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Assembly Instructions

Instructions

These are very detailed instructions. When you are familiar with the set up, the boat can go from case to water in about ten minutes.

First! – Observe how the boat is packed in the case and remember the system.

1. Read this paragraph and then remove everything. Remove the accessories and then the hull, bow first. To remove the square white stand base from the bottom of the case, lift out the foam rubber rectangle on the back side of the case over the stand, bottom first. Then lift the stand base out back side first. The mainsail bag is inside the hull and should be removed along the starboard (right) side. The stand tube is inside the hull and should be removed along the port side. Be careful not to bump into the switch assembly below decks to starboard of the keel well.

2. If sailing, be sure the transmitter and the boat receiver batteries have been charged at least overnight the day before sailing. A full charge from empty is 18 hours. First voyages should be in light wind and close proximity. Heavy air, above 15 knots (about 40 knots scale wind), requires, as in a full scale sailboat, reefing, replacing the jib with the storm jib line (just the string provided), or using the factory available high wind sails.

When you first receive the boat, charging for about an hour will supply enough current for the setup. The boat charging jack is located on the starboard side of the servo tray. The boat will not turn on while the charger is attached. On the transmitter the charging jack is on the lower right side. The antenna storage hole is on the left. As long the charger lights are on, everything is charging. Do not turn on the transmitter without the antenna firmly screwed into the hole on the top. Two chargers are supplied: (1) a charger custom made for the boat with a 6 volt charge and a jack for the transmitter with a 9.6 volt charge, and (2) the original transmitter charger, enclosed for convenience, with a 9.6 volt charge and a 4.8 volt line we do not use. With the two chargers, you can leave your boat rigged in a boat house and take the transmitter home.

2. Assemble the two-part stand by screwing the large tubular section into the stand base. The stand is now ready, but NEVER leave the boat unattended outdoors on the stand. A strong gust of wind can blow it over. If you wish to leave it, lay the boat, in the stand, on its side on the ground.

3. Next, slide the keel ball into the hole at the base of the stand’s vertical tube, pointed end first. Pull on the pointed end of the ball while gently rocking forward and back to seat the keel. When the keel is wet, a tight fit is necessary for it to be secure. If the keel is empty, pour 14 pounds of #9 lead shot into the hole in the top and securely tighten the stainless steel plug with the 6 millimeter Allen wrench provided. Fourteen pounds is the entire contents of the two included 500ml bottles. The keel is now ready to receive the hull. Always place the boat on the stand in the same manner: stern first. You may pull or push directly on the pointed end of the keel ball to seat or release.

4. Remove the stainless steel pushpin from the starboard side of the keel well. Place the hull on the keel. Re-insert the pushpin through the starboard side of the keel well through the keel and out the other side until it is firmly seated. You may have to lift the hull slightly to align the holes. Gently lift and rock the boat fore and aft to be sure the pin has gone through the keel and has not just passed over it. If the hull does not come up when you attempt to lift it off the keel, and if you cannot see the red warning stripe on the starboard side of the keel, boat and keel are now securely linked.

4-A. Most boats are transported with the sails rolled to prevent wrinkles. The jib remains attached and is rolled around its boom. The mainsail is removed from the mast (where the two mast halves separate) and rolled around its boom and placed inside the hull on the starboard side of the keel well.

To attach the sails:

1. Insert the mast crane (the 5” titanium rod with the black wire attached) by gently pushing the rounded end of the rod through the hole in the top of the mast from the slotted side to the rounded front side. The top of the mast is the shorter section.

a. Identify the smaller jib (with round boom attached) and the larger mainsail (which uses the aerodynamically shaped boom).
b. Before joining the two mast sections, start at the break and slide the lower part of the mainsail down the groove in the bottom half of the mast all the way to the bottom, making sure it is in the groove all the way down. Then slide the top of the mainsail up into the top half of the mast and gently join the two halves of the mast together.
c. Pass the line at the top of the sail over the crane at the top of the mast and down to the cleat. Leave about ¾” clearance between the top of the sail and the crane. Do the same at the bottom of the sail going under the boom attachment eyelet and around to the nearby cleat.
d. Attach the main boom to the mast by lowering diagonally cut end 70° and mating the two halves of the gooseneck gently together. Attach the aluminum boom vang into the receiver on the mast, starting at the mast end (the one with the knurled locking nut). After a few turns, thread the vang into the receiver on the boom. The vang is threaded forwards on one end and backwards on the other. If it doesn’t start easily on one side, turn it around and try the other end. The vang acts as a turnbuckle and is used to pull down on the boom to flatten the sail shape.
e. Pass the line at the clew (lower rear corner) of the sail into the hole on the top end of the boom, out the hole on the starboard side and fasten it to the cleat on the starboard side.
f. Thread the mainsail downhaul line through the eyebolt at the base of the mast and up to the cleat on the port side of the mast to secure it.
g. If not done by the factory, thread both lines at the top of the jib trough the swivel near the top of the mast. If small white markers have been painted on the lines, center these on the swivel and cleat. Otherwise, stand the mast up vertically on the floor and adjust the lines so the jib boom is flat on the floor just in front of the mast. Cleat temporarily and adjust again before sailing when the mast is on the boat. This cleat and the backstay tensioner adjust the rake of the mast. On maiden voyages the mast should be raked very slightly aft (tipped very slightly backwards).

