1994 Hydrofest Smokin' Joe's ML Boatworks build

[JakeZella]

Hello,

I am embarking on my first build, this will be my first hydro build, and first boat build overall. For the build, I have chosen the ML Boatworks 158 extreme kit to build the 1994 Hydrofest Smokin' Joe's U-10. From what I understand, this is one of the boats that has had a lot of variance in the painting and design race to race, and getting it accurate to that exact race may be difficult.

I have placed orders for the Cowlings and Wings from RC Boat Company, as well as the plans from Newton Marine. I have a jig built out to match the width of the kit from ML, and have started to work on getting everything sanded smooth and mating properly. I intend to update this thread as the build progresses. Any advice from those that have built this hydro in the past would be greatly appreciated! Taking a look at the parts laid out, it looks like the Cowling area will be a lot of work to get correct, and I do not see any information on how to do the winglets on the rear transom, but I have hope that these will be a little clearer once I get the Newton plans.

Thank you to all of you that have made build logs in the past, as reading through them has been extremely helpful in getting my head wrapped around this build!

Thank you,
Jake Zella

 

[Mike Hughes]

Wax paper is your friend. I have glued a few boats to jigs. Not fun getting it off.

I also have built the the front of the jig so it tapers up. Usually cut in 3 sections. Center cowl and either side. I also use some #4 screws to hold down the bottom sheeting.
Mike

 

[Matt Fobes]

Wax paper is your friend. I have glued a few boats to jigs. Not fun getting it off.

I also have built the the front of the jig so it tapers up. Usually cut in 3 sections. Center cowl and either side. I also use some #4 screws to hold down the bottom sheeting.
Mike

For the gluing the winglet on. If you glue a block of wood to the inside of where the skin will be glued on, then shape it so the skin can cover it. After the skin is glued on you can make a winglet out of wood with a tenon made into the winglet. Then draw a rectangle on the outside of the skin where you want the winglet to go like a mortise. Drill several holes on the inside of the rectangle and take a wood chisel to clean the inside up so the tenon on the winglet is snug. Then you can glue the winglet into the mortise. Hear is the link for how to cover the boat with fiberglass. Fiberglassing tutorial with Greg Hahn model aviation magazine YouTube. After I cover the boat with the fiberglass and a second coat of epoxy I got some glazing putty like a autobody guy uses and put a thin coat over the fiberglass to make it smooth and even after sanding. If you want me to show you a picture of what a mortise and tenon look like I can try to upload a picture if I can figure out how to do it.

 

[Mike Hughes]

Link to my build of 91 Winston Eagle 1/10 electric.

https://www.intlwaters.com/threads/91-winston-eagle.79025/

 

[Hydro Junkie]

Generally speaking, you want to keep fiberglass on a wood hull to a minimum. Some joints can benefit from the extra strength but, normally, fiberglass is just unwanted weight. You also have to consider that fiberglass will require filler to hide the fabric. That adds more weight, that is unless you don't care if the weave shows through the paint. Fiberglass can also make repairs harder since you will need to cut through or remove the glass to repair damage. Two things to remember:

• if you race, accidents will happen, it's just a matter of when
• hydroplanes can and will blow over

In either case, you have to expect damage. Why make it harder to repair than it needs to be?
Just my two cents

 

[Matt Fobes]

Generally speaking, you want to keep fiberglass on a wood hull to a minimum. Some joints can benefit from the extra strength but, normally, fiberglass is just unwanted weight. You also have to consider that fiberglass will require filler to hide the fabric. That adds more weight, that is unless you don't care if the weave shows through the paint. Fiberglass can also make repairs harder since you will need to cut through or remove the glass to repair damage. Two things to remember:

• if you race, accidents will happen, it's just a matter of when
• hydroplanes can and will blow over

In either case, you have to expect damage. Why make it harder to repair than it needs to be?
Just my two cents

If you fiberglass the hull it will make it stronger and there will be less damage if you get into a accident and a hull that's a little heavier won't blow over as easily and can be easier to drive and go through when there is rough water

 

[JakeZella]

Wax paper is your friend. I have glued a few boats to jigs. Not fun getting it off.

I also have built the the front of the jig so it tapers up. Usually cut in 3 sections. Center cowl and either side. I also use some #4 screws to hold down the bottom sheeting.
Mike

Thank you for the heads up, I picked up some wax paper for exactly this reason! Last night I was able to get the measurements taken for the critical dimensions for the first part of the build, and started laying up the stringers and framing what will be the bottom of the tunnel.

