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Thought that it might be fun to try and put a slide show to music using Windows Movie Maker - using the pics on this page - the video above is the result. it only took a couple of minutes to guess my way through the process. I really like this song & I think it goes quite well with the subject....
Sales blurb .....
The race belongs to the swift... ...and with the Sea Dolphin 770 to command, you'll be ready for your first win in record time. Though designed for off-shore racing and more experienced competitors, the Sea Dolphin is easy enough for a first-time sailor to assemble and sail. Kyosho's proven manufacturing methods transform building time into easy final assembly, eliminating hours of time at the workbench even as they ensure the Sea Dolphin 770's polished appearance and performance.
With a design based on Whitbread racers, Kyosho’s new Sea Dolphin yacht has been designed with racing firmly in mind. The ABS moulded hull is fitted with an injection moulded bow section to ensure the best hydrodynamic shape in the water - in fact, it simply slices through! The mast and rudder can be easily removed for storage. The two-piece mast is made from aluminium and holds the teteron sails, a polyester fibre material that is reinforced with real sail repair tape! A sealed compartment ensures that all onboard radio control equipment is protected from water. Supplied in kit form, with very good, easy to follow exploded diagram instructions.
Specifications:
Length: 30.3 in (770mm)
Width: 6.5 in (165mm)
Height: 52 in (1320mm)
Weight: 4.3 lbs (1950g)
Sail Area: 363.5 sq in(23.45 sq dm)
Requires: 2-channel radio with 1 standard servo and 1 sail servo
The latest E-bay aquisition. It hasn't turned up yet - but I can't wait until it does. Made by Kyosho it is bound to be of the highest quality and be easy to use. I have downloaded the product manual from the Kyosho website - see link below. Looks like this works very much like the real thing. Being slightly smaller than the standard 1 metre class and easy to take apart, this should be a bit more user-friendly for storage and transport.
Update 19th June 2008. A large parcel turned up. Marked 'this way up'. Luckily nothing seemed to have been damaged in transit, so the next project began .....
The boat came with a decent 'sail servo'. Bigger and more poweful than a standard one - with metal gears and good water-proofing. These cost up to £50 - one of the reasons that I chose this particular boat.
After drilling a small hole in the bottom, fixing the radio bracket in place properly with CA and a splodge of epoxy she passed the float test!
Using the Z-bender (see the Sea Comander page for an explanation) I was able to make a pefect rudder control rod.
The sail winch takes a huge control horn - which lets the sails in and out to control the speed by changing the angle of the sail to the wind. The receiver and battery holder screw in neatly behind the servos. The battery pack will go in a plastic bag!
The cross spars are a real weakness in the design. Mine split and parts are hard to get. A little CA (super glue) and nuts, bolts & washers in drilled out holes - instead of using the self tapping screws - seems to have fixed this.
The wife was out most of today - so I took advantage of the kitchen worktop and the excellent light in the conservetory.
The collar near the top of the mast - which the front sail (jib - I think) hooks into - is another weak point. I was a bit heavy handed with the screwdriver and it snapped. 20 minutes later, after a bit of cutting and soldering of brass tube to thin brass strip & a couple of holes drilled, I was back on track. Seems to do the trick!
At the end of day one, I am pleased with progress.
The sails were a bit of a mess - but perfectly servicable. Using canopy glue, all of the curled up edges were glued back down & using the same glue with some styrene strips, I was able to fabricate some replacement sail stiffeners (where I could see 'shadows' of where they had once been).
The plan call for 'S' rings - to make it easy to de-rig the boat, take the sails & mast off and put in a car etc. The boat didn't come with any. safety pins from the dry cleaning shop are quite strong & 'springy', using a couple of nails as a jig, I was able to fashion these items in a few seconds each.
End of day 2 - starting to look the part. End of the weekend & back to work & the real world for another week now ...
'Sea trials' today (29th June 2008). Not much wind about, but good fun anyway. Didn't leak, quite easy to use. Can't wait to try her in a bit of breeze...
Yes, I know it isn't the yacht. This Multi 90 was buzzing round the lake - just managing to miss me while I was sailing - and I got a good picture of it. Awsome.
Took her out a week later. It was really windy & great fun ....
