sfbluestar

Hi,

I have some experience with sailboats but never played with an RC sailboat. I would like to buy my first one to play with.

A quick search yielded several potentially suitable models, ranging from University Club ($95) at the low end to Seawind ($270) at the higher end. I'm wondering if you can make a quick suggestion for a suitable 1st RC sailboat?

I'll be using it in salt water (a protected part of SF bay). Thanks.

Guiri

https://secure.victor-model.com/Index.aspx
Both the V32 and Soling 1 m are well regarded and widely sailed in the US

hottrk51

My first real RC sailboat was and is a Soling ! Meter. I was the first in my club to build one. There are now 5 sailing on the pond. Mine's still the fastest!

[link=http://www.victor-model.com/]Victor Models[/link] will give you price and ordering details. The basic kit goes for around $150. Radio and winches extra at your LHS. A complete turnkey boat is About $400. The stock kit is a competitive racer and rules allow few mods, keeping cost down.

Check out; [link]http://www.amya.net/s1m.html[/link]; [link]http://www.solingonemeter.org/[/link]; [link]http://groups.yahoo.com/group/solingonemeter[/link]. Check the AMYA page for a club in the SF area that sails S1M's and talk to the skippers and join in case you want to race. The S1M is the largest class registered with AMYA. Victor has built thousands of kits. they are always ready to answer questions too.

No racing? The S1 M is a strong, reliable day sailor., easy to transport and inexpensive to repair.

The Seawind is overpriced for a ARF boat and still need radios etc. The University looks like a toy and sailing in salt water it may be to small to handle any weather at all.

Sorry to go on but I LOVE MY SOLING!

My Club: [link=http://www.emyc.org]Edina Model Yatch Club[/link]

sfbluestar

Thanks for your reply. I also see the other "good first RC boat" thread and am studying info there. I just want to add that I'm looking for a plug-and-play boat with all components in one box, preferably requiring minimal assembly; definitely not one that requires buying other parts to build/glue/wire etc.

Jack ONeill

Avoid The Century 750 and the Triumph 800. I know from my friend the Triumph 800 leaks water very badly, and the Century 750, being the model before the Triumph, wouldn't be any better.

Habaneroe

My Feedback: (1)

I have the University Club and it is actually not bad -at least in a calm breeze- a stiff breeze will push it over. I got it on clearance for $60 online somewhere.

thorsail

Hi sfbluestar , welcome ! I would highly recommend that you get a RTR ( ready to run) boat for your first - I would also say to take
a good look at the Nirvana's (www.sailrc.com) Depending on which model you get (ie: one with a radio upgrade) these things are
easy to set up and sail well . I also own a Soling 1 meter but do not think a "newbie" should build one .
You also need to take everybody's advice with a grain of salt - everyone has a favorite boat .
Hey Habaneroe - isn't it true that the University Club only has a ONE CHANNEL radio ? all you can do is steer it ! You have NO control over
the sails through the radio . bluestar , don't get a toy boat , you will not enjoy the experience and waste money .
Also , there are many forums with info - please check out www.rcgroups.com - find the "boats" section , click on "sailboats" and the
first thread is called "sticky:kit boats" it has url's for every major sailboat there is - a great resource of info.
I do not know if you interests are in just cruising around by yourself or if RC racing might be in the future for you - it's nice to sail
with a group , if you want info on sailing clubs in your area go to the AMYA website - www.modelyacht.org - there is a tab that will give
you listings of clubs by state - find a club near you and get hands on info from them - you could end up with a boat like theirs and have
someone to sail with . Good Luck !

Allan
Chicago

Habaneroe

My Feedback: (1)

You can control the sails with the University Club.

And I like the Nirvana I have two even- so sfbluestar if you want we can meet sometime next week and you can try them yourself- sometimes I go to Spreckels up there and could make a trip up.

sfbluestar

Having looked at the various possibilities in this and other threads, I'm leaning toward Nirvana II. Just want to zero in on this model and get further advices from you guys on two specific questions:

1. I'll be using this boat mostly in the Oakland Alameda estuary. It is salt water; when windy can have 1' high waves; and peak current is about 2 knots. I guess the waves and the current can easily be avoided; but does the salt water pose any issue?

