RC Laser Manual 2006
Contents
1. Trim lever RUDDER CONTROL After turning on the transmitter and the boat move the rudder stick from side to side The rudder will move from side to side The rudder should be in the center position when the rudder stick is in the center position If it is not use the rudder trim lever to center the rudder To steer the boat toward the right move the rudder stick to the right to steer the boat toward the left move the rudder stick to the left boat to the on position The power switch on the boat slides front to back for on and off Do not push down damage may result ALWAYS turn the transmitter on before turning the boat on 7 ASSEMBLY OVERVIEW A boat that makes contact with a buoy must sail away from the fleet out of the way of other boats and do a 360 degree penalty turn figure E After the penalty turn the boat may resume racing If the boat hits the buoy on the wrong side of the buoy it must re round the buoy on the correct side before doing the 360 degree penalty turn figure E1 e 5 Figure he correct side The wrong side 7 GS The course sailed after hitting the wrong side 2 Buoy room rule The buoy room rule applies when boats are rounding or passing a buoy or an obstruction on a race course You must imagine a circle around the buoy or obstruction The radius of the circle is fou2. Racing your RC Five Basic Port Tack Starboard Tack Rule Buoy Rule Contact with Buoy Rule Luffing Rights Rule 2122 Collision oe Whe Race Course winced twa Model Sailing Organizations Information about Full Size Lasers Warranty Information 2 2 The RC Laser was designed to be a strict one design sailboat The fundamental principle behind a one design sailboat is that sailors may not alter their boats This ensures that racing is a competition among sailors not boats If you intend to race your RC Laser you may not change your boat in any other way other than to decorate it as explained in this manual All replacement parts must be genuine RC Laser parts The only exceptions are the transmitter and receiver which may be replaced with any compatible equipment Your RC Laser has the following components Sail and tell tale Mast Rudder Rudder bracket Gooseneck Rudder linkages 2 Rudder servo Boom Boom sliders 3 Antenna mount Antenna tube Sheet line Screw eye Sail con
3. Stick Reversing Many transmitters have reversing switches If for some reason you wish to reverse the rudder stick direction you can do so by changing the position on the channel 1 switch only Do not reverse the channel 2 switch Damage may result RACING YOUR RC LASER Sailboat racing is a lot of fun If you are already familiar with yacht racing rules those rules can be used when racing the RC Laser Even if you know nothing about saliboat racing the following five basic rules and race course will allow you to compete on the water with experienced sailors RC Lasers sail by the same ISAF International Sailing Federation rules that govern full sized sailboat racing with the exception of Appendix E Learn more at www sailing org Five Basic Rules of Racing 1 Port tack starboard tack rule Port refers to the left side when facing the bow of the boat Starboard refers to the right side of the boat when facing the bow A boat in motion is either on port tack or starboard tack When the boom is left of the center of the boat the boat is sailing on starboard tack When the boom is right of the center of the boat the boat is sailing on port tack RULE When sailing on a collision course boats sailing on starboard tack have right of way over boats sailing on port tack Boats on port tack must yield to boats on starboard tack BOW PORT SIDE STARBOARD SIDE STERN PORT TACK STARBOA
4. CONTROLLED Se a user s manua LOA 41 5 105 41cm LWL 37 75 95 88cm DSPL 9 Ibs 3 4kg BEAM 13 125 33 33cm MAIN HOIST 52 132 08cm DRAFT 16 40 64cm SAIL AREA 710 sq 4580 63sqcm RADIO CONTROLLED 2003 Out There Technologies Laser is a registered trademark of Vanguard Inc Performance Sailcraft and Performance Sailcraft Pty DESIGNED BY BRUCE KIRBY DEVELOPED BY JON ELMALEH There is a six month limited warranty on parts damaged during normal use While sailing and does not included hitting other boats or obstructions You must register by mailing the warranty card within 10 days of purchase to be eligible for the warranty Message from Bruce Kirby Designer of the Laser It has been a great pleasure to work with world model yacht champion Jon Elmaleh in the development of this radio controlled miniature Laser The basic hull shape is a one quarter scale Laser but of course to make the boat work at the much smaller size and with no crew aboard to act as ballast we had to develop a model yacht type keel and rudder and slightly reduce the sail plan have been overjoyed at the result The boat sails and handles exceptionally well over a broad range of wind and sea conditions and is faster than ever expected it could be We have kept the rig and control systems simple so that as with any good one design success on the race course depends on the sailor not the boat
