Vanguard Build

[VanguardUK]

Hello Vanguard: I am the Guy of the MBD model T boat and I am interested in the WTC you use in your OTW Vanguard.
I know it is a water pump system.As far As I can observe from the photos supplied you use a ballast tank with bulheads.
Also you seem to employ a system with a pinch shutoff valve (a la sheerline).
I presume you use a geared pump and a microswitch to start-stop.
What I want to ask you is:
Which pump you use (reversible or not)And where to find it if you can tell me.
You rely only in the air pressure to expell water from the ballast tank?
Last but not least which is the material of the WTC (Lexan or plexiglass)

I am planning to start building my own WTC´s and I like your approach very much and your help will be much appeciated.

Best regards

Sorry Matey, not been on in a while & only just noticed your post from september!

The pump I use is a standard Auto Screen wash pump, but one with a 12mm inlet hole which I mount in the front cap, these are readily available at Car accessory stockists.

The Tube is standard Acrylic tube - I'm currently building up a wtc for an Akula - with Acrylic End Caps, I've done away with Resin ones to save weight & space.

You are correct, the air pressure expels the water, this is helped by the large inlet hole, the pump is only set up to run one way (in) & works off of a simple micro switch set up.

[Ironhorse]

Water pump

Thank you for your tip about the different types of water pumps.
As far as I have been able to gather this system shows advantage from the point of view of trimming in different bodies of water.I have several models equipped with RCABS and with propel and now I am building an ArkModel Song which employs a geared reversible pump with a solenoid valve and a water bladder into the ballast tank.
However I have replaced the original WTC (too thin walled) by another with a wall of 1/8¨And I believe it will withstand much better the overpressure created into the wtc by this system.
As I told in my previous post I liked very much the layout used by Vanguard in his sub WTC.

Thank you again for your help

[Subculture]

They use windscreen washer pumps. Some use the geared type, others use a centrifugal type. A pump expert recommends a geared type as most suitable for pumping against pressure, but they can be a little slow if you have a big tank. A popular geared pump is supplied by Ripmax here in the UK, at about a cost of £10.

http://www.ripmax.com/item.asp?itemid=L-IE63&Category=010

Mike also does a small geared pump suitable for small sealed ballast tanks.

[Ironhorse]

Self made WTC

Hello Vanguard: I am the Guy of the MBD model T boat and I am interested in the WTC you use in your OTW Vanguard.
I know it is a water pump system.As far As I can observe from the photos supplied you use a ballast tank with bulheads.
Also you seem to employ a system with a pinch shutoff valve (a la sheerline).
I presume you use a geared pump and a microswitch to start-stop.
What I want to ask you is:
Which pump you use (reversible or not)And where to find it if you can tell me.
You rely only in the air pressure to expell water from the ballast tank?
Last but not least which is the material of the WTC (Lexan or plexiglass)

I am planning to start building my own WTC´s and I like your approach very much and your help will be much appeciated.

Best regards

[VanguardUK]

Try maintaining it for an extended run as well, that's where the skill lies, slow & steady as she goes No1!!

A couple more shots to show the scum line & weathering, the colours work better when she's wet.

[Kazzer]

Our pond's only 4 feet deep & to be honest unless I go to a swimming pool I rarely go deeper - don't see the point of sailing if I'm going to be "staring at an empty pond" to quote a fellow member! - P depth is good for me.

BINGO! I don't see the point either, so why bother will all those fangled systems when a Snort and a properly trimmed boat will get you out of most troubles?

And, as His Eminence pointed out, if you can't see it, there is great likelihood you won't see the shopping cart trap either.

Periscope depth - where Newbies should be!

[VanguardUK]

Looking Good! I'll drink to THAT!
I don't suppose you have tried any deep dives yet?

Our pond's only 4 feet deep & to be honest unless I go to a swimming pool I rarely go deeper - dont see the point of sailing if I'm going to be "staring at an empty pond" to quote a fellow member! - P depth is good for me.

[VanguardUK]

Had her on the water today, sails really well & is very stable even without a leveller.

[VanguardUK]

I've fitted baffles to all my water pump boats & I'm convinced it helps, but as far as I'm aware, Sheerline still do not fit them & speaking from experience his boats are all pretty stable.

I actually just about had her hovering which was pretty impressive.

Mankster - yes mate, get your finger out time's ticking by!
I'm hoping to refit a tired looking Trumpeter Seawolf c/w with dive system by then as well, but first I need to build the diesel Snort & possible the Tactical mast that sits on the casing.

[Mankster]

You work fast, I need to get into gear if Turbulent is going to be ready for next months meet.
In this sytem the ballast tank is about 2/3 full when dived so you have free water surface, hence baffles help greatly.

[VanguardUK]

The reason you cant see what you're looking for is because they aren't there. This is a water pump system I have put together myself - as I do all my WTCs, the pipe through the centre carries the wiring fwd - aft.

Anyway, here's a couple of pic's of her painted up, hopefully get snother run & pictures underway next week - forgot the camera last week.

She's very stable & with very little additional trim dived on a very even keel & almost achieved critical balance! The 540 motor gives plenty, possibly to much power.

[toppack]

David,
I just noticed that in the picture of the SD used in Vanguad there are things Very-different about the Ballast-tank portion of it.
There appears to be a small black tube, in center, connecting fore and aft WTCs, but what is the other thing doing, inside the outer tube?
That inner thing is Vary strange looking with holes and bulkheads, all over it? :confused: Is it a Baffle? If so, why was it needed? Is it to prevent slosh-roll problems, for better stability?
And I don't see any Vent/Blow valves in it??? :confused: Where did you Hide them?
See Pic:

[VanguardUK]

Some of the outer details sorted now, also fitted the retaining studs in the flanges - left on! - Trash coats of Grey primer have been applied & she's ready for a final rub down before the initial coat of Black, this will be followed by dry brushing Charcoal paint & Pastels over it to pick out the details.

Scum line, weathering etc can wait untill I got her running properly & had the usual chat with the pond wall that always seems to come with a new boat!

[VanguardUK]

Thanks for that, I spoke to Bob Early on in the build & he told me of your "incident" with the flanges so I was for- warned!

Hoping to get mine in the water early next month,

So far I've built the WTC, fitted the original supplied rear planes, ripped them off & replaced them with the improved versions. Built & installed the motor box & Battery arrangement.
I'm just starting on the outer hull details, still cant decide if I want to replicate the tiles - might have a practice on my old Seawolf.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

All the frames necessitated when I foolishly removed the hull flanges. Lesson learned!

David,