Submarine School

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

"Hey kid, come on inside and check out my 1/69 scale model submarine. I’ve got cookies, ice cream, and a shop full of glue just waiting for ya..."

Disturbingly accurate.

[Subculture]

When it comes to attracting new blood into this area of the hobby, I would factor in the following.

1. Radio control is no longer the frontier technology it was when many first entered the arena. Consequently what was once novel has become a bit more commonplace.
2. There exists a great many more ways to entertain/stave off boredom than in years past. Competition from black dopamine rectangles, also known as smartphones.
3. The large numbers that existed for a brief period in the mid to late nineties was exceptional and will not be repeated. Get over it.
4. If you can attract some younger modellers, they tend not to be obsessive about scale fidelity and usually want something that is fast and they can stamp their own identity on. Don't be too anal, lighten up on the rules and regs.
5. If you want to build a community, then you need connection. That means events, and really you need three to four spaced through the years, and they need to be within reach, so in a big country like the USA that means you probably want at least 16 events a year simply to cover East and West coast. Promote, promote, promote.

[Subculture]

In linkage terms an x-tail is no different to a cruciform tail, it’s simply rotated 45 degrees.

[Fishb0y]

At what stage is the priming/painting/weathering/loss-of-all-hope/thoughts of self-harm?

My biggest struggle right now is getting the throws right for the X-tail. I’m going to keep working on it right up until I fly out to Subfest. At the very least, y’all can use mine as an example of “what not to do.” I’ll post some photos in the next day or two.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Here you go... My HMAS Rankin is sitting at about 90% complete… which, as many of you probably know, is apparently the point where the last 10% somehow becomes 90% of the work.

I’m having a bit of trouble getting her across the finish line, so at this point it’ll either be the Rankin or my shark making the trip to Subfest.

I’m hoping for a little gentle “prodding” from the collective wisdom here—especially on the proper way to finish up the boat without turning that last 10% into a complete rebuild!

With a little luck (and some peer pressure), maybe I can get Rankin off the bench and into the water at Subfest.

I'm your Huckleberry!

At what stage is the priming/painting/weathering/loss-of-all-hope/thoughts of self-harm?

David
The Horrible

[redboat219]

My charm and caring demeanor is not enough to get 'em through the shop door??!...

"Hey kid, come on inside and check out my 1/69 scale model submarine. I’ve got cookies, ice cream, and a shop full of glue just waiting for ya..."

[Fishb0y]

Here you go... My HMAS Rankin is sitting at about 90% complete… which, as many of you probably know, is apparently the point where the last 10% somehow becomes 90% of the work.

I’m having a bit of trouble getting her across the finish line, so at this point it’ll either be the Rankin or my shark making the trip to Subfest.

I’m hoping for a little gentle “prodding” from the collective wisdom here—especially on the proper way to finish up the boat without turning that last 10% into a complete rebuild!

With a little luck (and some peer pressure), maybe I can get Rankin off the bench and into the water at Subfest.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Have you had many younger modellers coming forwards asking for advise on how to get into this hobby, Dave?

In the last five years, NOTHING!

Before that, knowing Ellie always offered treats and/or a meal, yeah, people showed *some* interest.

WTF! My charm and caring demeanor is not enough to get 'em through the shop door??!...

A-holes!

David

[Subculture]

Have you had many younger modellers coming forwards asking for advise on how to get into this hobby, Dave?

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

I love the idea, and I'd even take it one step further. I think we're missing places where people can truly unplug from the virtual world and get together to work on projects. I'm guessing that's what the old-school hobby shops used to be like.

I visited Homeport Models in Peabody, MA, last week. If you've ever been to the Groton run, you've probably seen some of their boats just begging for a torpedo! They produce some incredibly high-quality surface targets (ships), but what impressed me most wasn't just the products.

Eric, the owner, has worktables in the shop that people can rent to build and work on their projects. As he explained it, the goal isn't really to rent table space—it's to create a place where people with a shared passion can hang out, collaborate, swap ideas, and enjoy the hobby together.

