Aquacraft Paradise - modifications
Hi, just a short report abut the upgrade of Paradise... The original Paradise is suitable for very low winds only. In case of stroger winds (4-5 kts and more) it is almost impossible to control her, she lives her own life at the water, turning herself, laying down etc...
When analysing the problem and after some tests I found that:
1) The rudder is too small (38 sq. cm only) - I made a new one, approx. twice as large as the original one (78 sq. cm)
2) The bulb is too light and poorly designed. The original ballast is made from the iron stick, covered and formed to a "bulb" by a lot of plastic/plyester cover. The weight of the bulb is 350 g, but, as the volume of the bulb is apporx. 100 cubic cm, the effective weight is only about 250 grams (!!!). I cut off the old bulb from the keel and used it as a model to make a gypsum form. Then I made a new, lead bulb, with the same diameter, but a little bit shorter, with the weight of 780 g and volume some 70 cubic cm, so the effective weight is more than 700 g (almost 3 times more than the original one). The new bulb is fixed to the old keel by epoxide adhesive.
After those changes the Paradise became completely different boat, perectly controllable (my 8 years old son has no problem to sail her as his first sailboat), tested till now in winds up to 10-12 kts without any signs of troubles known from before.
3) It was necessary to add seal to both main and rudder cover - I made it from self-adhesive, 2mm window seal.
Sorry for my "English" as well as for using European units, but I hope it can help to all who bought Paradise and who has the same troubles with her as I had...
PS: Thanks to [link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/community/profile.cfm?section=profile&forum=1&memid=302154]LARRYDS[/link] for some suggestions and mail support :-)