normruth11

After flying RC planes for 10 or more years, eyes and memory starting to play little tricks on me I have diced to try sailing RC boats. After todays maiden voyage I feel I have a few things to iron out. First one is I have found out I am a 78, year old rookie, with a few things to learn. Had rudder hooked to receiver rudder, no problem Had sail servo hooked up to ailelons on receiver, not the right place. After spending some time and a couple phone call to my flying buddies they told me to try throttle which .worked out pretty good. The boat that I have is Hobby Kings Phantom. Seems to be pretty good deal, but then again how am I to know. Have had lot of luck with there plane, so that is the way I went Seems like a pretty good boat for the price, just under a $100.00 with no electronics. I have plenty of the electronics, being a RC flyer. Any info good or bad is welcome, feel have a long way to go just like when I started flying, it didn't come over night. By the way my keel weight is 4.47 lbs, don't know if that means anything or not. Thanks Norm

mfr02

Welcome to the higher form of modelling. You will find that every session is different, and you will keep the brains in better working order and the interest fresh, hopefully for many years to come. I found it took about an hour to learn to sail, and its taken the next 20-odd years to get nearer to learning to sail properly.
If the Phantom is 1 meter long and carries about 600 square inches of sail, your ballast weight sounds about right.

boomer1

My Feedback: (1)

Welcome to one of the better ways to spend some free time. You can find loads of good information on this boat at another rc forum called rcgroups.com in their sailboat section. You can use the search feature to find the "threads" on the Phantom.The instructions HK provides are very poorly done and of little help. Here is a link to just one thread at rcgroups: http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...hantom&page=18

Each of the Hobby King boats use pretty much the same electronics, masts and booms, thus each has a few of the same characteristics.
As an example: The mast at it's joint is weak and should be strengthened. Posted a picture of how I strengthened the mast on a Monsoon (Hobby King product) The water tightness of their hatch covers is a concern, fortunately the Phantom's is not to bad.

Be sure you keep your receiver dry. An old trick is to put it in a balloon using a wire tie around it's neck to keep any water out.Just a thought. Posted a couple of pictures of this idea. One shows the battery and the receiver both in balloons note the receiver is velcroed to the underside of the deck and picture shows a receiver in a balloon and the batteries in a small zip lock baggy. Just saying to keep them dry.

Stick radios are the right choice - the rudder is controlled by the right stick and the sails the left. Be sure your batteries are fully charged (6 volts) each outting. Check for water in the hull after each use. Leave the hatch open when not in use.
OK that should be enough for openers.
Enjoy
Boomer

I added a pdf. file for you to read/review. It is on a Monsoon but much of the information in the report is applicable to your Phantom. Really good information that will help you know your boat. Enjoy.