Ever seen a towboat out of the water?

Me standing in front of 140' x 42' m/v G L FURR Chief Tom Hunt at stbd kort

port wheel port stern port rudders & kort shaft

shaft stuffing tube stuffing tube korts

steering rudder flanking rudder bearings tunnel area

port engine cooler port gear box cooler Capt. Wallace, he's 6' 1"

Time elapse photos without tripod. Unusual effect sea chest

stbd coolers, coolers above stair railing are for generators

Notice the strings hanging down from the hull. It is believed these are the larvae of the Mayfly and if one of these suckers land on your neck, they can sure bite the heck out of you.

Ever wondered what it looked like just before you got run over by one of these babies?

SKIN COOLERS are welded to the sides of the hull. Another type of cooler is a series of pipes on the bottom of the hull called KEEL COOLERS. GRID COOLERS are like radiators for the engines, gear boxes, and generators placed in recesses in the hull.

Here is the starboard steering rudder, kort nozzle, and one of the flanking (backing) rudders of a 126' 3600hp towboat.

Building a simple frame hull.... "Towboat" Joe's technique

Here's a basic frame work for a 1:48 scale triple screw towboat 200' x 54'. With a hull so large ( 50" x 13 1/2" ) I prefer to do the stern section separate from the main hull. I "break" it where the deck meets the angle for the raised stern. That is usually where the tunnel stern starts flattening out for the bottom of the hull. Notice that the hull side extends 4 1/4" past where I stopped the bottom sheeting. That is where the flat part of the bottom starts the rise to the tunnel stern.

Here shows the framing of the tunnel stern. Notice the three tunnel areas cut into the framing. This will be the end that will be mated to the main hull. Small sheets will go from here to the flat bottom frame. Offsetting the joints like this will also make a stronger joint.

Here is an overhead view of the tunnel stern bottom and the port side showing it partially sheeted. Notice reinforcing angles on the cross frame to increase strength. Always build framing so that each sheet will glue together on a supporting frame.

Here are the two parts joined together. Next thing is to glue 1/2" blocks into the outside corners. This not only increases strength, but also gives you wood to sand into when rounding off the corners. Next I like to glue a 1/4" or 1/2" sheet of Styrofoam to the bottom with a sheet of 1/4" or thinner plywood on top of that. It gives me something to screw into if needed plus adds more strength to the bottom.

Another frame hull can be viewed on the Bruce Darst page.

Here's the hull of the Bruce Darst (a Jeffboat design hull) I carefully mark off the placement of the steering and backing rudders and I usually install the sleeves for the rudder struts first thing. Then I measure for the shafts and drill holes for them. That way I can line up the shafts to figure the center line placement of the Korts. If I use a can with a seam I usually epoxy the seam to the hull. It's far less noticeable in that location.

ADJUSTING THE TEMPLATES .... By this - I mean, if you chose 1/8" thick balsa sheeting to cover the foam core hull - for example. Then you must ( Remove ) this same amount from all 4 sides of the Foam Block, prior to adding the Side templates Plus you must remove an additional 1/16" off each of the foam, to allow for the fiberglass & Resin materials, in their thickness - as well. These two adjustments to both - foam block and templates, insure the finished hull will be exactly to scale. "So this is critical in required tasks, before your ready to use the Hot Wire and carve the foam hull. Once the templates are adjusted, its time to heat up your - HOT WIRE foam cutter. And Draw the Bow - Gently along the templates - slowly with a steady pull, to carve away the excess foam.... ( SEE NEXT STEP BELOW )

Using the Hot Wire- "Hand Wand" ....Once the foam Hull Core - is cut out with the hot wire knife & bow, gently sand the hull core and check measurements, the block of foam has got to be - Square in Shape." The next task will be to carve out the "Tunnel Stern" for the "Wheels" = Props and Rudder systems to be installed later, by changing to the Small - HAND WAND. REMEMBER, the Tunnel Hull - Stern, must also be carved out & adjusted in correct depths, to allow for the thickness of woods & Fiberglass Covering too, since this area will later be covering too. In this drawing, you can see the "Tunnel Hull" is being "SPOONED OUT" with the hand wand. Note ... The wand ( Its Wire ), may want to bend out of shape - as you use it. If it does, your pulling a bit to hard, so adjust the voltage a bit higher, as needed. "Just don't get the wire - TO HOT, Noting the hand wand uses a shorter - wire, that will heat faster, than a longer one!

SPECIAL NOTE..... Another way to make a Hand Wand, is to use some heavy "Solid Copper" wire, mounted into an old solder gun. Shaping the wire to required cutting shapes, then heat it the solder gun and use it to shape foam objects or sections of the hull!

The ( 6 ) Rudder Sleeve Tubes, are being added to the stern, plus the drive shafts have been fitted. Note the area of the r/c systems, is now also sheeted ( Inner - Rc Bottom Hull Plates ) and all wood seams have been filled, sanded and sealed/ So the hull is ready for glass cloth and resin.

The deck plate - sheets applied, work continues on the "Rudder Sleeve Tubes" to seal them and the stern - deck plate. Sealing the sleeve tubing, was done with J-B Weld Automotive Epoxy, because 50/50 hobby epoxy will not withstand moisture for long periods and can come loose!

The Kort Nozzles are installed into the stern - Tunnels of the hull ( Note the Port side - Wheel, or Prop, is already Installed! )

The Thomas K. nearing completion, note its Structures - taking shape, made of mostly balsa wood, with some plastic's, the structures details include a fully Detailed - Helm, and All Working Nav. Lights & Radar.