Really nice looking...the elbow grease will make it all worthwhile when done.

Bob

oldtribefan and xx29l9, thank you for the encouragement.

After several cans of elbow grease, mahogany sanding is almost finished and the hull starts showing its real appearance and result is quite good. I also made the slots for stuffing boxes and struts

Now it is time to do the fiberglassing of the hull. I used fiberglass 80gr/m2, industrial epoxi and cheap disposable brushes.

Although the quality of the mahogany strips was very good and they looked similar color, after coating the bottom the strip color differences were magnified, so I decided to dye the sides with Dumas Mahogany dye that I had leftover from the Barrel Back. I did not dye the top because the mahogany sheet used for the hull has a very nice and even finish and I prefer the deck to have a lighter color.

As the epoxi is quite liquid and to avoid runouts, I placed the hull so the side to be epoxied is horizontal, and applied masking tape to the outline, and repeated for every side.

The steps for the fiberglassing:
• Use gloves to avoid oil residues from your skin, and before brushing the epoxi clean oil and dust specks from the surface with a paper towel wet with isopropyl alcohol and let it dry
• Mix the epoxi slowly, stirred but not shaken, to avoid air get into the mix, for about three minutes
• Brush the surface with a light coat of epoxi, apply the fiberglass and press with the brush so the fiberglass cloth absorbs the epoxi beneath and turns transparent, then brush another light coat of epoxi on top and make sure that all the fiberglass has turned transparent. It is recommended not to apply epoxi in excess so I used an old credit card to remove the excess of epoxi, leaving an even surface with the cloth weave visible, this weave will disappear in following coats.
• I waited 4hours at 20ºC, and the epoxi was still tacky, then I applied the second coat, and baby sited it filling the fisheyes that appeared.
• I waited 4hours at 20ºC, and the epoxi was still tacky, then I applied the third coat, and baby sited it filling the fisheyes that appeared

After the fiberglassing, I waited a few days and then I sanded the hull to get a nice surface for the varnish

Nice .

Mark

Beautiful work !

I started the painting and varnishing. As I wanted to coat the complete hull in one session, I made a jig to be able to turn the boat upside down to be able to paint it.

First I draw the Waterline, and then before gluing the Sprayrails I masked the waterline and painted it Blue. I did not glue the Sprayrails because it would have made the masking more difficult.

Then I masked again and painted the White bottom.

Then I unmasked everything and started the varnish, I am using a professional marine (Polyurethane + Acrilic) and with two components: varnish + Hardener. But after five coats I could not get the right finish, blaming my Air Compressor that has the very low power of 1/6 HP, so I sold it and ordered a Nuair 2HP, but it is backordered and the delivery will take a few weeks. So after I receive it, I will spray the last coat (hopefully!!!)

And while waiting for the Air Compressor, I will handmade some of the fittings, because I do not like the ones in the kit.

Although not posting results, I have been quite busy: I had to wait for my new 2HP Air compresor, then I had to "learn" how to spray the 2 component varnish (poliurethane + Acrilic) plus hardener, then I started to varnish but because of minor mistakes the results where not up to my high expectations so I had to sand the varnish and start again up to 12 coats, but everything comes to and end I finally, I LIKE THE RESULTS!!!

The finish is quite gloss with no imperfections, BUT there are a very few dust specks so my next step will be to sand with 1500 and 5000 and the polish with 3M extrafine (Yellow Cap), and then the finish will be perfect.

Wow! Beautiful!

Really beautiful work. She is a fine looking model.

Thank you Gravman and Oldtribefan, she is really beautiful.

The fittings included in the kit are quite good, except for a couple of them that I do not like: deck navigation light, Air intakes, cutwater. Also, rear navigation light is not included. So I decided to handmade them using brass and silver solder.

Fittings look terrific and hull is gorgeous.

Wo kann ich das Amati Riva Aquarama Kit plus Zubehörteile wie Antrieb etc. günstig kaufen?

Originally Posted by Ladislaus007

Wo kann ich das Amati Riva Aquarama Kit plus Zubehörteile wie Antrieb etc. günstig kaufen?

Google mal was bei dir in der Nähe angeboten wird.

Die von Amati angebotene Antriebsatz ist wohl nicht das Gelbe vom Ei, da schneidet einen Brushless Antrieb viel besser ab, leichter und schneller.

Ich hoffe du bist dich bewust auf ein Englisches Forum eingelogt zu sein, Deutsch wirdt hier eher selten benützt...

Gruss, Jan.

Hi have you done any more updates to your build log since June

I would be interested in how you managed to get the hatches to function properly I have made at least 25 goose neck hinges and failed to have them work

My boat has a build log that goes back a number of years its a 1/4 scale scratch build from Riva drawings of a 1970 Super Ariston the original was owned by

a wealthy Italian who was murdered in his villa by his butler handy man !

I like yourself made all my own scale fittings mostly from billet brass my profession was Chrome so all my parts were done as they did on the original polised

brass copper plated copper polished then Nickel plated followed by Hexavalent Chrome which gives the finish a blue tint.

My searchlight has a LED that projects a beam about 40 ft

My windshield I made from 1/2" x 1/4" brass that I had a 1/8" slot milled out then I bent to shape then brazed the stem post. The side navigational housings

lights are screwed in place the wires hidden within the channel as are the searchlight wires.

I started this build in 2006 but due to my other hobby model sailplanes it has gotten shelved a number of times, only this week to try and complete.

Oh! my Riva has an electric motor and sound I turn the key ignition light comes on press the starter button engine sound and motor comes on. All my scale

pull push knobs work the bow/nav/search/dash/pump the pump circulates water around the ESC and out the exhausts

If you can offer guidance on the hatch hinges it would be appreciated

David AKA Da Glider Guy

Hi, I stopped working in the Aquarama at the end of June beacause of the hot wather, and the many things to do in summer, but now, the cool weather is coming and I have resumed the work.

I am building the Amati Aquarama kit and the engine hatch is in the sun deck and it is not using hinges, the hatch cover just fits in place. I may add hinges to the center of the hatch just to "fold it".

I believe tha Super Ariston is differento to this Aquarama and it includes a hatch cover with hinges.

I made a hatch cover with working hinges in my Barrel back, and it was not too difficult:
https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show...rel-Back/page6