhaps?


PS. Will sort that gear for you this week..

Russ

[Patrick Henry]

I just wondered if it was some super secret radar dome, funny place to put it though.

PS. Will sort that gear for you this week..

Russ

Ok mate, pm me your address and I'll pack 'em and post 'em.


Regards,


Rich