RC Boat: T24 Tug

The T24 Tugboat is a beautiful, classic wooden tug that is both practical and charming in its traditional design. At 24 inches long, the Tug is easy to transport, but big enough to handle heavy seas and rough weather on big lakes or open bays. The RC Tugboat is electric powered with a full power radio and runs in both forward and reverse. Originally designed to place marks for model sailboat racing, the Tug is very maneuverable which makes it great for running obstacle courses, chasing swimmers, and rescuing other boats as well! Whether used as a work tug during races or a cruising pleasure vessel, this RC boat is sure to delight.

The Tug was designed to be extremely seaworthy; the traditional hull design allows the weight of the electric driving motor and the batteries to be placed low in the hull for ultimate stability. A remarkable feature of the hull design is that, when running at a certain speed, the shape of the hull causes the water to move around the boat in such a way only the bottom of the Tug is in contact with the water and the sides are left virtually dry! In this mode the tug moves through the water easily and very fast. The bottom of the tug is shaped like a wave and the water around it takes on a similar wave shape, which is very beautiful to see in still water.  

The T24 RC Tugboat is an exceptional rescue boat for saving your sailboats that sailed out of range or are stuck in bushes or on a distant shore. If your sailboat is stuck in bushes or a shore, the Tug, along with a Retrieval Arm that is an optional addition to your kit, can rescue the sailboat and allow you to continue your sailing fun. The Retrieval Arm sticks out to the side of the tug and hooks on the forestay of the boat to be rescued. Once hooked, the arm swings back and tows the rescued boat behind the Tug. The Tug’s radio range is considerably more than that of Tippecanoe RC Sailboats because the Tug’s antenna is slightly higher up inside the wheelhouse. The placement of the antenna higher above the water extends the effective range. Due to this, the Tug can also rescue your sailboat if it has sailed out of range. Since it is difficult to time the approach right to catch the forestay with a distant perspective, a different rescue method is used for long distance rescues. We recommend using a Styrofoam float on a 10 foot line and circling the boat to be rescued once or twice. This allows the line to catch the keel of the sailboat and be towed in. The Styrofoam float keeps the sailboat above water.  

The T24 Tug Kit comes with everything you will need to build the boat, including the marine epoxy and all of the RC gear. In fact, all you need is paint or varnish and AA batteries! The T24 Tug kit is easy to build and includes:

• Hull, deck, and cabin pieces pre-cut to an accuracy of 1/1000 of an inch from the highest grade of marine Okume plywood
• Marine-grade hardware
• Decorative ¾ oz. Nylon Spinnaker cloth streamer
• Marine-grade WEST System epoxy, along with epoxy brushes and syringes
• Complete motor and radio gear (All reliable Hobby Gear, not toy gear) including:
  • Transmitter
  • Receiver
  • Rechargeable Battery Pack and Charger
  • Servo
  • Electronic Speed Controller
  • Brushed Motor
  • Three-blade Propeller and Shaft
• Excellent, detailed building instructions to guide you through the entire building process
• …and more!

The Tug can be purchased individually or in a package that includes the Tug, Barge, and Marks Kits. This package includes everything you need to set RC Sailboat Racing Marks. The Racing Marks is a set of 5 weighed flags on buoys which are placed in the water to set a course for racing your Tippecanoe RC Sailboats. The Mark-Setting Barge is designed to be towed behind the T24 Tug and carries the Racing Mark out to the desired location before releasing the Mark. More detailed descriptions of the Racing Marks and Barge are available on their designated pages. This package is a great addition to any remote controlled sailboat fleet, and makes racing easier, faster, and more fun!

Please call 1-360-966-7245, or email fun@modelsailboat.com, if you have further questions about this beautiful boat. Happy Sailing!