Yes I am really psyched for the construction of the Dauntless. Maybe that is because it is so big. Little plastic boats are toys but a big wooden boat like the Dauntless is a project. I kind of like the fact that there is an owners/builders cult around the Dauntless. There are (relatively) a lot of them sold and either finished or in some stage of construction.

Some of the boat kits sold are certainly overwhelming to the buyer/builder. It is NOT a “shake the box*” construction as I think some of them may have assumed. Some folks have no idea how to finish a scale model boat. Some boats are so poorly constructed there is no reason to finish them, so they get set aside.

But then there are the good ones. I have seen some truly great examples of the Dauntless. It is not an overly fancy boat and some scale details are missing or wrong. Those appearance items are totally under control of the builder to add detail and improve from what was in the box.

Scale boats and ships are not so much an operations type of avocation but rather a builder’s paradise. The enjoyment derived is from making the construction decisions and being creative and precise. I think the folks that fail to finish the build; do not have a real knack or lose enjoyment from the slow construction.

They may have originally seen scale model boats out running around on the local pond and think operation is what the hobby is all about. What they witnessed was just the end result, the answer to the “What do I do with it now that I have it built?” question. Some builders choose to keep them dry and put them on the mantel and look at them. Others put them on the pond to see how they look and perform in real water. The casual observer has no idea about the six month, twelve month, or more build time. Sometimes it takes years to get to the water and some boats are always being detailed and improved, never “finished”.

My RCS control system project is to put more interest in the operation, and is not intended to detract from the enjoyment of creation of the model. I am going to saver every frustration and reward of the build. Then spend a lot more time experimenting with the control system.

A well built large model boat will have the ability to exist for quite a long time. I think it can outlive its builder if it is a high quality build and has been properly finished and waterproofed. To that extent it has a much higher survivability factor than an R/C model aircraft. (I know, I have crashed my share of model aircraft.)

What is missing for the R/C flyers when they operate a scale model boat is all the speed, action and thrill of the three dimensional operational freedom. High speed power boat (racing) also provides a lot of the same adrenaline rush and so it too is quite popular. But flat water scale speed put-putting is not much of an operating adrenalin thrill. It is more like appreciating fine art.

A few builders of scale boats overpower them in an attempt to “get them up on plane” when the prototype was never intended or was capable of doing it. I believe it is an attempt to put some thrill into the operation. So what if it isn’t authentic operation, it’s fun to watch. “Hey look! There’s the QM2 up on plane jumping her own wake!” Ha!

It’s a hobby. Whatever gets you psyched is OK with me.

*Just shake the box and the loose parts join together and the boat falls out completely assembled.