lthibault

Back from the Marina to report on maiden...total success!!! This one is a winner! Once you get the hang of it, the Seawind is a very agile and smooth flying model. Just make sure you start with a small throw and expo on the ailerons, they don't need much to be effective. Waterproof the electronics, seal the wing area and you'll have a model that will give you hours of fun.

RoyR

I just flew my new Seawind EP today. I have had three good flights on it, all from grass at this point.
It flies well and does some good basic aerobatics.
Just for the heck of it I wanted to see what it would do with a knife edge. That is when I noticed in flight the rudder has little effect, and it seems to have opposite effect. I mean, from level flight, when I put in right rudder the plane yaws slightly to the left.
I have plenty of throw and the servo is strong enough. The rudder is very effective scooting along the grass before take off, but when it's up to speed it may as well not be there.
I don't know if it is standard, but there is almost a quarter inch gap between the rudder and vertical stabilizer. It seems to require being mounted like that to keep the water rudder from touching the fuselage.
I am going to try putting tape over the gap before the next flight to see if that has any effect.

Do all the Seawinds have a large gap on the rudder?
Has anyone else had the problem of the rudder not being effective in flight?

Bob93447

What is the consensus regarding the best cg for water takeoffs? Does moving it back a little seem to help? I'm stuck with a weak battery for the next few days and mine just doesn't want to lift off. Anyone find a prop better than the 8x6 that GP supplies?

jbarnes

For water takeoff and landing being nose heavy is not ideal. I have a standard setup (prop, esc etc.) and when I use my 2100 battery (which makes it nose heavy) it doesn't takeoff and land as nice as it does with a 1500 battery. I also notice that I need several clicks of up elevator to maintain level flight when using the 2100 as compared to the 1500. I added a nylon bolt to the front hatch to keep the hatch from seperating on those occasional splash downs during landing.

Dave ESPI

My Buddy Kris loves the seawind, but has never flown it. I was debating gettign him one, but I don't think he would fly it for fear of crashing. I let him borrow my RealFlight for a while, but I don't think he flew much.



haha I love my GUANLI catalina that Islip character PM'd me a while ago and asked if I thoguth it was good. I said yes. He is like 13, and has never built a plane.

I told um to mail me it, I'd build it for him. LOL.

Calmo2

Hi guys; I just got mine last week and am going to put it together this week. I didn't buy the rimfire motor, I bought a TURNIGY 2830, 1050KV from Hobbycity in Japan for $19.27. It had good reviews and it can turn up to a 10-6 prop and only draws 14 amps max so I can use my 18 amp ESC. I just had to sand the fist plywood mount layer off and put my own mount on because the Turnigy has a 4 hole X mount rather than a 3 hole mount. I will let you know how it works out. I am not sure if I am going to fly off grass or water for the first time but I will decide that when the time comes! It looks like it could be a fun plane to fly.

lthibault

A few modifications that I taught might be interesting for other R/C pilots.

On top of other mods - fixed wing with spaces filles with MONO white sealant - I decided to do the following:

-Completely isolate Servos and use MONO sealant to create a wall against water
-Put Receiver and ESC on top of the plane body, protected from water
-Install cockpit clip-on

timid1

My Feedback: (1)

Nice work on the installation and photos. Here is my observation having built, flown, and emersed this aircraft. You will lose your esc and receiver on the first hard water landing. The cockpit will fill with water, and depending on orientation after the crash, your aircraft may be upside down in the water. unless your canopy installation is completely watertight, you need to seal the esc in silicone and encase the receiver in a rubber baloon. Working material could include: party baloons, rubber (latex) glove finger; condoms (your choice); sandwich baggies. Whichever you use, the end should also be sealed with silicone.

Just my thoughts. Also take care that your water rudder clears the fuselage. The reason for my initial crash and ultimate loss of aircraft, was the rudder dropped and was binding on the fuselage elimating my ability to turn. Result, flew into top of tree. Retrieval process destroyed aircraft and battery (power could not be shut off overnight while plane laid in tree.)

lthibault

Thanks for the feedback. I have had many flights with this one and frankly, my water landings are pretty smooth. I worry more about the take-off on windy days as the plane have a tendancy to jump on waves and then submerge.

With all due respect the possibility of putting this bird upside down [X(] after rough water landing seems almost like a challenge to me.

Hopefully the cockpit clip will prevent hatch removal. Will report back after a few trials.

Bob93447

I agree, after flying the bigger GP Seawind, that the foam one is a piece of cake. Putting the foam version upsidedown on landing would be a challenge although I have managed to do so with the large version. Rather than spending a lot of time with the waterproofing, I've chosen to use white electrical tape to seal the wing roots and to tape down the hatch so that it doesn't pop off during landings/takeoffs. This has proven sufficient to keep the interior dry. However, most electronics are relatively forgiving of freshwater. If they do get wet, drying before applying power is usually sufficient to prevent failure.

I'm currently flying my Seawind EP using a BP A2212-10 motor (1400 kv) coupled with an APC 8x6 prop and a 2100 mah battery. I can pull nearly 200 watts at full throttle with this setup (at an altitude of 6000 ft.). It balances perfectly with the receiver under the wing and the ESC between the rudder and elevator servos.