5. starboard tack Running on port tack Boat Care The RC Laser requires little maintenance As long as you sail your boat in fresh water you can store it immediately after removing it from the water When storing your boat remove all pressure from the back edge of the sail by sliding the boom sliders until they are loose Keep your boat and radio away from excessive heat If you sail in salt water rinse the hull the fittings the mast the boom the keel the rudder and the sail in fresh water after sailing and before storing your RC laser Radio Care Moisture is your radio s enemy When storing your RC Laser leave the hatch cover open to avoid condensation and store the transmitter in a cool dry place Do what you can to keep your radio equipment dry If you drop your radio in salt water it might be salvaged if you take the batteries out and wash the radio in fresh water immediately Use a blow dryer to dry wet equipment Batteries Your RC Laser requires 12 AA size batteries Four go into the battery holder in the boat and eight go into the back of the transmitter You can use disposable alkaline batteries which are good for approximately 10 hours of sailing These can be bought at almost any store but must be thrown out after use A recommended choice is rechargeable Nickel Metal Hydride NiMH batteries These batteries and chargers are available from your RC Laser distributor and most hobby shops Batteries whether
6. bottom of hull and snap rudder into bracket 4 Place 4 AA batteries into battery holder Place battery holder into hull and close hatch cover Also remove back of transmitter and install 9 AA batteries 5 Insert antenna tube into antenna mount 6 Slide mast into hole on deck 7 Connect sheet line to slider by pulling loop at end of sheet line over slider tang until loop hangs from slider ring 8 Turn transmitter on then turn boat by sliding switch forward You are now ready to sail Lap 1 Offset buoy Windward buoy Starting gate A Connect mast tubes Leeward gate Lap 2 and finish Offset buoy Windward buoy 1 a Starting gate C Slide boom into gooseneck D Thread outhaul string attached to the sail through the end slider and snap into the next slider forward see page 7 for diagram Leeward gate wind direction Here s a course that offers a lot of opportunities to make choices and think about strategy because there are a number of different paths you can take on each lap Sail through the starting gate then round the windward buoy and offset windward buoy Travel down to the leeward gate and pass around it in any direction Sail back towards the windward buoy and do one more lap rounding the windward and then the offset buoy once again After rounding the leeward gate one more time finish by coming back through the starting g
7. And as a purely recreational sailing model it is quick to launch and easy to operate So climb aboard with your imagination You will find that the thrill is there but your muscles won t get sore and if you don t sail in the rain you will stay dry Rowayton Connecticut January 1995 Message from the Manufacturer Congratulations on your purchase We hope the RC Laser will fulfill all your expectations We have worked hard to make this product the best RC sailboat on the market today and we believe the RC Laser is the one design sailboat that sailors are looking for OUT THERE TECHNOLOGIES LLC www outthere com Please note Out There Technologies LLC no longer deals directly with the public Sales and service is handled by area distributors Please contact your local RC Laser retailer with questions and requests May the wind be with you TABLE OF CONTENTS The RC Laser and Component Parts Layout neues Assembly Gta ate a et es te Details A ee aa oe Rudder Control Sail ness Radio Frequencies Boat Care Radio Care Batteries Sail and Boat Numbers 0 Decoration
8. Alkaline or rechargeable are good for several hours depending on wind strength If the sail control stops working or the low light on the transmitter comes on you must sail to the shore as quickly as possible or risk losing control of your boat Sail and Boat Numbers Sail numbers may or may not be included with your boat They are primarily used for racing Only official font and size numbers can be used You can obtain more information about sail numbers from your local distributor Numbers are installed on the sail just as shown in the diagram and all 4 digits of the number are used just as you receive them from the Association If hull numbers are used they are to be installed inside the hatch not on the hull or deck N N AS Decoration There are two ways to add color to your boat without violating the one design rule that boats cannot be altered magic markers or PVC tape only Vinyl tape sticks well to this boat material and you are allowed to use it on both the hull and deck Sails are easily marked using permanent markers Sail marking make it easy to find your boat in a crowd The only restriction is that you cannot interfere with the Laser logo sail numbers or the manufacturer s markings
