Growing The RC Submarine Hobby

[RCSubGuy]

Watching this thread with interest, both as a modeler, as a vendor, and as the President of SC...

Keep the discussion going, guys!


Bob

[Subculture]

Young children have to be supervised, so to go along to shows and other events, that requires the interest and action of a parent or some other guardian. In a lot of instances, that is what is missing these days.

Having said that, just because a parent is interested in something, it doesn't automatically follow that a child will be. They say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, but generally some traits will be passed on but not always in the same form.

So for example, my Dad has always been interested in modelmaking and took me along to shows and events as a kid, and that no doubt fostered an interest in the hobby. However I took an interest in different sectors of the hobby to my Dad, because I'm a mix of both parents plus external influences.

[Davidh]

I have been reading the comments in this thread with much interest as it’s a question that I ask myself often. Being an RC Submariner and also a high school teacher has given me an insight into both worlds and given me some perspective on the generations coming through and their approach to being hands on with technology. In Australia, when you mention the word ‘technology’, kids almost exclusively think it means, computers and phones. Nothing else. These devices give instant feedback and are thus a contributing factor to the slow and gradual reduction in focus and attention spans. I sometimes show my students a model sub and the first question is, ‘where did you buy it? Followed by ‘You made, that?!’ Followed by ‘that’s nice, what’s next?

So we can’t compete with social media, online gaming, footy and other sports. Our pursuits take serious time ( can’t easily fit on the TV time slot that would otherwise be taken by Legomasters) and only a very very small number have the long term staying power to stay. The biggest thing I tell students and parents at course information night at school for the various years, is, to do well in Industrail Arts, you have to love problem solving. Some kids are good at it a lot ain’t. Our senior students in year 11 and 12 produce a nice piece of furniture, mostly desks and fancy bookshelves for their major works, nothing mechanical. The Australian Government has instigated a program that has been running for many years called ‘subs in schools’ to get teams of schools and student building model subs, ( I think it’s a long term attempt to build up the skilled workers in the Australian Defence industries) I have emailed that many people to discuss my interest and only get lukewarm response. They have consulted industry and the Navy is on board but why they did’nt even try to find out hobbyists and get us engaged is beyond me. It’s a great initiative, but it seems like they aren’t interested in talking to us..

We get zero publicity in the mainstream media (well, here in Australia we don’t) and even in the exceptionally rare moments we do, it is slanted in a way to make us look like silly little nerdy people and their toys. No respect for the enormous amount of technical achievement and talent that has gone into something amazing. Rc models are not seen as a creative pursuit. We don’t dance, sing, act, paint or cook. So we get no share of the media time to influence and put forward our pursuit. We all know that most people have no idea this hobby even exists. I do get really annoyed when people just don’t respect the work and effort that goes into these things. But they will fixate on some singer, who has written another song that sound just like ever other. We are craftsman, and I am proud of this thing we do.

It is hard to know the angle to attack this problem but I am convinced it needs to be multifaceted and a deliberate long term strategy. It will also take a culture shift and realistically that takes decades. Coupled with the fact that what we do is hard. It isn’t for everyone. There is a saying I think of when engaged with something that interests me, ‘Easy to do, difficult to master’. Well, subs ain’t easy to do and they are difficult to master, but there is the appeal.

Development of an easy sub design is one avenue, but cannot be a strategy on its own. Developing such a kit is elusive as it would inevitably involve the skills of the end user. In my computer subject I teach robots at two levels. I used LEGO ‘ mindstorms’ which are highly prescriptive kits and you simply follow instructions to make a working robot. Everything is in the box and I the instructions are really clear. There is no flexibility in the design and it is very rigid. They are great for beginners.

I also teach students how to use Arduino. ( this is a micro controller where you plug in what you want). This is scratch built robotics from the ground up, where you buy what you need and find a way to put it together. There is a lot of problem solving but infinite options and flexibility whilst you are forced to learn more. To produce a sub based on the LEGO philosophy requires an enormous amount of engineering and development at the manufacturers end. To make a sub simple to use it would have to be complicated. But at the same time you want the user to learn. There is no avoiding this if we want long term staying from our new recruits. Certainly enough to fix it. I think I am safe in saying that not even the best RC sub kits on the market( I ain’t talking pool toys) don’t quite have LEGO level of completeness. Correct me if I am wrong. ( I think being able to run them in a pool is the right idea, convenience) we more err towards the Arduino end of the completeness factor.

