Here’s how to shorten your servo leads in a neat fashion.  Sometimes they’re just a little too long for your application so you want to shorten them up a little bit so they’re not hanging all over the place.

First thing you want to do is cut a small section of any fitting off or or other plastic tube, so you can use it to wrap around your wire.  You only need to cut about 2 sections of the plastic tube; each about 1/8” wide.  Then, you slide your section of fuel tubing over a pair of needle-nose pliers.  Take your servo wire and fold it to shorten it’s length.  Now use the pair of needle-nose pliers to stretch the fuel fitting over your wire.

And that’s it.  Nice and neat and ready to go in your RC Sailboat.

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Nice Video on RC Sailboat Nirvana II

Duration : 0:2:9

Marshallese Outrigger in full speed

Majuro, capital of the Republic of Marshall Island, rests on the tip of a 10,000 feet tall limestone spire of a reef caused by some volcanic eruption thousands of years ago. In one of its windward bays is home to famous sailing competitions for model Marshallese Outriggers or what locals refer to as “rewuits”. Annual races are held for these model sailboats that are fashioned after the traditional Marshallese Outrigger.

Their unique architecture includes an asymmetrical hull that allows the sailboat to sail right into the direction of the wind. It outrigger is a shock absorption system which improves the boat’s glide and efficiency and at the same time, maximizes the strength that can be taken from a gust of wind. On an ideal day for sailing when the tide is high and winds are stronger, locals and even government leaders enjoy an afternoon of sailing with their rewuits by the bay. When properly set up, these rewuits sail on a straight line relative to the wind. It is self steering in a sense that when waves hit or knock it, it instantly corrects course. No matter the enormous speeds that these rewuits display, they still stay on the course as provided by the hull and outrigger innovation that balances the sailboat no matter the direction of the wind.

This impressive sailboat design was fashioned by early Marshall Islanders for easy and fast navigation in the atoll thousands of years ago. They were made in such precision that a small canoe seating a maximum of two people requires communal effort for 8 months.

Here is a site on the background of the Marshallese Outrigger and on the bottom a link to the free model sailboat plans with detailed description on the parts of the Winner of the ‘Marshall Islands Independence Day Race 2000’

Marshallese Outrigger Model Sailboat Plan

Duration : 0:3:10

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Gerald and his 2meter Trimaran for Sale

The builder Gerald is a fan of big RC Sailboats because: “I just like the challenge of building boats, and I have gotten away from small toy r/c boats to amazingly large boats. They are fun to sail also. Every time I sail the big boats a crowd gathers, to ask questions.”

He is selling this 2meter (6’6” hull / 6’wide  and 10’ mast ) to finance his next  boat project a AC Class boat.

RTS Trimaran in Action

The yellow 2 meter Trimaran comes with everything ready to sail:

• Very fast and stable 2 Meter Multihull (because it is a multihull it needs a less deep keel, allowing shallower water and less drag = more speed)
• Ready for immediate fun: Radio Control, extra large rudder servo, sail winch, etc.
• Good to transport for its size: Completely breaks down and can travel in a minivan or station wagon

Check out the video’s on his eBay offer. Very nice.
Click here for the eBay RC Trimaran Offer

I keep here a list of the latest eBay Offers, if a 2meter boat is a little bit to much for your pond

Model Boat Plans DVD

This Model Boat DVD Compilation has all together over 600 plans + a number of how to documents. It definitely could use a little bit better organizatio of all the pictures and plans provided.

But all in all it was worth it’s money, especially when you consider how much easier it is to browse through a DVD than dozends of different websites for days to find even half the plans you can find on this DVD. For anybody looking for plans I can recommed to check it out. Click here

I am working to create a comprehensive buyers guide to help especially the beginners to buy the right boat.

Some of the tips I collected so far e.g. check out your local club, decide on scale vs. fast/competition boat, decide on budget and size etc.

What other buying tips do you have?

Click here to share your rc sailboat buyers tips

And for all the beginners, let me know what your most important question for buying a rc sailboat is. Click here

For Footy Fans:

Footy rc sailboat going 5 laps around a 50 foot long course. Time 7min 17 seconds. For specifics see: http://www.rcsailing.net/forum1/showthread.php?t=4334

Video Duration : 0:9:37

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Almost without exception the uninitiated spectator who has been watching a model out sailing and then sees it being brought ashore will express great surprise at how big it is. That little model you see out on the pond can be eight feet long and weigh up to eighty pounds. Unless you sail in a swimming pool, the rule of thumb is: the larger the model, the easier to sail. And one of the most important considerations in selecting a model is its size, all other things being equal. If you cannot see the boat well enough to distinguish wind changes on the sails and reaction to the controls, you will be unable to operate it among a fleet of models sailing offshore. The distance to which we can sail our model yacht is limited not by range of the radio transmitter and receiver in the control system but by the capability of the human eye. Beyond a certain point we cannot see the boat well enough to set the sails properly. Visibility is crucial for setting sail trim and course – and also for avoiding collisions.

From a practical standpoint, the minimum overall length is 36 inches if you plan to sail with other larger models. The large “J” boats and “A” Class boats measuring eight feet in length represent the upper limit. Thirty nine to sixty inches constitute the most common hull lengths. In selecting your model size consider: where you will store the model when not in use; how you will transport it to the water’s edge; what is involved in your launching it (depth of water required, weight of model, bulk of model, etc.). At the time of purchase you will need to consider the cost of having the model kit delivered to you. Generally, models up to 50 or 60 inches can be packed to ship by mail or United Parcel. Models which cannot be packed within UPS size and weight limitations must either be picked up personally at the shop or be shipped by truck. The same considerations must be given to the spars for your model. A tall one-piece mast may be very expensive to have shipped. If you overlook the shipping costs, you may find the shipping more costly than the model itself, unfortunate but sometimes true.

Sailing model weights range from five pounds to over 80 pounds. Fifty inch models will range from ten to 30 pounds, which is within the launching ability of most adults. The larger boats require a cart or two persons for launching.

While a child’s toy boat can be launched from the edge of the pond, the size of the R/C models requires a launching area with water deep enough to allow for the depth of the model keel. The typical 50/800 Marblehead draws 15 to 18 inches. You may need to wade out into the water to launch and recover your model. At facilities for full-size boats, there is usually big-boat activity which wipes out model activity – model boats sail best undisturbed by powerboat wakes and water skiers! The Parks and Recreation Department in your town may be willing to follow the lead of the Town of Needham, Massachusetts, in providing model-boat facilities, particularly at ponds where other public access is restricted. Consider too the possible need to launch a small boat to recover a disabled R/C model.

The sails on the modern model racing yacht are left attached to the spars rather than furled or stowed as they would be on a big boat. In the normal home it may be hard to find space to stow away a ten-foot mast with sails attached.

Look here for more RC Sailboat Beginner Tips