Boat Recovery

[POWERS]

I finally got some Lipos for my ProBoat Miss Geico and the pond I've been running in got small fast. I want to move on to a bigger location but am worried about recovering the boat if it flips. I'm looking at getting another boat, x-mas is right around the corner after all, but till then short of hauling a canoe or dingy with me, does anyone have advice?

Ive heard about using a fishing pole, but how to you set that up? Just a weight on the line and hope I have good aim and reel her in?

[Insaniac]

I finally got some Lipos for my ProBoat Miss Geico and the pond I've been running in got small fast. I want to move on to a bigger location but am worried about recovering the boat if it flips. I'm looking at getting another boat, x-mas is right around the corner after all, but till then short of hauling a canoe or dingy with me, does anyone have advice?

Ive heard about using a fishing pole, but how to you set that up? Just a weight on the line and hope I have good aim and reel her in?

Use a tennis ball instead of the fishing weight...

[jac4412]

Or just make a harness setup for another boat... believe me you'll get another one if the MG is your only one. But the best way to recover a boat in the middle of the lake is with your own recovery boat.

[LarrysDrifter]

If you use the fishing pole/tennis ball method,make sure you have strong line.The ball gets heavy after being wet.You will definitly not hook it on the 1st cast.This method is a pain,but works as long as your patient and have strong line.
I finally built a rescue boat and Ill never go back to the fishing pole.You can build a good one from an NQD Tear Into jet boat.I made a treble hook and tied it on about a 5' long small rope to tow behind the boat.Make a few circles around the capsized boat and youll hook it and bring it in.Nice thing about a jet drive is you can run over the tow line and not cut it or get it tangled up.My friend gave me the advise and ideas to use for the rescue rig.I have no claims to my rescue build as he gave me the help and advise for it.

[FighterCat57]

I use a couple weights and bobbers about 2ft apart and cast with the 2ft spacing as a leader. Helps snag the boat.

I lost a few tennis balls first.

Also, setup a small piece of tubing as a hook on the top of your boat off of the rudder. This helps it get snagged if it stalled upright. Capsized the rudder does a good job of being a hook.

The rescue boat is great. I used some PVC and a Villain for a while. =)

I'm building a fan based PVC rig to rescue. Still in the works.

http://forums.offshoreelectrics.com/...ad.php?t=16037

[BHChieftain]

I have a traxxas blast with an eyehook screwed into the rear deck and i attach a fishing line from my fishing pole to the eyehook and haul the line out to the scuttled boat. Once there, i drive around it and the line usually catches the rudder. Then i reel in both boats with the fishing pole. Method works best if you also attach a float on the line a couple of feet behind the boat to keep the line on the surface.

The Blast works well since it has a steerable drive and manuevers well under low power.

Chief

[roadrashracing]

I've done lots of swimming I got a boat I could use but need to sell to fund my current boat I might give the fishing rod a try

[POWERS]

Thanks for all the tips. I'm sure another boat isn't too far away but for now I think ill try out the fishing pole, with some tennis ball/weights variations. The purpose built pvc rescue boats are pretty bad ass too though.

[Simon170]

What about getting a cheap'n'nasty ebay boat just for recovery duties?

[Jesse J]

All methods have drawbacks, the fishing pole is my second string (get it?) back up. It is really tough in high wind to get it lined up right and if it is too far away, there is nothing you can do. BUT if high winds are the case, and your boat is water tight, she should blow to shore pretty quick, just hope it ain't private property where she beaches. When I lost my tennis ball, I just took a piece of gravel, wrapped it in duck tape and made a loop with tie wire - better than the ball, but still padded in case I hit the model.

Best 1st string back up is a rescue craft - whether the kind that corrals it in a bay or snags it with a tow line. Just be sure to do your tests and that everything is tight... I have had to rescue the rescue craft (beached on top of the upside down hydro) with my balsa cat... not pretty. I know it is not commonly the top of the check list, but it should be to have the rescue craft in better working order than any other FE... mine has the most water time of any race boat I own

[pescador]

With the tennis ball retrieve you don't need the rod just something to hold the reel. Thread the tennis ball with 5 feet of heavy cord and connect the cord to your fishing line.
You twirl the ball by the cord and throw it out.
After watching the old timers at my club they are deadly accurate and can cover a fair distance from shore.
Further than that I bring out the Villain for rescue.
All you need is a ball link(s) screwed into the top front of your hull to catch the line.

[WrknItUp]

I got one for ya! How about a r/c fishing boat? They come with a tiny pole and you could sting enough line on it to dangle a hook to catch a rudder Check them out they even come in cats.

http://rcfishingworld.com/rcboats.htm

[Simon.O.]

I have the tennis ball and reeel as a first shot if the boat is close and will not drift into the shoreline.
The second shot is my wicked little "coast guard" looking tow boat that can hoot out and drop a tow line for a snag or even take out the reel fed line.
Third option is .......um.... dang recently sold my kayak so will have to get a blow up dinghy/raft shortly.

It is amazing how much discussion there is on boat recoevery here.
As someone else mentioned my tow boat is one of the most maintained and tested vessels in my fleet, it sure gets water time even if it is just practice.

Here is a crappy vid of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nczie3Y-MN0

[FE Wannabe]

It is amazing how much discussion there is on boat recoevery here.

There may be, but I think it should be encouraged, it is the one discussion on this site that could possibly save someone's life. All too often we hear of someone ("a good swimmer") drowning trying to rescue an RC boat. That is both tragic and needless.
If we can discourage anyone from trying to swim for a boat, the better.

I am a firm believer the safest way to rescue an RC boat is from dry land. I have heard of more than one person drowning trying to rescue an RC boat from an inflatable boat that was accidentally punctured. I have recently even heard of a close call in an aluminum row boat where someone fell out of the boat (no life jacket) when leaning over to pick up the RC boat being rescued.

This may sound like alarmism to some people, but if it makes someone think twice and prevent a loss of life, it is worth it!

P.S. Simon, I totally agree, my rescue boat is always well maintained and test run before I run my FE boats.

Brad

[WrknItUp]

There may be, but I think it should be encouraged, it is the one discussion on this site that could possibly save someone's life. All too often we hear of someone ("a good swimmer") drowning trying to rescue an RC boat. That is both tragic and needless.
If we can discourage anyone from trying to swim for a boat, the better.

I am a firm believer the safest way to rescue an RC boat is from dry land. I have heard of more than one person drowning trying to rescue an RC boat from an inflatable boat that was accidentally punctured. I have recently even heard of a close call in an aluminum row boat where someone fell out of the boat (no life jacket) when leaning over to pick up the RC boat being rescued.

This may sound like alarmism to some people, but if it makes someone think twice and prevent a loss of life, it is worth it!

P.S. Simon, I totally agree, my rescue boat is always well maintained and test run before I run my FE boats.

Brad

I agree 100% I done had to get wet trying to save a FE and a friend. he thought he was going to set it on a rubber inner tube with sharpened turn fins. Needless to say you know what happened... He was about 50 yards out when it went flat. Thank god for extra flotation in the FE hull or he would of drowned by the time i could swim to him. One hell of a day! That was the end of anyone trying to swim for there boat around here! I invested in a rescue craft the very next day. Had to recover from the big swim first never thought i could ever get that tired!