U.S. Coast Guard 47' Motor Lifeboat by Erick Royer

RCU Review: Midwest Products Co. U.S. Coast Guard Lifeboat More On This Product Research Airplanes Research Boats Research Cars Research Helicopters Research Engines & Motors Research Radio Equipment Contributed by: Erick Royer Published: June 2003 Views: 15685 Email this Article PDF NAVIGATION Home History Assembly Detail Shots On The Water Summary DEALER INFO Midwest Products Co., Inc. 400 S. Indiana St. P.O. Box 564 Hobart, IN 46342 Phone: (800) 348-3497 Fax: (219) 942-5703 E-mail: customerservice@ midwestproducts.com www.midwestproducts.com VIDEO RCU Video 1.6 meg :: 2.6 meg U.S. Coast Guard 47' Motor Lifeboat by Erick Royer INTRODUCTION When I first saw this boat at a trade show last month, I remember saying to myself...wow! And I commented to the manufacturer about all the time that it must have taken some poor guy to add so much detail to this model. I remember how shocked I was when he told me it was an ARR (Almost Ready to Run) kit. Having seen many ARR and ARF kits, I asked if it still required several hours of painting, applying decals, and assembly. He proudly opened the box and what you see PRODUCT RATINGS Quality: Performance: Ease of Assembly: Speed: Control Response: Durability: Cool Factor: Price: 1-POOR 2-NEEDS IMPROVEMENT 3-AVERAGE 4-VERY GOOD 5-EXCELLENT HITS Excellent Scale Details Fast, Easy Assembly Excellent performance Easy to follow instructions - perfect for the beginner. MISSES

Video From Midwest's Website assembly. He proudly opened the box and what you see is what you get. My bet was this boat would take less than an hour or so to get in the water. I would later find out that my guess was correct! None MISSES There are so many features included in this model that it would take two reviews to cover all of them. Not one minor detail was missed. Items like painted orange life preservers that come complete with ropes and the installed and painted metal handrails. No cheap plastic here! The anti-skid deck surfaces are installed throughout the external walking surfaces of the boat. Even minor details like cockpit instruments and controls, the mooring cleats, captain chairs, windshield, and lighting have all been accurately recreated. I can honestly say that with all the models that I have seen over the past couple years (planes, cars, and helicopters included), that I have never seen so much detail put into a ARR model as with the Midwest 47' Coast Guard Motor Lifeboat. SPECIFICATIONS Model: 47' Coast Guard Motor Lifeboat ARR (Almost Ready to Run) Manufacturer Midwest Products Model Type: Scale Electric Rescue Boat Skill Level: Beginner Length: 30" Beam: 8 3/4" Weight: 6.5 lb. Power System: two 550 size 7.2 volt motors (included) Radio Required: 2 channel w/one servo and speed control Radio Used: Hitec Lynx 2 channel Speed Control: Hitec EZX-R Reversing Speed Control Batteries Used: Two 7.2v/1500 MaH NIMH 6-Cell From Cermark Duration: 7.2 volts 1500 mah - 10 minutes 7.2 volts 3300 mah volt - 19 minutes Sug. List Price: $499.99 FEATURES Painted Fiberglass Hull and Deck with authentic markings and clear-coat finish for long life Over 40 painted and installed detailed fittings Removable Rear Hatch with waterproof gasket seal Realistic non-skid deck material and rubber bumpers applied Twin 550 size high-performance electric motors, dual rudders and stainless steel prop shafts Finished Display Stand Minimal Assembly Time HISTORY In 1986 the U.S. Coast Guard started a new project to replace the aging 44' Motor Lifeboat with a new 47' version. First a preliminary design was drawn up and after tests and considerable refinements, Textron Marine and Land Systems was awarded the contract to finish the design and build a prototype. This boat (CG 47200) was delivered in July 1990 for testing and evaluation, which lasted about 2 years. Many improvements were incorporated into the pre-production models, and 5 more boats were built between April 1992 and December 1994, for testing and evaluation at units around the coast. After further improvements to the design, a contract was awarded to Textron Marine and Land Systems to build 20, 47' Motor Lifeboats, the total number now to be built is 117. On the 13th of May 1997the first production boat (CG 47206) was delivered to the National Motor Lifeboat School.