So, for a beginner, we have to ask ourselves, how much do we want them to learn from the build and run experience of a ‘Lego’ type boat? How much experience and learned knowledge will be be enough to hook them? How much will be enough to propel them confidently to bigger things?

I think that a book like what Bob is producing sounds like a good way of getting info out there. I know that when I started I did’nt know where to start. I read Norbert Bruggen’s model sub technology and it nearly turned me off as I ain’t good at the maths. ( it is a good book but I know it scares Newbies).

As you can see, I think a lot about this. Being an Industrail arts teacher, I tell my kids that if they don’t get creative with this stuff now and master it ( robotics is a good example) they they will be replaced by it and it will be run by some 10 year old kid in China who has already built it and on his way to his first million. It’s bad enough we have given up our manufacturing here.

David H

[Bob Gato]

The way to attract new blood to the RC hobby-be it surface, subsurface, air or road is not to get youngsters started in it. Its to plant the seed while they're young-that's how I started. I saw a sterling Chris Craft RC boat running at the NY Boat show in 1964 and I always wanted one then in 1982 or so I went to the Huntington Nautical festival and saw some real model subs.. then life happened, marriage, house, kids, job kids college -and finally when there was disposable income ..I pursued what I saw and now could afford! -Hell kids cant afford these things and a manufacturer cant afford to make them affordable to kids -but they're looking and someday they will jump in. The best thing we can do is show them running -be out there in the blogs and model mags and at the ponds-When others are there. Yes I know, many like to be uninterrupted while running their subs (unless other submariners are there)- we must share the hobby with anyone who will watch and listen
-plant that seed-BG

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

and... that's the name of that tune.

David

[Subculture]

i don't know about other countries but here in the UK there is a chasm opened up in practical skill sets for those under forty. It didn't happen overnight, and shouldn't have come as any surprise, sustained deindustrialisation from the late 1970's onwards resulted in schools abandoning teaching of craft based subjects, and a focus towards teaching design instead.

This has resulted in generations of younger people without practical skills unless they have a parent or close relative or family friend to pass on skills, and that directly affects hobbies like modelmaking. There are some who have learnt the skills in the under forty something bracket, but they're pretty rare.

IMO ready to run models won't preserve or grow the hobby- it's just playing with a toy. Relatively inexpensive model submarine kits are available and have been for some years. The availability of large scale injection moulded kits hugely trimmed the cost of a model submarine, and electronics batteries and motors are much cheaper in real terms than they used to be. I couldn't afford anything more than a basic 2-channel radio set until I reached working age, so subs weren't on the agenda

Perhaps if organisations had worked a little harder twenty years ago to attract younger members, the demographic would look a little different. Even assuming you could hook some younger modellers, few experienced in the hobby really want to be teachers, and many lack the temperament for it anyway.

[biggsgolf]

I have been watching yesterdays Dive Tribe Meeting as I was unable to participate. I have for the past few months debating in my mind whether to share a few ideas about growing this hobby.
I totally agree with developing an entry level under $1000 Sub. In my opinion I feel this Sub needs to be a scale that can be run in a pool. Many people have pools. Guys like to show off their toys. What better way to do so and to entertain then running a submarine that is not only driveable like a boat, but can dive, have navigation lights and just look cool!
keep in mind the younger generation who wants it now, does not want to invest many hours of hard work not knowing if it will even work. Also, many people don’t want to travel to a location to run their boat, they want to walk to their pool and play. My background involved planes which bored me, I prefered scale planes, helicopters which were a pain and difficult to fly and drones. I retired from helicopters due to the short run times and having to drive to my local club airfield. I chose drones due to longer flight time and stability.
These submarines offer ease of use, long run times and are scale.
Another thing to consider is that the FAA is in the process of making it very difficult to fly drones legally.
So in summary, a under $1000 Sub which will run in an average size pool or pond, very little assembly, incudes a Tx, charger etc., just enough to craete an appetite for what one can imagine in the future.
bruce