The good news about Footys being a development class is that you have the freedom to design and build your own unique boat. The bad news is that you have to build your own boat!
If you are looking for ideas on building techniques, there’s good stuff available from the US1m gang. Go to www.amya.org and click the Hints Page. You’ll find the US1m Construction Tips File available for download…a wealth of info for builders.
Sure, their boats are a bit longer…just divide by 3.25. [:D]
p.s. When you build it, don’t forget to register it with AMYA as an Open Class boat. With your help, we’ll get Footys recognized as an official development class. If you’re not an AMYA member, join us…especially if you live in the USA.
I was fortunate enough that when I initially found that I was working in a print shop and had it printed front to back in an offset format so that I could bind it in a folder along with the plans also available there.
I recently “discovered” a nice way to make the BobAbout style hull easily and cheaply.
Print the fullsize panels onto paper.
Laminate the paper between 2 layers of light glass cloth on top of a waxed peice of glass.
Remove fiberglass panel from glass when cured then cut out panel shapes with scissors.
Assemble and glue together as if it was plywood/balsa etc.
I am going to try coloured paer and “signwriting” the hull before the glass lamination.
The glass gives a great smooth surface but no UV protection with epoxy resin.
Sounds neat, Brett!! Send pictures!!! The idea of pre-printing graphics on the paper sounds especially interesting. Anyone know if ink-jet printers produce graphics that won’t bleed when covered in resin?
The black lines of my drawing didn’t run with the epoxy on the white paper I tried. The white paper goes a little opaque though.
Things to try are colored paper and also printing colors on the printer.
I don’t have any pics right now…the hull I tried this on is a half scale BobAbout.(Got all the hull panels on one A4 sheet )
What is YOUR justification for any class???
Have we raced?..you bet,more than you might think.
Novelty…maybe,most ppl think all r/c yachts are a novelty.
Tomo, of course Footys are a novelty class, that is just one of the great things about them.
Everyone who sees mine has a bit of a chuckle.:icon_smil
Then after having a sail with it or just watching me [COLOR=Blue]“MUCKINGABOUT”[SIZE=2] [COLOR=Black](The name of my boat,) they have a little more respect for the concept of 12in long radio yachts.
I have read all sorts of rubbish about how a hull of this length can`t be sailable for all sorts of really plausable and scientific reasons, [SIZE=4][COLOR=Olive]CRAP,[SIZE=2][COLOR=Black]my BobAbout sailed straight off the bench in conditions where most sailors would go home. In Wellington it blows.
[SIZE=4]No Problem.
[SIZE=2]I am waiting for some more to be completed and then we can race them on smaller waters than the larger classes. Some, enjoy the challenge of building and racing this class, built from the scrap box, without any restrictions, with their own two hands, so much fun for such a small outlay.
That is the justification for making an official class if we have to justify anything to you.:devil2: (with respect)
[/SIZE][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/COLOR][/SIZE]
All the designs I’ve seen obviously sail well, so I look at them closely and try to figure out why the design works. Some have a sleek hull, or a planing design. You can build in extra displacement into the bow or under it. Or you can play with the beam. All kinds of things.
So I go on the premise that it may be a tender boat and draw my idea for a design and go from there. I expect whatever comes off my bench to work.
When I talk about justifying the class, what I mean is what makes it so different from the other classes to give it some room in the rulebook, a class secretary, create regattas, usw… Like the difference between it and a one meter for example; the 1m is faster and more maneuverable (AFAIK), can sail in higher pressures, and is less of the novelty that (non-sailing) people will remark. There are similar reasons for other sailing classes like Star 45, marblehead, EC12m, mini AC, and some others. It may be that there are too many classes that the newcomer gets confused, like I did ( I eventually settled on 1m).
I agree that it is so much different than even the 1m that it costs little ( I have all but the balsa & glue in the box under the workbench), and it is a relatively quick build, so if the designs are available & developed enough, we might even get the local kids to build some (anything to keep them off the street). Don’t forget there’s only standard servos & gear- no specalty sailwinches or sheet setup, swing rigs, or even a spinnaker.
So until I get some stick time on the water, hopefully with some others (I’ll have to build 2 boats!) I’ll probably keep saying, “what’s so different?” I hope you all will keep on posting your positive comments and observations about the boat, develop some more designs or improve what there is, or just keep the momentum going!
I think one of the main justifications for the Footy as a class is the appeal of the “novelty” aspect that may draw more young people and women into what too often is an old-man’s sport.
Second, the small size of the boat makes it possible to hold legitimate racing in a small venue like a swimming pool…maybe even indoors…which makes the sport available to people in areas not fortunate enough to have larger bodies of water available for sailing. It means many people could race against their friends in the backyard pool…and you just can’t do that with your US1m!
Yeah Bill, I’m 59 and one of the younger guys in our club! Part of the reason is that I live in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire, so retirees make up a large part of the population. But I don’t see a lot of young people when I go to other clubs in the region, either.
I think it’s important to encourage young people. Unless we do that successfully, the future of R/C Sailing is in jeopardy.
If there is a reaslly large contingent of Footys and Footy sailors (regular guys, not just occasional sailors- and in all parts of the country), I’ll say that really justifies the creation of a class just for the Footy. If all there is is just the 20 or 30 you need to meet the class rule, than I dunno if that’s enough justification.
But from the looks of it so far, things seem justifyable. We may evben need aclass secretary for each country!:smile_lol
We already do have class secs for each Country.
I belive that Graham Bantock (sails etc) is developing a footy design and fittings for the footy.I think this fact alone means the class has passed novelty value.
Imagine putting your footy in a breifcase and travelling to the World Champs!! it could happen???
In our club the Footy sailors also sail Solings, Vics,US1meter,AC, and even two guys sail IOM. I feel if you can get these guys interested you can get anyone. Just finished first coat of paint on Brett’s glass hull- what a nice piece of work [the hull] hats off. Also painted and complted my Stealth2 land yacht so soon as snow goes I am ready.Anybody sail land yachts? Looks like fun.
So you say that the Footy can be built with little outlay? I’ve got $60 in balsa and glue invested in one hull so far, after building & rebuilding it several times. That’s only the hull so far. I’ve still got the rudder, keel, and rig to build. The radio parts I’ve got from the spares box, but maybe somebody will come up with a simple & small 2-channel transmitter.
)
Tomo, of course Footys are a novelty class, that is just one of the great things about them.