A bit more about the build, I am planning on this being an FE build at the end of the day. Upon review of the NAMBA rules, it looks like they are a bit more strict than IMPBA. I was previously planning on 10S, but have adjusted this to 8S for NAMBA. The plan at the moment is to get a NEU 1527 1.5Y mated to a Castle XLX2 esc, from what I have gathered this should be a relatively solid power plant, and raceable. If anyone has recommendations I am all ears. I am NAMBA district 20, and based out of Colorado, our boat scene here is very much not the largest from what I have seen, but we do have some people up here. I don't believe that we currently run an Unlimited Class here right now, if that is incorrect, please correct me on that! The build will mostly be for fun, but I do have hopes to race it if an opportunity arises.

For the gluing the winglet on. If you glue a block of wood to the inside of where the skin will be glued on, then shape it so the skin can cover it. After the skin is glued on you can make a winglet out of wood with a tenon made into the winglet. Then draw a rectangle on the outside of the skin where you want the winglet to go like a mortise. Drill several holes on the inside of the rectangle and take a wood chisel to clean the inside up so the tenon on the winglet is snug. Then you can glue the winglet into the mortise. Hear is the link for how to cover the boat with fiberglass. Fiberglassing tutorial with Greg Hahn model aviation magazine YouTube. After I cover the boat with the fiberglass and a second coat of epoxy I got some glazing putty like a autobody guy uses and put a thin coat over the fiberglass to make it smooth and even after sanding. If you want me to show you a picture of what a mortise and tenon look like I can try to upload a picture if I can figure out how to do it.

Thank you for the advice on the winglets, as well as the recommendation to take a look at the fiberglassing tutorial. That will be a huge help! To Hydro's point, I am not sure if I will be glassing the exterior or not, but I will for sure be reinforcing the Transom and interior of the sponsons with fiberglass to ensure long term survival. A question to both of your points, what is the average weight that 1/8 scale FE should be around? Too heavy and you're wasting speed pushing the boat, and slower to recover, but lighter I would think you'd increase risk of blowover, and spinning out in turns. I am not sure where that line is though.

Got the base screwed on the jig with some #4 screws, added washers to make sure the pressure's more spread out. I was able to use some 123 blocks and a lot of clamps to get the first bit of glue laid.

 

[Matt Fobes]

Thank you for the heads up, I picked up some wax paper for exactly this reason! Last night I was able to get the measurements taken for the critical dimensions for the first part of the build, and started laying up the stringers and framing what will be the bottom of the tunnel.

A bit more about the build, I am planning on this being an FE build at the end of the day. Upon review of the NAMBA rules, it looks like they are a bit more strict than IMPBA. I was previously planning on 10S, but have adjusted this to 8S for NAMBA. The plan at the moment is to get a NEU 1527 1.5Y mated to a Castle XLX2 esc, from what I have gathered this should be a relatively solid power plant, and raceable. If anyone has recommendations I am all ears. I am NAMBA district 20, and based out of Colorado, our boat scene here is very much not the largest from what I have seen, but we do have some people up here. I don't believe that we currently run an Unlimited Class here right now, if that is incorrect, please correct me on that! The build will mostly be for fun, but I do have hopes to race it if an opportunity arises.

Thank you for the advice on the winglets, as well as the recommendation to take a look at the fiberglassing tutorial. That will be a huge help! To Hydro's point, I am not sure if I will be glassing the exterior or not, but I will for sure be reinforcing the Transom and interior of the sponsons with fiberglass to ensure long term survival. A question to both of your points, what is the average weight that 1/8 scale FE should be around? Too heavy and you're wasting speed pushing the boat, and slower to recover, but lighter I would think you'd increase risk of blowover, and spinning out in turns. I am not sure where that line is though.

Got the base screwed on the jig with some #4 screws, added washers to make sure the pressure's more spread out. I was able to use some 123 blocks and a lot of clamps to get the first bit of glue laid.

If you fiberglass the boat you can buy 1/2 oz fiberglass from Balsa USA and to help seal the boat inside and outside even if you don't fiberglass the outside you can buy West Systems epoxy 105 resin, 207 special clear hardner for where the engine, pipe etc are at because it won't get a yellow/brown color after the epoxy ages. And me personally I wouldn't thin the epoxy in this area. And 209 hardner for everything else and to seal it and if you use fiberglass to. You can thin it out with some alcohol. When I build a boat I buy some 2" and 1" thick Blue Dow board and glue it between the frames with a snug fit and sand/file the extra off flush. It will strengthen the boat and for floatation. But I am real anal about strength from me being in construction. You can buy the epoxy off of Amazon. I don't know if you can buy it direct from the factory