Hey was up at the inlaws cabin and I managed to get Bismarck sailed near the local pond which is notariously difficult to sail as it is open to the high winds that go through the area. I launched after a heavy downpour and managed to get in a good sailing run It started with the rudder servo not working but I was able to quickly determine that one of the servo extension plugs the end plug metal prongs had green corrosion so I scraped it clean using a knife and reconneceted it. Problem solved. If anybody has any questions about the strength of fiberlgass hulls let me tell you that I struck a low lying rock at full speed with Bismarck's bow with such force that it lifted the model's foward section high and sudden out of the water . I quickly reacted by turning the prop motor off and let the stern clear the rock . Fearing the worst I tried the prop and the model sailed in. No shift in the ballast . I pulled the model out of the water and inspected the bow and stern and the hull. No cracks or damage. The bow stem took the full impact. The prop and rudders were undamaged. This hull is 21 years , a swampworks hull . This is not the first time this hull has had severe hard impacts to the hull and it still keeps going. I don't know if a wooden hull would remain intact like this over a period of time. Either way I went for a second run at another pond. There I was sailing near a private dock and my rear flag post snagged a line attaching the dock to a floating pier. The owner swam over to untangle BIsmarck and it proceeded to sail the pond. A local jet ski was making waves for it. Winds were very high but the model sailed without issue. Overall I had a good day of sailing. Next model to challenge that pond will be Yamato. I had replaced main co2 line for both Bis and Yamato Friday night as I wanted their guns to be fully working.
Put some dielectric grease in the servo connections and power connections and it will block the green corrosion for a year or two before it needs to be refreshed. I have had that problem before. In the states you can get it at any auto parts store. Ron Hunt
Thanks Ron that's what I had done before but the regular maintenance has not been there the last few years. Looks like I will have to sit down and redo all the plugs with the grease. My sail days are usually in unforgiven water conditions and the plugs get wet. I find the grease you mentioned works pretty good. Used it in the receivor and no issues there.
