???

If the boat is close to shore and you have an accurate throwing arm, you can use a retrieve ball. This is a tennis ball attached to a cheap spinning reel. However, you really need a retrieve boat. Any small row boat will do. I would be careful with inflatable boats since the sharp parts of a model can cut the boat and sink it. Always wear a life jacket, especially if you are alone. One of the model boating fatalities I know of happened when a running model hit and sank an inflatable boat that was being used to retrieve a stalled boat.

Lohring Miller

I use the tennis ball as described and also a small retrieve boat...here is mine: www.modelgasboats.com/Magazine...rieve_Boat.html

that tiny little boat!! lol


this would be a great thing to build

you only need one sheet of ply wood

www.vintageprojects.com/boats/plywood-row.html




www.vintageprojects.com/boats/...boat-plans.html

we use the tennis ball if its close to the shore.
We mostly use electric boats for retrievers as our lake is 40 plus acres, I have a couple of them one being a hammer boat with a saltwater reel with 600 plus yards of the kevlar line on it, it works very well.. Just dont try to pull the boat in with the electric as the battery wont last long. We pull the line out to the stalled boat then make a 180 degree around the stalled boat then start reeling, 90 percent of the time it will tangle on the rudder or prop then just reel it in.
There are about 5 of these in our club and are used every day we are at the lake.
The inflateable is only used if nothing else works ( small parts etc).
The hammer takes some modifying as the radio box leaks if submerged and flotation needs to be added, I even have a spektrum system in mine so I dont interfere with anyone else..
These cost a few bucks but are cheaper than the cost and operation of an aluminum boat and motor and much easier on us older guys..

"Try it youll like it"

mike sr

There is an excellent article in the How-to section about using a small electric boat as a retrieval system. The Zig Zag isn't available in the UK, as it isn't EU approved, but there is a similar boat distributed by RipMax called a Sling Shot. It appears to share the same hull as the Zig Zag but the superstructure is slightly different. Powered by a 380 motor and a 900mah battery, fully proportional forward only radio system it works great straight out of the box.
However, I have modified mine. Fitting an external off/on switch and charging socket and changing the 6 x 1/2AA cells for 6 standard AA cells of 2700mah capacity. (they weight the same!!). The whole thing can easily be sealed up using waterproof tape and like the Zig Zag is self righting and unsinkable.
My local lake required me to have boat insurance for any form of full size boat inflateable or otherwise on the water so this is a great alternative and its great fun testing your retrieval skills.
BackDoor Racing (Offshore Model Racing Association (UK) No 189)

Remember the song we used to sing in kindergarten???

ROW, ROW, ROW YOUR BOAT .

Used to ROW,ROW,ROW,MY BOAT, untill my shoulder wouldn't take it anymore,but now I putter out with my Homie powered Sevylor 8' inflatable

I use a stroke boat, either a 2 or 3-man inflatable. Wally-world has Coleman's there cheap, just under $20.00 for the 2-man version. Add a set of oars for another $7.00 and change then a 12-volt air mattress inflator then you're set. They don't take up much room deflated and blow up quickly lakeside. An old towel comes in handy to cover any sharp hardware that might puncture the boat.

We found a wide plastic kayak that works great. Light weight and under $100. It works way better than a blow up boat.