4105 Fieldstone Road, Champaign, IL 61822

Zig Zag Racer manual5/7/022:18 PMPage 24 2002 Horizon Hobby, Inc.HobbyZone products are exclusively distributed by Horizon Hobby, Inc.4105 Fieldstone Road, Champaign, IL 61822 www.horizonhobby.com4548

Zig Zag Racer manual5/7/022:18 PMPage 1InstructionManual

Zig Zag Racer manual5/7/022:18 PMPage 2Get readyBLASTZIG ZAG RACERto have awith your —the high-performance,highly maneuverable, self-righting speedboat fromHobbyZone. You'll have hours of fun zipping acrossthe water, racing with friends and playing Zig ZagWater Soccer. But before the fun begins, it’svery important that you read thismanual completely and follow thedirections carefully.That wayyou'll be sure your Zig Zagfun is safe and successful.NOTE: Please read the "Warnings and Safety" on page 22and Warranty on page 23 before proceeding to Step 1.2

Zig Zag Racer manual5/7/022:18 PMPage 3STEP 1. Battery ChargingNOTE: For best battery performance,deplete each charge before recharging.To dothis, run your boat as indicated in Step 8, thenput the boat on the boat stand or hold itcarefully to keep your body and clothing clearof the prop. Run the motor until the batteryis nearly depleted.Your battery is now readyto be recharged. Plug charger into 110V AC wall outlet. Plug battery connector into charger connector. Push together completely. The battery comes partially charged, socharge only 11 2 hours the first time to preventovercharging. Subsequent charges should be3 hours. When battery becomes warm, it is fully charged.Stop charging immediately. Please check page 22 for other importantinformation about charging your battery pack.OptionalFieldChargerHobbyZone offers an optional DC Field Charger(HBZ1021) that allows you to charge your batteryfrom the cigarette lighter plug in your car. Charge timeis 45 minutes.CAUTION: Do not start or run your vehiclewhile using the Field Charger to charge batteries.Additional battery packs are also available. Seepage 23 for ordering these items.3

Zig Zag Racer manual5/7/022:18 PMSTEP 2. TransmitterNeeded for STEP 28 “AA” Alkaline Batteries (not included) Remove transmitter back cover bypushing down with thumbs, as indicatedby the arrows. Install batteries. Use fresh 1.5V “AA”alkalines only. Watch polarity. Replace cover. To test, switch on transmitter—LED shouldglow brightly. Replace batteries when you hearlow-battery alarm (beeping sound).4Page 4

Zig Zag Racer manual5/7/022:18 PMPage 5STEP 3. Install BatteryIMPORTANT – For the next 3 steps, thetransmitter must be turned on and yourZig Zag boat placed on the included stand. Lift canopy slightly and turn sideways to uncoverbattery compartment. Attach battery to connector in boat and placebattery in compartment. To secure battery, stretch rubber band over the topof the battery and connect to hook. Make sure battery and connectors do not interferewith movement of wire pushrod. Reposition canopy and secure it by fitting canopypeg into the front alignment cavity in the hull andinside the five hull alignment posts.Hull Alignment PostsRubber Band5

Zig Zag Racer manual5/7/022:18 PMPage 6STEP 4. Rudder TestBottom of BoatBottom of Boat Move the rudder stick(right stick on transmitter)side to side. The rudder shouldmove as shown in the drawings.Right Rudder6Left Rudder The small lever under the rudderstick is called a trim lever and isused to adjust the "neutral"point of your control stick.Todo this, place the rudder stickin neutral (center) position. Ifrudder is not aligned straightahead, use the rudder trimlever to center it.

Zig Zag Racer manual5/7/022:18 PMPage 7STEP 5. Motor TestCAUTION: Keep everythingclear of the propeller. A movingpropeller can cause injury. The small lever next to the throttlestick (left stick on transmitter) is calleda throttle trim lever. With your boat onthe stand, transmitter turned on, andbattery installed, make sure the throttletrim lever is in the center position. If motor is running, gradually move thetrim lever down until the motor stops. Move throttle stick (left stick ontransmitter) up. Motor speed willincrease as this stick is moved up.Throttle StickThrottleTrim Lever7

Zig Zag Racer manual5/7/022:18 PMPage 8STEP 6. Range TestYou'll need two people to do the range test: one tohold the transmitter and the other to hold the boat.Remember to keep your body and clothing clear ofthe moving prop while holding the boat.8 As one person holds the transmitter, the otherwalks 100 paces away with the boat. Extend transmitter antenna completely and turntransmitter on. Plug in boat battery and close canopy. As the person with the transmitter moves bothcontrol sticks, the person with the boat watches tobe sure the boat’s motor and rudder operateproperly.If boat does not range test correctly, do not run itin water. Call Horizon Hobby Product Supportstaff toll-free at 1-877-504-0233 for directions onhow to proceed.

