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Adventures in FE Boating (Sea Trials)
First and most importantly, I am NOT an expert, nor even a novice at this. These are my first, Jump in the water with both feet at the same time, venture into this hobby. Hopefully this information helps someone, even if to serve a warning of what not to do. Also, if anyone sees me making a mistake; please speak up.
Like many on this forum, I spent the winter building my boats.
I purchased two boats from an eBay hobby vendor. I found out later they are Hobby King HK Outerlimits (34” mono) and an HK Genesis (39” cat) Almost Ready To Run (ARTR) boats that the hobby vendor completed to Ready to Run (RTR) status. This eBay vendor has good workmanship, but made this RTR as an entry level boat. Of course this just wouldn’t do. I also bought a second hand Osprey as a rescue boat.
After purchasing my really cool boats, then find out it was an entry level boat; I spent hours and hours reading threads on the internet trying to figure out what I could do to improve my boats. Note to other new guys, read, read, read. Pay attention to the person that made the post to ensure you are taking advice from someone who is qualified to offer such advice, and isn’t trying to sell you something. On that topic, I am now an expert. Only offer advice if you have first-hand experience on the topic. I will just say that there is an abundance of bad ideas posted on the internet.
I also got carried away and started some from scratch boats with twin motors. These aren’t ready for water yet, and based on this weekend; already need some upgrades.
Day 1
So after a long winter, and some ill-timed extended work hours (need to pay for this hobby somehow); this weekend was my first opportunity for sea trials. I found a private pond so as not to be a nuisance to anyone or waterfowl. My Genesis was up first. I gently launch it to ensure the rudder doesn’t drag in the shallow bank. I test the rudder controls, good so far. I give the throttle a bump to get this party started… and off it went. I had no control of anything, throttle or steering. I watched as my prized winter project proceeded at top speed to the other end of the pond, and through a narrow channel into the next pond that I didn’t even know existed. I couldn’t have threaded that needle if I wanted to. If I would have been in my home state of Louisiana I would just let nature have that boat. I have actually seen alligators and water moccasins in the wild and have no intentions on going into their environment, even for a reality show. So off I went to retrieve my boat. I walked through ~8’ brush, to find that not only did my boat thread a needle to the next pond, it managed to hit the only piece of concrete in the area (See pictures).
Not to be deterred, the Outerlimits is up next. I did a few on-shore test of my radio control system before launching. I wasn’t satisfied that I had control and not willing to risk another boat; this one went back on the rack.
Osprey is up. On-shore test was acceptable, so off to the water it goes. Rudder works, a few short burst of the throttle, and small circles close to the bank, I am ready to give it a go. She worked as expected… for the first minute; then dead in the water. A light wind pushed it to the bank (near the narrow channel discussed earlier) and I was there waiting, since I had already blazed a trail there before.
I decided to call it a day at this point to go take an alcohol shower. There were some questionable poison ivy patches I trampled on my retrieval efforts.
Day 2
Yes, I have been called bull headed and stubborn before, but I had to redeem myself. I went to a different pond, this time in the middle of town at the park. Not to mention clean access to the back all the way around it. Osprey was up first. The collet had let go yesterday and was a simple repair. She worked perfectly. Had to leave because of rain.
After lunch the rain subsided. I also was feeling better about myself and wanted to go again. Loaded up the Osprey and the Outerlimits and off for the park pond. Outerlimits was first in the water, was very fast, by comparison, but steering was difficult. I knew that rudder looked small, but came with the boat. In a large curving turn, I got hung up on some limbs of the island. Why is there an island in my new found pond. She was stuck, and not drifting gently to the bank for retrieval, CRAP. The Osprey was intended to be the retrieval boat, so off I sent her. You know how new cars have “park assist”, well retrieving a snared boat with another boat from a distance is more difficult than it looks. Also the Osprey’s collet let go again.
I am going to skip ahead a few steps now to report that the local police didn’t appreciate my swimming in their pond, but both thought my boats were really cool and let me go with a verbal warning.
Weekend summary, had a BLAST!!! I can’t wait until next weekend.
