Looking at building myself an A Class Boat.
The little JIF-65s are ok with just standard servos. But when considering sailwinch servos, I’m wondering how best to go about controlling the large sails on an A Class.
The plans are from the Australian Float A Boat mob and it’s called “Sound Effect” with a total sail area of 9509 sq cms (1474 approx sq in)
Now I’m thinking the servo I have sitting in front of me (Hitec HS-785HB) which is rated up to 1000 sq in is a little lacking for the A class. Unless there is another servo bigger, I imagine I’d have to double the sail servos (1 each Jib & Main) Possibly use a 3plus channel radio to control the servos indiviually.
Not quite so sure about jumbo servos 1/4 scale types used with an arm to cope with an A class.
Anyone have some light to shed on this cloudy stumbling block.
Cheers
Craig
Take a look at the Guyatt line of drum winches. That is most common winch used for our F-48 multihulls with 1400 Square Inches of sail area. Plenty of torque and fairly fast as well.
If you want to stay with arm winches, then you probably are well advised to break the jib and main into two separate winch units for control to assure you will not have issues in heavy wind. (although my guess is there is a built-in safety factor to all winch ratings)
Craig, There is only one winch to be used in an <font color=“red”><font size=“2”>A Class</font id=“size2”></font id=“red”> (IMHO) it is the <font color=“green”><font size=“2”>RMG 380D</font id=“size2”></font id=“green”>.
Visit the site below then give Rob Guyatt a ring and talk to him about the A Class in Australia, it is his favourite. He will give you more information than most anyone in OZ.
His winches are the best on this planet.
I currently own four of them. http://www.users.bigpond.com/rmgsw/
Hi Craig,
As Dick mention the 380 will do the job plus some. I use a 280 on my IOM it used to have a 380 and it was super strong the only reason I down graded was becuase of weight. http://www.users.bigpond.com/rmgsw/
He is a top guy and wont give u a bum steer
And Adrain at Float a boat is top guy also I sail with w couple of guys who got A claas off him . I think they have a “wuzzie woo” design of his something like that. they seem to go well in the meduim to high winds
hope that helps you out
Just another option. Try contacting Southside Hobbies here in brisbane there is a guy there that makes winches using standard servo’s. A friend of mine has one of them in his 2 meter tri and it works really good.
It seems that every body swears by Guyatt winches but I have used them in the past and had nothing but trouble with it. Sent it back for adjustments and when it returned it was no better.
It is probably a case that the winches have got better now, but once bitten twice shy. I use Hi-Tec sailwinches in my Mini40 tri and have no problem with it so that will do me just fine.
G’day Gang, reading about your discussion on winches. I have had a few since I started in R/C in 1974 in Australia. I have all the older models of Gyatt winches from Rob & Michael.
I currently have the original model switch by a servo and three ‘Dumb’ winches. I found over the years if you do your amaintenance on you radio gear , one does not have much trouble. The reason I have three dumb winches is because they don’t seem to wear out. I sail twice a week and I reckon they’re beaut and reliable. SC
This is how I use my RMG winches: I have one Dumb winch in a EC12, oneDumb winch in an R50(like a Etchells) 50" long 900sq". I keep one spare and the old servo switching type I use for my Highlander 54lb 1600 SQ" A class, its got REAL grunt.