Drive set up for Lucy Ashton

[waverleyjamesieboy]

Hi paddleducks, not been on for a long time due to other commitments. But I have managed to get back to model boats  . Recently I acquired a model of the Lucy Ashton, I am giving it a thorough renovation. My Waverley is on hold at the moment while I rebuild this model (not that I have had much chance to work on it for a while  ). Now to get towards the point  there was not much of the electrics left in it. What was in it was a small motor which didn't work any longer, attached to it a small planetary style gearbox. On the end of the box was a small cog, driving a larger one attached to the paddle shaft via a chain. There was nothing on the motor so no idea what size it was, but was the smallest motor I've seen. What I would like to know (at last everyone says lol  ), I have got a MFA torpedo motor 500. Can anyone help as to how to use this to power the model, for tech details all I can say at moment it is appox 4' long by 14" wide. Sorry for long post but hope someone can help.

[R.G.Y.]

Could you post photos it may help someone understand your problem better. A picture is worth a thousand words.

[waverleyjamesieboy]

Thanks R.G.Y will do my best to get a couple of pics up, just ones i have are too big need to down size them. Not great at that bit lol, but will see what I can do.

[DamienG]

I use photopad by NCH software for photo processing. Size / rotation / enhancement etc.

[waverleyjamesieboy]

Cheers DamienG, will check it out thanks 

[bill stafford]

my rule of thumb is 300/350 rpm at the paddle shaft , i dont allow anything for slip+we have a speed control to slow it down
typically 540 type motors+2, 1 per wheel +3:1 ratio reduction tooth belts  ratio to get shaft rpm right.
 this set up drives 4/4.5 ft loa paddlers well, latest used 1000 rpm planetary motors via 3:1 t belts to a set of adelaide p wheels, but wider than the adelaide used , UK paddle tug

[Allan T Condie]

I built Lucy Ashton originally and the motor was one coupled to a reduction gearbox - a type no longer available.  With feathering paddles one does not need high paddle speeds or all you get is slip.  My first model Lincoln Castle we used a Meccano motor with adjustable gearbox and found that around 150rpm maximum was best, but that motor when I converted to electronic speed control and digital R/c  (my original set was an old reed one) caused too much interference so I had to look elsewhere.