Wow that's all I got to say!! I have had a couple of Coota's and they are not hard to fly but they are all over the place (like they are dancing around in the air). I went through all the posts, didn't trim the wing tips, epoxied the motor mount, servo mount, taped out the wind hold down bolt, and balanced the prop. But man does this thing fly's like its on rails, it just carves around pretty as can be. Crisp aerobatics and real nice scale landings. Getting a little water in the thing even after putting silicone on the wing mount and the front canopy. This is only me 3rd electric as I am a long time nitro guy. I am always paranoid about the battery going dead in mid flight.

Originally Posted by hobiesailor

Wow that's all I got to say!! I have had a couple of Coota's and they are not hard to fly but they are all over the place (like they are dancing around in the air). I went through all the posts, didn't trim the wing tips, epoxied the motor mount, servo mount, taped out the wind hold down bolt, and balanced the prop. But man does this thing fly's like its on rails, it just carves around pretty as can be. Crisp aerobatics and real nice scale landings. Getting a little water in the thing even after putting silicone on the wing mount and the front canopy. This is only me 3rd electric as I am a long time nitro guy. I am always paranoid about the battery going dead in mid flight.

Hey Hobiesailor

I gave up on keeping the cockpit dry, I just punched a drain whole in the back by the step. The helps to drain out any water so you aren't flying with with it. No water gets in normally as it floats too high.

You can read back on all the ways to waterproof your electronics.

I've given up on silicon as all it seems to do is trap water in.

Mike

(p.s. If you have been a hobie guy for some time, I am sure we have crossed paths. I have am a H18 National Champion back in 1995. I've also raced everything from a 16 to a 20 -- currently retired).

Originally Posted by eroeder

I have taken off from grass twice without breaking it,, though I think if I was using a lighter 1300mah battery (not the 2200mah I use), it would have gotten of the deck quicker. It seem to use more yardage than I expected. The rudder dragging didn't help but luckily didn't get hurt. Over time I bet it would wear down.

Got onto a field with nice dry grass and managed a couple of SOG take-offs. Never bothered to remove the water rudder. Esp on grass I like to slide in on the front rather than flair too much. Probably why all my water landings so far are 'skippy'. If you're dragging that water rudder the danger is stripping the rudder servo or bending linkage or tearing it off. Keep the nose down and it's OK.

Also tried a friends 2100mah TP. Other than a slightly longer Slide-Off-the-dry-Grass it flew pretty much the same as with my 1000mah Turnigy.

Originally Posted by eroeder

Have to admit they look goofy...

For sure. Gotta get one of those cameras!

Originally Posted by hobiesailor

. This is only me 3rd electric as I am a long time nitro guy. I am always paranoid about the battery going dead in mid flight.

So you become a glider. No big deal. Haven't your ever had a nitro quit in the air?

Glen

Baby Seawind available now


http://www.nitroplanes.com/91a-seawind-arf.html

Originally Posted by ggcrandall1

So you become a glider. No big deal. Haven't your ever had a nitro quit in the air?

Glen

Sure, but I never had to worry about enough battery power to land the plane.

Wow I paid way more than that for mine.

Originally Posted by hobiesailor

Sure, but I never had to worry about enough battery power to land the plane.

You won't have to with an electric, either. The speed control will sense the battery voltage and cut power to the motor while leaving you plenty of juice to run the servos and get the airplane down.

Good flying,
desmobob

Guys, the simplest answer is to not run the battery dead. If you fly till the battery quits you are ruining the battery and it will not last as long. On a 3s lipo you don't want to fly below 11.4v. Any less and your are damaging the lipo thus shortening its useful life, generating excess heat causing it to puff and risking a fire depending on the extremes of the draw on it. There is no reason to dead stick in....accept for neglect.

Hi, my maiden flight is done. It flies great. When I was up and switched of the engine, it nicely glided down and it almost landed on its own The water rudder is not much efficient as you wrote in this thread, but is ok for me now.

My configuration:
engine: Turnigy 2830 1000kv
esc: Mystery 30A 3A BEC
battery: Zippy Flightmax 3S 1600mAh
servos: HXT 900
propeller: 8x6 from the kit
rx: Assan X8R6 (short antenna)

Been flying off of heavily dewed grass in the AMs. It's almost like water as the shaded east side of my field is actually a bit 'wavey'. TO from wet (or very dry) grass the same as for water but requires full power and full up elevator to get moving.

The geese don't like it much. After a couple low passes I find they've moved well away from the landing area.

Has anyone tried to use a Waypoint motor on their Seawind? Possibly a bit heavy at 87 gms for the 3008 series, but it looks like a lot more power than the rimfire options.

Originally Posted by rotorheid

Hi Guys,
What I've seen elsewhere is remove the shrinkwrap and using thermal paste for CPU cooling fins, extend the cooling fins through the skin to the airflow, done with care and edge sealed with silicon it is water tight. Align the fins with the airflow and you get great cooling with very little drag, cheers Al.

Will the thermal paste sufficiently adhere the cooling fins to the controller to hold it in place??

Folks:

Just finished my second SeaWind. With the Great Planes Rimfire 400 28-30-950 and the included prop,I am pulling 11.4 amps WOT static.. Does that sound about right?


Also, I notice a few improvements from my first Seawind about 3 years ago: Stronger wing locating dowel mount. Stronger motor mount ass'y(more adhesive). Still the same old wood screw for the wing mount which I tapped out for a 4-40 bolt.

Thanks,

Frank

I recently got a SW and for the most part I love it. It's water handling could be a little better but it makes up for that by the way ir flies. I am wondering though what are the two large rubber bands for? Thanks.