Increasing the hobby

[Subculture]

You don't need to modify any kits, and they come with good instructions. I'm cautious of posting links to competitors- this is a free forum but funded by a business.

If you're hoping for big companies to swing in to this hobby, you'll probably be disappointed. Some have had a go in the past, the largest and best was probably Thunder Tiger with the Neptune, but it's long out of production. The sales volume just isn't there.

Lots of how tos already out there. Several books, lots of other publications, plus hours of youtube vids. Sure you have to look for it, but google has been around for 25 years now. It was a lot more difficult back in the 'good old days'.

[Thorbrandr]

There are actually a good few submarine kits on the market that a relatively inexpensive, e.g. under £/$150. They're small and dynamic divers, but hobby grade. They also come with a large amount of prefabrication e.g. cnc and 3d printed parts. These are much easier than the kits of old and a dynamic diver presents less issues than boats with ballast systems.

So cost and accessibility isn't a barrier to entry IMO.

I hear this, and after a year or two in the hobby I can see where this may be possible IF you know where to look, and know how to modify kits. About 7 years ago when I really wanted to get my feet wet in this hobby, I could find NOTHING online that indicated this was really realistic. Lots of forum discussions pointing to old out of date radios, boutique suppliers for WTCs, kit conversions, etc, but no place to go to purchase. Can you write up a sticky that makes all these clear and and a how to for people who are looking to get into the hobby?

Just to be clear, tI agree the buy in cost is not out of line with a lot of other hobbies, but it is much higher than RC aircraft these days and much more obscure. About the same time I looked for subs, I ended going with a RTR 1.3m aircraft. It was much easier to get into that. Went to store, dropped $350 including radio, brought it home and had it up in the air the next day.

Oh, and decided subs are more fun and have bought in there. One running, a few in built, one in design....

[Davjacva]

Jake, can you post something about the tanks you have in the Off Topic forum?

Ken, will do. It's funny, as I was thinking the same thing after I saw Bob's video of your incredible y-connector. I thought that maybe this only solved part of the problem for people as last year I had a very similar problem when I had to double the systems and wiring on an operating tank that was made to house one operating system.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Jake, can you post something about the tanks you have in the Off Topic forum?

Yeah, Jake. What he said. Post some pictures. (don't make me post in-work shots of our collaborative work on your Tiger). I dare ya!

David
Who Hates Armor!

[Ken_NJ]

Jake, can you post something about the tanks you have in the Off Topic forum?

[Davjacva]

Without a major manufacturer mass-manufacturing RTRs/kits/WTCs, something on the level of Tamiya or Traxxas for example, it would be very hard to grow the hobby. There simply isn’t enough quantity to go around. RC tanks only started to grow exponentially with companies like Heng Long releasing RTRs at an affordable price and in big quantities.

I am active on a few RC submarine facebook groups where there are thousands of members, but even then there’s only a handful of individuals who are actually building and operating successful RC subs. We operate in the most hostile environment known to RCs, so it’s only natural that we’re a niche hobby. But hey, with advancements like home CNCs and 3D printing, the hobby has been made a lot easier for those who are brave enough to venture into it.

I agree in part with what you're saying, involving the manufacturers that were already big, but it goes way beyond those boundaries. Company's like Tamiya, who had completely stopped building 1/16 tanks as of 1998, had 5 kits 4 years later and had about 25 (I lost count) as of recently. The 'toy' manufacturers like Heng-long and Taigen (the latter being slightly better plastic rattle-boxes) did offer up cheaper kits, but that's what they were. There are forums now completely devoted to upgrading them, but it takes so much to upgrade them to operating standards that they aren't worth it. They'd break down after a short time of battling or serious operating... and they don't move like a heavy vehicle across ground. The big deal were the after-market companies like WeCoHe,, these were twice the price of a Tamiya, but very detailed and more robust (672 metal bolts for just wheels, for example). After the Scam-demic, a lot of these larger companies have atrophied, but the static models have exploded with kits never seen before. Then there's the Asiatam with all-metal kits. The point made is that just a short time ago there was virtually nothing for a scale that had seen only sporadic offerings since about 1970, now it's all over the place. Like you said, and the one thing I failed to mention that is a huge ogre sitting in the basement, is a place to run. Tanks, I can run almost anywhere, but subs is about the most difficult in the RC hobby. Until recently, Merriman and I were literally shut down here in Virginia Beach, and we are surrounded by water. We were running at a pool that had heavy amounts of chemicals in it, so much that it was almost impossible to operate. Now we have a big pond, and strangely, it's a very clean one in an area surrounded by nasty ones. I think the difficult technical aspects (WTC) of the RC sub hobby could be addressed easily by smaller outfits. They already have to a large degree, but I think they need to be more 'bullet-proof'. Being more 'bullet-proof' may lose some of the higher aspects/ functions, but it would be a boon for the hobby.

You are absolutely correct that there are thousands of people that are at least watching this hobby. I hardly every post on my Facebook page, but I put some Nautilus video posts up of the recent Cohutta event, and I was floored by how many friends and family knew of Bob/ RCSUBGUY via Youtube.

I'd like to go work on the hobby, but now I get to go into the garage and clean up a mess of transmission fluid that siphoned out of a Turbo-350 in my '70 Skylark for some reason, and it's saturating the new tires I bought earlier this year...need more coffee,
Jake

[trout]

Love that picture Ed! Just awesome!

I saved this image from years ago to my computer as a screen saver. Love this photo!

[QuarterMaster]

Love that picture Ed! Just awesome!

That's actually care of Capt. Gaito.

That's Ray's 1:72 is cruising on the surface with mine of course submerged in the background. Even sunlight reflection can cause visibility issues, Thankfully not that bad in this picture.

[QuarterMaster]

Thanks for removing that both pointless and disgusting comment, that did not contribute in any manner to this thread!

Jörg

Roger that!

[Ken_NJ]

Love that picture Ed! Just awesome!

[JHapprich]

Thanks for removing that both pointless and disgusting comment, that did not contribute in any manner to this thread!

Jörg

[Subculture]

There goes the neighborhood!

[QuarterMaster]

You lady boys looking for perfect water amuse me. Doing just that I'd never get the chance to run as it's <10% of my yearly venue.

FWIW, running deep is easy in a clear pool. Maintain 1/4" depth control at PD 50 yds away, then you impress me.

I actually prefer murky water, it keeps the Skimmer pukes asking, "Where are you Ed?". Then I know my RC Sub is doing it's job, approaching by stealth.

[Das Boot]

How about pools in parks?

Green water.

[Alucard]

Finding a body of water that you are allowed to use ad does not have a lot of people in it, or a strong current, can be tricky, When we move one of the things in a house I am looking for is an inground pool, originally for my wife and my dog, Sherlock loves to swim, but now that I got sucked into this hobby, it will also be for me. Of course, pools are limited in size so you can only do much, but it is a start.