2. The least expensive Nirvana II available, that I found, is this one at $169: http://www.hungates.com/Merchant2/me...Code=100753155
Does the package already include everything I need to get going (it does not have a "what's included" list)? Do I need to get those two "related items" at the bottom of the page?

3. Buying RC products online is generally safe, right? As opposed to, for example, buying photographic products which is filled with scams...

Thanks.

sfbluestar

By the way Habaneroe thank you for your generous offer!! The fact that you bought a 2nd Nirvara already gives me confidence this is a good boat. Hope to have a chance to sail with you when I get up to speed.

jaelon

I've read that a new version of the Nirvana (Nirvana III?) is supposed to be available shortly.
If I was buying another Nirvana, I would buy it from
http://sailrcnirvana.com/

thorsail

Hey sfbluestar - If you could try one of Habaneroe's boats go for it - I am sure it would be worth your time .
as for your questions 1) salt water, hmmm.not sure if the screws on deck level are stainless or not , I would worry about the rudder
shaft , maybe make sure you keep it coated with something. figure you will want to kinda wash it all down with fresh water anyway
each time you use it , the only real bare metal is on the rudder shaft . 2) you will only need AA batterys to start sailing -everything is
included . those "related items" are only if you have problems with the sail servo ( winch) - and quite honestly most people that change
out the winch would go with HiTec or Futaba brands .the packaging on these are amazing - you will get a 36"X15"X7" box to your door ,
be careful opening it - when they slide the styrofoam into the carboard they used to wrap the sail around the outside of the inner bit -
don't attack this with a scissors , might cut into the sail. 3) I wouldn't worry about online sales - these guys have so much at stake , and
with these chat sites , if someone gets screwed EVERYBODY hears about it the next day .
Jaelon : I don't think anybody knows what the "new'" Nirvana is gonna be,and unless your fleet racing I don't know why you would care

The Nirvana's sail really well , are well built , and have enough "controls" for you to adjust for wind conditions . Granted , some of the
older boats ( like mine) had issues with the servo's . And if the sailing range becomes an issue it is so easy to upgrade the radio and
receiver . Have fun and good luck !

Allan
Chicago

jaelon

If I'm buying any product I would like to know if a possibly improved model may be available soon, and then ask the vendors about it before making a buying decision. Fleet racing doesn't necessarily have anything to do with it.

sfbluestar

I ordered my Nirvana II boat just now. I mainly just needed to make sure I'm buying a good quality 1st boat with good value; and based on all the study I'm confident I acheived that. Thanks for your help.

AlphaWhisky

As a newcomer to model yachts, I`ve been following this thread with interest. A few of us have built and sail the British 'Wee Nip' design which is ideal for our small saltwater pond which is less than 100 yards long and about 30 yards wide. It is quite protected and not generally subjected to rough conditions. The yacht itself is a very basic design and a cheap and simple build. We build to a reasonably tight spec and derive a lot of pleasure from the racing.

We are now considering building something a little more sophisticated and will appreciate if anyone here can provide any recommendations. I have briefly looked at the 'Soling' design, but that is probably too big for our little pond. I also like the look of the 'V-32', but that seems to be available in fairly complete kit form as minimum.

Our basic specs are:-

Hull length up to, say, 30" long
2 function r/c
Plans built - plywood and/or balsa construction.

I will appreciate any help, suggestions for checking out some designs that may meet this loose spec.

Thankyou,

Alan W

Hopefully a couple of pics of our Wee Nips attached....

Trakka

Hey Alpha!

Nice pond!

RG65's or XL25's would work there. Don't discount the Thunder Tiger Victoria. About 78cms long, can be car carried fully rigged, plenty of tuning advice on web.

Hope this helps.

Andrew

eltoro

Hello AlphaWiskey,

Here is a scratch building possibility that may meet your requirements [link]http://www.racingsparrow.co.nz[/link]. I acquired the book and it definitely is a through step-by-step guide for the newbie to scratch built his own RC Yacht.

Your sailing site looks ideal. I am envious, where I am our sailing ponds are still under several inches of ice!

Good Luck on whichever of the many boat designs you chose.

Tory

AlphaWhisky

Thanks for your informative replies, guys.

