People coming to the battle: 1) Who wants hot dogs for lunch on Saturday? 2) Who wants inch-and-a-half wide, .177" high holes in their hull?
1) yes I want hot dogs 2) I'd love to but all my ships are Big Gun. If that's no problem, I'll prep my torpedo-boat.
They were designed for 1/4" rounds, so I'd be a little concerned about .177" rounds falling into the guts of the cannon and jamming it up. Actually, the batteries just arrived for Scharnhorst, so Hand and I will try to get her floating and mobile for the battle. That'll at least give us an idea about speed and handling.
I plan on working on Zrinyí Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. All are welcome to thrash away on ship preps! Das Bütts
I'll try to be up by a reasonable hour on Saturday so we can get started much earlier than usual. I'm hoping to do rudders and shafts on Invincible. Kotori will probably help work on Scharnie.
Cross fingers and toes and what ever it takes to get me to Tuscaloosa. Having done the drive from there to Statesboro, I know it is MUCH less tedious than the straight shot from New Orleans.
Worked in the shop today for a bit; then drove the boat around the pool some, decided that I need a little more ballast. but she moves nicely and will doubtless cause a few moments of terror (or at least, good-natured snickering) on the pond next weekend. At this point, I have 24 hot dogs and buns, ketchup, and mustard. Anything else will need to be brought by those desiring it. I think the host will be supplying drinks, but since he's on a mountain somewhere at this moment, I can't ask him.
I've got a classmate who will be joining us at the battle. He mentioned an interesting idea. Although it's unlikely anyone will let him drive their ship in battle, he was hoping that he might be able to run one before or after battles and shoot at a fixed target. I was thinking a 1 or 2 foot long section of a 2 by 4 or something, with a short anchor line and weight and a line to shore so it can be pulled in once we're done with it. Throw the target in about 15 feet from shore, blast away, then pull it when it's time for the battle. This way he can test-drive a boat and get a feel for the excitement of firing the big guns.
Mike Mangus arrived at my house in the midst of Brian K and I hastily rearming Lil Scharnie! During a slow day at work I made a quick list of what cruisers I had in the shop, close to combat readiness, and Lil Scharnie is the lightest that could realistically be done before the battle tomorrow. My back has been throwing fits lately, so Baden, while battle-ready, was not a realistic candidate for use. So, with Dean (yeah, he's not just a professor anymore!) Koehler's able assistance, Scharnie is ready to go again. The original brushless-motor equipped pump (scratchbuilt with combined flow impeller for max pumping!) is now being powered by a sixty amp ESC, because I had one on hand and I know that the motor won't overpower it If I have a few minutes in the morning, I'm going to replace the top of the conning tower that got shot off by some Allied Schwein in the past!
