RC boats + salt-water and waves (2024)

Jan 16, 2012, 06:17 AM

• #1

toolcopter

Thread OP

Question

I'm not asking about rust related problems. What I mean is if life sized boats can handle saltwater, why is it so hard for manufacturers to create r/c boats on the same principles?
And I know saltwater use is ok if you rinse the boat thoroughly after, plus oil it before, but that just seems a bit of a chore.

Also regarding cap sizing. There are real/life-sized boats that can handle cap sizing, by spinning back into position. So, why can't they use the same physics laws on r/c boats? That way an rc boat could handle even large wave, how cool wouldn't it be?

The reason I'm asking is that it would be very fun to use an r/c boat in the sea, plus there's no lake or river near where I live. But I really do wonder why they can't apply life-sized boat building techniques for handling salt water and waves to r/c boats? R/c copters and planes work like real ones right, so why not rc boats?

Jan 16, 2012, 06:48 AM

• #2

seadog985

Jan 16, 2012, 08:01 AM

• #3

expat flyer

We race one metre yachts in any sort of water.

The golden rule is to try to stop water getting in, generally by a sound hull, good screw fit hatches or sticky patches and vaseline on the small openings. Some water will always get in so must be checked or emptied after 10 - 30 minutes of use (especially sea water) and salt must be rinsed at the end of the day - corrosion of fittings and wires starts quickly. All hatches should be open for ventilation except when sailing or exposed to rain. A few people use silica gel bags.

Radio receivers and batteries are usually in a splash proof container rather than watertight. Sail winches are quite waterproof and survive inside the hull but servos less so.

Generally batteries which have been damp seem to corrode away the inter cell connections and the black lead after about a year of use.

Power boats generally have less free space inside so there is more risk of sinking and water will do more damage, but at least for larger sizes it is easier to fit the electronics into a watertight box with pushrod exits.

Jerry

Jan 16, 2012, 05:40 PM

• #4

lvmosher

I own a 30 foot boat and belong to a boat club on the ocean North of Boston. Any full size boat that capsizes will probably be totaled by the insurance company just because of the damage the water will do....you'll never get the mold out without gutting it Most if not all of us have bilge pumps to pump of what gets in via the stuffing box (shaft log). And most of us have a enough sense as to when it's better to be at the mooring or bar than out in the deep blue All the boys that do the Bermuda race across the gulf stream are required to have all hatches and floor boards sealed or latched in case of a knock down. You won't find me out that far. They say you won't die but you'll probably wish you were dead at some point.

By the way I'm new here...just ordered a Douglas Greg Tug from Don...which I plan to run in the ocean early mornings or evenings when the "stink pots" are back at the dock and the sea has calmed down. Power to be a TVR1BB and a Maccsteam boiler.

Cheers,
Larry

Jan 16, 2012, 06:07 PM

• #5

Umi_Ryuzuki

There is no reason you can't build your boat to high specs and tolerances and go crazy.

Jan 17, 2012, 09:25 AM

• #6

toolcopter

Thread OP

Great, cool video. How do you go about getting a boat like that? Is it expensive? But, now that's what I mean, an r/c boat that can handle waves like that, and keep rightening itself. How did you make it tolerate those waves?

Regarding r/c boats and scale, I didn't mean that an r/c boat should be able to cut through waves like a real boat. What I was thinking when mentioning boats that bounce back into upright position after flipping over, was a 20 year old girl that crossed the Atlantic ocean in a small custom built boat. It could apparently handle 20ft waves, and was built in such a way that it would righten itself up if flipping over. That was all about engineering, not size. So I figure building a boat that can do that is based on physics, and wonder why they can't/don't use it for r/c boats.

Even real boats can handle huge waves right? Because of their keel? Or whatever. But an r/c car has wheels like a real car and can therefore drive like a real car. An r/c helicopter has rotors that enable it fly and hover like a real heli. Yet r/c boats, which you'd think would be simpler, can't do much like a real boat, such as staying afloat as well or handle big waves to it? The video above shows I'm wrong, which I hope. Also hope that boat isn't too expensive.

