GREAT NEWS...........
2016 Nirvana Nationals to be held in October at St James PMYC

I'm pleased to announce that the Nirvana Nationals will be held this year in October at the St James Plantation Model Yacht Club's Pond.

The dates are Oct 8th and 9th.

The Notice of Racing for the 2016 Nirvana Nationals is at:http://sjpmyc.weebly.com/ which is the home page for the hosting club, the St James Plantation Model Yacht Club.

Click the Announcements tab, where the NOR is the top item. Using a mobile device click the line symbol at top left of the home page
The weather should still be warm and windy on the NC coast and the club will have a warm welcome for all Nirvana skippers.

It is a Nirvana National event, so all Nirvana skippers are welcome, AMYA members and non members.

Peter Wilding
AMYA Nirvana National Secretary


WARNING

Since starting this thread back in 2008, it has grown into the huge repository it is today. Here you will find the most helpful group of guys, best/biggest source of Nirvana information available anywhere and information about many other aspects of RC boating to include setting up marks/buoys, rescues and other items of interest to the posters.

There is only so much that can said about a ready to sail boat, one that doesn't allow much room for modification, and much of the sucess of this thread is because of the rabbit trails that keep things interesting. Many of us have formed close friendships and enjoy the side bars...it is what has kept this thread alive while most just die out. This is just to let you know what you're in for...relax and read the whole thread, it's like a good book and well worth the investment of time.

Crash

Nirvana II Racing Class Sailboat

FEATURES:

Construction: Composite low drag hull design with removable racing keel and ballast bulb

Sails: Constructed of Polyester film that will outlast and out perform all others, designed to withstand up to 20 knot (23mph, 37kph) winds, jib features lightweight boom and adjustable clew tension

Mast: Rigid carbon fiber with quick release foot for portability

Keel: Ballast bulb racing style features quick release

Servo: Heavy duty, metal geared sail winch type

Radio Compartment: Self sealing for water tightness

Rudder: Large area, deep water type

SPECS:

Length: 32"
Beam (Width): 7.75"
Height: 64"
Weight: 5.5lbs
Sail Area: 525"
Sailing Speed: 6 knots (7mph, 11kph)
Top Wind Speed: 20 knots (23mph, 37kph)
Radio Range: 1500' (457m)

RC Nirvana
Class One Design Racing Rule (2012 rules from http://sailrcnirvana.com/Racing_Rule.html)

Nirvana Class
International Racing Rule
Published 2/1/12

The radio controlled Nirvana was designed and engineered for production by Jon Elmaleh in 2003. Nirvana is produced by Megatech International Inc, hereinafter referred to as the builder.

The Nirvana is a One-Design class model sailboat whose specifications are regulated by the builder to insure uniform performance and quality control worldwide. This rule only pertains to those owners who wish to race their boat.

SECTION A - FUNDAMENTAL RULES STRUCTURE

A.1 One-Design Clause - The primary purpose of this class rule is to regulate all Nirvana sailboats throughout the world, used for racing, to be equal in all characteristics that affect performance.

Modifications -No modification, removal, or additions shall be made to any manufactured boat part unless it is specifically detailed in this document.

Manufactured Standard -Only boat parts manufactured by the builder (OEM) shall be used. (Hull, Keel, Rudder, Mast, Booms, Hatches, Cockpit seats, Sails)

A.2 Definitions

Abbreviations
IRCNCA - International Nirvana Class Association
RRS - Racing Rules Of Sailing
MT - Megatech International- licensed builder
ISAF - International Sailing Federation
NA - National Authority

Language
English - The official language of the class is English and in case of dispute over translation the English text shall prevail.
Clarification -the word "shall"" is mandatory and the word "may" is permissive.

A.3 Authority - The builder is the final authority for the terms and wording of this rule.

Rules Committee- - The builder may appoint a rules committee of knowledgeable boat owners. This committee shall advise the builder on rules issues raised by owners.

Owner Input - Any class boat owner, or group of owners, may propose a rule change, or rules discrepancy, to the Rules Committee for consideration. The Rules committee may propose such rule changes to the builder.

