They sure don't. Most rc hobbies are this expensive for this kind of enjoyment but I'd say that the people being recruited won't budget this much time or money at first. I use myself as an example.
The price of a first ship has actually dropped dramatically since the hobby began, or even since I got into it in 2004. Back then I had to spend $250 for a run-of-the-mill Futaba 6-channel radio. Now an equally capable radio is $26. The price of the regulators and tanks haven't increased a whole lot in that time, and factoring in inflation, they've actually held steady. With the advent of more-accessible 3D printing (if you don't have a printer, you can use Shapeways mail-order printing, or get a friend to do it), several parts that used to cost $30-35 (pump and gearbox come to mind) cost about $15 (a couple bucks of plastic plus the metal parts). For cost of entry, I compare it to a lot of other hobbies: bicycling, shooting, sewing, camping. Look at the actual entry costs of those hobbies, and building a cruiser doesn't look so bad. PrepMasterNick, I find no fault in your prep work Buying a running ship makes life much easier, especially at the beginning. And, I snorted my coffee about the pole comment
