Deciding on a Sailboat

[Panda900]

Hey guys, so besides my first love for RC planes, i also want to get into RC boating, specifically sailboats and i was looking for a model. I wanted something at least 15 inches around a budget of 60 dollars just to get my feet wet (lol sorry).

Something like the Dumas Ace Sloop kit. Don't mind if its not RTR. Any suggestion? Thanks.

[[redacted]]

Not much of a boat guy, best to hit up youtube and the local hobby shops for some advice. Do you have a place to run it? I know that is the biggest issue with boats

[Panda900]

was thinking of just taking it out to the local pond, just to mess around with my son. will check out youtube and see if i can learn some more.

thank you.

[RCGirl]

I've always been interested in having a rc boat but have always worried about losing it out in the pond.

[OldPrairieRedNeck]

Airboats work well for kids and can be built in a couple of evenings very cheaply. A piece of foam, a can motor with speed controller, 2 channel radio and a Tupperware container is all you need. Build 2 and have 3 times the fun!

As for a sail boat, this is my first one. The rigging is much more involved and you do need a place to run it that you can wade out a bit for retrieval.

[Max]

Hey Merv! I like that airobat.


Looks super easy to build. Anyone can probably build one with parts lying around the shop. I might have to give it a try, I might try to make one for plane recovery for our float flies. Would save having to have a full-size boat handy to bring a plane back to shore (note- never had to do it with electric- just the nitros that conk out in the middle of the lake )

[bensid54]

Air boats are great there is no place they can't go as long as they are electric. You could rig up a latching system to retrieve your gas powered stuff Max just make sure your boat has a reverse function. With a sail boat you can even have a motor system and prop like the real things use that to get it back to you, the props actually fold when under sail power but open up when under power. When it comes to RTR sail boats I often see them for sale on Craigslist.

[bensid54]

Max once you go electric I know you will fall in love with the power and convenience of brushless motors.

[Max]

Air boats are great there is no place they can't go as long as they are electric. You could rig up a latching system to retrieve your gas powered stuff Max just make sure your boat has a reverse function.

Good idea, Jim. So I guess I need to use a car ESC.


I was thinking the boat would pull a floating drag-line that I can loop around the plane as I drive the boat around it, then drag the whole mess back to shore

[bensid54]

Sure I would like to see that work, I've seen half hoop systems placed on the bow of the retrieval boats that will allow them to push other boats ETC back to shore.