Legal Responsibility - Neither the ISAF, nor any NA, nor any recognized measurer is under any legal responsibility with respect to these class rules for accuracy of measurement, and no claim arising from them will be entertained.

Certificate - No measurement certificate is required, however, boats are subject to inspection by the race committee at any time during a regatta or series to determine compliance with these regulations.

SECTION B – ORGANIZATION

B.1 Administration of the Class

Country or Regional Class Secretaries shall be appointed by the builder, or may be elected by a vote of class members when a sizeable, builder recognized, organization is formed in that particular country/region.

Communications - Communications to class members on class business shall be by web site, national affiliation publications and email where available.

SECTION C - AUTHORIZED MODIFICATIONS

C.1 Electronic Equipment
Servos - No servo shall be modified electronically or mechanically from its factory default performance torque, speed and travel. However, other servos may be installed as long as their performance factors are not greater than listed below:

Sail Servo - Max torque in oz/in = 122/153 (4.8v/6.0v); Speed = .24/.20 (4.8v/6.0v) Only arm winches are authorized
Steer Servo - No restrictions.

On-Board Batteries - Nirvana on-board electronics shall be powered by either 4 ea alkaline AA cells (6 v), or 4 ea NiCad/Nickel Metal Hydride rechargeable AA cells (4.8 v).

Antenna - The receiver antenna may be installed in any manner.

C.2 Hull & Deck

Hull Finish - The hull may be repaired, sanded, filled, and painted as long as the hull shape is not modified from the original in any way.

Hull & Deck Decoration - Any means of decoration is suitable - self-adhesive letters, tape, decals, or paint, may be used on the deck and hull.

Bow Bumpers - Class legal bow bumpers may be required by local authority for any competitive sailing. There is only one class legal bow bumper.

Drain Holes – Drain holes may be installed in the bow or stern for draining the hull.

C.3 Underwater Appendages

Keel and Rudder - The keel fin and bulb, and the rudder may be sanded and painted. The shape of the keel and rudder shall not be changed in any way. No filet is authorized where the keel fin enters the ballast or the hull.

C.4 Rigging

Rigging Lines - Lines used for mainsheet, jib sheet, outhauls, halyards, topping lifts, downhauls, boom vang, stays and shrouds may be of any material deemed suitable by the boat owner.

Booms - Standard booms may be shortened for better clearance but sail dimensions of the standard sails may not be altered. Additional sheet adjustment holes may be added to the boom. Alternate fittings for sail attachment and adjustment may be installed.

Fasteners - Clips or hooks of any kind may be used to fasten lines but should be of closed design so they do not catch rigging of near-by boats.

Mast Head Fitting (Crane) - The mast head crane may be drilled to provide alternate backstay attachment positions.

Gooseneck & Boom Vang Fittings - The gooseneck and boom vang mast fittings shall be used, however, the gooseneck swivel and the boom vang mechanism may be altered or substituted. The location of boom fitting, for the boom vang, shall not be changed.

Jib Swivel Fitting - The jib swivel deck fitting shall not be moved. The swivel, itself, may be of any configuration and length, and the location of the attachment point on the jib boom may be adjustable.

Topping Lifts - Topping lifts may be fitted to main and jib booms.

Down Hauls - Downhaul lines may be attached to each sail via one grommet at a time.

Halyards - Halyards may be attached to each sail via one grommet at a time.

Sheet Exit Hole - The location, size and shape of the exit hole in the electronics compartment starboard wall, through which the sheets pass, may be modified.

Sheet Attachment to Boom - Sheets may be attached to the boom by any fittings or method.

Shroud Rail Fittings - Shroud attachment fittings, and location on the rail, are optional, but shall be no further aft than 17" measured from the front of the toe rail to the eye of the fitting, measured along the toe rail.

Wind Vanes & Tell Tales - Any type of wind direction indicator may be attached to the top of the mast, and tell tales may be used on the sails at owner's discretion.

C.5 – SAILS

Attachments - Wind Flow indicators may be attached to any point of the sails and may be made of any material.

Repair - Sail damage may be repaired as long as repair does not stiffen or alter the size of the sail.

Sail Numbers - Nirvana sail numbers are a specific size, color and font and are located on the sails as specified in the Sail Number addendum attached to these rules.