Full-Scale Specifications Length 47ft 11 1/8" Beam 14ft Draught 4ft 6in Hoisting Weight 40,000lbs Speed 25 knots Range 200 n. miles First Built 1990 (prototype) Crew 4 Engines Twin Detroit Diesel 6V92DDECIII, 435hp each Towing Cap. 150 tons Fuel Capacity 411 gallons Construction 5456 Marine Aluminum Built By Textron Marine and Land Systems ASSEMBLY When I removed the boat from the packaging, I noticed that a few items such as a wooden spotlight, a cleat, and one of the life preservers came loose during shipping, These parts were easily put back in place with the help of some medium CA glue. The first step in the assembly process is to install the steering servo. In order to access the steering components, I removed the rearmost hatch that is held in place with two Allen screws and I installed a Hobbico servo in the provided pocket near the stern of the boat. The pushrods are already installed and held in position with collars and setscrews. I installed an EZ connector on the servo horn and slid the pushrod through the connector prior to installing the arm on the servo. Servo compartment hatch Servo and rudder linkage installed It?s important to verify that both rudders are in the same neutral position and that they move equally to the left and right. To check that they are centered I placed a ruler on the bench behind the rudders and marked their positions. I then measured in front of the rudders to make sure that they were equal. I found it necessary to make some minor adjustments that were easily accomplished by loosening one of the setscrews on the rudder arm and correcting the rudder?s position. When I was satisfied that both rudders were equal, I tightened the setscrew on the servo arm, making sure the servo is centered via the radio.

The Hitec Lynx transmitter I decided to use has a dual rate knob for the steering control. This allows me to limit the rudders left and right travel, which I set according to the manual. Based on its initial performance, I can increase or decrease the rudder throw if necessary. The next step is to install the ballast and there is a pocket molded in the rear and front of the hull for it. The manual has a pretty ingenious idea for adding the weight to the boat - rolled pennies. It suggests that six rolls of pennies will provide the required weight to ballast the model. It just so happened that I had several rolls of pennies lying around waiting for a trip to the bank. I was concerned that the paper wrappers might get wet, so I wrapped each roll tightly in electrical tape to make them water resistant. I installed the pennies, 4 rolls on the bottom and 2 rolls centered on top and I held them in place with 2 elastic bands. Six rolls of pennies used for ballast Pennies wrapped in electrical tape and installed The instructions also suggest putting another roll of pennies in front of the battery trays. I held off on doing this as I was planning on some tests with 7-cell packs which would provide added weight in the bow. Next I installed the Hitec EZX-R Reversing Speed Control. The EZX-R has battery eliminating circuitry (BEC) that eliminates the need for an external receiver battery. The main motor batteries power the receiver. There is a switch on the ESC to turn the system on, thus also eliminating the need for an external receiver switch. Hitec EZX-R Electronic Speed Control installed I connected the bullet plugs from the speed control to the motor harness. Both 540-size motors are already installed and connected to the drive shafts, as well as being wired. They are electrically connected in parallel to achieve maximum power. The speed control is attached on an elevated plastic mounting plate with double-sided tape. It is important that the ESC remains dry so elevating it will prevent it from getting wet in the event that some water makes its way into the hull.

Receiver is wrapped in plastic bag Receiver is installed below the ESC The receiver is the last item to be installed. I connected the ESC and steering servo lead and then wrapped the entire unit in a plastic bag and sealed it with a zip tie as I wanted to eliminate all possibilities of water entering the RX. This should proved to be an excellent water repellant, although I do not think it would work if the boat were to sink. The receiver is mounted just under the ESC and I routed the antenna wire to the port side of the boat and fed it though the supplied antenna tube. I used a couple pieces of fuel tubing to secure the antenna tube in place. Next, I installed a Y harness to the power connector. This allows the use of two battery packs that run in parallel. This configuration provides extended run time over just one pack. The power connectors are all Tamiya-style, which is common on a lot of electric R/C cars. Y Connector for the Battery Packs The only detail item that needed to be installed was the main antenna mast. It?s constructed of metal wires and painted gray. With medium CA, I installed the mast on the rear portion of the awning on the control deck. There is a rope attached to the mast with an American and Coast Guard flag - a very cool detail! Antenna Mast is installed with medium CA Elastic bands secure the hatch to the hull The main hatch is attached to the hull with two elastic bands which are hooked to the bottom of the hull just forward the ESC and connected to the inside of the cabin (hatch). At first I thought it would not hold up and that it would allow water to enter the hull. I later found out that this was of no concern. The boat is complete so I charged up a couple batteries and was off to the lake. DETAIL SHOTS

