I like Graham’s idea of building a block out of soft foam with a form-fitting cutout of the Footy hull, keel & rudder. Assuming you can put the rig and radio gear in your suitcase, all you need is to enclose the foam ‘block’ in something like fibreglass with a hinged cover, a handle and a secure closer?
You could go with a shell with a flap, like a shoebox, or two half-shells, like a suitcase.
How thick should the fiberglass be? Are there any requirements from the airlines like weight restrictions? What about hinges & a handle? Would just about anything sturdy be enough.
Anecdotal evidence, and my fairly extensive experience, indicates that the security folks are deeply suspicious of anything that looks like a homemade container. For larger boats I use a hard shell golf club case. For smaller boats I use a Pelican 1700 shotgun case, which has the advantage that it fits within the checked baggage size limit. The ramp crews also treat them with more respect because they look like they belong to a serious hombre Lithium batteries can be a problem, not only with the regulations but the also with the way individual officers may interpret them on the spot.
After having a boat inspected to death, I now ship my boats ahead by air freight. This requires that you become a “known shipper” to your airline in advance of your first shipment. The air cargo section of your favorite airline’s web page will describe the hoops you have to jump through to do this.
20 in. H x 15 in. W x 9 in. D lay the footy or two on their side with the rigs and electronics bewteen them. cut your foam to fit…
I no longer let the airlines handle my golf clubs. its cheaper to Fedex them ahead and not have to worry about one more bag to check and deal with at the airport…
Id look into a cheap hard sided suitcase… that you can add foam to…
The Lajabless is the only design that allows a removeable keel. All other designs have the keel mounted permanently. Plus adding a keel box for a removeable keel adds a lot of weight, like 50+ grams!
Hi Tom,
I have mailed two complete footys to England using the resilient foam block you described without any damage. The block is meant to imobilise the hull/keel/rudder. That is then all packed into a box with plenty of foam chips, always have some ‘give’ room so a blow to the box doesn’t get to the boat through even firm foam. In other words I don’t pack it too tightly. I learned this from mailing many terracotta building models around the UK in a previous life.
I have flown to England and back with a footy packed like this as check in without it being looked at… no radio though. I think I would mail it ahead in future though to avoid any possible hassle. Transmitter should then be ok as check in I think without batteries, I wouldn’t try to carry on a transmitter… just think how that looks! Lipos?.. forget it.
actually the 507 has a removable keel, and I don’t think the keel block weights that much. maybe andrew can chime in with the weights of his keel block…
after seeing how andrews is set up. I could see doing it in a similar fashion on future footy’s if I ever decide to build another…
Lithium batteries can be a problem, not only with the regulations but the also with the way individual officers may interpret them on the spot.
:sly::eek: