Ranger Bait Boat Troubleshooting & FAQ's
Boat
Why is my boat is not going in a straight line:
The trim on the motors is adjusted via the left hand dial on the handset. Set the boat running at half speed in a forwards direction and adjust the dial until it runs straight. If this does not correct the problem please check the propellers for any line or weed that may be tangled around them and carefully remove it. Please also check the propeller blades for any damage
What way round do my aerials go?
The aerials supplied with the boat have corresponding male or female internal fittings. These will go to their counterpart aerial socket on the boat itself.
My boat is going round in circles. Why?
Your boat has lost connection to the handset and is trying to re-establish a signal. It will circle in an increasingly wider radius until it comes close enough to reconnect. On GPS enabled boats it will return to the last saved home location.
In Autopilot mode my boat goes out a short distance, spins in a circle then returns home. Why?
Your batteries are critically low. Please charge the batteries before continuing.
The motors on my boat are juddering, how can I stop this?
Please check the propellers for any obstructions and adjust the trim on the handset until the engines run smoothly.
Handset
My handset is making an alarm sound. Why is this?
The handset features a low battery warning to prevent running out of power whilst on the lake. This can be adjusted via the right hand dial on the handset. Please check the voltage readings for the boat and handset on the LCD display
When trying to save a GPS waypoint the handset reads CALL FAILED. Why?
There are two reasons why this can happen. Either there is not a strong enough satellite connection to the GPS system or a Starting Point has not been saved. Please return home and check that you have saved a starting point. The handset will indicate how many satellites are connected on the top left of the screen. The higher the number the more accurate the GPS will be.
You must save a starting point EVERY TIME the boat has been turned off and back on again.
The range of my boat seems less than 300m. Why?
Please ensure all aerials are connected and that there is a clear line of sight between the handset and the boat
My GPS seems less accurate than previously. Why is this?
Please check the number of satellites the boat is connected to via the reading on the handset. A number below 10 will considerably reduce accuracy. In most locations in Europe a connection of 10 or more satellites should be achievable most of the time. The longer the boat is switched on for the more satellites it will connect to. We advise turning the boat on several minutes before using the GPS to get the best performance.
Batteries and chargers
How long should I charge my batteries for?
Lead batteries should never be charged for more than 8 hours. Doing so will considerably shorten their lifespan.
Lithium batteries are supplied with a trickle charger but again we advise never leaving on charge for more than 10 hours.
The light on my charger won’t turn green.
With lead batteries this is common as their lifespan is much shorter than lithium batteries. When lead batteries age they slowly decay meaning with each charge and discharge they hold slightly less power than the time before. Overcharging of the batteries will accelerate this process. Lead batteries will also hold less charge when cold.’
Can I charge my batteries whilst they are in the boat?
We do not recommend doing this, however if you choose to do so please make sure the battery compartment covers are left fully off. Please also ensure the charger itself is not placed on top of the boat as it can become hot during charging.
Do I need to charge my batteries when not using the boat?
If the boat is not going to be used for a while we advise charging the batteries once a month to maintain their condition. Failure to do so will result in shorter running times as the batteries will hold less charge.
Should I store and transport my boat with batteries in?
We do not recommend leaving the batteries in during transport or storage as should they come loose they can cause significant damage to the boat.