RC boating, or remote control boating, is a popular hobby around the world. However, one of the significant challenges in RC boating is working out how to retrieve an RC boat stuck on a body of water. One popular way of retrieving an RC boat is with a tennis ball.
Here’s how you can retrieve an RC boat with a tennis ball:
- Attach a tennis ball to a fishing rod.
- Use the fishing rod to cast the ball.
- Reel in the fishing line to retrieve your boat.
This article will take you through a step-by-step process of retrieving your RC boat with a tennis ball. It also considers other ways you can retrieve your RC boat and explains why an RC boat gets stranded.
How do you Retrieve Your RC Boat With a Tennis Ball?
There are two ways you can use a tennis ball to retrieve your RC boat. You can either:
- Attach a tennis ball to a fishing rod and cast the rod.
- Throw a tennis ball attached to the fishing line.
1. Attach a Tennis Ball to a Fishing Rod
If your RC boat is stranded on a water body, you can retrieve it with a tennis ball, a fishing pole, and a fishing line. Here’s the step by step process:
- Locate where your RC boat is stranded and try to estimate how many meters away from the shore it is. This will allow you to make sure you have the right length of fishing reel.
- Set up your fishing rod with a fishing line.
- Attach a tennis ball to the end of the fishing line.
2. Use the Fishing Rod to Cast Your Ball
Cast the fishing reel, trying to aim it, so the tennis ball lands either behind your stranded RC boat or in the hull of the boat. Depending on how accurate you are, you may have to cast the line a few times.
If you find casting a fishing rod too hard, try throwing a tennis ball to retrieve your RC boat. Here are the steps you should follow:
- Tie a length of fishing line around a tennis ball.
- Tie the other end of the fishing line around a stationary object, like a tree.
- Throw the tennis ball into the water, aiming for the hull of your RC boat or space just behind it.
3. Reel in the Fishing Line to Retrieve your Boat.
Once the tennis ball has landed in the correct spot, gently begin to pull the fishing line back towards you. This will pull the RC boat along with the fishing line.
When using a tennis ball, it’s essential to try not to aim at the mainframe of your RC boat as a hard throw may damage it.
The tennis ball method is one of the most popular ways of retrieving an RC Boat. I find it relatively quick and easy.
If you want to see how to do this, here’s a YouTube video from Drew’s RC Shack:
Other Ways To Retrieve a Stranded RC Boat
Some people believe that the best way to retrieve a stranded RC boat is to swim to it. However, this is a high-risk way to retrieve an RC boat for several reasons:
- The water body may be home to alligators and other dangerous animals.
- The water body may contain whirlpools or have unpredictable tides that can overcome even the strongest swimmer.
- A swimmer may get caught in weeds or other water plants that are found in water bodies.
There are a few other safer ways you can retrieve a stranded RC boat, including using a second RC boat or using a real rescue boat.
1. Using a Remote-Controlled Rescue Boat
Many RC boaters bring a spare RC boat with them to use to rescue their primary RC boat if it gets stranded. There are a few different ways to use an RC boat to rescue another stranded RC boat. Two of the most popular ways are to use magnets or fishing lines.
To use magnets to retrieve an RC boat, follow the steps below:
- Attach an S magnet to the back of your primary RC boat.
- If your primary RC boat gets stranded in the middle of a water body, attach an N magnet to the front of your secondary RC boat.
- Use your remote control to steer your second RC boat behind the stranded RC boat so that the magnets connect.
- Steer your second RC boat towards the shore. Because it’s attached to your primary boat, the primary boat should also be pushed towards the shore.
You can also use a fishing line, a fishing rod, and a secondary RC boat to retrieve another boat.
Follow these steps:
- Attach the fishing line to the rod and attach the other end to your secondary RC boat.
- Drive the secondary RC boat to circle the primary stranded RC boat.
- Once it has circled the whole boat, begin to reel the line back in.
- As you reel in the line, it’ll pull both the secondary and the primary RC boat back in.
If you are using a secondary RC boat for rescue, ensure that it’s more significant than your primary RC boat. If it’s smaller, it may not have the strength to be able to tow your stranded boat back to shore.
2. Using a Real Rescue Boat
If you don’t have a secondary RC boat or a tennis ball on hand, you may find a full-sized boat helpful. Depending on the water body, you can row a kayak, an inflatable raft, or even a jet ski up to your stranded RC boat. Once you reach it, lift it out of the water.
3. Using a Magnet and a fishing rod
If your RC boat has started to sink, it may be more difficult to retrieve it. However, you can use a magnet to pull in an RC boat that is sinking quickly. Follow these steps:
- Attach an S magnet to the back of your RC boat.
- If you notice your RC boat is starting to sink, attach the corresponding N magnet to a fishing line and use a fishing rod to cast it towards your sinking boat.
- If the magnets are strong enough, they’ll latch on to each other, allowing you to reel in the boat.
How Does an RC Boat Get Stranded?
The methods explored will help you retrieve your RC boat using various materials you have on hand. However, it’s also helpful to know how you can stop your RC boat from getting stranded in the first place.
Here are some ways an RC boat gets stranded:
- The battery runs out. Many RC boats are powered by motors which are powered by batteries. If the battery of the RC boat runs out while it’s in the middle of a water body, it’ll get stuck. Ensure your RC boat batteries are fully charged before taking them out onto the water.
- It gets caught in weeds. If you’re running your RC boat in a water body filled with weed or algae, the boat’s bottom may get caught. In these cases, you may need to apply a little extra force to pull the boat free. Try to steer clear of weeds or other obstacles in the water body.
- It flips over. If an RC boat flips over while it’s on the water, it’ll stop running as it can’t move in the way it needs to. Try to ensure you aren’t making your RC boat go too fast, as that’s what may cause it to flip over.