Big Buffalo

Hi,

Alright, here's the deal, I know nothing about RC and I'm only here because I need a RC boat for fishing, yes fishing... the purpose of this to be able to put dry/wet bait (or chum) into the RC boat, drive it out to where I'm fishing release the chum with a trigger/button from the remote control and drive it back, this will improve my catching rate by a lot. These boats are called "bait boats" and they offer them in the UK for way out of my price range so I thought somebody with the know-how of RC could probably build one just like the ones from overseas for fraction of the price, but like I said, I know nothing about RC so maybe I'm wrong on the price, thought I would ask though as I really am desperate for one.

If a boat is made that is at a reasonable price and reliable, there will probably be many who will buy one as these boats are wanted over here in the states. If you are interested, e-mail me at cangler at gmail dot com

Thank you for your time...

4 Play Racing

My Feedback: (4)

Are you looking for gas or electric? It sounds like an electric boat would be the cheapest and easiest for this application.

Big Buffalo

Yes, electric will do and I would like about 2 hour battery life if possible

i can give examples of exactly what i'm talking about if you're up for the task

Stuart Linfoot

I used to have a bait boat years ago (never used it), I don't know what ever happened to it, I do remember at the time someone told me that using a bait boat in the US was illegal, I don't know what truth there is to that, that's just what I remember hearing, but that was like 30 years ago

With the “luck� I have with fishing, I’d think a bait boat couldn’t hurt; maybe I could get the fish to quit ignoring me.

as I remember it, it was a boat that was used to drag the fishing line out to the middle of the river/lake, then drop it, and then you'd run the boat back to shore.

if that's all they are, it seems like it would be easy enough to make.

Big Buffalo

I was told the frequency they use for those bait boats in the UK are illegal in the US, not the boat itself, as long as you use a frequency allowed in the US, there shouldn't be a problem.

Stuart Linfoot

I was talking to a hard core fisherman at work tonight and asked him about it, he knows what the boats are and said he knows of no law that says you can't use them.

it would be interesting to see what someone comes up with, I'd be half tempted to tie some fishing line and a hook to one of my boats (the easy way out), and set sail for the deep part of the lake, but it would be my luck that some fish with an attitude would grab hold of the hook and take off with my boat, bet it would look good on video though

olguy

I think this is kind'a what your looking for:

http://www.hobbies-dereham.co.uk/ho...50&pf%5Fid=P270

It looks pretty stright forward, shouldn't be too hard to find someone to glue it up for you, good luck!!!

Big Buffalo

yes, that's the basic idea, but I'm more towards the stealth bait boat design - http://www.baitboats.com/baitboats.htm

stevblutu15

i wound think that pretty simple to make, im not a taker, but i will put the idea out there for anyone, heres what i would do, make a boat of your choice, attach one custom made bin to each side, with the bottom on hinges, then have a servo hooked up to barrs, possibly pushrods, so that when the servo is in nuetral, the bottom is latched, yet when it is engaged the pushrods recede into the hull, and therefore allow the bait or chum to be released. Then all you need is a 3 or 4 channel radio.

Big Buffalo

stev,

I appreciate your reply and that sounds good to me, I don't know much about RC so that's not saying much. *lol*

so a 27Mhz 3 or 4 channel radio system should do the trick...

any estimated cost on this application, stev?

Ron Olson

My Feedback: (1)

I would first check with whoever is in charge of your fisheries before thinking any further of doing this. I know that in some states it is illegal to use an R/C boat for taking bait or lures out.
Something along the lines of a dump truck type of bed on the boat might do the trick controlled by a third channel.
Asking someone to build it for you can be considered a Want Ad on this site and not allowed in the forums. I see that you've asked elsewhere also. Those sites do allow this.
Please read the RCU Policies above.

Big Buffalo

well obviously im desperate as ive posted in 3 other RC forums regarding this...

Zac Price

Ok here is the scoop.........

In some states it is illegal, we did this years ago when I lived in Arkansas so we could get our bait to the honey hole. Arkansas is legal to do this. Works very good. I used a big block of Styrofoam with an electric trolling motor with a car battery. I simply laid my bait up on the boat, drove it to the spot and pulled my bait off.


Here is the best looking one I have seen

[link=http://www.catfishin.net/damboat.html]Damn boat[/link]

Big Buffalo

whoa, nice cat, looks to be around 35lbs...

Zac Price

52lbs.....

Big Buffalo

oh it figures... i underguessed because i normally overguess lol

Zac Price

I am good at underguessing...lol

It really would not be that hard to build one, but I'd say to get a good one would cost around 1k.