(For quick disassembly release the main halyard (the line on the mainsail at the top of the mast), unscrew the boom vang, and gently release the boom from the gooseneck by lowering the end 70°. Pull the mast apart and fold it over with the sail attached. Don’t store the sail this way for long periods, as wrinkles can form. Storage for a week or so is fine.)

5. Secure the antenna snugly to the radio transmitter. Never turn on the radio without the antenna attached as it is bad for the transmitter. Look inside the boat and be sure everything is clear of the servo actuator arms and lines. Turn on the radio receiver in the boat by pulling up on the black “winch” switch on the deck. Pull the two left-hand levers on the transmitter toward you - this position will pull the sails in when the lines are attached. You should see the arms move.

On the transmitter, on the side with two sticks, the left lever is the mainsail and the right the jib. Pull these both down (away from the antenna). This will position the white servo levers inside the boat in the “close hauled” – sails full in – position. In this position the white mainsail lever is forward and the jib lever is pointing aft. The sail trim tabs are just to the side of the sail levers on the transmitter and must also be pulled all the way down. This will be full close haul (inward) position for the sails. It is very important to rig your boat with the sails and the trim levers in the full in position. Center the rudder trim tab below the steering lever, which is on the right side of the transmitter.

6. Locate the rudder and slide the shaft through the hole on the underside of the stern and into the hull. Inside the hull, place the control horn of the steering linkage on the rudder, brass bearing up, set screw facing forward, and tighten the set screw on the horn with the “L” shaped hex wrench provided. The set screw should automatically settle into the flat spot on the rudder shaft.

Adjust the rudder so it is completely straight by turning the nylon clevises on either end of the stainless steel rudder steering rod connecting the rudder servo to the rudder post. In a perfect adjustment, both control arms are pointing sideways and the rudder is straight. This allows exactly equal throw to the right and left. A very fine adjustment can be achieved. Once the rudder is adjusted, it should not be necessary to adjust it again even if it is removed and re-installed. Turn the boat and the transmitter off.

The hull is now assembled and ready for the mast and sails.

7. Slide the two mast sections together, if this has not already been done during sail mounting, and secure the sail using the cleats at the top and base of the mast.

8. With the mast and sail assembly leaning against the port side of the boat and stand, first hook up the jib tack (the hook at the end of the jib boom) to the eye on the forward deck. Then hook up the backstay to the stern backstay line. Squeezing the small stainless clip will reveal the ends. Slide the line over an end and pull around and down to attach.

9. Pick up the mast and slide its notched base over the mast step on the deck, making sure it fits securely into one of the middle notches on the track. Now the mast is standing and is supported fore and aft but not sideways. Standing at the side of the boat, gently let the mast lean against your shoulder as you hook the shrouds to the deck eyelets. Attach the shroud that is higher on the mast to the forward eyelet and the lower shroud to the aft eyelet. Now your mast is secure. Adjust the shrouds and backstay to the desired tension – not tight, just snug.

Hook the radio antenna which comes through the deck to the #2 spreader so it runs up along the mast.

As part of the “pre-flight” check, with the boat receiver and the transmitter radio off, reach inside the boat and move both sail winch arms gently by hand. They should move easily with slight tension and feel about the same. Remember the “feel” of the movement. If, at a future date, one feels stiff and moves with some drag, it should be replaced.

Now turn on the transmitter and the boat (receiver) to check the movement and freedom of the controls. Be sure the sail levers are pulled down and in on the transmitter. This is very important.

Everything should swing properly. The mainsail servo is supposed to brush against the inside of the boat for maximum throw. It will make a scraping sound which is harmless and normal. The mainsail servo arm should stop just before the block (pulley) at the rear of the radio tray in the sail out (downwind) position. The jib servo arm should stop just before the eyebolt on the forward end of the radio tray. When the radio levers are pulled in towards you the sails are in for upwind sailing. When the levers are pushed out away from you the sails are out. When you push the rudder control stick to the right the rudder servo arm should move to the rear which will cause the boat to turn right. Leave the transmitter and boat turned on.

