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Line control model sailing Seadercraft..Concept and Development home | Fairlead | sailing glossary | prices | Line Control Model Sailing!______________ This method of controlling a model sailboat
uses a line that positions the sail and guides the boats direction of travel.
It is a direct, simple, low cost approach to model sailing that gives you precise pointing
and directional control. It can be said that Seader Sailboats are to water, what kites are
to the air.
Pared down to its two most essential elements, a sailboat requires a method of
controlling the sails position, relative to the wind (so it can go) and, controlling
the boats direction (so it goes where you want it to). With our models, the control line (fishing line) acts as an extended mainsheet.
The control line is kept on a kite spool (or winder) held in one hand, and the other hand
controls the lines tension. When the wind swings the sail, you resist the effort produced by the wind and the boat
sails forward. (this direct control, lets you precisely trim the sail) By angling the line, or by changing your position in the water, relative to the boat,
and applying the right amount of tension, you can alter the boats' course and even change
tack while still maintaining control of the sail.
This is done by friction on the mainsheet as it passes through the fairlead,
the more acute the angle, the more grip. Plus, you are always directly
connected to the boat and can stop or retrieve it by reeling it in.
Being in the water heightens the sense of connectivity between you and the model, you are
able to study and respond at close range to the sailing conditions, even make adjustments to
the rig when needed.
It is an active "get out there, get wet, and have fun" method of sailing.
The ideal location being tidal flats and shorelines.
This does not exclude you from just sailing from the shoreline, or a dock, the models
can sail "kite like" for hundreds of feet, and retrieved by rewinding.
Sailing when in the water at a closer disance (10-20 ft.) is good for speed and quick
manouevering. The greater the distance the less directional control you have, however,
as distance increases, line drag (friction) automatically tensions the line and helps to
hold the boat on a steady cource.
The speed the boat travels varies with weather conditions and your boats' design.
Some of our models that focus on speed will easily beat the common "pond boats" and radio
control models of a similar size. Potentially, your design may best anything that we have
made. Average speeds are just right for wading in knee deep water.
A fast design in brisk weather may send you scrambling to keep up.
As with all things done well, it takes practice. Sailing our boats present a challenge
other model types don't. And that makes it all the more fun.
The same mistakes made in a full size board boat apply to sailing our models.
A poorly executed jibe (turn) or a sail held at a wrong position can make your model capsize
just like the real thing.
With practice you reallize how atuned you become to wind direction and force, approaching
weather (wind puffs and waves), the sails' shape and the constant attention that is required
to sail any boat regardless of its size.
To find out more about seader sailboats and this unique method of sailing
and crafting visit our homepage, to see example models, visit Fairlead.
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prices | Seader Sailboats, Concept and Development_______
Many sailing schools use detailed model sailboats as an aid in their
"on shore" training sessions. Seader Sailboats were first conceived as a downsized version
with the added ability to demonstrate, in water, the fundamentals of sailing a board boat
using the line control method.
One simple idea followed another, resulting in a humble looking, but fully functional sailing model.
It became apparent that the learning value of a model presented as a "hands on" craft,
was far greater than the typical pre configured models.
(you will learn more about sails and foils, if you design your own etc.)
A craft that anyone with modest abilities could learn, using "scratch" materials anyone
could find, at little or no cost. Unlike other "one design" models, our boats can be rigged to practically any fore-and-aft
design from ancient to modern times. A keel boat must have a sail plan designed to match the
underwater (lateral) profile of the hull to achieve a balanced helm. But a boat with an
adjustable keel can shift its centre of lateral resistance to adapt to different sail plans.
The use of common materials make it easy to explore the possibilities. The development
of methods and materials used for crafting Seader Sailboats is on going with new ideas
coming all the time.
The solid hull design chosen is a good one and does not need to be altered, however,
since boat hulls come in different shapes we have chosen a design that enables you to modify
the hull, if you choose, to produce design-specific sailing characteristics, using simple
woodworking tools.
Information about Line Control Model Sailing (and Seadercraft) can be found here.
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