Sail Graphics - Sails may be decorated using decals, tape or markers, but such markings shall not interfere with easy identification of the sail numbers or the class logo. Sail decorations may not significantly stiffen or change the shape/size of the sail.

Class Logo - The font, size, and location are as designated on the Sail Number addendum, when adopted.

Grommets - Grommets may be installed at any location on the clew, tack, or head, of either sail, however only one grommet at each corner of the sail may be used at one time.

Battens - Battens are optional, but if used shall be positioned, and be of the same dimensions, as on the standard OEM sails.

D. MISCELLANEOUS RACING RESTRICTIONS

Crew - The crew shall consist of one person, but may be more with special permission of the Race Committee.

E. PENDING RULE CHANGES

Minimum Weight - A minimum weight shall be determined. As soon as the appropriate investigation is complete, a suitable minimum weight will be designated. In the interim, all boats will sail with all original equipment on board except for those exceptions listed in C. above.

Sails - Smaller sails are being designed and tested to determine suitability for heavy weather sailing.

A couple more helpful hints:

1.) File down and round off the holes in the booms where the sheets enter and exit, these are very sharp and will quickly fray your sheets.

2.) Add a small piece of stiff plastic to cover the electronics. Place this shield under the sail servo arm and above the rudder arm. This will prevent things from tangling on the sail servo arm.

3.) Add a small slice of sponge under the sheets where they enter the inside of the electronics compartment. The sheets should rub on the sponge to remove water as it tries to enter the compartment with the sheets.

4.) Make sure all your knots are tight...a small amount of glue will prevent them from untying.

5.) A rubber bow bumper will save damage to your boat when you hit a stone wall and/or other boats in a collision. It will happen to you...I promise!

Links

Link to a good source of information on the Nirvana:http://sailrcnirvana.com/

Link to our Club that sails Nirvanas: http://www.orgsites.com/al/montgomer...lub/index.html

Link to the MMBC report here at RC Groups:https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=772876

Definitions of Terms

Starboard Tack and Port Tack

A boat is on starboard tack when her windward side
is her starboard side. Conversely, a boat is on port tack
when her windward side is her port side. Normally, this
is the side opposite the one the main boom is on. When
racing, you are always on either a starboard tack or a
port tack, even while in the act of tacking or gybing.

Windward Boat

The boat that is upwind from the other boat.

Leeward Boat

The boat that is downwind from the other boat.

Tack/Tacking

Changing to the other tack by turning the bow toward
the wind.

Gybe/Gybing

Changing to the other tack by turning the bow away
from the wind.

Luff/Luffing

Changing course towards the wind. Very commonly
applied to the action of a leeward boat changing course
toward the wind and toward a windward boat.

Bear Off

Changing course away from the wind. Also called:
laying off, bearing away and bearing off.

Clear Astern, Clear Ahead, Overlap

A boat is clear astern of another when her hull and
equipment is behind a line abeam from the aftermost
point of the others hull and equipment. The other boat
is clear ahead. An overlap exists when neither is clear
astern or when another boat between them overlaps
both.

Close-hauled

A boat is “close-hauled” when she is sailing upwind
and as close to the wind (as much into the wind) as possible.
Also called: on a beat or beating to windward.

Four-length Zone

The area inside of an imaginary circle drawn around
the mark, with a radius equal to four boat lengths.

Gybing Mark

The course mark that is usually between the two
reaching legs. Normally, gybing from one tack to the
other is part of rounding this mark.

Head to Wind

The point at which the bow of the boat is directly
into the wind.

Fetching the Mark

A boat is “fetching the mark”, when she can continue
to sail on the tack she is on, make the mark and
round it on the required side.

Lay Line

An imaginary line, from the windward mark, along
which a close-hauled boat can sail and pass the mark on
the required side.

Sailing by the Lee

Sailing downwind with the main boom on the same
side of the boat as the wind is coming over.

Lee-bowing

Being on the same tack as the other boat, and sailing
on her leeward side and slightly ahead.

Proper Course

A course a boat would sail to finish as soon as possible
in the absence of the other boats referred to in the
rule using the term. A boat has no proper course before
her starting signal.

