IN IRONS:
A sailboat is said to be “in irons” when the boat
stalls with its bow pointed directly into the wind with its sails
struggling to fill with air (luffing), keeping the boat from
moving. If you find yourself in this position, simply move the
rudder stick to either side and hold it until the sails catch
some air. You will need to adjust the tension on the sails with
the sail control stick to get the boat moving. Release the
rudder when the ship reaches the desired heading.
LUFFING:
When the sails are unable to fill with wind and
begin flapping wildly (like a flag).
TACKING:
Sailing towards the wind in a series of maneuvers
diagonal to the wind source. There are basically two tacking
directions.
Starboard tack
occurs when the wind comes from
starboard and the sail boom hangs over the port side.
Port
tack
is just the opposite, with the wind coming from port with
the sail boom hanging over the starboard side.
There are varying degrees of
tack angle
and it is important to
learn when each will be useful and how to get your sailboat
into position, especially when racing. For instance, when
trying to reach a specific position upwind, sailing
close
hauled
may be the most direct route. Sailing
close reached
allows you to get upwind faster, but is not as direct. In any
case, you basically want the sails to be full of air and just on
the verge of luffing. Here are some terms that describe
different sailing positions in relation to the wind:
CLOSE-HAULED:
You can sail up to a 45° angle against the
wind. Think of it as sailing “close” to the wind with the sails
“hauled” in tight.
CLOSE-REACH:
Nearly the same as close-hauled, but at less
of an angle toward the wind. This allows the boat to reach
greater speed.
BEAM REACH:
Sailing with the boat at about a 90° angle to
the wind.
BROAD REACH:
Sailing with the wind coming diagonally
from behind (a.k.a.
sailing large or quartering wind
).
PLEASE READ BEFORE RUNNING THE PARADISE SAILBOAT:
•
NEVER
attempt to swim after a stalled or stuck boat! Wait
patiently for the wind currents to return the boat to shore
or use a tennis ball attached to the end of a fishing rod to
retrieve it.
•
Sailing the Paradise in winds over 15 MPH is not advised.
If you wish to sail in conditions where wind speed is above
15 MPH, you may want to install a high-torque sail servo.
•
It is dangerous to operate any R/C vehicle at any time that
there is not sufficient light.
•
R/C models produce vibrations which will cause screws,
nuts, bolts, etc, on your model to become loose over
time.
It is important to make sure that all hardware is
secure
before operating your model.
•
CAUTION:
Windy conditions cause rough water that will
affect the performance of your sailboat and increase the
chances of taking on water.
•
Your Paradise sailboat may occasionally take on small
amounts of water, especially when running in high
winds, rough water, and when making tight turns. Keep a
roll of paper towels handy and dry out the hull interior
after every run. Check for leaks if you notice excessive
amounts of water in the hull.
•
After running, remove the hatch covers and allow the interior
of the boat to dry out completely. If you neglect to do this, it
may result in corrosion of the electronic components.
•
IMPORTANT:
If, for whatever reason, your boat takes on
a large amount of water causing the electronics to get
wet, you must do the following immediately: Remove the
radio equipment from the boat. Allow the components to
air dry completely before reassembling. Reinstall the
components and check for proper operation before
running the boat in water.
•
Total run time of the Paradise sailboat is approximately
45-60 minutes (assuming you begin with new batteries in
the receiver box). When you notice a decrease in power
or sluggish response, it means the batteries are nearly
drained and it’s time to head for shore. As soon as the
boat reaches shore, turn off the power to the boat and
transmitter (in that order).
LAUNCH PROCEDURE:
1. Turn the power “ON” to the transmitter and boat (in
that order).
2. Gently place the boat in water that is at least 12" deep
and free of obstacles (weeds, rocks, sticks, ducks,
muskrats, etc.). The mast of the Paradise sailboat is NOT
A HANDLE.
Do not hold the boat by the mast.
3. Initially you will want to launch the boat downwind and
note if the boat has a tendency to turn right or left. Adjust the
steering trim lever on your transmitter until the boat runs in
a straight line when the steering control stick is at neutral.
4. When finished running, be sure to turn the power “OFF”
to your boat and transmitter (in that order).
5. When you are through sailing for the day, remove the
keel and rudder and allow them to dry.
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