I’m fixing to get started in this in next month or two, that translating as buying a boat, most likely RTR. No, not most likely, definitely.
Have had electric RC dune buggies and boats in past and after couple decades of model trains looking to get back into RC boats, and toss in a submarine just for fun.
Money is a big issue in obtaining a boat.
I’m expecting a lot of “no, you really don’t want that one” responses to telling of desiring Aquacraft’s RTR Paradise boat. For unknown reasons the purple trimmed one on channel 72 wants me to buy it. http://www.aquacraftmodels.com/boats/aqub01-main.html
Have looked over one at hobby shop, looks reasonable. And it fits the price range.
Have become interested in Sharpies and have this notion to upscale Midwest’s static model sharpie schooner hull to 24 inch length for RC model.
Scow hulls of their various types are becoming interesting too.
As of yet though, there’s a bunch about rigging and running RC sailboats I don’t know: that project dream will have to wait for sail experience to catch up with it.
This is going to be recreational sailing, racing . . . hmm . . . more intensity than desired right now. Do live less than 50 miles from where these guys are: http://www.m3sc.org/
Haven’t contacted them. Did read some of the tech articles. Site hasn’t been updated for anything in 2008 - 2007 is last info on it.
I suggest visiting the Mid-Missouri club and selecting a boat like they sail. It will be a lot more fun in the long run. They also use a handicapped start system so the new sailor has a better chance of doing well.
Hi:
If you are not able to build yourself a rg 65 or want to sail right now,
1.- get what the people near to you are using or
2.- get a Victoria, nice, in light and medium winds, and could handle some choppy water. i don´t know if fotties can handle the waves as well.
I have 3 bigger boats and 2 Footy’s just completed in last 10 weeks. Trust me, if you build one Footy from the free plans with balsa, you won’t stop there. I plan to build a few more as they are cheap & quick to build. First basic hull (sides, bottom & transom) took 3 hours.
As to waves, I live on a 900 acre lake w/big boat waves and the Footy does fine. In very light wind and random small chop from motor boats can be a problem.
Somewhere I read that in 35 knot winds, bigger boats did not sail, but Footys did. Maybe someone can supply the link.
Footy and Victoria are two boats I don’t know - going to have to look them up.
Build the hull in around three hours . . . hmmm.
Have from our local library, such as it is, checked out a copyright 1979 UK published, by Chartwell, book titled The World of Model Ships, by Vic Smeed, which shows on pages 50 & 51 a couple of photos of building a hard chine sailing hull style named “Marblehead”.
Interesting underwater shape.
Going to have find some info on that.
I’m not interested in racing, just want to go out by myself and unwind by driving the boat for a bit, much like when out flying kites.
Have enough other stresses in life that just don’t want to mess with competing right now.
Considering that it’s about a 100 mile round trip from our little town to where the Columbia, Missouri, club sails it’s going to be a time before going to visit them happens.
Have found a couple powerboat modelers here in town but no sailboaters yet.
We have only lived here 14 months so there’s still a lot of folks who haven’t been met!
While we live within 300 yards of Missouri River, NO WAY my boats are going to sail there!
There are plenty of ponds and small lakes around our farm town. One I know the owner of and another, larger, my neighbor knows owner of.
And there’s another good sized one to go look up owner of.
Top photo here http://forrestandhismuse.blogspot.com/ will give a good idea of what landscape, and waterscape, looks like where we live.
you might want to check whether your local ponds get overrun with weed in the summer. That coulld really affect the model types you choose. Boats such as footies, Rg-65s and even the Victoria easily get entangled, whereas a boat like the Victor V32, because of its keel design, have problems.
Okay, went Googling images and see where boats with that airplane wing looking keel with bulb on end could act like hook to catch on underwater obstacles.
Guess that’s a chance one takes in sailing? Kind of like RC planes having a one-sided contest with gravity?
Or the various fates which might befall my kites?
That’s where finishing up the towboat (a.k.a. pushboat) and making some kind of recovery rig comes in to play?