Shall
Mandatory: you must do it.

Can
Having the physical or mental ability to do it.

May
Having the option of doing it.

Tactics
The application of your ability to see what is going
on around you (wind, current, boats, etc.), and process
that information spontaneously (within the context of
the rules) to be on the right part of the race course, at
the right time, in the right place relative to other boats
and the wind, so as to effectively implement your race
strategy.

Here is an Index of how to improve, tune, repair a Nirvana by post number) located throughout this thread. Thanks to GCplane for taking the time to compile this for everyone...

And special thanks to mejmea for all the work to make the below links work...just click on the blue post number to get to the post...
Post #

#1 Great initial upgrade ideas - Many of these ideas are already done by the manufacturer for Nirvana III.
#3 how to iron a sail
#12 electronics upgrades
#16 Steve Langs upgrade package
#24 Spectra sheets
#47 stake down stand, use old TV tray.
#82 straight mast in high wind and slight rake back in low wind.
#112 hints to speed up
#144 rigging stays
#184 HS-645MG servo
#190 http://www.modelyacht.org
#195 http://www.rchobbyexplosion.com/MEGA...mtpt-nv107.htm
#247 tighten in this order: shrouds - forestay - backstay
#251 more wind less camber
#265 and before seal hull with silicone, shoo goo, epoxy, hot wax
#284 tight vang
#365 how to spray paint sails
#369 replace keel to reduce submarining
#372 new aluminum boom vang - home made
#406 part for upper jib stay
#411 places to buy rigging parts e.g. turnbuckles, etc.
#450 how far sails should travel
#550 How to make nylon sails
#614 Adapting sail arm to HiTec 645mg
#617 ! How to route sheets through swivels
#624 Heavy weather sailing rig
#625 Waterproofing the electronics
#631 Fundamentals of Sailing, Crusing, and Racing - Steve Colgate
#632-633 sailing tips
#636 Using 2400 Mah NIMH batteries
#656 Vac-u-tug
#694 Where to buy rigging blocks
#722 tools for sailing
#778 how to tighten the stays
#899 Harbor Models
#909, 915, 918, 919 Sail Servo list
#935 Buoy design
#947 Rigging upgrades - screw adjustment
#952, 953 Rigging parts detail - dubro, yacht supply
#1044 Rigging upgrades and details - great pics of details!
#1056 Micro magic video on basic tuning -- view this before a race!
#1119 Weight in stern would help - try around 6 oz
#1125 Where to buy parts
#1132 Making deck blocks work well - (latest boats eliminated this problem)
#1133 Weight in boat
#1159 Krylon Fusion Paint recommended
#1170 Race course layout
#1219 Retrieval "lure" for boats
#1298, 1299, 1300 - Potential keel and rigging improvements
#1308 Steve Lang how to adjust the rigging tension
#1394 Add a fishing worm weight to balance the jib boom. See #1367 on position
#1405, 1407 Jib counterweights
#1474 0.6 mm spectra is best. .8 too big. (or maybe not - stated a few posts later.)
#1503 Adjustable jib boom pivot point
#1513 Notice the multiple deck eyes for locating the jib boom pivot point
#1523 Jib pivot geometry
#1650 Nirvana Review
#1691 Stay rigging by using Dubro parts
#1694, 1695 Alternate stay rigging parts
#1806 Spring in sail arm
#1861 Folding Launching Rack
#1886 Set sails to swing from 15deg to 80 deg. see attachment
#1940 Photos of stay fittings
#1956-1965 tugboat discussion
#2002 ! Sheet tube to keep water out
#2012 Spectra line may be all that is needed to keep water out
#2087 How to launch buoys
#2106 Fishing eyelet for sheets to run through, only need 1.25” servo arm length for sheet servo
#2258 Initial setup
#2347 and surrounding posts about Battery packs
#2364 Nirvana tuning
#2376 Sail Adjustments - new boats have a similar arrangement stock
#2380 Adjustment for the jib
#2391 How to set buoys and retrieve things
#2532-2533 Powder coated metal Dubro parts for stays
#2536 Contacts to purchase turnbuckles
#2751 CF rod added inside the mast
#2763 Review of Stays and hardware
#2765 Sailsetc is a place for parts
#2789 A link of where to buy goosenecks and other parts. Also gooseneck break is very common so maybe I should glue a gusset in place to prevent a possible break See photo a couple of posts prior.
