Question to All members - re: Regattas and Shows

[wilsonsubs]

All Members,
when you travel to a regatta or boat show how do you transport your models and support equipment?
This question applies to across town or across country. How do you package your equipment to secure it from damage?

To keep track of your answers I've attached a poll just for a summary and not to record your answers. So give reply on how you do it.
thanks

[chips]

Mike,

Your poll pretty much covers

Mike,

Your poll pretty much covers transporting the model. My support equipment (radios, CA, tools, batteries & charger, etc) is pretty much transported into a home made boat box. Most of my sub gear (Propel, rubber bands, grease. etc) is carried in a separate nylon tool bag.

[wilsonsubs]

thanks

That's good stuff Bob. Thanks for sharing your style with us.
I'm doing a plastic rifle cleaning box. Sounds weird but it holds all my junk. The subs are different story. I gotta figure that out soon.

Keep 'em coming guys.

[wilsonsubs]

keep those ideas coming

Anybody have anything to add???
Come on guys I know you have some excellent ideas to share.

[PaulC]

I transport my smaller nukes

I transport my smaller nukes on Ernst Ultra Stands with rubber bands over the top to keep them from sliding in the cradle. The stands stay put by themselves on the vehicle floor carpet. I have a small fishing tackle box with my field supplies in it. For longer distance traveling I just add a packing box with the rest of my needed supplies.

[wilsonsubs]

Thanks Paul

Thanks Paul, that's good stuff.
Question: do you put packing material around the subs during those longer hauls in their boxes?
I have wooden stands too and find the stands hold the boats pretty high off the bottom of some boxes I've been looking at..... so I'm still trying to decide the safest way to go.

I welcome all to join in on our conversation. Be glad to here from everyone.
thanks

[PaulC]

Mike,

For longer trips I still

Mike,

For longer trips I still leave the boats on their stands. The box is for chargers, etc. that won't fit in the tackle box (which is rather small). I'll throw a towel between the boats and any harder surfaces that are close by to prevent rubbing damage/scratches.

[jefftytoo]

Mike,

For driving trips, my Manley

Mike,

For driving trips, my Manley Blueback goes in a handsome PVC-constructed case made just for her by that wonderful gentleman, Mr. Jim Butt. (He wrote an article in the SCR some years back detailing just how he builds these beasts.) Transmitter, batteries, charging gear all go in a commercial radio case. A generic double-radio version I bought years ago through a hobby shop fell apart from excessive use. Now I have a sturdier Futaba radio case ordered online. Also have one of those big plastic Sears tool cases (with two removable small parts boxes fitted into its lid) for tools (obviously), Propel, CA, electrical tape, lead weights, all the other junk everybody has to schlep around. Blueback has a little foam cradle for when she's sitting pondside, ready to run.

When traveling by air (like to the Regatta), the custom carry case goes into a tight-fitting cardboard box, like a protective sleeve, then that box goes into a BIG box (1' x 1' x' 3'), along with a backpack stuffed with as much of the gear from the Sears rig as can fit or seems necessary -- plus Blueback's little cradle, towels, water shoes, suntan lotion, that sort of stuff. Also, for air travel, Blueback's WTC -- and this is important -- also goes in a SEPARATE box stored inside the big box. In the car, where I know she's handled with care, the WTC's okay inside the hull within the carry case. But by air, the baggage monkeys can damage your precious hull, even protected by a carry case, if its heavy WTC is being slammed around inside of it. Learned this from experience. Anyway, the big box and the Futuba radio case go aboard as checked bags.

Haven't had problems with sub/air travel since I've been managing it in this fashion.

Bon Voyage,
Jeff Porteous

[wilsonsubs]

Outstanding Jeff!

Jeff,
That was great. I too will be facing the air travel situation. I have alot of stuff and thinking of ways to make this happen without damage to the goods.
Your process sounds very doable and I might use some of that to get my stuff to Carmel this year.

Keep 'em coming guys.
Anybody do FEDEX or UPS deliveries by chance??

[skip asay]

"Anybody do FEDEX or UPS

"Anybody do FEDEX or UPS deliveries by chance??"

Yes. During my days with SubTech, I used to travel to the "other coast" quite a bit. My best results were garnered by shipping Albacore and Marlin, each in its own box, with another box containing both pressure hulls. The boats themselves were completely stripped of everything which could be removed. I learned the hard way that mass plus velocity equals Crunch. Therefore, the lighter the mass, coupled with a lot of peanuts, assured an unbroken boat on arrival. The transmitters usually accompanied me in my suitcase. Once I arrived at this method, I never suffered any damage again.

Also, I shipped these boxes Next Day Air since that way meant less monkeys getting their grubby little fingers on them.

Skip Asay

[junglelord]

It must be nice to

It must be nice to have the dough to be able to fly to a playground for big boys and their expensive toys.


Meanwhile I sit here in -16c waiting for breakup.

[spongjim]

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n253/spongjim/subs/PictureorVideo078.jpg

I got it covered for



I got it covered for now.


Jim

[polaris]

http://www.postimage.org/aV3nZvS.jpg


Hey it was an option




Hey it was an option in the Poll,

[tmsmalley]

Jim - show 'em the

Jim - show 'em the graphic you have in your back window...

[spongjim]

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n253/spongjim/forumimageCAKJJ0DN.jpg