Trakka - I have spent some time chasing info from the 'net re RG65 and XL25 and have come to the conclusion that although the designs look pretty good, the politics re specs and operation seem to be a little too serious for us.

Eltoro - I am most interested in your 'RacingSparrow' project. Wellington, NZ, is my old stamping ground. The idea of buying plans and a how-to book has a lot of appeal to me as a newbie to r/c yachting. From what I have seen on the 'net, the size, design, and construction methods all appeal too. However, I have just received an email from an experienced r/c yacht friend in NZ who has some experience with this yacht and the conclusion was that it doesn`t work as well as it looks. I was going to buy the book, maybe still will, but will see if I can track it down through the local library first.

Some of our local sailors operated the 'Micro Magic' yachts for a while, but they are pretty expensive here and most have moved on. We are more keen to build than buy existing plastic boats and although the Thunder Tiger yachts seem to have a good reputation, we probably won`t go there either.

In the meantime, I have a couple of ideas forming but will keep looking......

Thanks again,

Alan W

larrykin

AlphaWhisky,

don't dismiss the Racing Sparrow as a well worthwhile boat. It's a boat you "scratch build" so if it sails poorly the blame goes to the builder. My first build was a RacingSparrow and the book, including plans, is a dream to work from. Any questions, the guy who runs the web site, answers immediately.
I built a 1m version of the basic 750mm boat, which now takes pride of place in my living room. Looks great and the feeling that every bit of this boat was handmade by me is very satisfying. I'd never built any models before!

The RacingSparrow will never win any races against other mainstraem boats BUT... it sails very well. Is a great basic design and for a novice builder, not beyond anyones scope. As with me, it gives you the freedom to upgrade and modify and truly personalise your build.

I have six rc boats and the Sparrow is my sentimental favourite. From memory the boat cost about $250 to build. Plus electrics and radio another $350. I made the sails and put in a 13kg torque sail servo to handle my A rig sails. The beauty is if the hull is built correctly, it's totally waterproof, light and handles well. Some experience or reading the RC Group forum does help. I did ignore all the rigging details and used my own experience for sail setup and some of the web site owners odd concepts for electrics. I was refittng another boat at the same time so I shared costs of materials for rigging, masts, booms etc.

This boat taught me the joy of balsa strip planking, how to use fibreglass and all the core concepts of boat building. After this my next boat was a fibreglass AU Class. With all the stuff left over from the Sparrow build I could probably build another Sparrow for the cost of balsa ~ $40.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Lr3PSb2WII[/youtube]

AlphaWhisky

Hi Larrykin,

Your enthusiasm is infectious.... A couple of days ago I ordered a copy of the book from the local library. They don`t have a copy in stock but will get it in for me. On the strength of your post I discussed the whole thing again with one of my sailing buddies with result we have each ordered a book with view to getting serious.

The building doesn`t hold too many fears for me. I have been building r/c planes for years, including sheet planking with glasscloth sheathing where required and am sure I can handle this. In the pic of the two 'Wee Nips' in my first post above, the one on the left was built to the original plan with 1.5mm plywood and the one on the right was built with 2.5mm balsa and sheathed with 3/4oz glass cloth. Both sail pretty well - they will be out again tomorrow morning.

I am new to Oz - as of November last year - and still feeling my way around. I am located on Bribie Island and have an idea you might not be too far away - anything within 250kms seems to be 'just down the road' in local speak. Maybe you can PM or email me if you wish to discuss this project further offline....

Cheers,

Alan W

Guiri

While you're waiting for the book, the RG65 class is definatelyworth a look, especially as there are boats already sailing in Oz and the class is now growing rapidly internationally. register on http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RG65SailboatsUS/ and you'll be able to access drawings for about 20 different boats, from simple hard chine models to plank on frame construction.
PS They'll also be a more suitable competitor, size wise for the Wee Nip, especially with a reduced suit of sails.

larrykin

G'day ALPHAWHISKEY,

Have a look at this link to my post on the RacingSparrow forum. It's me describing my 1M build plus videos -

[link=http://racingsparrow.phpbbnow.com/viewtopic.php?t=57&sid=5e57cf60530dc975e648c082df47cd45]RacingSparrow Forum[/link]

You're in Bribie Island. I'm "just down the road" in Sydney. That's a 14 hour drive. You are living in a truly beautiful part of Australia. Fantastic weather - beautiful one day, perfect the next.

