Hi! I am new to this. I found out about combat warships on a youtube video. I did a search on ready built ships, but found out that you have to build it yourself. I started searching some more and found a site called Battlers Connection. They sell pre built ship hulls and tons of other parts. I saw that you need to drill square holes in the hull, then put balsa wood on that. I was thinking about geting the SS Des Moines. But I do not know what other things I need to build it. I would be thankful if anyone could give me some advise on what I would need. I do not intend on getting in a group or any thing like that. I just want to go to the lake with a few boats and have a little sea battle. But I have no clue on what's needed What do I need to get other then the hull? What tools do I need? How do I hook it all up? Then what radio do I need? I have no clue on how radios work. Thanks in advance.
Check out the getting started tab at the top of the page. I really can't stress checking out a local club if possible. Just a few guys having a sea battle is the definition of most of the clubs. WCC (my local bunch) only exists when we show up and battle. In the late winter we may get a bunch of folks together and work on boats. We don't do meetings, we don't do minutes, rules of order or anything like that! You also need to understand that these ships are not simple plastic toys. They are COMPLICATED! If you can buy one off the shelf or used, you still need to take it apart bit by bit and put it all back together when you understand how it works. If you can't do that in the workshop, you won't be able to do it next to the pond when it breaks. A $.50 dogbone can mean the difference between a great day at the pond battling and an anoying day spent watching other people have fun with their boats. Building and learning all the bits of the ship is a significant part of the hobby.
I was hopeing to find a web site that can teach how the ships work, because the nearest group is about 200 miles away. I was hopeing someone can tell me what's needed to to build and run the boats, and tell me how they work. I understand that the are VERY complicated. But thats also why I want to do it. I want to take the time to build a ship, not just play with it. Its not like I just want to play around for a few hours with a boat, then put it in a toy chest. I want to be able to build my very boat, put all the parts in it and wire it all up, then paint, and display it. Then I could say "I built that" I really like to build models, and when I found that you can build AND fight with that model, I was suprised. I know that it will take time to learn how it all works. But this is what I want to do. And the only way for me to learn, is if someone can teach me how it all works. I would like to go to a small boating club, that would make thing so much better because they could teach me all about what's needed to be known about these boats and how they work. but I can't cause like I said the closest one is 200 miles away. It seems like around here no one knows about this sport. The closest club to me is in the Ozarks, and that is REALLY REALLY far from here. The closest hobby store is about an hour and a half away and he some boats but not combat warships. So if anyone could help me understand the parts and how they work, how I need to build the boat. I would be really thankful.
Here's a couple http://wmunderway.8m.com/cont/cont.htm http://bb_ops.tripod.com/RC_Combat/RC_Combat.htm I do IRCWCC type battling, both links are listed in the links page at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IRCWCC/links along with other good info. Most of the info can be adapted to what ever format you choose. When I started (in the '80s) we had very little info and most was a learning experience. Talk about pulling hair out. Once you get the ship together it requires very little work on the ship. My MARYLAND (built in 1984) Still battles today. It takes very little time to refit, normally a new skin on the hull, charging the batteries and blowing the dust out of the cannons. The best method for learning would be to travel the 200 miles one day and see with your own eyes. Everybody in the hobby is always out to help the new guy. Some have lend-lease deals. Contact them.
Thanks for the sites. I'm thanking about getting some books from wmunderway.com, and some of those dvds. I want to get the SS Des Moines from Battlers Connection and order some parts like the deck kit, then get the hardware kit, and build it up a little at a time, so I can learn as I put it together. But the problem was that I don't know how to hook up all the kits. Like how do you hook the guns to the co2 bottle, and how to hook up the pump to the rest of boat? How do the radios work? But the books and dvds should help out a lot. I want to see when the games down in the Ozarks start, cause I might go down there sometime. Thanks.
