RC Sailboats / Yatches

[kawaiimomo]

I would like to give a try to those nice radio controlled sailboats, I used to fly planes and have a very decent transmitter, receiver and lots of LiPo batteries. All the online or physical Thai shops I saw carry mostly helicopters, planes and, if lucky, some cars and racing boats. It looks like all the people is either building the boats from scratch or purchasing kits from Europe (one is slow and may discourage a beginner and the second is expensive).

I wonder if there is some aficionado here who could give some tips on where to get a decent entry level sailboat in Bangkok or from a Thai online shop. Not too small or too big, wooden or fiber glass kit. If possible I would like to reuse my electronic components so a kit with just the boat and the servos would be perfect (for what I see most of the kits come with the radio equipment already and, since I already have it, I would like to cut that cost).

A chinese or regional online retailer would be ok too, still cheaper and faster than get it from Europe or the US (I only found chinese wholesalers). I found this Bangkok based group https://th-th.facebook.com/rcscthai and I know there is also Pattaya and Phuket based ones but for now I just want to try it by myself and their sailing places are too far from me anyway.

[AleG]

I don't recall seeing R/C sailboats, but at Saphan Lek (close to the end of Yaowarat Rd.) there are many shops selling R/C cars, boats, helicopters and planes. I'm planning to go there next weekend so I can look around to see if they have any.

Besides that I frequently buy from hobbyking.com, they are located in Hong Kong so shipping costs and delivery times are quite reasonable, they have several sailboat models in stock and at (I think) very cheap prices.

I've sometimes wondered if they'd allow to use R/C sailboats in the lake at Queen Sirikit park.

[AleG]

I checked at Saphan Lek and didn't see any R/C sailboats, but some shops were still closed when I went there.

[jdinasia]

There was recently an RC sailboat race at AFAPS. Will ask where they bought them.

[KNJ]

There used to be a RC shop on Petchurburi, just up from Amari Watergate, same side of the road, they used to have a few there, if they are still open

[kawaiimomo]

Thanks for the replies guys, appreciated ;-)

KNJ, I will check that shop on Petchaburi.

Aleg, very kind of you to take the time to update about the shops there. Too bad sailboats don't seem popular :-P hobby king is great but for the shipping costs for the boats I would think they are shipping from one of the international warehouses, most likely in Europe. It would be nice if they said from where exactly will a particular item shop from.

Jdinasia, thay would be awesome although I am afraid they buy online.

[jdinasia]

I will see 2 students that participated on Wed..

PM me later and I will let you know

[Breizh]

Hello Kawaiimomo,

I am a member of the RCSC thai community, so I think I can help you.

We are sailing International One Meter boats, and we practice and race every sunday afternoon at Sarin City, Rama 2, Samut Sakhon. Most of the boats sailing there have been bought at http://www.mxcomponents.com/en/, and actually manufactured in Thailand by Thai Safepack.

Some of us design and build our own boats, which is very time consuming, but is also part of the passion! The sailors at Sarin are really friendly, and everyone is welcome to join and try our boats. I am not there very often these days, as building and sailing cannot be done at the same time ( at least I didn't find how to do!), but I can put you in contact with the leader of the group.

Feel free to PM me if you need further information.

Khun Mik

[kawaiimomo]

Hello Kawaiimomo,

I am a member of the RCSC thai community, so I think I can help you.

We are sailing International One Meter boats, and we practice and race every sunday afternoon at Sarin City, Rama 2, Samut Sakhon. Most of the boats sailing there have been bought at http://www.mxcomponents.com/en/, and actually manufactured in Thailand by Thai Safepack.

Some of us design and build our own boats, which is very time consuming, but is also part of the passion! The sailors at Sarin are really friendly, and everyone is welcome to join and try our boats. I am not there very often these days, as building and sailing cannot be done at the same time ( at least I didn't find how to do!), but I can put you in contact with the leader of the group.

Feel free to PM me if you need further information.

Khun Mik

Hi K Mik, thanks for replying :-)

You are the guys sailing in the armed forces academy, aren't you? I saw your Facebook page but you sail quite far from me (I live near Phra Ram 9 MRT) and I don't have a car nor a driving license :-P I ended up buying one of those cheap chinese boats at HobbyKing (https://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__10386__RC_Sailboat_Legend.html), they aren't that great but I think they are a good value at 99 USD. By the way, what are the common frequencies used for boats in Thailand? I brought my 35 Mhz Futaba radio for airplanes from Europe, should that be ok? AFAIK there are no RC frequencies regulations yet in Thailand, right? I read that most surface vehicles use 40 Mhz and 72 Mhz so I guess I will be fine.

MXComponents boats look awesome, are they made by the Italian guy in the group? Do they actually ship from Thailand? Anyway my budget is limited, and these prices are prohibitive for me X-D I plan to actually scratch build my own boats but before I start putting the insane amount of time I better have a try with this chinese boat to see if I actually enjoy sailing ;-)

Hopefully I will be maiden sailing this boat next weekend. AleG wondered some post ago if they allow RC Sailboats on Queen Sirikit park, I will discover this soon as I plan to try on Benjakiti and Lumpini parks :-D I hope the security guards won't mind a RC Sailboat in the ponds, otherwise I may try at Saen Saeb after the boat service stops 555 :-D

[AleG]

Hello Kawaiimomo,

I am a member of the RCSC thai community, so I think I can help you.

We are sailing International One Meter boats, and we practice and race every sunday afternoon at Sarin City, Rama 2, Samut Sakhon. Most of the boats sailing there have been bought at http://www.mxcomponents.com/en/, and actually manufactured in Thailand by Thai Safepack.

Some of us design and build our own boats, which is very time consuming, but is also part of the passion! The sailors at Sarin are really friendly, and everyone is welcome to join and try our boats. I am not there very often these days, as building and sailing cannot be done at the same time ( at least I didn't find how to do!), but I can put you in contact with the leader of the group.

Feel free to PM me if you need further information.

Khun Mik

Hi K Mik, thanks for replying :-)

You are the guys sailing in the armed forces academy, aren't you? I saw your Facebook page but you sail quite far from me (I live near Phra Ram 9 MRT) and I don't have a car nor a driving license :-P I ended up buying one of those cheap chinese boats at HobbyKing (https://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__10386__RC_Sailboat_Legend.html), they aren't that great but I think they are a good value at 99 USD. By the way, what are the common frequencies used for boats in Thailand? I brought my 35 Mhz Futaba radio for airplanes from Europe, should that be ok? AFAIK there are no RC frequencies regulations yet in Thailand, right? I read that most surface vehicles use 40 Mhz and 72 Mhz so I guess I will be fine.

MXComponents boats look awesome, are they made by the Italian guy in the group? Do they actually ship from Thailand? Anyway my budget is limited, and these prices are prohibitive for me X-D I plan to actually scratch build my own boats but before I start putting the insane amount of time I better have a try with this chinese boat to see if I actually enjoy sailing ;-)

Hopefully I will be maiden sailing this boat next weekend. AleG wondered some post ago if they allow RC Sailboats on Queen Sirikit park, I will discover this soon as I plan to try on Benjakiti and Lumpini parks :-D I hope the security guards won't mind a RC Sailboat in the ponds, otherwise I may try at Saen Saeb after the boat service stops 555 :-D

If you can't use it at Lumpini or Queen Sirikit you could try in Suan Rod Fai, close to Chatuchak, there is a lake near the main entrance. They let me fly my airplanes so I don't think a sailboat would be any problem.