My first model was a "VERON" titan tug boat kit, costing 44 shillings (£2.20p) in 1957 and after unsuccessfully operating it with the recommended ED "Baby" 0.46cc diesel engine, I replaced it with a MAMOD steam plant.
The superstructure had to be much modified to take the boiler.
I still have it (in mothballs) but wouldn't dare steam it now!         Sandy

I have to say that I've only been modelling boats for about 15 years, prior to that I was always an aero modeller, and I can't remember what my first boat was!!

In 1958 I was only 1 year old, so how the heck you can remember that amazes me! I can't remember what I did last week!!

Regards
Eddy

My memory's not so good, but it says so on the front of my tug!

Remebering what I did in 1958 is no problem but yesterday is a whole 'nuther story! As my father said recently at his 90th birthday party we can all still learn something new every day. Trouble is that as we get older it is probably the same something as we learned yesterday!
Cheers, Ian (whose first boat was a Veron Veronica free sailing yacht from 1946 but it was nearly 20 years old when I was given it. I think it came home more reliably than many of the early radio controlled ones and I still have it).

a lovely old and venerable model, Sandy.
I wish I had kept some of my earliest models.....wouldn't have been worth anything but sure would give me some happy memories.
My first motorised ( but not ) rc build was the little 18" Tug Bustler from MAP plans and built in bread and butter Balsa....a steep learning curve..........taught me never to work in Balsa again.lol

sadly I don't think cameras were invented when I built that masterpiece/

Your boat  now has the status of a live steam antique and technical model-monument, you should protect it in a good way to the future.
And why not make a steam up with pictures, the machinery seems functionable?

My first boat I`ve built 1966 in the age of 13, it was a tug named "Hamburg II" by Robbe.
However I was very interested in this years to make a live steam model, this was prevented throught the lack of experience, available steam engines and parts and least not last of money.

In 1968 I made my first plan built 1 : 50 scaled sternwheeler "Marieville", driven by electric.

Later there was a long break of model making until 1989, when I make the first live steam boat, the well known "Pilat", driven by an oscillator, which I mentioned a few days ago.


Regards

Thomas