I won't lie—if I lived closer, I'd absolutely be renting a table there. I think that's the kind of community our hobby could really use more of.

Obviously, the SubFest event is not the venue to 'build stuff'. It's a four day fun-run of r/c submarines we've assembled/built. No time or facilities to actually construct anything -- just maintenance and repair. That's it; the structure, at events like this, is the wall between 'us' and 'them'; no polite means for the 'new-guy' to barge in and ask the 'established guy' how things are done.

However, if people are actively invited into our tight little circle and given our undivided attention as a one-on-one relationship would, we might spark in them the drive and knowledge to go back home and construct something practical and rewarding.

We elites can give encouragement and guidance to the newbies by demystifying the hobby; that's all the SubFest event can do for the interested newbie, and that's what the proposed sea-daddy and mud-puppy program is about.

David

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

One problem is I knew of one person in my state that WAS interested in coming to see what & how and see the inner workings of my model subs, but he moved to Florida. It is hard enough with the few people in my area interested in RC boats in general, surface boats! We have 8 people left in our 'club' which is now a social club. Of those eight, 2-3 actually build something.

You've identified this disturbing trend in our hobby. I see it everywhere on this side of the planet. Hopefully, through proactive efforts of the Elite, we can turn the tide. This 'qualification program' is just one step in that direction. But for it to work, the elites must give of their time and expertise to indoctrinate the Interested. Hence, this effort.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

I’m in for mentoring and troubleshooting. Specialty is electrical/electronics.

Excellent, Steve. Would you shoot me an e-mail (dmeriman@aol.com) so I can fill you in on the program specifics as this thing matures.

I'm thinking of having guys like you -- who have indicated specific skills you wish to share -- not only to mentor one mud-puppy but, on a limited scale, advise other mud-puppies who whish to study along with your assigned mud-puppy, at times and places of your choosing. Such group arrangements made after the morning 'Captain's Meeting' between the sea-daddy's and mud-puppy's.

If the scheduled seminars include a Q&A type format then your sitting in as a panel member might be the best way to handle group questions; an opportunity for the many to learn from the question of the few.

David

[SubSteve]

I’m in for mentoring and troubleshooting. Specialty is electrical/electronics.

[Fishb0y]

I love the idea, and I'd even take it one step further. I think we're missing places where people can truly unplug from the virtual world and get together to work on projects. I'm guessing that's what the old-school hobby shops used to be like.

I visited Homeport Models in Peabody, MA, last week. If you've ever been to the Groton run, you've probably seen some of their boats just begging for a torpedo! They produce some incredibly high-quality surface targets (ships), but what impressed me most wasn't just the products.

Eric, the owner, has worktables in the shop that people can rent to build and work on their projects. As he explained it, the goal isn't really to rent table space—it's to create a place where people with a shared passion can hang out, collaborate, swap ideas, and enjoy the hobby together.

I won't lie—if I lived closer, I'd absolutely be renting a table there. I think that's the kind of community our hobby could really use more of.

[Ken_NJ]

How does a participant, new to the game – a 'mud-puppy', who has some r/c vehicle experience; who knows little about the intricacies of r/c submarines; and is not too proud to learn under the wing of an assigned r/c submarine expert, a 'sea-daddy' – walk away from the four-day 2026 SubFest event equipped with the knowledge to select the right kit, devices, and preferred methods of putting it all together into a workable r/c model submarine?

So this would be an 'expert' someone with a bit more knowledge from a 'wanna be'. That would help a someone that wants to get started in the hobby, guide them while at the Subfest event? And what about after the event?

I'd be willing somewhat. I'm sure I'll be busy capturing video with my drone. Last year I was so busy with the drone capturing great video that I did not get much water time with my models. I do hope to run boats more than last year.

Bob needs to have a meeting of who is doing what helping out at Subfest!