Here is one of those moments in which human creativity and nature’s beauty converge to create something stunning…and God smiles.

On January 8, 2015, the Scale Boat Division of the San Diego Argonauts had an evening “mini Parade of Lights” on the San Diego Model Yacht Pond.  You’ll see a variety of scale RC model boats & ships.  Some are lit up with their on-board lighting systems, navigation lights, etc.  Others are embellished with Christmas lights, UL wire, and other creative lighting ideas.  Notice the party going on inside the cabin of the “Dread Yacht” and the way Ken Wilson’s flood lights illuminate his trawler’s rigging.  And in case anyone was wondering, that was “Teapot” with its awesome little Christmas tree.  This even was a new favorite, and I look forward to many more.

Boats present in order of appearance:
1) White Star Billings Boats kit built  by  Ryan Johnson
2) Neptune Cargo Ship Graupner kit built  by Don & Ryan Johnson
3) Bristol Bay (Aquacraft RTR) kit bashed  by Ken Wilson
4) Teapot kitbashed/custom Midwest steam launch  by Rich Perelli ???
5) Fire Rescue 17 (Aquacraft RTR) customized  by David Alvarez
6) Steam Trawler scratch built (1:96 scale) by David Manley
7) Army Tug built  by Ken Taylor
8) Steam Tug scratch built (1:96 scale) by David Manley
9) Dread Yacht scratch built / Victor 32 hull (1:96 scale) by David Manley
10) Navy tug “Odin” Lindberg kit originally built  by Lew Johnson, reworked by “Little Dave”
11) Helen Trawler  Artesania Latina Kit  built by David Alvarez
12) Coast Guard Rescue built  by Don & Ryan Johnson
13) Seguin Tugboat  Midwest kit  (1:48 scale) by Ken Wilson, reworked by Mark Weber
14) USS Tawasa ATF-92 scratch built (1:96 scale) by David Manley Tugboat
15) Karl Tugboat (Schottelschlepper Karl) built  by Will Ottermeir

Come join us on a Saturday morning at the San Diego Model Boat Pond.

https://www.facebook.com/sandiegoargonauts

Here’s the extended version of the above video:

Only in San Diego can December be this beautiful for R/C scale boating! This video covers December 13 & 27 at the San Diego Model Yacht Pond.

Here are the ships present in order of appearance:

December 13
1) SS Jeremiah O’Brien scratch built (1:96 scale) by Fred Frass, reworked by Mark Weber
2) Battle Tug kit bashed Lindberg hull (1:96 scale) by David Manley
3) Bristol Bay (Aquacraft RTR) customized by Mike Rivera and owned by John Ramirez
4) Atlantic Tugboat (Aquacraft RTR) customized by David Alvarez
5) C-Tractor kit bashed Dickie Toys tugboat (1:96 scale) by Mark Weber
6) RTR Wakeboarding boats brought by visiting kids

December 27
1) Orca from movie “Jaws”    scratch built by    Ken Wilson
2) Side Wheeler    scratch built by Brian Tripp
3) USS Tawasa ATF-92 scratch built (1:96 scale)    by David Manley
4) Helen Trawler Artesania Latina Kit built by David Alvarez
5) Coast Guard    built    by unknown, customized by David Alvarez
6) Neptune Cargo Ship Graupner kit built by Don & Ryan
7) USS White Plains (CVE-66) built (1:96 scale) by Jimmie Hawkin
8) USS Hammann (DD-412) built (1:96 scale) by Martin Bunch
9) C-Tractor kit bashed Dickie Toys tugboat (1:96 scale) by Mark Weber
10) HT-2879A RTR toy destroyer run by a guest
11) USS Copahee (CVE-12) aircraft carrier scratch built (1:96 scale) by David Manley
12) SS Jeremiah O’Brien scratch built (1:96 scale) by Fred Frass, reworked by Mark Weber
13) Atlantic Tugboat (Aquacraft RTR) customized by David Alvarez

Music: Michael von Frankfurt – Kreislauf

Come check out the scale model boats Saturday mornings at the San Diego Model Yacht Pond:
https://www.sandiegoargonauts.com/
https://www.facebook.com/sandiegoargonauts

Oh, the joys of vacation and catching up on some video editing. Here’s some video from November 29. I trimmed it down to focus on the 1:96 scale ships present.

• USS Copahee (CVE-12) aircraft carrier scratch built (1:96 scale) by David Manley (Not shown in video, but this incredible R/C ship features a functional airplane elevator)
• C-Tractor kit bashed Dickie Toys tugboat by Mark Weber
• USS Nicholas (DD-449) built (1:96 scale) by Martin Bunch

Music featured in video:
“Parliament” by Cloudkicker

Pardon the foggy look of this video.  My GoPro’s waterproof case had some condensation inside of it.

Date: November 22, 2014
Location:  San Diego Model Yacht Pond

Some of the Boats Present:

• Bristol Bay kit bashed by Ken Wilson
• SS Minnow of Gilligan’s Island TV Show built by David Alvarez
• Seguin Tugboat Midwest kit 1:48 scale originally built by Ken Wilson, reworked by Mark Weber
• Navy tug “Odin” Lindberg kit originally built by Lew Johnson, reworked by “Little Dave”
• USS Monitor scratch built by Jeff Sparksworthy
• Star 30 Sailboat restored by Brian Tripp
• USS Jenkins (DD-447) built (1:96 scale) by Jimmie Hawkins
• Fire Rescue 17 an Aquacraft RTR modded by David Alvarez

Come join us on a Saturday morning at the San Diego Model Yacht Pond:
https://www.facebook.com/sandiegoargonauts
https://sandiegoargonauts.com/

Music: Easy Jam from Kevin MacLeod.

After Jeff’s USS Monitor became disabled, three RC tugboats helped with the recovery of his boat at the San Diego Model Boat Pond.

Filmed on Nov 8, 2014

R/C Scale Ships Present:
USS Jenkins (DD-447) (1:96 scale)
USS Monitor (scratch built)
Coast Guard (balsa kit)
Steam Launch
Navy Battle Tugboat (~1:96 scale, Lindberg hull, rest scratch built)
Mini Dickie Tugboat (kit bashed)
Aquacraft Atlantic Tugboat (kit bashed)

October 25, 2014 at the San Diego Model Boat Pond

Task Force 96 Ships:
USS Nicholas (DD-449)
USS Jenkins (DD-447)
USS Allen M. Sumner (DD-692)

Come join us on a Saturday morning at the San Diego Model Boat Pond.