Testing Dad's boats part 1

If I'm going to see some of my Dad's boats on the water during his celebration day, I better see if any of them are working. First up, Isobella, a Victorian steam launch named after my grandmother.Dad was always very proud of this boat. He made a smashing job of the woodwork on the deck, and the glazed engine cover (the bit that looks like a cold frame), so it was top of my list for the day. None of the boats have been sailed in years, so it was a bit of a surprise to find that the NmH battery pack still seemed to be fully charged. Initially, I assumed there was something wrong to make the charger show a full pack. After a bit of faffing with the radio, I proved it would turn the prop, and make the steering servo work. So, off to the lake. On the water, the model lists very slightly, but happily pottered around for over 15 minutes, looking lovely in the evening sun as it did. I correctly remembered that this was a very nice sail too. Other than another charge, this one is ready to go.…