9. RD TACK How to Sail Sailboats cannot sail directly into the wind If a boat is pointed into the wind the sail will or flap like a flag in the breeze Sailboats can only sail when they are at an angle to the wind Depending on the direction you want to sail relative to wind direction there is an angle at which the sail should be set To sail a elose hauled course almost directly into the wind the sail is tight i e at only a slight angle to the center line of the hull On a rum sailing away from the wind the sail should be all the way out perpendicular to the center line of the hull Reaching or sailing roughly perpendicular to wind direction has a sail position about halfway between close hauled and a run To pull the sail in and sail a close hauled course move the sail stick down To ease the sail out to reach or run move the sail stick up When you move the rudder stick to the right the boat will turn to the right When you move the rudder stick to the left the boat will turn to the left As a guide to trim the sail properly no matter what course you are sailing ease the sail out until it begins to luff Next pull it in until the luffing stops Now you should be ready to put your RC Laser in the water good luck and good sailing SAIL HEADING TERMS wind direction D Close hauled on port tack Close hauled on starboard tack Reaching on port tack Reaching on starboard tack Running on
10. ate RACING YOUR RC LASER There is an infinite number of possible race courses you can sail the only limit is your imagination Here are two of the more commonly used courses to get you started Modified Olympic Course wind direction Start finish line Wing buoy Jockey for the best position during a one minute countdown Sail two laps around the course not rounding the wing buoy on the second lap 2 KEEL Rotate locking lever 90 degrees until lever locks in place NOTE If the surface of the keel bulb becomes damaged exposing the lead core cover it with tape or paint Keep away from exposed lead 3 RUDDER Insert rudder stud into pivot hole on bottom of hull while inserting top of rudder into rudder deck bracket Snap rudder into bracket Pivot hole 4 BATTERIES Remove hatch cover Take out battery holder Check switch on boat to make sure it is in the off position Install four AA batteries Replace battery holder and hatch cover Do not put your RC Laser into the water without its hatch cover Damage may result ANTENNA Feed excess antenna wire into boat Insert antenna tube into antenna mount A leeward boat that is luffing up cannot sail past head to wind Figure 1 wind direction Head to wind Past head to wind Figure Your boat is sailing head to wind when the bow of the boat is pointed directly into the w
11. crystals The crystal generates the frequency The set is made up of one TX crystal for the transmitter and one RX crystal for the receiver The number on the TX crystal which is in the bottom right corner of your transmitter indicates the frequency of the radio Each radio controlled boat uses a frequency on either the 27 or 75 MHz band If two boats attempt to sail on the same frequency at the same time within a two block range neither boat will work properly When you go sailing you must find out what frequencies are available at that site With a little cooperation you will be able to avoid frequency conflicts There are at least 6 crystal sets available for each frequency band We recommend that you own at least 4 different crystal sets if you intend to sail at a number of different sites It is quite simple to replace your crystals with another crystal set First turn the transmitter off and remove the TX crystal from the lower right corner of the transmitter Replace it with the new TX crystal Then remove the hatch cover from the hull pull the receiver from its mount and pull the RX crystal out Replace the crystal with the new RX crystal Finally replace the receiver and the hatch cover You are ready to sail on your new frequency SR
