jcervantes11

My Feedback: (8)

I have a stupid quetion but I need to ask. I'm thinking about getting a nitro boat. What happend if engine dies while on water? Can u still steer it back home? The reason is I cant swim. LOL Electric is a go?

13BT

better get electric then. either that or a blow up dinghy

Justaddwata

My Feedback: (3)

Get a safe reliable means of recovering the boat. There was a very tragic accident in Florida last year when a man (who could not swim)recovering his boat in an inflatable had his inflatable struck by another boat still running on the lake. Despite efforts of several onlookers he drowned and was unable to be revived. Link to news brief here - http://www.shadowcompanyelite.com/fo...er&f=24&t=1255

I know it sounds severe but it is a very important consideration. Here in the north we have issues with cold water also. Despite being a strong swimmer you will not likely make it 50ft in the pond with the current water temps.

While a life vest may look a little stupid. Having your lifeless body dragged from the water looks worse.

Play it safe. This hobby is not worth dieing for

playtime56

My Feedback: (1)

First thing you gotta realize is that there is no stupid question. When a nitro quits, a nitro stops. Swimming is the most ill advised choice for retrieval. In addition to the chance of getting hit by other boats, you are going be using your arms and legs for swimming. So, ya gonna head bump it all the way in, or just grab it with your teeth? Lots of guys use an old fishing outfit with a tennis ball or other weight for casting distance, blunted treble hooks work ok too. Other choices are blow up rafts, canoes and rowboats . All depends on what works for you.
There are electric return-to-shore set ups, but I haven't seen one on the water yet. Best to ya !!!
Gordy

GRANT ED

The most common methods are a row boat or an electric with some nets or a line to snag the nitro and bring it back to shore.

Square Nozzle

My Feedback: (1)

What ever you do - DON'T go out to retreive your boat when there are other R/C boats running on the water. It's a NAMBA rule and a good one. Reference the report on the guy that drowned in Florida.

Justaddwata

My Feedback: (3)

People dont realize the danger of an rc boat in motion

Dan S

I have seen some deep vee boats at our pond using a .15 nitro equipt with a return-to-shore system. if your boat dies you engage the RTS, its not fast so don't be in a hurry.

Also at our big pond we use a john boat with a 2hp motor and the small pond a paddle boat.

Take care.

Jhoyoza

Hi,

I have a GPS controlled Boat, and I'm always prepared to rescue it.

It it is possible for it to happen, it has!

Murphy's law lurks over me like a dark cloud!

-J

jetpack

My Feedback: (1)

Here's a link that shows how to make a boat out of one single sheet of plywood. It can be easily handled by one person, and uses a common set of oars.

It could be a fun, usefull and inexpensive project for someone so I thought I would post it.


http://personal.eunet.fi/pp/gsahv/oss/oss.htm

Jhoyoza

Hello Jet Pack,

That is something alright! And great instructional plans.

If I had one question it would be, is there room to add some flotation foam front and rear. (like on my canoe.)

The reason I ask is, will the boat sink or float if swamped?

Neat-O! I love it.

-J

jetpack

My Feedback: (1)

Basic wood boats float if sunk without floatation. Fiberglass boats sink if they do not have floatation. Another reason wood is great!

Extra floatation could be added by capping off the bow and the stern across the top in a triangle fashion, and adding a stiffener across the open edge, and gluing big foam blocks under them, or even simply netting them in so they can be removed when washing out the boat. Elastic motorcycle seat cargo nets would work very well for that.

I do not think this would hinder getting in or out of the boat, and might even make launching easier by providing a knee rest.

There are other designs that use one sheet farther back in that link, but if it does not carry you back to the home page, here it is...

http://absolutelyfreeplans.com/Boat%...boat_plans.htm

Here's one that you can even fold flat, but it is not a single sheet boat...

http://www.microcruising.com/ding1.htm

Jhoyoza

OK,

Good explanation. I was a bit curious if plywood actually floated. And yes, I can see putting foam blocks in both ends, and either making a enclosed area or simply a net get-up.

Anyway, I really like what you done with the one piece of plywood design!

Neato,

-J

jetpack

My Feedback: (1)

There's been competitions on one sheet designs, lawn furniture, house furniture, boats....the list goes on. I think there's even a book out that contains the most popular things you can do with one standard sheet of plywood.

I liked the Prism design, he did a good job of it making it look like a normal boat. A pug boat probably would be more stable bending over to pick something up out of the water, but probably would be harder to row in a straight line.

skoda450

I use two methods. Method one is to retreive from shore with a closed face fishing reel and line tied to a tennis ball. The offending boat must be within 60' or so to be effective. The second method uses an electric RC "tug" with a 20'- 50' floating line tied to a empty re-capped plastic bottle. Drive out and circle the dead boat then head back to shore. The line will catch on what ever is under the baot and drag it back to you. Weather conditions dectate how powerful the electric must be to tow a boat backwards and usually into the wind, because the dead boat has gone down wind while you are making the retreive. There are under $50 toys that will do the job for most applications. I use a weedwhacker with a clutch in a 5' boat retreving other weedwhacker boats so neither are ever overcome with wind or waves. I do have to worry about swamping the rescued boat so I go ssssslow.

R/CBOONE72

I think if you want a nitro boat, look into the retern to shore versions like mentioned earlier, i have the nitro vee fomr Traxxas and i like it, i ran along with my jet ski with it and it was around 22 MPH. It is not the best boats you will ever find but retern to shore is nice during the break in process or on cooler days.