31" nautilus

[chips]

My wonderful wife got me the 31" NAUTILUS as a Christmas gift in 2012. After seeing bob the builder's latest thread, I decided it was time to open the box and begin assembly. I started by gluing some brass tube in the nose. I drilled holes for LED lights. The lower depth tube bracket broke, so I replaced it with some brass tube. I used a laser level to mark the upper stern for cutting.

[bigdave]

Great idea on using the level.
Should be a fun build. BD

[chips]

A little more work is done. Ladder rungs on the pilothouse were installed. I turned a new ram from brass stock. Made up the pivot block for a gimbaled prop and the rudder arm.

[southern or]

Looks great. The detail on it looks really good. Does it come with the steel rowboat?

[Guest]

You'll be popular with that metal prod on the front of your boat!

[JustSomeOldDude]

WOW WOW awesome!

[bob the builder]

The Nautilus Drydocks 31" kits come with the skiff, hatches, etc as well as a fully detailed wheelhouse interior. I'm working on developing a full salon kit (masters are done and I'm just waiting on Scott to mold and cast parts). I also have a few upgrade pieces available like accurate propellers in plastic or metal, super detailed skiff, etc.

https://www.nautilusdrydocks.com

[southern or]

The Nautilus Drydocks 31" kits come with the skiff, hatches, etc as well as a fully detailed wheelhouse interior. I'm working on developing a full salon kit (masters are done and I'm just waiting on Scott to mold and cast parts). I also have a few upgrade pieces available like accurate propellers in plastic or metal, super detailed skiff, etc.

www.nautilusdrydocks.com

Sweet! The skiff was my favorite part! I always wondered though, how does a metal boat kept upright in the wet hull of a submarine stay dry and usable? Further more, how much would that thing weigh? That looks like a sweet kit and it even has the iris shutters! I especially like the seal and the divers.

[salmon]

There are areas that you must suspend reality :-)

[chips]

You'll be popular with that metal prod on the front of your boat!

The stock ram is cast white metal, and certainly up to the task of looking good on a display model, or securing the hull halves on an operating one. I decided to make a spare while I had an intact original on the bench.

[chips]

Added some sheet styrene shims to the deck aft of the pilothouse. Installed the prop ring and support struts. Replaced the lower left struct wit square brass tube after opening up the strut mount on the hull. The rudder push rod will run through the tube.

[chips]

Work on the dorsal fin consisted of drilling a vent hole near the after end. I tried drilling from the top, and my drill bit wandered to the port side, opening a small split in the port side of the fin. I elected to glue a small piece of styrene over the split.. Then I continued drilling from the bottom and installed a brass tube. The V shaped notch in on the bottom of the dorsal fin provided clearance for the pin vise chuck. Added the cast bitts and cleats.

[redboat219]

You could glue a similar shape styrene sheet on the starboard side and add some rivets- sort of representation of a reinforcement plate.

[steveneill]

I built two of these for friends. Both used BigDaves RCABS cylinders. The perfect match for this boat and trouble free. They were good runners.

Steve

[bob the builder]

Looking great so far!

I just put up a video of RC prepping this hull in case you find it helpful!:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BAU1JQNR98