newbie to rc boats

[bbnate804]

hey guys, just run across this page the other night as i been trying to look up anything i can on rc boats and gettin myself started. names nathan (nate), ii'm only 19 living in delaware and just got my first r/c. picked up a wood dumas tunnel off ebay. 24in tip to tail, 11.5 across the outside and 7in across the tunnel. i've got a kb 3.5 bolted on and a octura x440. the boat was set up with a 3.5 before so it had the adjustable mount on the back already. the servos were mounted and the fuel tanks put in. i had to wire up the radio equipment and some other small things. the nose cone has been filled with brass bb's so i'm guessing its relatively close as far as balance. hopefully i'll get the digital cam out and get some pics to put on here. sound like a decent set up for a beginner? i'm not going to be in over my head am i? the whole boat thing isn't totally new as i've been around boats all my life. (love to bass fish) couple of the other questions i had while i was setting up my stuff. whats a good starting point for setting the motor as far as height and pitch? carb setting for start up and initial running? are you supposed to be able to lock the steering left and right or is half turn normal? like a car u can turn until the wheels hit the bump stops, on my boat it goes about half way but i still think the servo has more turn and hte motor definetly has more clearance. just anything else that would help me out first time to the water. everything else i've seen on here is great. definetly not up to the racing but i'm ready to get my prop wet.

nate

 

[Propjockey]

Hey Nate...Welcome Aboard!

Sounds like you got your hands on an older Hot Shot 3.5. Not exactly the "bleeding edge", but a good place to get your feet wet...so to speak.

For starters, set the engine height so the centerline of the propshaft is even with the bottom of the sponsons. Neutral pitch. That's a good starting point...you'll tweak as you learn.

Carb...screw the needle valve all the way in 'till it stops (don't crank on it), then back it out 3 1/2 to 4 turns. That should get it started.

Steering...how big is your pond?

The Gentleman that designed the Hot Shot is a member of this board and should be lurking around somewhere...HEY UNCLE JERRY!!??

RULE #1...DO NOT GO SWIMMING FOR THAT LITTLE BOAT WHEN IT DIES.

Invest in a rubber raft or get a fishing pole with a tennis ball tied to the line.

Hope this helps, and again...welcome aboard!

 

[TimD]

Delaware is TunnelBill country!

 

[Jerry Dunlap]

Set the c/l of the prop about 1/8" above the bottom of the sponsons. Open the needle-valve about 4 turns. Avoid making hard right to left turns. The engine has a throttle, drive it around slowly for awhile to get a feel for the boat.

Don't try running the boat in choppy water conditions.

JD

 

[topfuel443]

Tunnel Bill ......chime in here and help this guy out... you were saying how no one in your area runs tunnel boats.... heres the opportunity!

Nate, there is alot of good people on here who are more than willing to help out, just let us know what you need. The affore mentioned recommenations are good ones, try it out and let us know what happens.

~James

 

[bbnate804]

sounds like i did alright for a start. i layed the boat on the table and set the motor a touch above level didn't break out a ruler or anything tho. as far as i pitch i kno when i trim out dad's boat you pick up speed and then you cross the threshold between speed and driveabilty. long story short, i put just a little bit of pitch on my setup but its hardly noticeable. don't know that i'll get fast enough to flip it over (not sure how hard it is to flip to begin with). i've got the recovery thing licked as i'm going to borrow my neighbors canoe and the pond is a right good size. i'd love to have a tight turning boat on command but in trying different servo arms and adjustments they all seemed to yield the same response. what should i go get for fuel? whats a good after run oil? is the octura x440 a good prop? would a fail safe be a good investment? any tips on building a boat stand (wood or pvc)? anybody know the range on a futaba jr? its not the latest and greatest but its a decent one. i'm sure i could come up with more questions long as you guys don't mind.

nate

 