The correct position of the sail and trim levers for attaching the main and jib sheets (lines which pull in and let out the sails) .

10. Close the cockpit hatch after leading the main sheet (the line coming from the right/starboard sail servo actuator) through the small block (pulley) attached to the rear of the radio tray and then up through the black fairlead in the middle of the cockpit hatch. The jib sheet should be passed through the fairlead in the foredeck. (If this line is accidentally pulled completely inside the boat, see note 1 below.)Now attach the mainsheet and jib sheet to their respective boom cleats (after leading the sheets through the eye on each boom). Finally, make sure the cockpit hatch is snugly fastened by gently tightening the 6 black winch screws. Get them all started and then tighten opposite winches until the hatch is snug. It is easiest to do this while pushing down firmly on the edge of the hatch around the winch then just screwing the winch down to the surface of the deck lid.

With both transmitter and boat turned on, and both mainsail and jib control levers in toward you to the full “sails in” position, center the main boom and pass the mainsheet line through the eyelet and cleat. The line should not be tight. If the line is too tight, the mainsail servo will chatter, use too much power, run the battery down quickly, and possibly overheat. In the worst case, it will melt down while you are sailing or sustain internal damage.

Now pass the jib sheet through the eyelet on the jib boom, point the end of the jib boom at the forward shroud to form the “slot” between the jib and mast, and cleat the line. This is the proper “full in” upwind position for the jib.

If you attach the lines properly but fail to have the sail control levers in the “full in” position – and then pull them in while sailing – the servos will be straining to pull the sails in when they are already in. There is a large powerful battery in the boat and the servos draw a lot of current in normal operation. As with any high performance machine, improper handling will cause damage. Just be sure everything is “in” when you attach the mainsail and jib sheets (lines).

In normal sailing, the sail trim levers could always remain in the “in” position. In racing they are available for fine adjustments – mainly on the jib slot. The rudder trim lever is very handy for tacking as the boat can be trimmed to hold an exact course. The boat can also be steered very finely with only the rudder trim lever.

If a servo has overheated but not melted down, it will feel stiff and sluggish the next time you “preflight” by manually moving the servo arms without power and will need to be replaced. Replacement, like most maintenance items, takes about ten minutes.

YOUR SHIP IS NOW ALMOST READY TO SAIL.

Proceed as follows:

1. Check the controls to make sure the rudder and sails are responding to your signals in the right direction. Note: the sails will not go out unless the wind pushes them out.

2.Do not handle the boat through the cut-out in the after portion of the deck. This is a decorative piece and is not strong enough to be used for lifting.

Holding the keel, slide the boat forward off its stand. If the keel is dry, you may have to grasp the keel ball and wiggle it slightly to loosen it from the stand. Carry the boat horizontally by the trailing edge of the keel, mast in front of you, parallel to the ground with the bow up. Remember the rudder and don’t bump it. Gently launch, holding the side of the boat. If the dock is high you can lower the boat into the water VERY CAREFULLY by the mast if you tighten up the shrouds a little. If you tighten them up too much the mast will bow or get an “S” curve, so tighten just a little. Happy Sailing!

Batteries:

NOTE: Rechargeable batteries self discharge over time. Full capacity is reached when they are charged overnight and unplugged shortly before sailing. Batteries charged a week before sailing may last only half as long. Sailing time depends on activity. The average time for one set of batteries in active sailing is about three hours. Use a second set or a quick charger for continuous sailing. Four regular AA batteries may also be used in a holder available from us or any electronics store. They will last about the same time.

The transmitter may also be operated on 7 AA (if not using the 8 rechargeable) batteries. AA batteries are 1.5 volts and rechargeable batteries are 1.2 volts. A wooden dowel wrapped in aluminum foil may be used as a blank battery in any standard eight AA battery holder. See “TIPS” below for further details.

To recharge the transmitter and receiver batteries:

Be sure that the wall outlet you are using is not switched so that when you turn out the room lights the charger power doesn’t go off too.

If the mainsail does not come all the way in, or if the boat becomes sluggish or erratic, head for home right away and charge or change the batteries. A full charge will provide a minimum of three hours active sailing and much more if conditions are light.

Charging from a complete discharge to full capacity takes about eighteen hours. Thereafter, charge overnight. See the Radio instructions for details. It is not good for battery life to leave the charger plugged in for days at a time.

Extra batteries are available from Challenger Model Yachts and most hobby shops. The batteries can be changed in a couple of minutes. Transmitter and receiver batteries are available from Challenger Model Yachts.

To change the batteries on the boat, open the radio box, unplug the used battery, and plug in the fresh one. Be sure both sides of the plug meet correctly - red to red and black to black.

