Reinga

Hey there,

New to RC sailbaots or anything RC for that matter. Bought a University Club 37 a couple of weeks ago and now the steering of the rudder won't work. I know it's quite a cheapy model but I thought it would last longer than this! Can you please tell me how/what I need to check to get it working again.

Thanks!

MarTay6

If you bought it new, I would contact the dealer (HobbyTron?) that you got it from (I googled "University Club 37" and they popped up as a dealer).
Since it's a single channel radio, it's almost impossible to isolate what the problem is. If it were a 2 channel boat- which is the norm- you could swap the servos between channels and help isolate the fault to a servo- or something else. As it stands, it could be any part of the radio- the transmitter- the receiver- servo- or the batteries. I assume you've got fresh batteries in both the transmitter and receiver?
It's unfortunate that models such as this are even sold... they are so inexpensively made they can't last. The money spent on something like this would have been much better spent on a better model, one that has both rudder and sail control. An R/C sailboat without control of both these functions can't be taken seriously. Even some of the more expensive "ready to sail" models from importers require a few upgrades to be reliable/controllable on the water. You get what you pay for, unfortunately- the time to ask questions is before you buy, not after. I would consider it a lesson learned.
Wes

Reinga

Thanks for your reply - It was in fact a two-channel and it was the rudder servo that broke.  The big problem is that the boat was impossible to get into.  Even though I unscrewed the four visble screws, it still wouldn't open up.  To cut a long story short, after "getting into it" the boat was only good for the trash.

I am now looking at buying a T37 at some point (from Tippacanoe) which is wooden and one which you put together yourself.  Like you said -
"lesson learned".

Thanks!

MarTay6

Hi, Reinga-
Thanks for taking my news as it was meant! I felt bad about my response after posting it, hoping you didn't feel insulted. I got the impression it was a single channel unit from what I saw at the hobby shop site, sorry- apparently I was wrong! Too bad you couldn't gain access to the rudder servo easier.
The T-37 kit has a very good reputation. I started off building a Star 45 hull, haven't gotten around to finishing it up- wanted to get on the water quickly, so I just purchased an R/C Laser... about the quickest way to hit the water with a good boat there is! Hope to launch her for the first time this weekend- storms prevented it this past weekend.
I came very close to buying the T-37 instead of the Laser, but I wanted a ready-to-go boat. Still would like to build the T-37. He makes a T-37 X, which has a different transom design- and also makes carbon fiber boom/mast setup for it you might want to check out. And invest in a good spread spectrum 2.4 Ghz radio system to go with it- they're not that expensive, and it'll go from boat to boat.
Good luck!
Wes

Reinga

Thanks Wes! No, I didn't feel insulted - I know howeasy it is to misinterperate e-mail messages. Isaw the Laser in action on YouTube...looks great!

So, how does it work if you buy the RC system separate from the boat, plane etc. How do you set it up to work with your own vessel?

Thanks for you time Wes!
Reinga/Mark

MarTay6

I'm sorry it's been so long since I checked in here! I'm sure you were waiting for an answer.
The story's pretty much the same wether you're building a plane, boat or car. When you buy a radio, you typically get a transmitter, a receiver, servo's, batteries, and accessories. What you get depends on which radio you choose.
It pays to buy name brands, and nowadays, 2.4Ghz spread spectrum radios are the only way to go, if not nearly the only thing available anymore. This eliminates you having to worry about what channel or frequency you or anyone around you are using. Your receiver locks onto your transmitter, and no other radio interference can occur.
The radio you choose also depends on your intended use. You wouldn't want to buy a steering wheel radio for your boat or airplane, but it'd be great for a car. You also want to try to choose a radio with servos that are suited to your intended use. A small airplane would want micro servos, whereas a car or boat use would dictate heavier duty servos. You wouldn't need 8 channels and servos for a boat or car- but generally a dual stick radio is desireable for a boat, so many people go with a 6 channel radio with 2 servos, or none- and buy the servo's seperately that will suit their intended useage.
Sailboats also typically use winches for sail control, which is a seperate specialized servo for operating the sails.
I hope this helps some-
Wes

MarTay6

Once you build your boat and install your radio, you then will have to set your radio up to match the control travel necessary for your individual model. Modern digital radios make this easy with the programming capability built-in to them to adjust control centering, travel, etc.
Wes