newbie with usual daft questions

[RedsquirrelParticipant @redsquirrel]

hi everyone, im Darren and totally new to sailing,just as i am to radio controlled models.

to cut a long story short,my uncle has had a minor stroke but its affected his brain a little,he now needs care although once occupied,you would never know a thing.

he was quite taken by the yachts at portishead so we talked about it and within a fortninght,he had found himself a cracking little boat.

i had my first attempt at sailing it sunday and was instantly hooked.

we plan to scratch build him a boat set mainly to his own design in the future but are using this model to learn how to do the basics first.

he has now got me a voyager 2 in need of a little work to sail alongside his boat and work will start as and when my limited funds permit me to.

i have some funds in my paypal account im looking to use on a second hand set of radio gear.my internet dropped out on me tonight as i was bidding on a planet tx /rx,servos etc and was looking at others that might fit the bill.

is there a list of ttransmitters anywhere that i can refer to so as i get a set with enough range for a decent lake,

also,do i HAVE to get a 2.4ghz set or can i use 35mhz? any pointers or links would be most welcome.

thanks in advance and sorry to pose the question you must get asked 100 times a year.

cheers

[RedsquirrelParticipant @redsquirrel]

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Squiz. sorry to hear about your troubles, however welcome to the micro world that is model boating.

The 2 gig set you have will be very suitable, and any radio set will have sufficient range for your sailing.

35mhz is for aircraft only, so will not be suitable to use on a boat.

You just ask away squire.

Ashley

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

Must add to ashley's point about 35mhz not being suitable…………it is in fact illegal to use 35mhz on any surface craft, even none airborn sea planes/float planes, and must only be used for aircraft, because of fear of injury due to interference.

A great project you have there. Not being a sailer ( am usually motorised) I cannot offer any help on the rig and such, but good luck, and enjoy yourselves…..the main point of the hobby.

 

And don't forget…..there's only one stupid question….the one you don't ask…………..we all here to help.

 

neil.

Edited By neil howard-pritchard on 15/03/2013 08:50:02

[TelstarParticipant @telstar]

Hi If you look at this link it will tell you All the frequencies legally allowed in UK

http://www.ukrcc.org/

Cheers Tom

[RedsquirrelParticipant @redsquirrel]

thanks guys,i was looking at 35mhz because of the range listed,so glad i didnt get one,one costly error avoided thanks to this forum

i will save up i think and get a planet 5 with reciever in a set,that way im tuned to my boat only and not doing anything to cause anyone any bother.

as for my uncle,its not really a problem for me myself,its trying to relieve some of the pressure at his house which up to now,especially after a go with his new toy is very enjoyable.

thanks again and i will post my progress as i go

[RedsquirrelParticipant @redsquirrel]

hello again, another question you have heard ten times over.

my mrs decided in her wisdom to purchase a seaport workboat tug from howes to push me in when i break down

it has a lipo battery pack which will require charging obviously.the kit contains a plug and play charger,

ive been reading about these batteries going pop,catching fire etc

do i need to buy a balance charger for that or is this plug in type thing ok for the cause.

as for my yacht progress,my uncle has made the hull look as new with just polish and a cloth,i tried to rebuild the damaged servo tray but gave up when i found a new one for £2.60 on ebay

meeting a guy tomorrow who races cars and has something to do with futuba,hoping to get some radio gear from him

thanks again.Darren

[Malcolm FraryParticipant @malcolmfrary95515]

If its their Seaport RTS workboat I would be very surprised if it came with a LiPo, since the Howes info contains the following as the contents list-

1 x Model Boat

1 x Transmitter with Battery

1 x 9.6v Battery with UK Mains Charger

1 x Display Stand

The 9.6 volt battery is a NiMH 8 cell pack, no problems with the charger supplied. Nearest lithium voltages possible are 7.4 (2 cells) and 11.1 (3 cells).

[RedsquirrelParticipant @redsquirrel]

brilliant,thank you.i can be a right dinlow at times

dont know where i got the lipo thing from,probably dreamt it

[LARRY WHETTONParticipant @larrywhetton68737]

Hello Darren,

Welcome to model boating,

you seem to on a learning curve, have you a model club in your area?..

its a good place to learn all ways happy to help beginers,

and you all ways learn on this site ,some good modelers here,

just scrole through the forum and gallerys to see some great builds …..cheers Larry..

[RedsquirrelParticipant @redsquirrel]

hi Larry,yes,i am learning.one thing ive already learned due to getting old, not modelling, is not to rush things.you get nowhere fast. i am getting bits for my yacht slowly,i recently picked up a new servo tray on ebay for it,still in the pre cut sheet for less than i could buy some 3mm ply to repair the rot in mine.

the biggest task ahead of me will be modifying the rudder shaft to stop it taking on so much water,for now im filling the tube with some grease my uncle has specially for water usage.the real work will begin when ive learned to sail it

[LARRY WHETTONParticipant @larrywhetton68737]

Hello Darren,

Where do you sail..?…Larry…

[RedsquirrelParticipant @redsquirrel]

we have only actually sailed once,at portishead but watch the racing at both portishead (woodspring) and burnham on sea (sedgemoor) meets.

going over to portishead tomorrow but it may be a little too cold for my uncle,he is approaching 70 now,quite fit physically but i dont want to get him catching colds/flu etc.

