Radio-controlled boat-building passes time for Whanganui man during lockdown

Royce Johnson with his latest project, The Emma, which he completed over lockdown. Photo / Bevan Conley

A Whanganui man made the most of being asked to stay home for three weeks, finishing his latest building project.

Royce Johnson started working on his radio-control vessel, The Emma, just before new Zealand moved into alert level 4.

A boat project would generally take Johnson around three months of spare time to finish. The lockdown greatly accelerated the process.

Johnson has been a radio-control modeller since 1973, a passion he shared with his father-in-law. Together they would create all sorts of model aircraft and vessels.

His airplanes were chainsaw-powered, with a 10-foot wingspan. He has created around 20 over the last few decades.

He started putting more emphasis into boat-building when rules and regulations for remote-controlled aircraft became more stringent.

A retired builder and former lecturer at UCOL, Johnson spends a lot of his free time in his shed, a converted workshop dedicated to all things building and crafting.

The Emma weighs 6.1kg and is 1m long. Photo / Bevan Conley

The Emma was built off three-view plans from American Gary Webb of Bearospace Industries, which are based on the boat he and his wife live on.

"I started just before lockdown. It was a bit tough to get supplies. It's a double-ender. It's a pretty basic boat."

The Emma weighs 6.1kg and is about 1 metre long.

Everything in the boat is custom-made and fitted by Johnson, from the sails and hull to the mini steering wheel.

The majority of the boat is made from eight-inch plywood from a local supplier, a significantly cheaper source than a model shop, he said.

Johnson estimated around $100 was spent on the materials for the project. Although the price was very reasonable, it was offset by the cost of time.

"If you are looking at the hours, it's a lot.

"When I was first modelling, these receivers would have been four times the size and we would pay $200 to $300 for them. This one cost me $16."

He hasn't had The Emma out on the water yet due to the recent wild weather, but hopes he can take it for a sail on Virginia Lake this weekend.

His next project, The Annie, is another Bearospace-designed vessel. At around 1.5 metres, with two masts and three sails, it will require "a lot more" work than The Emma.