Jan 17, 2012, 09:48 AM

• #7

expat flyer

Not a scale feature, but many electric race boats have a flood chamber that enables them to self right after flipping. The external shape and the propeller reaction enable the boat to perform normally at any reasonable speed after the chamber has empied, but at low speed the chamber partly floods and leaves the boat heeled.

That video shows Perfect Storm conditions, not normal scale weather!

Jan 17, 2012, 12:37 PM

• #8

pompebled

Hi TC,

You can't expect a manufacturer to build an RC boat that will selfright, run in salt water and be 100% watertight, such a boat would be beyond what you would want to pay for it.
On the other hand, as Umi said, there's nothing to keep you from building a model that will selfright, run in the sea and be 100% watertight (like an RC sub).

A model of a pilot boat, or a rescue boat, can be constructed to do all those things.

I run my 24" tug in conditions in which a 1:1 boat would not dream of running in, as it's watertight, running in 'heavy' seas, turning it over occasionally won't harm it, as long as the CoG is low enough it'll turn the right side up every time.

Regards, Jan.

Jan 17, 2012, 12:41 PM

• #9

lvmosher

Jan 17, 2012, 01:03 PM

• #10

Umi_Ryuzuki

The video is of a boat model, that I believe NHP651 - Neil, built as a test for
a full scale pilot boat proposal in the UK. I believe it was based on the RNLI
Mersey class lifeboat. The intercepter hull is available from Model boats by Design. £360.00
They list several older RNLI boats also
http://www.modelsbydesign.co.uk/model_boats.aspx

Large scale kits are also available for several RNLI lifeboats.
http://speedlinemodels.com/

US Coast Guard hulls.
http://www.coastguardmodels.com/

Or if you are a scratch builder, there are plans available from Floating Drydock, or
possibly from the RNLI.
http://floatingdrydock.com/

.

Here is someones 44ft Lifeboat model getting tumbled.

.......................

Surely just a matter of proper ballasting, and a secure hatch.

.

Last edited by Umi_Ryuzuki; Nov 26, 2021 at 12:36 PM.Reason: dead links

Jan 17, 2012, 01:04 PM

• #11

seadog985

Jan 17, 2012, 01:36 PM

• #12

boater_dave

Toolcopter, there are only a few real boats that can handle a roll over and come out functioning. The Coast Guard examples are what I can think of. All of the ski and sport boats would be dead. Sailboats can get knocked down, but not rolled, and come up with only damage to the sails. Of course there was that story of the river pusher that went under the bridge sideways and came up on the other side. Certainly damaged, but still floating and with power.
Like the previous posts have said, build it with the correct cg and seal it up tight. If those conditions are where you will be operating then you will be required to make your model function that way.

Dave

Jan 18, 2012, 02:28 AM

• #13

toolcopter

Thread OP

Very cool, really. To be able to choose your own model. But as a beginner, how am I supposed to know how to turn a model boat into an r/c boat? That sounds like an advanced topic to me. Hopefully it isn't that hard, as I don't see me spending months on learning how to build that right now, at least.

Also what kind of motor or engine is needed to handle waves like in the clips?

Plus, which models would be ideal for bouncing back to upright after flipping over? See, a noob has a lot of questions and wishes but doesn't know anything about what goes into what.

These forums are dope. It's like reading a book, except it takes one day

Also, I didn't think all boats would be able to roll. Especially not ships or sail boats, or yachts. As long as there are some models built to handle it that's enough.

Jan 18, 2012, 03:27 AM

• #14

Umi_Ryuzuki

These certainly won't take any rough water, but they are classic plastic kit conversions.

These threads might help you sort out what goes into an RC boat, and how
simple they can be.

Jan 19, 2012, 07:58 PM

• #15

toolcopter

Thread OP

Do you have to be very skilled to turn a model boat into an rc boat?

Or perhaps I can get a ready made coastguard r/c boat, to handle waves? I was also thinking of attaching a camera underneath it (there's a clip of such use on youtube).
And the bomb would be if r/c submarines could transmit film wirelessly from decent depths, so you could explore underwater, but it seems that's not possible at this time. Perhaps soon?

Are there any affordable r/c boats that can handle waves as is? Or is there no way around building your own?

Thanks for the links btw.

Last edited by toolcopter; Jan 21, 2012 at 02:53 PM.