Victoria Sailing Yacht by Thunder Tiger
By James Anderson, Okanagan Model Sailboat Association
The Thunder Tiger Victoria sailing yacht has become the fastest growing class of sailboat kits marketed today. The reasons for it's success are many.
The Victoria is large enough to handle even strong winds but yet small enough to fit in any vehicle. The kit is very affordable and can be assembled in a couple of weekends with a minimum of tools.
The Victoria has been adopted as a valid racing class by the American Model Yachting Association and the Canadian Radio Yachting Association and can be easily customized to greatly improve the sailing characteristics.
The Victoria hull is made of pre-molded PVC, is just under 32 inches in length, is over 4 foot tall and weighs a little over 4 1/2 pounds.
For recreational use, an inexpensive 2 channel radio control package designed for surface use is all that is required to complete your Victoria sailing yacht.
For the advanced sailor, the 2.4gHz Spektrum radio package would be a welcome addition to the Victoria kit.
For added excitement, the Victoria can be upgraded to a racing sailboat with the addition of more efficient sails and a stronger servo to control the sail position. Many custom manufacturers supply racing sails for the Victoria and the most popular sail servos are the Futaba S3802 or the Hitec HS-645MG.
Victoria class regattas are held in all regions of Canada and the United States, with the class being governed by the Canadian Radio Yachting Association and the American Model Yachting Association. Membership in the CRYA is very reasonable at only $15 per year and includes a quarterly magazine dedicated to R/C sailing in Canada.
The web site for the Canadian Radio Yachting Association may be found at: www.crya.ca
Detailed building instructions and tips for the beginning Victoria R/C sailor may be found on the website of the Okanagan Model Sailboat Association at www.legacyfamilytree.ca/sail.
Good sailing, and we hope to see you at your local sailing pond.