Forward / reverse suggestions

[Andyfree]

I have nearly finished a 36 inch RAF crash tender my Dad bought for me about 28 years ago! I have just bought a 4 ch Futaba SkySport Tx. The throttle is on a rachet on the left stick and I would have the rudder on the left. I have now realised - how do you control forward / reverse? I have heard that you can remove the rachet mechanism and replace the springs to allow the stick to centre, or just use the right hand stick. If the stick was in the centre, wouldn't I only have half the throttle range? I'm not too keen to start messing around inside as it would void the warranty. Do you think I should be looking at a more suitable radio or does anyone have any obvious answers that I've overlooked?
Thanks for your help.

[CG Bob]

Since you-re worried about foward and reverse, I assume you will be using an electric motor and not an internal combustion engine. There are many brands of electronic speed controls (esc) available that have forward and reverse. Buy an esc, and plug it into the receiver; connect the esc wires to the motor and battery as directed by the esc instructions.

With the stick in the center, the motor is off. Moving the stick up (towards the top of the transmitter) from the center position makes the boat go forward. Moving the stick down make from the center position makes theboat go in reverse.

Most of the esc's have a battery eliminator circuit (BEC) as well. With the BEC, the battery that powers the drive motor also powers the radio receiver. This eliminates having a separate battery pack to power the radio receiver and servos.

Personally, I'd leave the ratchet action on the left stick. I like being able to take my hands off the throttle control. We have one event here in the US called "Conning", which is a two person team event for navigating the boat around the buoys. The Captain can see the boat on the water, but does not have the radio. The Captain gives helm and throttle commands to the Helmsman. The Helmsman has the radio and stands with their back to the water. At several contests, Ive heard the Captain give throttle commands like: "Forward three clicks" or "Reverse 5 clicks". Each "click" being one ratchet notch or detent. Also most people use the right stick (moving left & right) for the rudder control. Most people move up to a 4 or more channel radio system from a 3 channel radios with sticks.

[wingnut163]

Thanks CG Bob. saved us a lot of typing.
Andy, CG Bob is right. but if you want it the other way, what ever turns your prop.
if i remember right, the rachet can be put on the other side.

[Ghost 2501]

andy, my boats are set up for single stick control on my 6EXA set, though whether you put the throttle on the right or left stick does not really matter, as they both have the same amount of travel in both directions.

as you are in wallasey, have you considered joining the new brighton model boat club??? they meet at the model boating lake on the new brighton sea front near the fun park and marine lake in new brighton :)

[E-Challenged]

I have an old Astro Flight speed control with no reverse in my Sterling CC Motoryacht. I rigged a heavy duty ( high amperage) automotive toggle switch lever to a servo and wired it to change polarity of power to motor. Don't rememeber exactly how to wire the switch that way anymore but it is a common polarity reversing circuit . It has worked well for a long time.
My yacht doesn't steer well in reverse, it needs the prop blast against the rudder for good authority in the forward direction.