New lesson from notes to self file

[mapper]

My prior yachting trips I've either had a full size boat for retrieval if needed.. and the jetstream and 3 deep v self righting boats..

I played a little with the tugboat for retrieval on sonic wake.

Thought I was ok, trying out the Blackjack 24 cat on 6s, with tugboat handy.

I retrieved it once.. but.. and this is notes from self file..
Running in a river with flow downstream and some grass.. well it definitely showed the limitations of the tugboat and radio reciever range..closer retrieves are easier than far away ones.

The Blackjack and every boat other than the tug run a radiolink rc7 rx, so range a non issue. In a river with flow and grass a bit more speed/power than 3mph from tug is appreciated if/when prop gets weed fouled.

I'm
glad the neighbor across the river was out in their pontoon boat to rescue my boats..it could have easily turned out diffrent.

So, ill let the bride and grandkids play with the tug, and ill have the pontoon boat in the water if I need it.

The red dot in river Pic is where boats were rescued from. But i was pleased with the Blackjack, i couldn't get any good gps data from it though..

 

[bachplay6]

I"ve been dying to get into RC boats but I"m too old for kyacks and paddle boards for retrieval. I've been looking at the $450 tug boat as a cost of entry. I would run in ponds and still water mostly so flowing water would not be a problem. Other than the slow speed of the tug, do you think it is a reasonable and reliable choice for rescue in still water?
THanks!
Bruce

 

[mapper]

On a pond, id say yes,

now I need to temper my comments with a little more info.
This was the first time I ran a catamaran, so the wife was on the dock playing with the tug. She is not very proficient in operation, so by the time she was grumbling about me going to lose the boat, she handed me the TX, and she took the camera display. Well that didn't go well either.. not a lot of useful feedback on which direction to go. Now at the distance of the retrieve I couldn't really see whether going forward or reverse without the camera display. So I probably ran reverse in some weeds.. I did manage to capture the boat though.and saw it on display.

So it didn't look like distance a factor in radio range, in this case but more a visibility of being what you are doing and not getting fouled in weeds.

I'll range the distance to the closest docks and post it, probably in edit to this post.

First dock 180'
2nd dock is 210'
3rd dock 480'
4th dock 600'

But short answer, yes. I think it's a good option. You can search videos of tugboat retrievals by ironclad rc and others.

For my use I'll have a boat at the dock I can use, as it's easy and I have it, I'll still explore tug rescue, and camera navigation as I think it is a good skillset to have.

 

[1/48 fleet]

I have the Harbor tug and use it as a rescue boat as well as a tug for my submarine(it does not turn on the surface). The tug has great range, using the FrSky receiver in it. One issue, that many folks do not realize, it the limitations of 2.4ghz to penetrate water. it doesn't. But the receiver is in the boat, not underwater they say. Well NO. It is underwater, within the hull. The easiest way to increase the range of your deep hulled boat is to move the receiver, or the antenna if you can, so that it protrudes well above the waterline of the hull it is installed in. I have several models where the receivers are 6-8" below the waterline, but have antenna extensions. All of them are capable of operating beyond my ability to control them. Several manufacturers offer 2.4 ghz antenna extensions. I live by them. 1/2 mile range should be easy to achieve.
Glad to hear that your boats were saved and got back to you.

 

[Doom!]

I have the Harbor tug and use it as a rescue boat as well as a tug for my submarine(it does not turn on the surface). The tug has great range, using the FrSky receiver in it. One issue, that many folks do not realize, it the limitations of 2.4ghz to penetrate water. it doesn't. But the receiver is in the boat, not underwater they say. Well NO. It is underwater, within the hull. The easiest way to increase the range of your deep hulled boat is to move the receiver, or the antenna if you can, so that it protrudes well above the waterline of the hull it is installed in. I have several models where the receivers are 6-8" below the waterline, but have antenna extensions. All of them are capable of operating beyond my ability to control them. Several manufacturers offer 2.4 ghz antenna extensions. I live by them. 1/2 mile range should be easy to achieve.
Glad to hear that your boats were saved and got back to you.

I don't have any boats, but that is good info to file away for future reference, just in case.

 

[Ledzoix]

I once went to a small pond with a friend and his 2 rc sailing ships (no motor) this was some scary poop!! I remember the hopelessness when it was far away and the fear of swimming to retrieve it. It made some pretty cautious sailors though.