Good boat for a noobie
 

Hey, I am thinking about getting a r/c sailboat. I have been looking mainly at the Kyosho Fairwind but I was wondering what your guys think is a nice solid boat that I should get, being that I am new at this. Also, what controller should I get? I am looking at the Futaba 2ER. Any help would be appreciated.

RE: Good boat for a noobie
 

I'm a noobie too and i have been looking at the megatech nirvana pro racing kit and the towerhobbies sts 2-channel or the futaba 2vr attack 2-channel. I dont know if it any good though.
The Doc.

RE: Good boat for a noobie
 

It is probably the most asked question here on the site.... and the answer is always the same. Before you invest your hard earned samolians... go check out your local ponds and hobbyshops.. and AMYA.ORG and see if there are any clubs in your vicinity. Take advantage of the local knowlege and experience by sailing with the group. You may find a deal on a used boat that will get in you in and going faster and cheaper, and any problems you may incure will be easily handled by the guys that have been there before you.

Welcome to the hobby, one you are certain to enjoy for a long time. Your boat with minimal care will last more years than you might think, and when it is time to move on to a newer or bigger boat you will find that they hold their resale value quite nicely.

Good Luck and hope you find a group near you! Don't hesitate to ask questions here, there are plenty of people that are willing to help.

RE: Good boat for a noobie
 

I'm 15 and trying to find a boat for my dad to get started. He has a full size sail boat and loves it. The closest club is about an hour away. Its at the south marina at the Great Salt Lake, Utah. If you know of any others please tell me.
What would be a good boat for him to learn with and won't cost me a arm and a leg. $80-$180 range. I was thinking the Nirvana with the tower hobbies sts radio or the futuba 2vr attack radio. Mainly i just want to know if the Nirvana is a piece of junk and i'm wasting my time or if its going to be something worth its weight and be beneficial to my dads sailing hobby.
Thanks
The Doc.

RE: Good boat for a noobie
 

Yeah that makes it a little tougher. I can't comment on the Nirvana because I don't use the little plastic boats. I see those are quite popular and they are all over Ebay... you might catch a bargain there on a used one. Try investing a call to the marina (I am guessing where you sail your full size boat) and see if anyone there knows of anyone sailing around the area and track them down. It truly is worth it to have the same class boat as once there are two boats on the water, it becomes a race even if they never get near each other.

Still the old axiom that you never really buy a sailboat (only put down a deposit) still applies. If you get one and find something else later on... once again EBay becomes the modelers friend.

As far as the hobby goes... you can't go wrong there. It is simply a wonderful way to relax and spend a few quiet hours by yourself... or head out to the group and have a fun filled afternoon racing. The thing that always appealed to me was how easy it was to get in and out of the water If you ever trailered a boat to the lake.. and went through all that setup, and waiting on the launch ramp and moving the truck and trailer... and then reversing it to get out at the end of the session... it really took a lot of the fun out of it. A slip makes it much easier... but cost a lot of dough... those things surely detracted. Then there were all the times I wished I could be out on the boat....but by the time I would get everything together and drive out... it was not worth the effort to get in and out of the water.

Pick up your model, drive 10 minutes to the local pond instead of an hour to the lake... drop it in the water and sit back and relax... it was an easy fix and a wonderful treat at the same time.

I am more than sure you will enjoy your time spent with a model.

RE: Good boat for a noobie
 

Dr.Weasel,
How about a kit, put the thing together yourself (or your dad)? Usually lots less expensive than a 'RTR' boat, I think they're as much fun to build as to sail, and you can make it look however you want. There are quite a few places to look, here's just one of them;

http://www.victor-model.com/

Take a look, you may find something you just can't live without. Find a good radio, a couple of servos, and you're in buisness...
- 'Doc

RE: Good boat for a noobie
 

Hey, are those radio packages any good on that victor-model's site?

RE: Good boat for a noobie
 

I bought my first rc sailboat recently and I bought a Laser from www.sailrclaser.com. I wanted something really easy to transport and set up that is also fast on the water. I have been really pleased with the Laser "boat in the bag" choice as it is all of the above and a blast to sail too.

I live in Salt Lake City and sail in the pond at the International center, just west of the airport. I used to have a 25 ft Hunter at the GSL Marina but the expense got to me and I sold it a few yrs ago.

RE: Good boat for a noobie
 

chessie,
Any good? I guess so, they do work. More 'Fords / Chevy' than anything else.
- 'Doc

RE: Good boat for a noobie
 

Victor Model Products makes some very nice kits including the Soling 1 meter. I've built two and it's a nice sailer from the largest class in AMYA. I also have a Fairwind 900 with all the
"go fasts" the class allows. If your Dad is into building The V-32 from Victor is also a very nice yacht. I believe the radio gear from Victor is HiTec although all I ever used from them was a sail winch on the Solings. The Fairwind is not a kit you can open the box, throw it up in the air, and have it come down finished. I actually found the Soling easier to build. I've seen all the Nirvanas, and that type of "ready to sail" boats and personally I think they are junk and will probably drive some sailors out of the hobby even if they do look good in the ads. One barometer to check them is the number for sale on Ebay. The advice above to check at your local pond is some of the best there is. We always let anyone with questions sail some of our boats so they will have an idea what suits them best.

RE: Good boat for a noobie
 

What is the difference between the boats with a sail whench and a boat without. What does a sail whench do? I was thinking of either the V-32k from victor or the AMERICA³ again from victor with probley the hitec ranger2 or the airtronics avenger.
The Doc.

RE: Good boat for a noobie
 

I happen to have a Victoria and find it a decent boat. Though, if you want to end up racing it among others in an AMYA club, you'll have to accessorize it. I hear the new boat has better sails than those that arrived in my kit. I've heard good things about the Victor V32 and have seen the Kyosho Seawind and would suggest one of those. The Victor boat is ready to go for just over $300. You can't really beat that for getting all up and running (my opinion).

RE: Good boat for a noobie
 

In general, sailwinches are more powerfull and will pull in the sails under any circumstance.
Smaller boats have a (large) servo with an arm for the same purpose, in strong winds these servos can't always pull the sails in. (ofcourse there are tricks for these things, but that wasn't the question.)

Regards, Jan.

RE: Good boat for a noobie
 

A sail winch is simply a servo used to control the in and out movement of the boom and jib club. The amount of sail area and the size of the yacht determines the amount of torque needed. There are different types of sail winches. One has a rotary drum, another a single arm and the one I prefer is a double arm. The sail servo from Victor is a double arm. Futaba's servo recommended by Kyosho for the Fairwind is a single arm. I changed mine to a double arm and threw away all the servo and radio mounting plywood that came with the kit. I have been building models for a long time and know how to modify things to make them better. Before you build any yacht go to the local pond and observe the winch and radio setups used by the sailors there. Pick the one that you thik will serve your boat the best considering that you will have to install it if it isn't what the manufacturer shows on his plan. Kyosho has a lot of "scale" goodies on the deck including fake wheels and railings. Always remember that a clean deck will prevent fouled working lines. My Fairwind has a clean deck.
It doesn't have to be pretty although it is. If you want the junk go for scale.

RE: Good boat for a noobie
 

is the victor mini soling any good?




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