Tugboat Akragas

Tugboat AKRAGAS

This is a harbor tugboat, built and operated in Italy. It is decommissioned.

Name of the tugboat: AKRAGAS

Gross tonnage: 213 tons

Year built: 1959

Builder: FINCANTIERI PALERMO - PALERMO, ITALY

Last known flag: ITALY

MODEL

The kit is from New Maquettes.  The kit was designed to be a static kit and included two sheets of detailed plans, a parts list, other plastic and resin parts, metal parts and wire. All the wood in the kit had to be cut to build the model.

The model scale is 1/30 with the length 83 cm, and width 21 cm.

A lot of detail parts are cast resin or plastic.

The hull is built single plank on frame. After the planking was finished, I sanded it smooth and covered it with two layers of epoxy inside the hull to make it waterproof.  The hull is painted black, the waterline white, and below the waterline rusty red. All decks are plywood. I cut, fitted, painted, and installed them.

The structure is precut wood. I built it using the plans. I painted each piece before installation.

I replaced the plastic propeller that came with the kit with a brass one.

Lots of detail parts were added such as fire extinguishers, fire extinguishing hoses, rubber tires, rope bow fenders and side fenders, and the wood grate in front of the cabin doors. The bow fender and side fenders are made of rope, and I dyed them using coffee and tea.

I painted the model using commercially available spray paints according to the suggested painting scheme. 

To convert the kit to an R/C model, I installed a Robbe geared motor and installed a proportional speed controller and servo and rudder servo.  A two- channel radio and 6V battery pack are needed to operate the tug.  For the ballast, I used removable lead ingots.

I converted the navigation lights to working lights.

It took 9 months to finish the model.