Lessons learned:
Don’t go cheap on the radio controls
Collets don’t just let go, find out why
Don’t under estimate boat retrieval in your weekend plans
Know the local park rules about swimming
First and most importantly, I am NOT an expert, nor even a novice at this. These are my first, Jump in the water with both feet at the same time, venture into this hobby. Hopefully this information helps someone, even if to serve a warning of what not to do. Also, if anyone sees me making a mistake; please speak up.
Like many on this forum, I spent the winter building my boats.
I purchased two boats from an eBay hobby vendor. I found out later they are Hobby King HK Outerlimits (34” mono) and an HK Genesis (39” cat) Almost Ready To Run (ARTR) boats that the hobby vendor completed to Ready to Run (RTR) status. This eBay vendor has good workmanship, but made this RTR as an entry level boat. Of course this just wouldn’t do. I also bought a second hand Osprey as a rescue boat.
After purchasing my really cool boats, then find out it was an entry level boat; I spent hours and hours reading threads on the internet trying to figure out what I could do to improve my boats. Note to other new guys, read, read, read. Pay attention to the person that made the post to ensure you are taking advice from someone who is qualified to offer such advice, and isn’t trying to sell you something. On that topic, I am now an expert. Only offer advice if you have first-hand experience on the topic. I will just say that there is an abundance of bad ideas posted on the internet.
I also got carried away and started some from scratch boats with twin motors. These aren’t ready for water yet, and based on this weekend; already need some upgrades.
Day 1
So after a long winter, and some ill-timed extended work hours (need to pay for this hobby somehow); this weekend was my first opportunity for sea trials. I found a private pond so as not to be a nuisance to anyone or waterfowl. My Genesis was up first. I gently launch it to ensure the rudder doesn’t drag in the shallow bank. I test the rudder controls, good so far. I give the throttle a bump to get this party started… and off it went. I had no control of anything, throttle or steering. I watched as my prized winter project proceeded at top speed to the other end of the pond, and through a narrow channel into the next pond that I didn’t even know existed. I couldn’t have threaded that needle if I wanted to. If I would have been in my home state of Louisiana I would just let nature have that boat. I have actually seen alligators and water moccasins in the wild and have no intentions on going into their environment, even for a reality show. So off I went to retrieve my boat. I walked through ~8’ brush, to find that not only did my boat thread a needle to the next pond, it managed to hit the only piece of concrete in the area (See pictures).
Not to be deterred, the Outerlimits is up next. I did a few on-shore test of my radio control system before launching. I wasn’t satisfied that I had control and not willing to risk another boat; this one went back on the rack.
Osprey is up. On-shore test was acceptable, so off to the water it goes. Rudder works, a few short burst of the throttle, and small circles close to the bank, I am ready to give it a go. She worked as expected… for the first minute; then dead in the water. A light wind pushed it to the bank (near the narrow channel discussed earlier) and I was there waiting, since I had already blazed a trail there before.
I decided to call it a day at this point to go take an alcohol shower. There were some questionable poison ivy patches I trampled on my retrieval efforts.
Day 2
Yes, I have been called bull headed and stubborn before, but I had to redeem myself. I went to a different pond, this time in the middle of town at the park. Not to mention clean access to the back all the way around it. Osprey was up first. The collet had let go yesterday and was a simple repair. She worked perfectly. Had to leave because of rain.
After lunch the rain subsided. I also was feeling better about myself and wanted to go again. Loaded up the Osprey and the Outerlimits and off for the park pond. Outerlimits was first in the water, was very fast, by comparison, but steering was difficult. I knew that rudder looked small, but came with the boat. In a large curving turn, I got hung up on some limbs of the island. Why is there an island in my new found pond. She was stuck, and not drifting gently to the bank for retrieval, CRAP. The Osprey was intended to be the retrieval boat, so off I sent her. You know how new cars have “park assist”, well retrieving a snared boat with another boat from a distance is more difficult than it looks. Also the Osprey’s collet let go again.
I am going to skip ahead a few steps now to report that the local police didn’t appreciate my swimming in their pond, but both thought my boats were really cool and let me go with a verbal warning.
Weekend summary, had a BLAST!!! I can’t wait until next weekend.
Lessons learned:
Don’t go cheap on the radio controls
Collets don’t just let go, find out why
Don’t under estimate boat retrieval in your weekend plans
Know the local park rules about swimming
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