Some plans and ideas for the Noux mk2 radio installation. We are using a ca 116mm diameter food container lid and rim as the only deck hatch. We want the winch, batteries, servo, and Rx, all accessible through this hatch.
Update 2006 Aug 30: A variation on the same theme: a "flat-pack" version.
Here is a side view of what we came up with. The winch, either an RMG or a Graupner Regatta, is located most forward, the battery in a recess in the middle, and the rudder servo is aft. The Rx is small and light so it can be velcroed almost anywhere. (click image on the right for a pdf)
A top view. Almost half of the available lengthwise space needs to be allocated to the winch (at least if using an RMG. The Regatta is a bit smaller, but on the other hand it uses a larger drum). Click image on the right for a pdf.
This is the moulding that would hold the winch, batteries, and servo. Need to come up with a smart way of moulding this piece... anyone have any ideas ?
Another perspective view of how the radio installation could look like. Compare this to Craig Smith's Obsession below.
I remember seeing a nice compact radio installation on the Roar Edge marbleheads, it was called an 'rc-boot' or something similar. If anyone knows if the current Stollery marblehead radio installation is similar, send me a picture !
A 'flat-pack' version
Placing the winch, battery, and servo all inside the 115 mm circular hatch could make things a bit cramped inside the boat. So here is a version with the battery cells all lined up in one row, I'm calling it a flat-pack.
This saves the width of an AA cell, about 15 mm, from the length of the radio moulding. and that allows me to enlarge the winch side of the moulding by about 5 mm and the servo side by almost 10 mm. Now both the winch and servo seem to fit much better.
The downside ofcourse is that the new boat will need new battery packs. Well, it's a good idea to change batteries every two years or so anyway, so I'm not considering this as a major drawback of this design (It will be nice to upgrade to the new 2700 mAh AA cells anyway, added security and no need to change batteries during a whole day of 3-rig racing).
click the picture on the right to download a pdf drawing.
Anders,
Yes, Stollery designs are still using rc boot. Contact Roger or Peter for more details.
jure
Yes, good idea. We use the food containers on our boats where we build them ourselves. (as against hulls mouded with a recess for the screwtop pot.) However, stick with the round ones as the square ones leak like a bucket. Also the wretched manufacturers, with no thought for their model boat customers, "improve" these containers at regular intervals which usually result in the lid becoming far to high and bulky and with some sort of cutout or lip designed to please those of us with fingernails I guess. Not many of those in model sailing though!
Had the leaking problem with the "square" version, (I do think they look better), but a bit of vasoline has totaly fixed the problem. Expected to have to apply it regularly, but seemingly an amount that you can't even see does the trick as the boat is now bone dry even in the worst conditions.
Is this boat available to buy.
Hi Andy,
No the Noux is not commercially available. The plans are free, so in principle someone could set up production of the boat if they wanted.
Anders