To change the batteries on the transmitter, pull the tabs on the bottom of the case out and remove the back cover. Unplug the used battery and insert the fresh one.

The boat battery can be 4.8 volts to 6 volts. The boat is delivered with a 5-cell, 6 volt aerospace quality NiCad battery. The transmitter has 8 cells equaling 9.6 volts. NiCad batteries are 1.2 volts per cell, and standard AA batteries are 1.5 volts per cell. Four AA cells will work perfectly in the boat and they equal 6 volts for maximum power. Radio Shack sells plastic 4 and 8 AA cell holders. The connector is Futaba and can be obtained from us or any hobby shop. The 9.6 volts in the transmitter may not be exceeded. Since AA batteries are 1.5 volts per cell, six or seven AA cells will work fine (but not eight).

Notes:

1. The line to the jib (the “jib sheet”) can be easily “fished” back up through the fairlead in the foredeck by using a 3 foot piece of sturdy sewing thread. Fold the thread in half and poke the double end down through the hole. Reach underneath and pull the loop of thread back to the hatch, put the jib sheet through it, and pull both lines back up through the hole.

2. Wetting or waxing the thread will make it stiff enough to thread through the hole easily. Rubbing the lines with a bit of beeswax or the stub of a candle will also keep them secure when cleated. Beeswax has been applied at the factory.

3. A word about the mast: No parts of the mast are glued or fastened so that they cannot be removed. When the mast is not on the boat, these pieces can be loose and slide down the shrouds. When the mast is mounted everything will be tight. The mast is constructed this way to make it possible to quickly and easy to repair anything that breaks at the water’s edge and not in a workshop.

4. The radio has two extra channels between the sticks. These are unused in normal operation, but two accessories can be added. Some sailors have installed horns, lights, and buoy drops. A buoy drop can be fabricated with the extra enclosed servo mounted to a plate on the deck secured by one of the winches. A balloon tied with a piece of sewing thread to a small rock makes a good disposable buoy. Sail out to the desired location and release the thread with one of the extra channels.

Tips:

When sailing, use the rudder trim tab to ease steering and to help hold a true course. When the rudder is properly adjusted, the boat can be slightly steered using the rudder, the rudder trim, or the mainsail. The best secret for winning races is not to steer too much. Slight pressure on either side of the rudder lever is usually enough. For an upwind/downwind course, the sails are also usually full in or full out. For a triangular course with reaching legs, the sails are adjusted in the mid ranges.

The mechanical “throw” of the rudder can also be adjusted by attaching the nylon clevis to the rudder steering arm closer (more throw) or farther (less throw) from the rudder. The factory team prefers maximum throw for racing as it allows for very tight turns at the start. However, in this setting, a very light hand is needed for sailing – especially downwind. Maximum throw is also necessary for heavy air sailing. Do not sail in very windy conditions without storm sails or removing the jib. Heavy wind will knock the boat over on its side, the rudder will become ineffective since it will be partially out of the water, and the boat will sail away!

Sail shapes and rigging have a lot to do with speed and performance. Experiment with different configurations for different conditions.

Be sure your jib boom is pointed at the forward shroud turnbuckle when close hauled. This “slot” between the trailing edge of the jib and the leading edge of the mainsail enables good upwind performance. Experiment with the jib trim to determine the optimum position. The boat can be seen to point up, or fall off, the wind slightly as the jib is trimmed inward or outward of the shroud.

The position of the mast fore and aft, the rake of the mast, the tension of the boom vang, and the downhaul are primary adjustments. When sailing downwind, the main boom will not be ninety degrees to the boat. The boom should only be out forty-five to fifty degrees, but the upper portion of the sail will be out ninety degrees.

After sailing in salt water, rinse the boat and metal fittings carefully. As on a large boat, WD40™, LPS1™, or a similar oil spray is necessary to keep the turnbuckles and metal parts looking good and working well.

A little grease from time to time on the rudder shaft, mast joiner, and aluminum boom vang threads will maintain smooth movement. The factory uses white marine grease.

Trouble:

If the controls move in the wrong directions, see radio instructions on servo reversing. It is easy and just takes a minute but is a slightly different procedure on different radios.

The Challenger factory maintains a supply of all spare parts and can also re-paint and repair boats. Most rigging cable and lines can be obtained from fishing tackle shops. The factory uses eighty-pound test (thirty-six kilo) plastic coated stainless steel wire and 80 pound test (thirty-six kilo) Dacron line. Radio gear and batteries are usually available from better hobby shops. Universal RC connectors are used on the factory batteries, but any plugs that have two connectors can be used as long as a matching pair is soldered onto the connection. The turnbuckles, blocks, and winches only come from the factory. In an emergency a 4/40 machine screw can replace a winch. The deck can also be taped down with electrical tape.