I am new to rc sailing but have ocean sailing experience in full size sloop rigged boats . My question is that it seems that RC sailers control both the jib and main together by I was sailing in the ocean I have always thought of the sails individually and usually set the main and then adjust the jib for optimum performance.
Can anyone explain what is different about RC sailing and why you don’t have individual controls for both sails? Thank you.
Various reasons,
1, may be a restriction in the class rules eg only one rudder servo and one sail servo
2. KISS. keep it simple stupid - and save weight and complexity and cost
3. you are not on the boat and cannot see well enough to make very small adjustments.
Some classes may use a single sail winch moving both sails together, but have a jib tweeker for fine adjustments.
Most RC boats do not use overlapping head sails, and use use a jib boom. It is quite easy to set up the sails on shore for correct trim through out the full range of full in ot full out.
John
thanks, I was hoping to keep it simple but want to get the best possible performance. I have an interest in trying to emulate the same precision that is used when you are on the boat by using sensors and wondered how much real improvement is possible. This all started with my idea of having a ocean going sail boat that could be competely remote controlled a bit like the drone aircraft, but with autonomous control of the sail set up so that once you put the boat on a course it would get to the destination without needing human control. This could lead to very large sail boats that were useful for cargo and had no crew…the concept might be a bit crazy but Google have got driverless cars on the roads!!
The use of a Wind Vane may help !
No electronics, no batteries, no Gps, no inboard computer, no sensors, etc…
ClaudioD
The wind vane helps to keep a course in relation to the wind. It wouldn’t help if you wanted the boat to sail in other points. One example of wanting separate jib control would be where you would goose wing when running before the wind, something that I do when I am in a boat. It might be that I am thinking an RC hi-tech sail boat and may be there is no need or class for this. One idea that comes to mind is to have a transpac RC race, it would be fun to see how well tech can work over a long race like this. Ah, may be I dream too much…
Recently I heard about a model that was suppose to cross the “Channel or the Ocean” I don’t remember well, it was found some days later against some rocks in bits and pieces !!
Dreams are part of our hobby !!
ClaudioD