12. ind If you steer your boat into the wind past the point when it is head to wind you have sailed past head to wind If you are luffing up you are not permitted to sail past head to wind If you do you lose the right of way regardless of which tack you are sailing on If there is a collision after the leeward boat is past head to wind the leeward boat must do a penalty turn see Rule 5 5 Collision rule Whenever you collide with another boat or fail to avoid a collision you must sail clear of all other boats and complete penalty turns before continuing the race Before the start of every race the race committee or racers determine whether a penalty will consist of one or two 360 degree penalty turns Generally only one turn is required in light wind conditions 4 Luffing Rights Rule This rule applies when you are passing another boat at close proximity Figure F indicates the windward and leeward sides of a boat On the starboard tack the starboard side of the boat is the windward side On port tack the port side of the boat is the windward side wind direction Windward side Leeward side Figure F RULE When two boats are sailing on the same tack starboard tack in these examples at close proximity Figure G the leeward boat has the right of way over the windward boat 2 If you are a windward boat on the offensive you must pass with enough room to avoid the leeward boat If you cannot avoid the leeward boat yo
13. r boat lengths figure A When your boat s bow touches the imagined circle figure B imagine a line parallel to the back of your boat If the nearest boat to your boat has not yet crossed overlapped the parallel line figure C you may round the buoy without yielding to that boat If there is a boat that has crossed the line an overlap figure D your boat must yield to that boat Figure A ts J 7 PA Figure C 9 pe 24 vo No overlap 1 may round the buoy without yielding to 2 Inside overlap 1 must give 2 room to round buoy Sail Control Sail stick Your RC Laser is powered by the wind not by your radio However the stiek on your transmitter enables you to let the sail and out to maximize your boat s use of wind power see How to Sail As you move the sail stick up the wind will push the sail out When the sail stick is all the way up the sail will be able to move out to a position perpendicular to the center line of the boat which is as far out as it can go As you move the sail stick down the sail will move toward the center line When the sail stick is down as far as it can go the sail will be close to the center line of the boat Use the trim lever to fine tune the sail You are ready to sail Put your boat in the water and have fun Radio Frequencies The frequency of your RC Laser is indicated on the end flap of the box Each RC Laser comes with a set of removable
14. trol servo Hull Transmitter Receiver Hatch cover Battery holder Switch Manual If you need to purchase replacement parts you can contact the retailer where you purchased your RC Laser or your local distributor A list of RC Laser distributors can be found in the back of this manual Layout TELL TALE SAIL SHEET LINE MAST ae BOOM SLIDERS HATCH COVER POWER SWITCH ee ee Oy 7 KEEL LOCK SCREW EYE RUDDER BRACKET ANTENNA TUBE ANTENNA MOUNT RUDDER KEEL________ RC LASER RESOURCES Distributors Model Sailing Center 290 Circle Drive Evergreen CO 80439 USA Orders only 800 497 8976 Information line 303 670 4670 Steve ModelSailingCenter com www modelsailingcenter com www sailrclaser com Peterkin UK Ltd 85 Commercial Square Freemens Common Leicester LE2 7SR England Tel 0116 254 3645 Fax 0116 247 0618 nigel peterkin co uk www rclaser org uk www peterkin co uk Radio Control Sailing Australia PO Box 1392 North Sydney NSW 2059 Australia Tel 61 2 9954 0755 info radiosail com au www radiosail com au ASSEMBLY OVERVIEW See following pages for detailed instructions 1 Assemble rig by connecting mast tubes and sliding assembled mast into sail pocket Slide boom into gooseneck 2 Insert keel into slot at bottom of hull and slide into place 3 Place rudder into hole in
15. u must steer away to avoid a collision wind direction 1 2 Boat passing If the windward boat 2 tries to pass the leeward boat 1 the leeward boat 1 can luff up the windward boat 2 by steering into the wind causing 2 s sail to luff Figure When a boat s sail luffs it loses power and speed Luffing up is mostly as a defensive maneuver Figure G wind direction Figure 6 RIG Slide rig mast and sail into mast hole on deck SHEET LINE Connect sheet line to slider by pulling loop at end of sheet line over slider tang until loop hangs from slider ring slider tang WHEL slider ring TRANSMITTER The transmitter is the device that enables you to control your RC Laser from the shore On the transmitter there are three controls the stick on the right is the rudder stick the switch in the center is the power switch and the stick on the left is the sail stick To operate the transmitter remove back panel and install eight AA size batteries extend the antenna and put power switch to the on position After turning the transmitter on slide the power switch on the boat to the on position The power switch on the boat slides front to back for on and off Do not push down damage may result ALWAYS turn the transmitter on before turning the boat on Rudder stick
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