#2819 parts in a boom vang - see description of the photo
#2850 year 2011 rules
#2889 use a metal rudder clevis
#2891 use locktite, put fuel tube on clevis, and use a grub screw
#2901 good glue link
#3175 shimmed the boom vang
#3181 Boom vang upgrades
#3196 where to buy Decal paper
#3227 boat cart - collapsing
#3396 Use fishing lure to make wind indicator
#3522 Various repairs and upgrades - notice the wind indicator
#3832, 3834 Keep water out, tube, grease, and other tubes
#3897 - tear in sail, ideas for fix in following posts
#3918 - rigging screws - see link
#3949 & 3958 - How to paint and paint prep products
#4031 and surrounding posts - how to plank the deck with wood
#4137 adjusting the rudder servo
#4253 upgrade to sheet rigging and place to buy parts
#4276, 4280 sheet block replacement & boom vang
#4307 Rings on plates for sheet rigging
#4314 Summary of boom vangs
#4537 Posts that discuss stays and rigging
#4613 Servo comparison
#4661, 4667 Turnigy AA 2200 batteries - rechargeable
#4772 Topping lift - trimming and shape of sails
#4887 Review of Shroud upgrade photos
#5082 Tools for modifying the hull
#5431 Harbormodels
#5568 Dremel Tool accessories
#5595 Shackles for sheet guides
#5663 Use WD40 to remove sail decals
#5844, 5845 Suggestions on how to fix a chip out.
#6030 Proboat battery and switch parts fit right in to replace original
#6036 RC upgrades
#6041, 6042 Waterproof switch, servos, charge pigtail
#6089 Magnetic switch
#6105-6107, 6113, 6117 Making decals and painting
#6194, 6196-6226 Tips from Steve Lang the winner and other tuning tips
#6237 Best to disable the springs in the sail servo (Raildown is Steve Lang)
#6300 Weathervane - home made
#6314 Boat trim - measure the close-up picture of Steve' boat in around post #6194
#6315, 6317, 6319 How Steve set up
#6335 - What the winners did different
#6339 - Measure the stays
#6348 - Weather vane
#6356 - Decals
#6510 Turnigy AA Low self discharge 2200 batteries lasted 10 hr.
#6532 - Why move backstays back to 17"- Nirvana III comes that way
#6579 - Mast head connections
#6580 - Rigging suggestions
#6617 - Rigging lessons learned
#6619 - Move jib lower helps stop submarining
#6630 - Carrier ideas (2 boats at once) packed in the car.
#6635 - Carrier and storage dolly
#6666 - Rigging with a swivel
#6758, 6759, 6762 Adjust boom angle to help weather helm
#6971, 6973 - Group of boom vang photos
#7289 Link to How to make sails
#7394 Fix Rudder alignment
#7401 Round cut in sail to prevent tearing
#7407 Epoxy patching materials
#7426,7427 Sail and Rudder servo replacements
#7531 Sail Trim
#7627 Discussion and photos of storm sails
#7639 How to make a smooth boom vang connection
#7816 Link to tuning a sailboat !
#8097 Move stays to improve tacking
#8670 Sail servo arm idea
#9207 How to fix the lead keel to plastic connection
#9773 Trouble shooting and WD40 the on off switch
#10002 Tuning Guide
#10005, 10007 Tuning comments
#10106 Battery - rechargeable packs that fit well.
#10145 Tuning 40 to 40.5 inches on jib stay
#10380, 10381 Recommended line for stays and sheets
#10501 Nirvana III improvements
#10566 How to make a good wind vane
#10583 Review of rigging
#10588 3rd Nationals video
#10601 Rudder dielectric silicone and setup
#10670 Tips to assemble a boat
#10676 Boat Tuning detail instructions
#10681 How to lock down boom hardware - see post 10731 for update
#10714 Solution for loosening up rig
#10717 stop sheet tangling
#10718 Fix busted gooseneck
#10720 various upgrades and fixes
#10731 O-Ring upgrade
#10757 Servos and Radios
#10768 HK batteries work well
#10779 How to setup
#10787 Fix for mid mast fitting
#10820-26 setup - stay position and sail travel
#10830 Rational for 17 inch stays
#10835 setup
#10901 Rigging photos and drawings
#10916 Sail arm adapt to other servos
#10918 Boat setup
#10965 How to adjust sail twist
#10967 Replacement tangs
#10969 How to fix side stay upper tang
#10971 Jib topping lift for light air sailing
#10974-6 How to glue on a bow bumper
#10981, 10982 How to fix mast head part
#10993 How to make a new sail arm