ON THE WATER... On the morning of its maiden voyage, the water was a little choppier than I might have liked. However, after reading about the full-scale boat?s ability to handle rough water conditions, I figured I would see if Midwest, in fact, got every detail correct. With the ESC turned on, I performed a simple range check. All was good so off we went! My first run was with a pair of 6-cell 7.2-volt 1500mAh battery packs. As I advanced the throttle, I could hear a slight hum from the motors and as I punched the throttle, she leaped into the oncoming waves. I could not believe the power that these two 550 motors provided. The boat handled the water conditions very well and the rudder response was excellent. I did find myself adjusting the dual rate to allow a little bit more rudder throw than the manual suggested for tighter turns. Despite all the cast-metal fittings, and 6 rolls of penny ballast, she performed with authority. It was a cool site to see those two flags whipping in the wind as it motored on by. After about 8-9 minutes I could tell that the batteries were beginning to run down so I brought the boat back to port. I removed the boat from the water and placed it on the stand. As I opened the hatch cover, I was pleased to see that not a drop of water had entered the hull. I removed the two 6-cell packs and replaced them with a pair of 6-cell 3300mAh NiMH batteries. I replaced the hatch and it was off on another voyage. As I crashed the boat into some oncoming waves, I applied full power and it reminded me of a scaled back version of the pictures that I found above in this article on the full-scale boat. Awesome!

The 3300mAh packs yielded a run of about 19 minutes. The added weight did not make much difference in the way the boat sat in the water or the way it handled. There was definitely no performance loss with this setup! The Coast Guard Motor Lifeboat has been a very successful adventure. Midwest definitely produced a winner here! SUMMARY If you ever wanted a boat that not only performed scale-like, and also has exceptional scale details, and can go from box to water in less than an hour. With the only required tool being a Phillips screwdriver, I would have to say that the Midwest 47' Coast Guard Motor Lifeboat fits the bill. I cannot image how many hours it would take to recreate the impressive details that went into this model. While it is not a speedboat, its performance, especially with 7-cell packs is excellent. It is impressive in appearance as well as performance. After reviewing Midwest?s website, I noticed that if you are a craftsman, this same model is available in kit form. For more information visit www.midwestproducts.com!

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The comments, observations and conclusions made in this review are solely with respect to the particular item the editor reviewed and may not apply generally to similar products by the manufacturer. We cannot be responsible for any manufacturer defects in workmanship or other deficiencies in products like the one featured in the review. EMAIL THIS ARTICLE OR CHECK OUT THESE OTHER GREAT REVIEWS! Photo Manufacturer Product Summary Reviewed Traxxas EZ-Peak 5 Amp NiMH Charger The Traxxas EZ-Peak 5 Amp NiMH Charger is a great addition to Traxxas' charger line up. Although it only charges NiCD and Ni... 08/04/2013 Traxxas EZ-Peak 4 Amp AC NiMH Charger The Traxxas EZ-Peak 4 Amp NiMH Charger is an easy to use AC powered battery charger capable of charging NiCD and NiMH battery... 08/04/2013 Venom 5300mah 4s 70C LiPO pack Venom's 4s 70C 5300mah LiPo battery pack uses a hard case for protection against punctures and warping... 05/06/2012 Venom's Pro charger The pro charger provides adequate current to quickly charge small to medium sized packs and is easy to use, though its comple... 05/06/2012 Venom's Pro charger Plus The pro charger plus provided plenty of power and fairly easy use, though its complexity may confuse you initially. I mainly... 05/06/2012 Venom 5600mah 2s 60C LiPO pack Venom's 2s 60C 5600mah LiPo battery pack is ROAR approved. The hard case adds protection against punctures and warping. Remov... 05/06/2012 AquaCraft MiniMono The MiniMono is a 16" v-hull speed boat which includes features found on larger boats. The hull design is very low and aerody... 04/28/2012 Venom 2s, 5000MAh LiPO Venom's 2s 60C 5000mah LiPo battery pack is ROAR approved. The hard case adds protection against punctures and warping. Remov... 04/09/2012 Great Planes Motley Crew The Motley Crew catamaran is based off the full size Motley Crew Skater 368 champion race boat. The Motley Crew is a race pur... 08/25/2011 Venom Racing King of Shaves gas RTR boat There was a wind & wave advisory out the day of testing but that didn't stop us. I brought the KOS out to the lake and before... 08/09/2011 Venom King of Shaves The electric King of Shaves from Venom racing is a well built fiberglass catamaran power boat with near unlimited potential.... 06/19/2011 AquaCraft Rio 51Z Aquacraft has been producing a long line of competitively priced boats for every budget for quite some time. In this case the... 01/22/2011

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