Zig Zag Racer manual5/7/022:18 PMPage 9STEP 7. Choosing your locationCAUTION: Parents, do not allow youngchildren to go the lake or pool unsupervised. Be safe and stay away from steepgrades near shorelines where you or thosewith you could slip and fall into the water.Do not operate your boat nearmoss, grass, weeds, brush, etc. Choose a location that is not being used byswimmers when you are running your boat. If you choose a lake, be sure there is no moss,grass, weeds or debris present that could getwrapped around the propeller or trap your boatoffshore. Make sure the shoreline is clear and relatively flatso you can easily launch, operate and retrieveyour boat.DO NOT mix radio controlboating and swimming.DO NOT swim to retrieveyour boat.9

Zig Zag Racer manual5/7/022:18 PMPage 10STEP 8. Launching and RunningBefore launching, make sure no one in the area isoperating another radio control vehicle on the samefrequency. Your frequency is marked on the back ofyour transmitter and under the boat canopy. To launch your Zig Zag Racer , turn transmitteron, install charged battery and place and releasethe boat in the water. Advance throttle (left) stick partially so boatmoves slowly. Move rudder (right) stick to right toturn the boat to the right. Move rudder stick toleft to turn the boat to the left. Practice running the boat to slow speed, makingright, left, and figure eight turns. As your ability tocontrol the boat improves, gradually increase thespeed. With a bit of practice, you'll see yourdriving skills improve quickly.10Left TurnRight Turn

Zig Zag Racer manual5/7/022:18 PMPage 11STEP 8. Launching and Running continued Your Zig Zag Racer has no reverse. Be sure toCAUTIONplan ahead while driving so you don’t get your Do not run your boat into hard objects orboat stuck in a dead end.onto shore or the rudder and propeller canbe damaged. Running time with a fully charged battery will beapproximately 10–15 minutes, depending on your Keep hands and fingers away from thedriving speed.moving propeller when launching or retrievingyour boat.NOTE: When you notice your boat running Do not swim to retrieve your boat.much slower even at full throttle, it’s time to If the canopy of the boat becomes dislodged,bring your boat to shore. Slower speedyou may need to remove water from inside theindicates the battery is low, and you haveboat. Remove the drain plug at the back of theonly 2 or 3 minutes of running time beforeboat and drain the water, then replace the plug.it completely stops. Make sure you allowmotor to cool for 5 minutes betweenbattery exchanges.11

Zig Zag Racer manual5/7/022:18 PMPage 12STEP 9. Trimming the Rudder Control After launching your boat, check to see that it isrunning straight. If your Zig Zag Racer always turns to the rightwhen rudder stick is at neutral (centered), move thetrim lever below the stick to the left until it drivesstraight. See drawing #1. If the boat always turns to the left when the rudderstick is at neutral, move the trim lever to the rightuntil it drives straight. See drawing #2. If the boat still turns in one direction after movingthe trim lever the full amount in the opposite direction, you will need to adjust the rudder linkage wire.If the boat still turns to the left, use your fingers tobend a greater angle in the wire.If the boat still turnsto the right, use yourfingers or a pair ofpliers to slightlystraighten the wire.12Bend PointIf boat veers tothe left, bendthis way.If boat veers tothe right, bendthis way.#2#1If movingleft, thenmove trimlever tothe right.If movingright, thenmove trimlever tothe left.

Zig Zag Racer manual5/7/022:18 PMPage 13RACING AND GAMES WITH THE ZIG ZAG RACER The Zig Zag Racer is available on six different frequencies (channels). This means that up to six people canrace at the same time.Racecourse Set-UpYou can use the orange buoys that come with yourZig Zag Racer to set up a racecourse. Attach butterfly-shaped steel anchor to orange ballby first removing the tape that holds the fishingline in place. Push the white plastic plug firmly into the hole inthe ball. Toss this assembly into the water in the desiredlocation.The line will unwind on its own until theanchor hits bottom, and the buoy will float on topof the water. To mark the course, use two or three buoys setin a line or in the shape of a triangle. You shouldallow 20 to 30 feet between them if possible. Seedrawings below. Vary the racecourse shape tosharpen your skills.#1. Oval#2.Triangle#3. Figure 8#4. SlalamCAUTION: Do not swim to retrieve buoys.For retrieval method, see page 17.#5. Zig Zag13

Zig Zag Racer manual5/7/022:18 PMPage 14Racing After you've set up your course, drivers launchtheir boats and then stand in a line on the shorea minimum of 6 feet apart. Do not walk betweena driver and his boat or you may cause radiointerference. To start, boats should be launched and lined uptogether near the racecourse (see drawing #1),#2#1114ready for the starter's "Go!" Another way to startis for each driver to hold his or her boat at water’sedge. At "Go", drivers release boats and head forthe first buoy (see drawing #2). Race length is determined in advance by thenumber of laps or by the amount of time (10 lapsor 5 minutes, for example).6'26'36'46'56'616'26'36'46'56'6

Zig Zag Racer manual5/7/022:18 PMPage 15Zig Zag Water Soccer Set-UpWhen you can consistently maneuver your Zig ZagRacer at both low and high speeds, you can add toyour racing fun by playing Zig Zag Water Soccer.Here’s how you set up your boat and "playing field." Attach bumper to front of boat using the threescrews provided. Secure the screws but do notover tighten. To set up your playing field, place two buoys (withanchor attached) in water approximately 50 feetapart to mark the two goal lines.50 feet15

5/7/022:18 PMPage 16Playing Zig Zag Water Soccer16654Team #1Drivers3Orange ball2 Game begins by tossing the third orange ball(without anchor) into the middle of the "playing field." Each team tries to score by using their bumper topush the ball past the goal line. To make the game more challenging, the bumpers havebeen designed so the ball pops loose when you exceed4–5 mph. Because of this, easy "sprints" to the goal lineare not possible, and your competitor has time tocatch up with you and steal the ball. Just as in realsoccer, each team will be most effective when usingstrategic offensive and defensive plays and teamwork. Game length is made up of two 4-minute halves.Theteam scoring the most goals wins. If neither teamscores, there is a third 1-minute playing period. Afterone minute, whichever team scores the most points oris the closest to the goal line is declared winner.1Zig Zag Water Soccer can be played with one, two,or three players on each team with each boat on adifferent frequency.Goal line marker buoy50 feetZig Zag Racer manualTeam #2DriversGoal line marker buoyNOTE: For best results, it is easiest to movethe ball when the throttle is in low position.