  |
||||||
|
|
Radio-controlled model powerboats offer the thrills of racing without the cost or danger.
The engines roar as the speedboats zoom down the front of the race course at 90 miles per hour. The crowd gasps as both boats swerve in the same direction with a mighty crash. One boat explodes into tiny pieces while the other goes a few feet more before stopping dead in the water. With real speedboats, this would have been a tragedy. With radio-controlled model powerboats, crashes come with the territory. The BoatsRadio-controlled (R/C) model powerboats are small versions of real racing boats -- both are powered by gas engines and built for speed. But unlike real racing boats in which onboard drivers risk serious injury, R/C boats are operated safely from shore using radio transmitters. These transmitters work like other remote control units, allowing the driver to control the speed and direction of the boat from a distance. The driver has a pit crew (assistant) who stands behind him in the racing pit area and gives directions. The pit crew is responsible for counting laps and launching the boat at the start of each race. R/C boats travel at speeds between 30 and 90 miles per hour, and range from two to four feet in length. The cost of building an R/C boat is usually several hundred dollars, but the biggest, fanciest boats may reach $1,000. Larger R/C model powerboats have more powerful engines and go faster than smaller boats. Speed also depends on the shape of the boat's hull, or body. The two different body types for racing are mono hulls and hydroplanes. The RacesThe start of an R/C model powerboat race begins when the contest director announces: "Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines. You're on the clock." A large countdown clock in the middle of the lake begins ticking. When the engines are started, the boats make loud whining noises and spit fuel before being launched to run warm-up laps around the race course. When two-and-one-half minutes on the countdown clock have passed, the race begins. The race course is a big oval shape in the lake marked by six brightly colored buoys anchored to the bottom of the lake. Three buoys are placed on each end of the race course. They are made of soft Styrofoam material to prevent accidental damage to the boats. The boats go around the oval six times during the race, staying as close to the buoys as possible. Racers gain the most speed down the long sides of the oval (or straightaways). Drivers compete by building speed as they carefully move in and out of their driving lanes. They must watch for other boats and their wakes, which can flip smaller boats. To reduce this problem, boats of the same hull type race together. Points are awarded to everyone who starts a race, with fewer points given to racers who don't finish, and no points given to boats that don’t start. The most points are given to the first racer who finishes. Each individual race is a heat, and all heats are grouped into rounds. The number of heats is determined by the number of entered boats in each size category. Fewer entered boats require fewer heats. After the three or four rounds of racing are over, the driver with the most points for his hull type wins a trophy. Radio-controlled model powerboat racing is a popular hobby all across the world. Thousands of R/C racers belong to International Model Power Boat Association (IMPBA), a group that provides safety rules and racing instructions for its members. For information about clubs in your area, contact your local hobby store.
The copyright of the article Introduction to R/C Boating in Boating & Sailing is owned by Leslie Halpern. Permission to republish Introduction to R/C Boating in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
|
|||||
|
|
||||||