With your previous experience you should have no worries building a sparrow. And if you build two it's cheaper as some of the parts can be shared. Like masts, booms, fibreglass, resin and the most important - mold for casting a lead bulb. I found getting all the bits a bit of a pain. My local hobby store had almost nothing. Ended up using lots of fishing tackle and aluminium from Bunnings Hardware. I bought a 300m spool of 24kg braided dacron line for $20 from a tackle shop and have used this for sheeting on all my boats (I have six ).

Below is my newest boat, an AU Class. Hull is 1.7m LOA.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmql1Rw8VAE[/youtube]

Keep me posted with your build either here or join the RacingSparrow forum.

Larry L.
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________

AlphaWhisky

Hi Larrykin,

I was downloading your video when the mail guy arrived with the RacingSparrow book. I`m impressed with your video - very graceful yachting. Sorry about that just-down-the-road thing. I had an idea that Fairfield was a suburb of Brisbane.

Several of us had a short session with the book yesterday. A couple of the guys are dead keen to get started, but I have a couple of concerns and am dragging the chain a little. The book is most impressive - a top quality production. I`ve only built a couple of simple yachts so far, but 40 plus years worth of airplanes of all sorts, and the construction methods detailed therein are mostly not new to me. I am concerned at some of his metric conversions though. If anyone is going to build from this book I suggest they double check the material thicknesses quoted before racing out and buying swags of sheet balsa. Also, I don`t seem to recall glasscloth weight quoted - maybe I missed that in my quick look through....

I`m also a little concerned that the design may not be all that suitable for us. Sure' it`s a dainty little model, but we`re primarily into racing and not all that gentlemanly with giving way when ten 'Wee Nips' are charging towards to the first corner buoy.... I`m not sure how this neat little 'RacingSparrow' would handle that....

My Kiwi yachting friend has emailed a couple of pics of a very old - pre r/c - Vic Smeed design for a model that looks to be a practical size and have promise as a place to start. The plans are now in the mail to me and so I won`t jump into anything new until I have at least perused them.

Interesting times....

Alan W

larrykin

AlphaWhiskey,

'tis true the Sparrow is a beginner's boat for Sunday sailing. We're all not Jack Brabhams. If you are looking at a racing class have a look at the US1M Mistral.

http://www.rcsailing.net/forum1/showthread.php?t=2796

http://www.modelyacht.org/us1m/pdf/us1mmistral.pdf


See links above. Plans are free as are building instructions (link 2). If you know about rc boat building it's easy to modify the plans to improve performance from your own knowledge.

My first and only scratch build was the Sparrow. I do highly recommend the book cause it's so easy to follow. Once you've made all the mistakes you are assured to do, you'll have learnt the only way. By hands on experience. And once you've built the first boat, and it sails, it's easy to jump to the next level. I'm looking at building a mistral soon because boat building is fun. I find planking the hull the best part. But I'm tossing up whether to build the boat as a straight balsa with fibreglass or to build a plug. To be used as a mold.

If you and your friends want to build several boats to race each other I'd go the mold route. That is; build one boat as your plug. Wrap it in glass to build your mold. Then lay glass inside to build identical hulls.

Below is a link to pics of my 1.7m boat build -

http://photobucket.com/AU_Class_Build_Pics

I had the boat built for me by a pro. Worked out way cheaper. But now I have the itch to try my own redesigned 1m Mistral based on my experience. I used to sail real yachts. One bonus is that if you don't like the boats you build you can sell them on ebay. I just sold one yesterday at a small profit . Enough cash to pay for my next boat.

Keep me updated on which way you decide to go. Wish I was in Qld...... [8D]

Larry L
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ ____

RCSailboatGuide

Hi sfbluestar,

I got a [link=http://www.rcsailboatguide.com/category/rc-sailboat-beginners-guide]RC Sailboat Beginners Guide[/link]RC Sailboat Beginners Guide which might help.

I personally think the Megatech Nirvana II is awesome. If you want to know more why I decided on it than [link=http://www.rcsailboatguide.com/rc-sailboat-beginners-guide/rc-sailboat-review-megatech-nirvana-ii]click here on my Nirvana II review[/link]