Cygnets Model Boat Club
Maidstone

Cygnet's 50th Birthday Celebration - Type 23 Frigate Build (HMS Kent) - Build Gallery- 8


This is the eighth page that provides pictures of the Cygnets Model Boat Club build progress of HMS Kent, but we now have very little to do and the trials on water are well under way.
 
On the 7th of June 2009 the HMS Kent project team woke up to some really heavy rain, but all turned up to the 6 hour running trial of the model.  By 08.30 the rain had virtually disappeared and the grey clouds were steadily moving North leaving a bright sunny blue sky, we couldn't have asked for a more pleasant day, some of us even managed a bit of sun burn.
The purpose of the day was to run HMS Kent for up to 6 hours around Mote Park to test the moors, batteries and the team, we were clocking up 4 laps of the lake every hour.  The first up was David as a driver with Simon manning the motor on the small white boat, I hitched a lift with Jack while he was running the motor on the rib after clearing a blockage in the engine to take some of these photographs.
While doing one of the circuits David transferred into the rib as the little white boat was struggling to keep up with the pace HMS Kent was setting.  From time to time HMS Kent docked and an attentive shore crew checked her over to make sure everything was okay, we managed to pick up some fishing line that we needed to clear from the propellers.
While I was out on the water with Jack my daughter Hannah took the above photographs.  A couple of the Sea Scouts came down to practice driving in preparation of the 11th July 2009, along with several Cygnets members.
The above photographs really show off the detail that has been put into the build of HMS Kent and all those involved should be really proud to be part of the project team.  The project team doesn't just include those that have been directly involved in the build there is a lot of setting up and clearing up at the end of the day, including the final transporting of the the ship to her secure moorings.
 
Towards the end of the trial one of the motors developed a small fault that will easily be resolved before the next outing on the 5th July 2009.  There will hopefully be some video to come to this page that shows HMS Kent in motion if you cannot get along to Mote Park to see her running for yourself.