Bob 93447

lthibault

Well, Bob got me adding this extra precaution. The receiver is sealed and the ESC end was also filled with silicon.

One small but important detail: I've put a 6 inch servo extension on the BATT circuit. This is in case I need to use the binding plug and rebind the receiver.

The_Mongrel

Hi Mate,

Why not just drop it into a balloon and seal the end shut! that way your RX is recoverable should the plane make an early exit to god!

Cheers
-J

lthibault

I prefer the silicon or sealant option because I want to leave the short antennas out for better radio contact.

dgliderguy

I'm using the Futaba R606FS receiver (6EX 2.4gHz radio), with the whisker antennae. My solution was to place the receiver in a ziplock baggie, and zip it shut around the servo wires. Then I wrapped a small rubber band around the wires, and added a drop of silicone glue. There is plenty of room inside the baggy to arrange the whisker antennae so that they are not lying next to each other, and with enough spread between them to allow good radio reception.

Works for me.

WildBlueYawnder

Well it's been awhile since there was a new post here but I've got to say "What a great plane this is!". I bought mine in November and it had a broken part that took a long time to get a replacement for. Anyway it's ready to go now and it's the most versatile plane I have. Hand launch, grass, water, ice and snow. I'm very happy with it.

The Seawind in the hangar

[link=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8WZbmStHiw]My Hangar[/link]

My maiden trim flight off grass

[link=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmdxR_pAY88]Seawind trim flight off grass runway[/link]

wind junkie

My Feedback: (1)

I like mine in the snow as well. No need for skis!

Bob93447

HI ALL,

For those of you who don't mind buying batteries direct from China, www.hobbycity.com carries the Zippy Lipoly line for very good prices. I'm using the 3 cell, 20C, 1600mah Zippy in my Seawind. It balances 1/16" behind the recommeded CG, gives over 12 minutes of mildly aerobatic flight time with a 30% reserve, and costs only 17.95 US plus shipping. Also allows me to pull over 190 watts using an 8x6 APC on a full charge. As long as the product is in stock, it arrives in a reasonable time. Deliveries can be long and uncertain for products not in stock.


Bob

wind junkie

My Feedback: (1)

I agree on HC site. The Zippy and Rhino series are impressive.

The search feature on the web site is a bit hard to use, but there are good deals to be had on quality batteries.

lthibault

I'm buying from them on a regular basis: lipos, receivers, brushless motors, ESCs, BECs. Top quality and incredible prices. Never had problems with shipping, they're quick!

dexibo

hi I had my maiden flight today ,was a bit windy but what the hell its got a brc 33amp esc a brc 1500 outrunner and a 2200 11.1v lipo it shot into the air of grass no trim needed and it flew great and landings were a breeze .dexibo

geeter

My Feedback: (110)

i have two electric planes i fly. over two years i have never had a problem with li-po's. i leave them in the plane and sometimes even charge on the way to the field, off my 7 amp gel cell or my tractor type battery which i have to use to start my 1/4 goldberg sukohi,that has a super tiger 2300 nitro motor. i have a cheap celectra charger and use a asto blinky balancer,since the charger doesn't have one. both li-po batteries are value hobby brand and are 2200 mah 20-c 3-s. i can charge at 500 mah- 1 amp 1.5 amp and 2 amp. i only have 3-s batterys so it's all i need and works perfect. don't be so scared of some stories you here about li-po's. some people charge them improperly, let them short etc. if handeled correctly they are safe. ni-cads and nimh's are for radios not hot in- outrunner motors IMHO. getting a arf seawind this friday from tower hobbies. i enjoy reading the thread about others..........thanks........GEETER

geeter

My Feedback: (110)

just finished the sea wind today. took it out tonite early,no wind,everything done to the letter in the instructions. tried it on short grass at the flying field. what a joke! they say it will fly off grass..........maybe with a jet turbine engine. nooooooooooo way. hand launched it.another joke straight in on the nose...broke the prop somehow. my addition plane as well as my reactor both have the same setup and fly right out of your hand. i'm begining to think any plane withOUT the prop up front on the nose is junk. they can't get any lift under the wings IMHO. other guys have flown them but it don't work for me, for some reason. taking the stuff out of this seawind and going with a real plane made of balsa,with a tractor up front. no damage to the plane so if you want spare parts cheap,thats wing & fuse complete, less motor servos, esc, let me know. this is the arf model i'll throw in the stand and balancer free. about 40.00 shipped should do it. i will put it on the forum with pics if you [email protected].. ..........GEETER

gtc

you have a different issue. I fly out of my hand, off grass and off water w/the stock setup.

geeter

My Feedback: (110)

i don't quite know what you mean a different issue? .........explain please.....thanks........GEETER

huttcraft

Geeter

Don't sell! Forget the flying field - try off water. The plane will come up off the water and fly like it's on rails. Don't give up on it for a broken prop: on my maiden at the field I broke the entire motor mount when it hit the deck 20' in front of me. I re-glued and took it to the lake, and must say the plane thanked me.

Dave