LtDoc

Bait boats are used here in Oklahoma quite often. The most common ones use a 'jerk-line' instead of R/C, but making one R/C shouldn't be a big problem. As 'Zac' described, most are made from large (2 x 3 feet or larger) foam blocks. The bottom is sort of streamlined or given a 'boat' shape, the top is hollowed out to hold a car battery, and a trolling motor is clamped on the front. A 'jerk-line', usually another large rod and reel, controls the boat by way of a 'swinging arm' on the front of the boat. That 'arm' closes a switch to run the trolling motor. Gental pressure (with the motor angled in the opposite direction) guides the boat. Stopping the guiding line makes the boat swing in the direction of the 'jerk-line' and allows the arm to swing, opening the motor contact, stopping the boat. It's then reeled back to the starting point with the 'jerk-line'. I don't see why all that couldn't be done with radio control.
The bait is either just set on top of the rear of the boat, or dropped into an angled PVC tube. Stopping the fishing line pulls the bait out of / off of the boat or tube.
Cost... Just depends on what you use to build the boat. Wooden hull, carved foam, whatever. Large foam blocks are fairly common around here (there's a company that makes floating boat docks that uses them). A large R/C boat could be used, something like the 'Darby'? Or almost any combination of 'stuff' that you can think of. Something like the 'Darby' would be 'neat', but more expensive than I would want to go - lol. How good of a 'scrounger' are you??
- 'Doc

Umi_Ryuzuki

I kind of agree here, If you just build a flat platform out of pink insulation foam, added some plywood reinforciment for motor and bin mounting, then something that would do the job could be constructed.

To have someone build one for you, well, 1-2 weeks worth of good wages, plus materials... yeah, 1k.
And It couldn't be started till after May...

Big Buffalo

$1000? ... uhm if I had that much to spend I would just get one from the UK, but that's way out of my price range, so that's why im here to see if an AFFORDABLE (under $400) boat can be made with the same concept and even same design (as the ones in the UK). There are many anglers that I'm associated with that would love a boat like this at affordable price... so if one does succeed in this application, there will be many requests for one.

I don't know much about RC, but it seems like this is getting more complicated then it should be... a simple hull design (photo below) with a standard 500 type motor, 27Mhz FM 3 or 4 channel radio system with 2 or 3 servos (right?) to drop the hoppers (bins that hold the chum and/or rig) so the chum/rig will drop into the water then drive it back for a refill... the boat will be going out in a 50-150yards range, 5mph would be the recommended speed to not scare any fish away. A few LED lights on the boat so you won't lose it at night, and a battery LED monitor so you know when it's about to lose battery life.. a weedless system would be nice... if possible...

foam for the hull? that doesn't seem very durable to me..

here's a photo of the design i really like...

Big Buffalo

[link=http://www.msnusers.com/thebaitboat/thebaitboathomepage.msnw]thebaitboat MSN group[/link]

i found this, if you look on the left it gives you full detail instructions on how to construct this baitboat... anyone willing to give it a shot?

Zac Price

I have a small hull that I would get rid of cheap (40") You could mount an electric engine with a motorcycle? battery. Then rig 2 coffee cans to the sides that are spring loaded and held up right with a third channel pin. Keeping it simple would be the hard part.

Building is not cheap.

$50 Cheap hull
$40 used hardware
$30 battery
$20 motor
$60 radio
$100 in misc parts

That is $300 with no labor. Building your self may be the ticket, or save up for the UK one.

stevblutu15

man to run 2 or 3 hrs youll spend 60-200 on batteries aalone. you would need what a motorcycle battery?

thekernel

Hi

I am a carp angler from the Uk if you want a cheap bait boat try this website out. It might interest you as they do a baitboat for £200 not sure if this is too much for you.

Ive got a angling technics microcat i have gone half with with my brother £400 but its the dogs dangleys !!!

Try this website out it may interest you

www.badgerinternational.co.uk/boat/index.shtml

or check ebay under bait boats. You may pick up a 2nd hand one cheaper !!

tripodmodels

Hi, I am the manufacturer of the Stealth bait boat pictured and would not take kindly to someone copying my product.
However, we do sell abroad and you might be suprised at the price, we do the Stealth ECO version as wellso why not send us an email with detail of where you live and we will give you a price without radio system so you can fit your own or tell us the frequecy you require and we will see what we can do.

Hope all is well that side of the big pond.
Tripod models.