[RedsquirrelParticipant @redsquirrel]

moved another step closer to getting the boat working tonight,a big step too.got lucky on ebay and sold a few plants,ive bought a new t5 transmitter and 6ch reciever for £42.99.best price ive found so far. next up the 11kg sail servo,any makes recommended for easy fitting to the rx?

[LARRY WHETTONParticipant @larrywhetton68737]

Hello Darren,

Well done on purchases , are you in the Bristol area, ..?…

nothing in profile where you are based,

have a look at Hitec servos for sail winches, . may suit the boat sails ,

do have a picture of model it may help other forum members to help you ,

hope this helps……Larry….

[Malcolm FraryParticipant @malcolmfrary95515]

I got my sail servo from Howes (see their box above and to the right). They list a 15Kg one in their standard size servo section that just plugs into the RX. When using something like this, you do need to make sure that the battery is up to the job, also they do a great job of testing just how good all of your wiring connections are.

[RedsquirrelParticipant @redsquirrel]

hi Larry,im in nailsea near bristol,all being well should be at the ship show in portishead on the 6th if you can make it.

i meant to take pictures yesterday but clean forgot,the boat is at my uncles place keeping him occupied .took the sails off yesterday to replace a broken spreader.i didnt think it was that important on a model but got firmly put in my place by Robin who wants it back in perfect condition.

[LARRY WHETTONParticipant @larrywhetton68737]

Hi Darren,

A local lad then , i am at longwell green , used to member of clevendon club ,

but pool is to dirty and to many crabers now sail with chedder club ,

a good venue, a nice fresh water pool with a club house , and free parking.

are you dispaying at the ship show.?…cheers Larry…

[RedsquirrelParticipant @redsquirrel]

no,im not displaying anything but am hoping to find the servos and possibly a battery pack there.

with regards to this from Malcolm, '' When using something like this, you do need to make sure that the battery is up to the job, also they do a great job of testing just how good all of your wiring connections are.''

could you explain a little further please.i havent recieved the planet gear yet but am assuming i have to make sure everything is the same voltage as the reciever.

please accept my apologies for sounding really dense but all of this is very new to me and the easiest way for me to learn is by communicating on forums such as this one as i can recall things in such a way as 'Larry said,'get one of these' or Malcolm said 'dont put it there'.

if i read stuff like a book ive forgotten by tomorrow.

its only taken me a month and a half of reading about mode 1 and 2 to remember which one i want

[LARRY WHETTONParticipant @larrywhetton68737]

Good Morning Darren,

Sounds like you need some hands on tuition,

you are welcome to call on me any time, to shed some model info all ready have fledging

on board, and have good coffee pot……cheers Larry..

[RedsquirrelParticipant @redsquirrel]

thank you,i may well take you up on that.im chomping at the bit now looking for an alternative for the hs815bb servo for the sails.is there a cheaper one i can use to start with and upgrade later ?

[LARRY WHETTONParticipant @larrywhetton68737]

Hi ,

you could use a exstended arm on a standed servo, some times better than sail winch,

and a easy set up , have drawing somware in the box, but a lot info on mya web page .

may be some one out there can help …allso see footys set up……..

still want to no what boat it is photo please ……..cheers Larry….

[Malcolm FraryParticipant @malcolmfrary95515]

High power servo testing system

I got a second hand TT Victoria nearly 4 years ago, which needed a deal of TLC. After re-rigging it to comply with the suggestions in the instructions, and sailing it with the standard servo fitted with an arm that it came with, it became obvious that a standard servo was simply not up to the job – if there was useful breeze on the sails, it would not pull in, and much of the time would not even hold in. I got a high torque standard size servo. Suddenly everything became twitchy. This was because a higher powered servo takes more current, more current reveals any shortcomings in the power supply, fluctuating voltage tells the servos to find a new position. Obvious with hindsight. In turn, I found that my battery box was not as good as it could be and the battery harness had seen its good times come and go. With good batteries in a new box with a new switch harness, I had stable voltage and the ability to deliver the current that the servo wanted.

A high power device introduced into a system will demonstrate quite quickly if there is a weak link in there. In my case, one weak cell, a questionable connection in the battery box, and "black wire" in the harness. Mending it with new bits has given 3 seasons of good sailing, to the extent that last year I overdid it going out in weather that was a bit beyond good sense and wound up having to buy some new sails.

Its also good to remember that a higher power servo not only pulls the bit of string attached to the sails – it also transmits that force into the hull via whatever is used to hold it in place. I have seen a servo with too much travel go "walkabout", along with the bulkhead it was attached to. Thankfully, not one of mine.

[RedsquirrelParticipant @redsquirrel]

with that advice Malcolm,i think i will wait a little longer for the right one.thank you

[LARRY WHETTONParticipant @larrywhetton68737]

HI,

HAVE A LOOK AT THIS ….. could be the answer…..

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