Any mods needed on a Sea Dancer
05-25-2004, 05:16 AM
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Any mods needed on a Sea Dancer
Hi all,
I'm building an ACE Sea Dancer with an Irvine .72 for power. Any suggested modification to the kit or design? This will be my first seaplane, but I'm used to flying pattern planes.
Steve
I'm building an ACE Sea Dancer with an Irvine .72 for power. Any suggested modification to the kit or design? This will be my first seaplane, but I'm used to flying pattern planes.
Steve
05-25-2004, 09:25 AM
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RE: Any mods needed on a Sea Dancer
I built mine from plans with no modifications and it is a wonderful flyer. Absolutely no bad habits and easy to get on and off the water. The plane is quite acrobatic. If you're a patter flyer, you will really like what you have here.
Mine is covered with ultracote and it does leak water into the fuse and I can't seem to find where it comes in. I have a silicone caulk gasket on the wing and I put vaseline on it when I fly and it still leaks in somewhere. I am considering stripping the covering and adding 1/16 balsa skin to the fuselage before recovering.
I have an old K&B .61 on mine and it has more than enough power. Our lake is 3000 feet above sea level. Your Irvine should make it a real performer.
Mine is covered with ultracote and it does leak water into the fuse and I can't seem to find where it comes in. I have a silicone caulk gasket on the wing and I put vaseline on it when I fly and it still leaks in somewhere. I am considering stripping the covering and adding 1/16 balsa skin to the fuselage before recovering.
I have an old K&B .61 on mine and it has more than enough power. Our lake is 3000 feet above sea level. Your Irvine should make it a real performer.
05-25-2004, 12:51 PM
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RE: Any mods needed on a Sea Dancer
Steve,
I have a NIB Seadancer kit also so I would be interested in hearing your comments as you build yours.
Guess I'll get started on mine next winter. I have a YS 63 I think I'll put on it.
Ray
I have a NIB Seadancer kit also so I would be interested in hearing your comments as you build yours.
Guess I'll get started on mine next winter. I have a YS 63 I think I'll put on it.
Ray
05-25-2004, 08:08 PM
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RE: Any mods needed on a Sea Dancer
Ray,
I thought about putting a 4 stroke in the Sea Dancer, but the thought of water and corrosion problems put me off. I was thinking of a Saito .80 or 1.00. Ended up going with the Irvine, just from an ease of maintenance point of view. I love my YSs (a 1.10 and a .63) but they are a PITB as far as maintenance goes.
The sea dancer is an easy build, and the balsa in my kit was all of a good weight. I was interested in the last writers comments about leaks and covering the whole fuselage. I was considering glassing the front, maybe light cloth over a completely covered fuz might prevent leaking problems. Pity to add the weight though.
STeve
I thought about putting a 4 stroke in the Sea Dancer, but the thought of water and corrosion problems put me off. I was thinking of a Saito .80 or 1.00. Ended up going with the Irvine, just from an ease of maintenance point of view. I love my YSs (a 1.10 and a .63) but they are a PITB as far as maintenance goes.
The sea dancer is an easy build, and the balsa in my kit was all of a good weight. I was interested in the last writers comments about leaks and covering the whole fuselage. I was considering glassing the front, maybe light cloth over a completely covered fuz might prevent leaking problems. Pity to add the weight though.
STeve
11-10-2005, 07:08 PM
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RE: Any mods needed on a Sea Dancer
Has anybody seen a Sea Dancer kit? I have looked all over for them and I am not much of a scratch builder. I would really appreciate any help.
Thanks,
Shawn
Thanks,
Shawn
11-25-2005, 12:32 AM
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RE: Any mods needed on a Sea Dancer
A modification you will want to make on the Sea Dancer 60 is to increase the heigth of the vertical fin/rudder by at least 2".This will greatly improve the directional stability and recovery of the model during aerobatic manoeuvers.This tip came from the designer himself during an e-mail exchange I had with him years ago prior to his death .He said that the original RCM "Sea Dancer" article had already been submitted and sent out to the printers before he finally realized the potential flaw and he was not able to go back and revise his design unfortunately.Snap manoeuvers can produce the result of a irrecoverable spin depending on how the model is equipped and set up.
11-25-2005, 08:29 AM
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RE: Any mods needed on a Sea Dancer
TurboBeaver,
That's very improtant information. Thanks a lot for posting it. I have the plans of the Sea Dancer, and I'm no great fan of the shape of its tail feathers. However, I was going to build them per plan, but your post shows me the way to go, definitely. [sm=thumbup.gif]
Do you have any picture of modified rudders fins ? Just to share designs.
That's very improtant information. Thanks a lot for posting it. I have the plans of the Sea Dancer, and I'm no great fan of the shape of its tail feathers. However, I was going to build them per plan, but your post shows me the way to go, definitely. [sm=thumbup.gif]
Do you have any picture of modified rudders fins ? Just to share designs.
