MODELLTEICH
Caribou- A Canadian Dozer Boat
I became aware of this type of boat through an article and a handy kit is currently circulating through the model building forums. My research at a Chinese online dealer paid off and a few weeks later I received the small kit. Once the boat is finished, it will be used for pulling and pushing like the original, but not for logs, but for bringing damaged model boats back to shore.
Model of the same type, (scale 1:18)
After opening the box, you quickly get an overview of the kit. The parts are neatly cut out and the small parts are safely stored in a small box; overall, the components make a good impression. The hull is assembled on a heling board and the shape of the boat can be seen after just a few building steps. In view of the special shape of the hull, the boat is likely to be quite unsteady in the water later on, and trim weights may be necessary later on.
The hull in upside-down construction
The planking is simple in itself with three components (hull bottom and side panels), but the hull shape has very strong bends, which makes the fit difficult. The ribs were stretched and the side panels bent over steam, but there was still a lot of tension when gluing them together and one or two areas were damaged. In the end, however, the hull was successfully planked, with minor gaps and various inaccuracies being filled later.
The planking is attached
While the bonding of the hull is hardening, the assembly of the superstructure has already begun. These are made of ABS and kept relatively simple. Here, too, the material has already been cut out cleanly and hardly any reworking is required. Only the individual edges need to be adjusted to the required angles. Apart from a steering position and a cover for the mechanics, there are generally no superstructures on this type of boat, so this step is also quick and easy. Fitting the superstructure to the deck is logically best done after it has been glued to the hull
View of the instrument panel. The superstructure in its raw state
The resin shaft mount was fitted into the hull, the motor mount including motor, shaft and coupling were test-fitted together and then everything was glued in place to ensure that the drive runs smoothly and quietly later on. The supplied propeller is carried along by a dog drive and is secured on the shaft with a set collar. Due to the lack of instructions, I had to fiddle around a bit until I had found the right place for each part of the drive train. Unfortunately, my kit only contained a rather fragile-looking rudder blade, with no trace of the rudder coker, rudder stock or rudder horn. Without further ado, a rudder from Graupner with similar dimensions was ordered and installed. The entire hull was then filled and sanded. The electronic components were then installed in the hull on a trial basis, there is not much space here.
The built-in rudder and the shaft bracket. A bit messy but at least everything fits in
Work also continued on the superstructure: Cabin and engine cover were provided with further details and repaired in places with filler. Once the deck is in place, there is no way to reach the rudder, which would be useful under certain circumstances. I therefore sawed out a small recess in the stern area and fitted it with a bollard made of round timber and polystyrene pieces. This will allow me to get to the mechanics later and also give me the option of towing something.
The bollard in the stern as access to the rudder. The engine cover is given details
While searching for photos of original dozer boats, I kept coming across cage-like structures designed to protect the rudder and propeller from damage caused by tree trunks. I decided to give the Caribou such a frame as well, which gives the boat a special character and also makes the issue of the boat stand superfluous. The cage was soldered together from brass tubes, suitable holes were drilled in the hull and finally glued in with 2K glue.
Left the original, right the soldered protective cage on the model
Once the work on the protective cage had been completed and the electronics had found their place in the hull, the deck could be glued in. Next, the push bar was fitted to the bow and the rubbing strake was pulled around the hull. Many Dozer boats have a large number of reinforcing strips on the hull, and I wanted to implement this detail on the Caribou too, so I added more polystyrene strips. After attaching these hull details, I filled and sanded again to remove any unevenness. At this point it should be said that I put aside the claim to perfection in this step, after all, this is a working boat and is deliberately maneuvered into groups of tree trunks, so a flawless hull would be out of place anyway.
The hull takes shape
The bulwark on the bow was fitted and the entire hull was then pre-treated with plastic primer. This was followed by several coats of black paint from the spray can. The deck is to be painted gray later, but the coaming for the superstructure has to be glued in first. The coaming for the superstructure was glued in place and the deck painted with a brush. The superstructures did not quite fit on the coaming and had to be slightly corrected again. Once this problem had been solved, the driver's cab could be painted. First the component was primed with a plastic primer, then the paint was applied, starting with white and a yellow stripe on top. The tried and tested Tamiya tape was used for masking.
Color comes into play
After the extensive painting work, it was time to detail the driver's cab. The cockpit was given colored buttons and instruments, the lifebuoy included in the kit was painted and mounted on the starboard side of the driving position. The supplied steering wheel looked too delicate and was made thicker by using a drilled-out button. To complete the control elements, the cockpit was given a throttle lever made of bent brass and balsa. The cabin floor was fitted with deck planking and I placed a brass and plywood seat for the skipper on top. The windows were inserted and given black window frames. Two LED headlights were mounted on the roof of the helm, which can be operated either normally or flashing. The tire fenders included in the kit were mounted on the hull using eyelets and chains and the two letterings were attached. Finally, the exhaust was painted, slightly blackened and attached to the engine cover.
View into the helmstand
The Caribou shortly before completion, from starboard and port side
As a small reference to the North American home of the boom boats, a flagpole was mounted and the Canadian flag hoisted. Because the Caribou is a working boat and will be used accordingly, I also brought a toolbox on board to match the scale. As a final step towards completion, I thought about transportation and decided to make a suitable crate out of plywood. I tend to line my transport crates with foam mats cut to size, so my models are well protected.
Well packed and ready for the pond
The construction of the Caribou is now complete. The maiden voyage went satisfactorily, only a little lead had to be added. The kit is a suitable basis for a small project in between which can be extended to an individual model by adding a few details. The little runabout is a very welcome guest at the pond and the skipper also delights all passers-by
