If you want to get into model yachting I’d recommend these websites:

https://www.mya-uk.org.uk/

http://www.pjsails.co.uk/

https://www.nylet.co.uk/

I have a number of model yachts including a Dragonflite 95 and smaller sister 65, from RC Yachts. I sail both and would strongly recommend them to anyone starting out : you can literally take them out of the box assemble them and get them on the water in a matter of minutes.

I also have a Kyosho Seawind which has a full 1 meter hull and broad beam with sail arm for easy control. I change the mast, booms and sails for better ones but the hull, fin and ballast are great.

The table below is a guide to setting up the sails etc when you want to optimise the yacht’s performance. It’s taken from a published article but I have permission to reproduce it here for any of our yachting members.

Yacht Set-up Guide

1 Main Sail Sheeting Angle

Get the tip of your thumb between the sheeting post and the boom (5°)

2 Jib Sheeting Angle (slot)

Make sure that you can stick the ends of 4 fingers (3 if you have thick fingers) between the jib boom and the mast. (12°)

3 Main Sail Twist

Have the middle main batten parallel with the boat centre-line, the lower batten pointing in a little, and the upper batten falling off some. Peter Spence suggests having the top batten falling off by the same amount as the boom sheeting angle, that is, having it parallel with the boom. Make this setting without wind in the sails: when sailing the leech will open up as necessary. (7.5 - 10°)

4 Jib Twist

Have the gap between the leech and the topping lift take at least 2 fingers or, as with the main sail, have the upper batten parallel with the jib boom. (10 - 12.5°)

5 Mast Bend (Mast Ram)

Set the mast curve to nicely match the main luff curve then straighten the mast a smidgen (maybe 3mm) to push fullness into the middle of the sail if the wind is lighter than “top of No 1”.

6 Jibstay Tension

Make sure that the jib stay never flaps in the breeze. If you take this seriously you’ll have to have mast pre-bend to obtain the necessary backstay tension. Or set your shrouds well aft of the mast and use a “V” spreader.

7 Main Draft (outhaul)

Get 1.5-2 fingers between the foot of the main and the boom (8%)

8 Jib Draft (outhaul)

Get 1-1.5 finger between the foot of the jib and the boom (6%)

9 Jib Pivot

Somewhere around 25% of the jib foot, less if you’ve achieved jib stay tension. (20-25%)

10 Sheeting Radius

Make sure the distance between the pivot point and the jib sheet attachment point is around 10% longer than the main boom sheeting radius (distance between the gooseneck pivot axis and main sheet attachment point).