setting up winch system
 

Hello

I have had two really nice RC yachts for a while now but havent gotten around to making either of em work. The one is a really nice sleek black racing yacht and I plan on getting it to work. I have experience with the rc world, i used to build planes and im into nitro offroad buggy racing at the moment. I have the steering with the dual rudders set up but the winch system seems to be a bit more complicated. How do you set it up so that it can have enough slack to let the sails completely out but make it so that if the sails become loose(no wind etc.) the string will still be able to feed onto the wheel on the winch without getting tangled. I was thinking a loop system where your create a loop system running from the rear of the hull forward and then attach the sheet to that. Is this perhaps the right idea or do you more experienced people know the real way to do it, if so could you please help me out so that i can get this thing in the water. :P

Thanks
Alden

RE: setting up winch system
 

Alden,
That's one way to do it (loop), and there are a couple of other ways. Just depends on which would be easiest or most convenlent for you, and how much room you have inside the boats hull.

Another option is to use a servo with an 'arm' instead of a a sail winch with a 'drum' (back to how much room you have to work with, and which of the two kinds of servo/winch you have). Which you use also determines what other 'parts' and 'turning points' for the lines you'll need inside the hull.

Another consideration is 'which' kinda rigging do you know how to do...

- 'Doc

RE: setting up winch system
 

Alden...take a look at the pics in my post about the "Build-up of the Prince". There are some close up pics of the winch drum. It is a double drum with the line wound in opposite directions so that it can pull sheets from forward and aft at the same time. There are also fishing weights attached to the sheets coming off the drums next to the blocks they go through before going topside to help take up slack when they are let out in no wind conditions. The wind will pull the sheets tight even with the weights in place.

Let me know if I can help further. [&:]

RE: setting up winch system
 

I tried that weight system before, but it didnt work so brilliantly. My yacht is at a friends house at the moment, i plan on getting it on friday and once I see it again and can take a look I will see what i can do, if i can get the loop sytem to work I think I will go with that, but seeing as it is already rigged with the weight system I will see how that goes first. Last time I tested it the winch wasn't pulling the weights and the sails too well and then the steering servo broke so i sorta just gave up for a bit :P, perhaps the battery was flat because its a big winch and should be able to handle the work.

Thanks for the help
Alden

RE: setting up winch system
 

Personally prefer the double arm system but I have used a drum winch. Attached the sheet to a piece of light elastic and ran it forward to keep the lines taut. sort of unsightly when you put it on deck. Could be done below deck if you have a forward hatch for access. If I were to ever use drum winch again I would try to work out a loop. Right now my drum winch is in the spare parts box and will stay there until the right boat comes along.

RE: setting up winch system
 

I'm a big proponent of the closed loop system using a drum winch. It costs a bit more than an arm servo, but , the travel has always seemd more realistic, and has a higher reliability factor than the single take up approach and turning block.

Ulimately though, it really depends on the boat your using, the available room in the hull, etc.

Check out my ec 12 rebuild, [link=http://home.triad.rr.com/intrepid1582/intrepid1582/_sgt/f10000.htm]Intrepid 1582[/link]

Again , there are so many variables that you haven't mentioned, its pretty hard determine the best approach.

RE: setting up winch system
 

Go here and read the Construction Guide for the USM1 boats:

http://www.amya.org/us1mcons.html

There are several diagrams in the Guide for setting up your sheeting system and you can pick the one that works for you.