BASIC RULES OF RACING

Here are some very basic printable rules (in Word Format under the pics) everyone should know and the Nirvana Manual in PDF format (at end of post):


Crash

This is the starting point for the Vixen. Below you will find the information as I get it on this new yacht.

Here is what we know so far:

Jon Elmaleh (who designed both RC Laser and Nirvana - as well as a number of other great boats) really out did himself with Vixen. Even Jon was surprised that the boat was so "right" from the first time it got wet.

Steve Lang of sail.rc is the builder. Rumor has it that this 34" RTR boat will be in the $350.00 range, it is a US built boat and options (with/without radio etc) will be available.

Here is the latest on the VIXEN as of 5/1/2013.......go to post 8942 to read Steve Langs post....I attached the latest pics taken at this years Geezer Regatta.

And here is a video taken by our own Captain Wild Bill at the 2013 Nationals (click on the HD button if you can stand the slower download) :

http://api.viglink.com/api/click?for...13723330848448

...here it is Dude:

"This sail material (polyester film) is difficult to flatten once it has been wrinkled/creased. Thus, you must always caution everyone to store the sails carefully and flat.


You will gain some success from ironing with the iron on steam. Place a towel over the sail and iron the affected area. Never touch the sail with the iron itself. I am afraid of the hair dryer but will try it out on some messed up sails I have here.


You need to hang in there on sails for now as we do not have any and Megatech tells me now that we will not get any spares in our next shipment #$%^&.


The best line for sheets is the string brand name Spectra. It is not easy to find. However you can find another product I use called Dyneema at http://www.midwestmodelyachting.com/...upplies07.html - Item 310 is strong enough. One roll of this will take care of your whole fleet.


Hope this helps. Steve"

C. Slick

Great pics! Love the Kingfisher bumming a ride.

I use 35lb Berkley Gorilla braided dyneema line. Very thin and tough. The single biggest issue I had with my stock boat was drag on the sheets, which often prevented the sails from letting out all the way when running in light wind. I made some changes to my blocks which combined with the new sheets rectified the problem. I've also fabricated a new boom vang and main boom pivot (replaced the gooseneck with a ball joint). Radio box mods of course as well. Three coats of Meguiar's Tech Wax and the hull is just super slick....a fresh coat on regatta day naturally.

Hip tip: removing the "seats" and outer radio box cover/hatch saves 2.3 oz!

I'll get some pics of the "Sea Ya!" and her mods up asap.

Here are a few pics of some mods and new paint.

i really like the position of the sponge. do the sheets rub on it? if so does it restrict sheet movement any? very ingenious idea with the sponge.

Originally Posted by doomracing

i really like the position of the sponge. do the sheets rub on it? if so does it restrict sheet movement any? very ingenious idea with the sponge.

In the pics the sponge was left to dry with a weight on it to flatten it when it dried. I usually wet the middle part of the sponge just before I sail to make it expand and contact the sheets to allow it to wipe them as they pull in water. This also makes the sponge soft at that point. NO...it will not have any noticeable effect on the performance if you use a thin strip of sponge.

Thanks for the compliment on the idea, but it was not my idea...I borrowed it too!

C. Slick

Here is my poor mans version of a sail protector. It's cardboard with duct tape around the edges held closed with cheap metal paper clips. It's made it through a whole season already.

