Model Boat Mayhem

Mess Deck: General Section => Model Boating => Topic started by: bikerdude666 on November 22, 2011, 02:32:26 am

Title: Magnetic boat recovery?
Post by: bikerdude666 on November 22, 2011, 02:32:26 am
After reading that recent thread about trying hook some string around a model to recover it but having to be careful of catching it on the prop, or making a special boat, I wondered is there a reason no one just uses magnets? I was thinking a piece of metal in eah of your boats, and then if it gets stranded fix a magnet inside another boat and go catch the broken boat?
Title: Re: Magnetic boat recovery?
Post by: CGAux26 on November 22, 2011, 03:20:23 am
Good idea!  And mark the magnet spot(s) on the hull "TUG" just like real ships have.  Magnets on boat hulls takes me back to the Theodore Tugboat toys of a few years ago.
Title: Re: Magnetic boat recovery?
Post by: Umi_Ryuzuki on November 22, 2011, 07:09:20 am
Whether recovering a stricken model using my pointy destroyer, or a flat bow push boat, I have
never needed anything to help me stay connected to the model needing recovery.
I just needed to locate the center of rotation, and push the model in.
I have even rescued a basket ball using the pointy destroyer.
A good skipper knows how to handle their boat in any situation.

 :-)
Title: Re: Magnetic boat recovery?
Post by: ZZ56 on November 22, 2011, 07:28:04 am
The thing to watch out for is that in order for the magnets to be able to assuredly pull a boat, they need to be strong.  That means you could run into interference if you put them too close to your radio or servos.  I'd use a piece of steel attached to the inside of each boat hull and have a towline with a magnet, covered in soft foam.  When you need to recover a boat, just leave an inch or so of towline dangling off the rescue boat, tie it down tight and then go swing by the 'casualty' carefully.  Small neodymium rare earth magnets should do the trick.
Title: Re: Magnetic boat recovery?
Post by: kinmel on November 22, 2011, 07:52:41 am
After reading that recent thread about trying hook some string around a model to recover it but having to be careful of catching it on the prop, or making a special boat, I wondered is there a reason no one just uses magnets? I was thinking a piece of metal in eah of your boats, and then if it gets stranded fix a magnet inside another boat and go catch the broken boat?

Your idea will certainly work, I use a neodymium magnet to connect the recovery cable to my 1:16 Tamar, the magnetic connection is strong enough to haul the boat up the slipway and into the boathouse.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBH89_6HDU4
Title: Re: Magnetic boat recovery?
Post by: malcolmfrary on November 23, 2011, 11:17:32 am
The thing to watch out for is that in order for the magnets to be able to assuredly pull a boat, they need to be strong.  That means you could run into interference if you put them too close to your radio or servos.  I'd use a piece of steel attached to the inside of each boat hull and have a towline with a magnet, covered in soft foam.  When you need to recover a boat, just leave an inch or so of towline dangling off the rescue boat, tie it down tight and then go swing by the 'casualty' carefully.  Small neodymium rare earth magnets should do the trick.
Magnets can only generate interference if they are spinning very fast.  VERY fast.  If planted next to something with a relay inside, the field from the magnet could, if the magnet was strong enough, cause mis-operation, either operating too easily or not releasing when it should.  It might upset a tape or floppy disc if such was placed near it.  But normal boat electronic items like radios, servos and ESCs? No.  The only susceptible components are the tuning & IF coils, and they would need to become saturated with flux to stop working, and this is very highly unlikely, living as they do inside a magnetic shield.
Title: Re: Magnetic boat recovery?
Post by: Martin (Admin) on November 23, 2011, 02:24:46 pm

A good skipper knows how to handle their boat in any situation.   :-)


So that's why I have so many problems! I can tangle your boat up in any object, particulartly if it's outstandly obvious as a shipping hazard - ask Welsh_Druid, Stavros, Mark Model bits!  :embarrassed:

Also se:  http://www.vac-u-boat.com/TowBargeCatch.htm
Title: Re: Magnetic boat recovery?
Post by: funtimefrankie on November 24, 2011, 09:09:51 am
If the stuck boat was really stuck, the recovery boat would become stuck as well, attached by the magnets.........
Title: Re: Magnetic boat recovery?
Post by: bikerdude666 on November 24, 2011, 06:37:29 pm
If the stuck boat was really stuck, the recovery boat would become stuck as well, attached by the magnets.........

I was thinking more for broken models, rather than stuck, theres not really anything to get stuck on where I go.

I'm gonna give it a go, after my GF's duck broke in the middle of the lake, being completely round it was damn near impossible to push it back in. The corvette just made it spin it round, and the powerboat just went up and over the back...
Title: Re: Magnetic boat recovery?
Post by: Number 6 on November 24, 2011, 07:15:46 pm
That's where you need a springer. I've lost count of how many rescues done with mine. It's great now I've got the working gantry and winch on the stern too (robbed off my Paula 3). I've pulled a few boats out of the overhanging branches on our lake, and retrieved lost bits and rubbish, branches off the lake surface. Dave.  :-))