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Before you start installation it is a good idea to draw yourself a circuit diagram of the wiring for your boat. This can be a simple drawing with items like speed controllers and receivers etc. being shown as boxes. To look at a simple wiring diagram for a boat click here. Next lay out all the equipment in the boat before connecting it to ensure it fits OK. It is good practise to keep all the wires neat and tidy. (Remember never to cut your aerial and to keep it away from power carrying wires). If you are using a large battery its position may affect how the boat sits in the water. (Batteries should always be in place when ballasting the model). Once all the equipment is in place, and you are happy with its' position, you must secure it all. There are many ways of doing this including using: velcro tape, servo tape, making wooden platforms or frames etc. If in doubt seek some help from your club or model shop.
It is now time to choose some wire, connectors and fuses etc. For scale models I tend to purchase these from my local car accessory shop as it is cheaper and they usually have a greater variety of colours and ratings etc. (Click here to see diagram showing suitable colours of wire. It is best to always use red for positive and black for negative). You will also need some capacitors to suppress your motor to avoid interference. I purchase mine from my local electronics shop but your model shop should stock them, albeit at a price. Without knowing exactly what motor, battery and prop combination you will be using it is impossible to say exactly the size of wire, connector and fuse combination you will need. However, if in doubt, when it comes to connectors and wire it is always better to use a higher rating than being undersize. When choosing a fuse, all the above factors will come in to play, but to keep things safe and simple never fit a fuse which is rated higher than the continuous current of your speed controller.
When it comes to the type of connector and fuses I use it does vary but for scale models I tend to use automotive bullet connectors, spade connectors and spade type fuses/holders. Some modellers tell me that these are not suitable but I have not had any major problems with them. They are cheap, easily available and there is a good variety to choose from.
To complete the job you are going to need a few basic tools: a soldering iron, a pair of wire strippers/cutters, crimping pliers, long nosed pliers, small screwdrivers and a craft knife should suffice. If you do not own a soldering iron a 25-30 watt model is about right for this type of job. Obviously, you will also need some solder. A multimeter can prove useful if things don't go right. It will allow you to check the continuity of your wiring and voltage of your battery amongst other things.
It is now just a case of connecting it all together as per your diagram. Unless you have bought all connectors which require soldering the only thing you will probably need the soldering iron for is fitting the capacitors and wires to the motor. (Click here for tips on soldering). As for the other connections, just use the bullet or spade type as required. A word of warning, be careful about cutting factory fitted plugs off your speed controller etc. as this may invalidate your warranty. Some speed controllers use the 'Tamiya' type connectors, these are readily available from your model shop. As for the R/C gear, this comes with plugs fitted and just plugs together.
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