C. Slick

First the latest news on the new Nirvana Class of AMYA boats per Mr. Steve Lang is "the paperwork (Constitution, Bylaws, Class Rule) are all submitted to the AMYA Exec Secy for approval. I expect to get the go ahead any day. Then I will field an email vote of all AMYA members that are registered Nirvana owners to get the required approval of the Class Owners Association I am setting up. So I am hoping all will be in order by the end of this month.

We are already scheduled to be the feature model in the fall issue of Model Yachting"

Cool...the feature in the Model Yachting Magazine.

Ok...after some frequency interference problems this past Sunday causing my Nirvana to run aground, I decided to upgrade the electronics. I have a 2.4Ghz Specktrum DX6 due for delivery today. I went ahead and upgraded the sail servo while I was in there to the Hitec HS 645 MG. I will post pics as soon as I can of this upgrade.

Here is some info regarding two shortcomings of the DX6, information from this thread: https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=802850 Thanks John!
You can either upgrade the battery for longer life (what I am doing) or upgrade the voltage regulator or both. There is a link for that here. http://www.dimensionengineering.com...pektrum_mod.htm
The other weakness of the dx6 is the antenna at the pivot joint. You can either have on hand replacement antennas available here http://www.horizonhobby.com/Product...?ProdID=SPM6810 or install a wireless router rubber duckie type, or you can do what is becoming a trend, take off the antenna and install it inside. Follow this link and scroll half way down. http://www.anderswallin.net/

I will try the internal antenna idea and post results here too.

I also plan to test 2 boats off one transmitter simultaneously. I want to see if I can use the tug to rescue my Nirvana using the same transmitter without the Nirvana accepting the same inputs the tug gets. This should be interesting and I started a thread on this here:https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=803244

Capt. Crash

Regarding using the same transmitter for two boats... Thats one thing that makes the DX6 so cool. Lets say your Nirvana gets becalmed. You simply grab your tug, change the selection of model on your DX6 to the next thing for it to control and it links with just that receiver, no other. Besides that, your pre set points for just that model are now engaged and it becomes just like that has been the sole transmitter of that boat alone. Good way to limit number of transmitters needed. Thats why the fly boys love it, so they can switch between the tons of planes they always have.

Good luck with it,

John

the other fix for the antenna problem on a dx6 is to get a 6" section of rubber hose that fits snuggly around the base of the antenna. the extra length is stiff enough to alert you that the antenna is against something. poof no more problem. a few of the sailors at my pond do this.

I got the new electronics installed. I tried locating the new AR6000 receiver in every possible manner and decided to place it as shown. The fitting in this spot is very tight, but works. The orientation of the antennas was the deciding factor in location and as you see in the photos they are oriented in the recommended 90 degrees from each other.

1. First I drilled a hole for the wiring to come up through between the rudder servo and receiver.

2. I very carefully trimmed the edges of the receiver down to the seams (but not to the point of breaking the factory seal) on the fore and aft edges and corner to give the smallest possible package to fit in the confined space. Even after trimming the receiver, it still needs to be moved just ever so slightly to be able to remove the battery tray. If you added a charge plug this would not be a concern.

3. I added Velcro to the bottom of receiver. The Velcro allows the receiver to be moved/removed very easily and it to move up just enough off the servo tray to help with battery removal.

4. I taped the antenna wires with scotch tape to the sides of the radio compartment as shown.

5. I took the pin protector that came on the receiver and cut it down to cover the remaining 4 sets of unused pins. I also sealed the holes in the top on the protector with silicone sealer. This is probably unnecessary as the receiver is in a very good location to avoid water damage unless the boat basically sinks.

6. I replaced the sail servo with the Hitec HS 645 MG. This required modifying the servo arm as noted in the first post in this thread.

One final modification to report. I noticed that the sheets were exiting the radio compartment at such an angle as to rub on the exit hole and cause fraying and friction to the sheets. I solved this by drilling a new hole aft of the original as seen to allow for a straight shot to the first fairlead.

Capt. Crash

i take it you have/had a paradise? i see a aquacraft servo.

where did you get the bow bumper?

Hey Doom,

The aquacraft servo came out of my Atlantic Harbor tug. Here is the place to get parts from:

http://sailrcnirvana.com/Nirvana_Store.html

Capt. Crash