Steering issue (maybe)

Hi everyone.

I have managed to get myself a great sub (I'm a first timer with subs). It's a sheerline Trafalgar mk2. Lovely model, well built, serviced by the man himself and everything does what it's supposed to do.

Ok, so my question then... Are radio controlled submarines good when turning? Now I've only had the boat in a pool in the garden so no room to really stretch her legs, but there seems to be a poor response even when the rudders are hard over. As far as the sub goes, it's set up perfectly (or as near as possible anyway), hence the question.

Other than that, I am absolutely over the moon with the model. Couldn't be happier actually!

I'm aware that the issue could well be the pilot and not the boat! Captain Chaos over here usually misses the obvious!

Hi Adam,
sounds about right,you will find it turns better on open water and with speed, it should also turn better when submerged,it's never going to turn on a sixpence after all it's a long skinny tube.
Nigel.
ps,they are a great boat and work really well.

Thanks very much Nigel, I thought as much but I'd rather ask and know for sure than not ask and wonder what I'm doing wrong!

It's a fantastic boat, and I can't wait to get out with it.

Hi Adam,
I can confirm completely what Nigele was written; especially long and narrow submarines expose a behaviour just like they tried to refuse following the rudder instructions. And this is even worse on a submarine that has the rudder arranged in front of the propeller so that the propeller blast cannot be deflected by the rudder to support steering into the desired direction. And when the Sub is on very low speed, steering behaviour is extremely poor.
But as Nigele wrote the Situation will improve with Speed and especially when the Sub is submerged. But even then a turning circle of 10m diameter is not unusual for models in a size of 1 ...1.5m length.
So don't worry.

For example my model of a German class 206A submarine of 1.3m in length has a turning circle of about 10m with the rudder hard over when surfaced. Submerged the diameter is 2m less. And this is even a submarine with the rudder blade behind the propeller...

Kind regards
Klaus-Dieter

Thank you Klaus-Dieter,

Your advice is much appreciated, and thank you for the info regarding turning circles. I will certainly consider that when I take her out for a sail soon.

I've posted a couple of photos in the 'photos of your boats' section.