A beginners' guide to RC sailboats

LET THE WIND DRIVE YOU!

Do you want to get into RG sailboat ng and become a hot-dog boat skipper? Do you prefer building fantasy boats that have been created using only your imagination? Are you an armchair builder of sweetly lined yawls and sloops that may never see water? If you've

ever, thought about getting into this wide-ranging and exciting sect of RC boating, this article is just the thing for you!

CHOSING THE RIGHT SAILBOAT

There are plenty of options and choices to think about before buying or building an RC sailboat. When I started building RC sailboats 13 years ago, I didn't know there was any such thing as an RC regatta, much less racing. I had no idea how to build a model sailboat, and I didn't know where to find the necessary drawings to build a scale one. It almost seems that RC sailboating has been kept secret.

You can pick and choose from a bewildering array of sailboats in all sizes and shapes. At the simplest level, there are two types of sailboats: scale and non-scale. Non-scale boats-designed and built solely for high-speed racing-are, for the most part, extremely light with slim, eggshell hulls that sport deep-fin keels and tall, carbon-fiber masts. They quickly accelerate in the slightest breeze and are ultraresponsive to rudder and sail-trim commands. But in a stiff breeze, or while running downwind, they can be a real handful. If you want the fastest boats, these are for you.

In One-Design classes, all the boats come either completely assembled or in kit form and are made by a single manufacturer. Many of these One-Design classes are not lightweight, so they are better suited to those who prefer their racing on a more genteel level.

If you're inclined to scale modeling, there are again many choices, ranging from semi-scale, easily assembled kits from Kyosho* and other companies to completely scratch-built brigantines, schooners, barks, yawls, ketches and the like. Many of these boats are works of art with teak- or mahogany-planked decks, gleaming brass fittings and varnished brightwork. Do their builders/owners care that these boats are slower and maybe not as responsive as their racing cousins? No. I still get shivers when I watch my John Alden-designed Malabar Jr., clawing its way across the pond on a sun-dappled day, or when I see a fleet of magnificent schooners.

THE QUESTION OF SIZE

How much does a sailboat weigh? Will it fit in your car? Among the smaller classes, the 36/600 with a 36-inch LOA hull and 600 square inches of jib and main sail weighs in at 6 to 7 pounds. Its overall height from keel bulb to mast top is 70 to 75 inches. At the other end of the size spectrum, an America's Cup boat with a 72-inch hull weighs in at 30 pounds and measures 9 1/2 feet high. A 7-foot, LOA, Jclass boat weighs in at 60 to 70 pounds! Unless you have a large van or a pickup truck with a covered bed, you'll need to remove the mast and sails on these behemoths before you can take your boat to the pond. I drive a '9 7 Ford Taurus sedan with fold-down rear seats that open up into the trunk. I can fit a fully assembled U.S. One Meter boat or a disassembled AC class boat into my trunk and back seat space. It can be done.

The larger classes have continued to grow in popularity. Like giant-scale RC airplanes, larger RC sailboats tend to sail much like their full-size counterparts; they're smooth and easy to handle. You can hear and almost feel a big sailboat as it makes its way across the pond. These boats are as easy to manage as their smaller sisters, and they turn as readily when maneuvering in close quarters. The big boats are truly majestic in the water, and they can be sailed in much rougher water than what a 36/600 or U.S. One Meter can handle. I've raced my AC boat in whitecap conditions. Instead of laying over and rounding up into the wind as you would with a smaller boat, you can keep the AC boat driving. It'll simply lower its lee shoulder and drive even harder to windward. What a thrill it is to sail with a mist of rain hitting my face! It makes me feel like I'm at the helm of Shamrock, the ultimate J-class boat!

SCRATCH-BUILT? KIT? TURN-KEY?

The answer to this question depends on your building skill, available time and personal inclinations. I enjoy researching, drafting up and constructing scratch-built boats. I don't profess to know enough about hull design to develop a fast racing hull and sail plan, but if you're into these things, there are software applications available to help you. I have focused much of my time on drafting and building scale sailboats. I typically work from reduced copies of the original designers' lofted lines. There are thousands of scale boats you can build. WoodenBoat magazine has boat-plan catalogs that are an excellent start. Some of the most beautiful full-size wooden boats in the world can be found within the pages of WoodenBoat.

From any number of outlets, you can find an array of ready-to-sail boats complete with radios and sails. Some of these are expensive; high-tech, super-fast lightweights can go for thousands of dollars. On the other hand, you can find boats for a few hundred bucks.