There is a battle Memorial Day weekend in Farmington MO, just south of St Louis. If you can make it there you'd learn a lot, even if just one day. I bring a spare cruiser along to battles you could take out and battle to get a feel for the hobby. There are a lot of good how to articles on portpolarbear.com There are several battlers in KC & St. Louis along with a few in Chicago. None next door to you, but most guys don't have people right next to them. Up here in MN we are lucky to have 25 active ships with in a hour or two drive.
Really? Thanks! I have to see wether or not I could go. But I looked at that site, and it helped out a lot. Now I know what tools are needed and what radio I need. if I can't go, can that dvd that the site sells teach me how to build a boat made out of fiber glass? As well as wire it all up? I now have a long list of what I need to get, and where to get it. I think I'm going to get the SS Des Moines from Battles Connection. With the deck and hardware kits, then build it up a little at a time. would that be a good idea? Or, is that not the best thing to do? Thanks
I also am in the process of building a Des Moines from battlers connection. The Kits you by from BC have pretty good instructions with them that tell you how to install the pieces. Another couple of places you can look at are http://www.modelwarshipcombat.com and http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Falls/9795/tips.htm These sites along with this site have been a big help to me. I've been building my Des Moines on and off for the past year as I learn some of the in and outs of the building process. There seems to be 10 different ways to do every thing so I think the best advise I can give is to do a little research and then pick something and run with it. You are going to change it later so you might as well just to get the boat out on the water and have some fun. : )
thanks. I think its going to take me about a year or so to build mine. But thats ok, cause it good to go slow and learn what's needed to be learned. I going to need to look up those sites then, cause I'm planing on ordering the hull kit here real soon. Thanks again. All the advise on what sites to look at has REALLY helped out a lot.
A Year! WOW! that is fast!!!! At least it is fast compared to what I have been able to accomplish. I have been in this hobby for about 15 months, and hope to have my first operational ship ready to sail by the end of this month! I did not build this from scratch. I was given a unskinned hull with two servos and a motor as a starting point. I would suggest to look around to purchase a complete boat to have on hand to sail while you are building your boat.
15 months? How hard are these boats to build? I have a lot of time, but it might still take a little time to build. I don't know what kind of boat to get. Cause I don't want to get a smaller boat, and wish I had gotin a bigger boat. Then agian I don't want to get a boat thats to big. I'm not new to rc. I had 2 rc trucks that could go about 30 miles an hour, and I had no problem with them. I don't mind having a bigger boat, if the only thing that makes it harder is, the way it handles, and the placement of the guns. Another problem is the lake that is about 2 miles away has, snakes, and says that you cannot swim in it. The nearest place that I could use my boat is an hour away. But the way the boats look online as they fight, its worth the drive! I'm thinking about getting two boats though, cause I'd need two so we could battle with them. First I'd get a smaller boat, so that I can learn how it all works, then I'd get the bigger boat. That might be the best way as far as I can see. What do you think?
I think the record is 8 days from kit delivery to pond. Something about having pissed off the commanding officer and being assigned duty in the garage with the expectation that he would have absolutly nothing to do for a couple of weeks. There was a large workbench in the back with good light and no one else around to keep him from working 10 hours a day on the ship... Basically a kit will need from 40-60 hours to assemble plus about the same amount of drying time. If you can spend 1 hour a week... The best suggestion I ever took was to allocate 10-15 minutes after dinner each night. That is about enough time to do one task. Say, cut and shape one piece and glue it in place. This also works well for those tasks that need drying time afterwards. It is fairly easy to get 15 minutes and that works out to closer to two hours a week. There are some tasks that are better suited to a Saturday afternoon listening to the football game.
It does not take long to build a ship if you have a plan. I've seen guys get them done in a month. One local has been around for almost 2 years and has a DD, 2-CAs, 1-CL, 1-BC and a convoy ship.
I have that "Honey Do" list hanging over my head. And the "Boat" is not on it! To keep peace in the house, I need to knock out several items on "The List" so that I can spend some time on the Boat.