(would like to eventually scratchbuild a motorsailer hull which might be able to back out of a situation on a lucky day?)
Have yet to see pond/lake our neighbor goes to for fishing and catching frogs but he and his son say it should be okay for sailing or motoring.
My stepson who’s been there with them says it sits in a slight hollow which would make wind an issue.
Ranges from 3 feet to seven feet to unknown depth.
Am waiting for chance for me to go with neighbor to assess situation.
Big question is what’s underwater for sailboat keels and submarines to get snagged on?
Second question: how many cows pass water into it? (oh the joys of living in farm country!)
A bunch of skippers from our Sebring FL club built US-12’s because of the low draft and weed deflecting keel which has the rudder as an extension of the keel. We needed this for a secondary pond at a local mall. They probably don’t get any better than this.
Put “US-12” into Google and after getting past some highway stuff it found this: http://www.us12sailboats.com/products.htm
That shape keel would be less likely to hang up in weeds.
The best bang for the buck in RTR R/C sailboats has got to be the Victor Models V-32. You can order the hull and sails in a wide variety of color combinations. It has a wooden deck, which always seems to add a certain amount of class & give the boat a proper “model yacht” feel. It’s around $350 USD totally completed, delivered right to your door. All you need is 12 AA batteries & a few hours doing some final rigging. $350 might seem a bit steep at first, but it’s all there & all nicely done. A properly rigged Victoria will end up costing more & not sail as good. The factory Vic rig is hideous!!! If your aim is to sail competitively with other folks in your area, then you’ll have to sail what they sail. Go to their lake when they are sailing. I’ve never seen a group of R/C sailboats captains that didn’t bend over backwards to encourage new sailors. Hang out, talk to them, they’re sure to let you give their boats a test sail. If you are not a “builder”, you can often times find a used boat that someone is selling. For the stand-alone sailor that just wants a decent looking boat that sails pretty good without having to really “build” anything, the V-32 is hard to beat. Every time that I sail a V-32, I can’t help but think what a good value they are.
Having been stuoid enough to buy one, I can tell you with wotal honesty that the Aquacraft Paradise is the worst piece of junk I have ever come across.
And it’s very expensive. First you have to buy it, then you have to buy a boat that will actually sail.
And just because you come across one cheap on e-bay, don’t think that with a little TLC it can be made to work. The thing is beyond redemption. Even the stand doesn’t fit the hull!
Soling 1 M and a Footy would be a great combination. The Soling is a very popular boat, smooth sailing and handles moderate winds well as it is a little under powered. If you build a kit, work w/someone who has already built one and has the alignment fixture or order the hull w/keel & rudder completed. Also looked for used one.
The Fotty can be built by a beginner and if you screw up, buy $10 more balsa & start over.
If I were starting over, this would be my 2 boats starting w/ Footy 1st unless I could find a used Soling. Make sure to check quality of Soling build.
Make a decision so we can follow your progress and get your feedback.
Regards, Frank
US-12
Soling 1M
Fairwind
Victoria (sold it)
Razor Foota
HA Footy
Will let y’all know what happens though it is going to be at least 60 days before that action takes place. Thought it would be good idea to start asking questions and collecting info before taking action instead of after!
Why wait till a screw-up to spend ten dollars on another Footy hull?
Wonder if there’s anyone who’s been treated for obsessive-compulsive building Footys?
Wonder if there’s anyone who’s been treated for obsessive-compulsive building Footys?
I need to be committed.I built a rack last weekend to put all my footy designs on,ran out of room at 20 boats with still 12 more in the box that wont fit.
I need help badly…
Went and looked up Footys, found this: http://footy.rcsailing.net/index.php
Yeah, them jokers could grow on a person.
I like!
“Forrest’s Footy” has a nice ring to it.
OK - it wouldn’t be like me not to suggest …1 Meter or 1.2 Meter Multihull and scare the “bejesus” out of anything except the powerboats on your pond! :devil3:
OK - that said, I will quietly mumble RG-65 as I slink off to lay down next to my dog dish. Carry on !
