# My M/S Bithia



## Roberto To (Jul 26, 2006)

HI to everybody!

Somethings about my M/S BITHIA (operating for the italian navigation company "Tirrenia") under construction model in H0 (1/87) scale.

Dimensions:
2460mm long
310mm width
75mm immersion

The model ship wich I have under construction will has got a tipically (for me) RC functionment for a model ferry boat like: propulsion, helm, bowthruster, lights, mooring rope, stabilizers and stern raft ports (built in a photoengraved brass soldered, designed with CAD only looking photos, because I hadn’t found plans of that) in other a predisposition for:
- Roll-on and roll-off model veicles with the famous Faller Car System (do you know?) (I have designed it to reproduce 70cm of main car deck wich will can give hospitality for 5 or 6 model truck), 
- mooring anchor, 
- lifeboats

For her functionment I have anticipate three different battery, one main only for proulsion (it has two motor 12V dc, 8A), the second one for radio recever, bowthruster, helm, raft ports and other service function, and another one commutable for emergency, for example, in case that the main finish her carge smack in the center of the lake, I hope that no, but it is possible that happens…  

The hull is subdivided in five watertight compatriments that they should to guaratee the floating every time, I hope… 

Except shaft, propeller, motors, bowtruster, helm functionment device, all the things have been made or will be made by me with self-construction, it is very cheap and give a big satisfactions, and I’ll can say “I made that with my head and my hands!”, aren’t you?

The hull is composed by a 2,46 (esactly) meter long keel made with 10mm plywood, and number 70 (seventy!) frames (35 on the left side and 35 on the right side), made with 10mm plywood, like before, cut by hand (one by one) with coping saw.

At the moment I’m at the 11th month of work (i like work very slowly for a biggest precision).

I think that the launch will be approximately in June/July of 2007, in a dock excavated by me in my garden behind my house , only to test the floating, I’ll leave the model in water for 2/3 days with metal ballasts on board.

I have calculated the exact weight and it (in water with ballast on board) will be 54Kg.

You can see some photos on Model Ships gallery.

Regards Roberto.


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