[TimD]

sounds like i did alright for a start. i layed the boat on the table and set the motor a touch above level didn't break out a ruler or anything tho.  as far as i pitch i kno when i trim out dad's boat you pick up speed and then you cross the threshold between speed and driveabilty.  long story short, i put just a little bit of pitch on my setup but its hardly noticeable.  don't know that i'll get fast enough to flip it over (not sure how hard it is to flip to begin with).  i've got the recovery thing licked as i'm going to borrow my neighbors canoe and the pond is a right good size.  i'd love to have a tight turning boat on command but in trying different servo arms and adjustments they all seemed to yield the same response.  what should i go get for fuel?  whats a good after run oil? is the octura x440 a good prop?  would a fail safe be a good investment? any tips on building a boat stand (wood or pvc)?  anybody know the range on a futaba jr? its not the latest and greatest but its a decent one.  i'm sure i could come up with more questions long as you guys don't mind.
nate

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Nate,

Fuel choice is up to what you can afford and whats available locally. 21 outboards love nitro - so 50% + nitro is considered normal. After run oil - you'll get a lot of different answers on that - what I do is run the engine for a few seconds on a 4:1 mix of mathanol and castor oil (FAI control fuel). Then I fill the motor up with Automatic Trans Fluid. Others will chime in with their preferred after run - I'm sure of it.

The X440 is a great prop for your boat / motor.

A failsafe is a great investment for a radio that does not have it built in. One thing to remember though - they don't work in the case of a battery failure.

If you want a prop guard on your stand then wood is the way to go.

Range on your radio depends on how much charge is in your batteries. Figure on about 400 ft. with good batteries and you should be OK but it's not gospel - there are sooooooooo many things that can affect range plus if it stops that far out it's further to paddle! Futaba is a great brand of radio.

Hope this helps,

Tim.

 

[bbnate804]

hey every little bit helps as far as i'm concerned. i think i'm just as much worried as i am anxious. somethings i don't worry about tearing up as i've had time to play and wouldn't mind new. for this, i don't want to tear it up as i can't afford new and haven't even had the chance to try this one yet. asking now is just eaiser then asking why later. in the box of extra parts that came with the boat was a carb but it only had a fuel hookup and the needle adjustment. is this a racing carb? how's it work? i think i read somewhere that you have to be careful starting the outboards as the starter can throw the motor around and tear up servos. is that kinda what you were talking about a prob guard tim? oh and if anybody's got a newer kb they'd like to get rid of at a real pretty price i might be able to find it in my heart to give it a warm loving home.

nate

 

[Tunnelbill]

Nate,

Sorry, I just read this post. I have been working 12-14 hour days and not reading the board. I live in Smyrna DE, feel free to contact me and I will help you out. Bill

 

[bbnate804]

hey bill no problem, i understand 12 and 14 hour days but i don't get mine till the summer when the ground dries up and we can really move some dirt. i'm down here in good old delmar. might be interested in joining a local club just to see some of the real boats run and just get to know some cool people. where do you go to run your boat?

nate

 

[bbnate804]

hey guys, first try didn't go so great. got all my stuff together and got the boat fueled up. got down to the waters edge and cracked the leg on the first dry start. the short side of the leg cracked and chipped offright around the bearing. the long side is just cracked. the water pickup got all mangled up. my x440 is dented pretty good. the only thing that come out in one piece was the flex shaft. whats a lower half gonna cost me? what would've caused something like this?

nate

 

[Tunnelbill]

Nate,

We have a pond in Queenstown MD that we run at in the spring or until the grass shuts us down. It sounds like you need some help with your boat. If you want to come up some weekend I will go over your boat with you. Later Bill

 

[bbnate804]

i really appreciate the help bill, looks like its gonna be a lil while before i have the money to buy extra parts tho. i already stretched myself too thin just gettin to this point. won't forget the offer tho.

nate

 

[MarkScott]

Nate,

The carb you mention is most likely just a venturi that was used on the older K&B's that used a exhaust throttle.

A good starting / carring stand can be made from 3/16 ply. Following pics is what I use for all my tunnels. Add some rope and it makes it very easy to carry to/from the pond.

Built in prop guard...

Mark...

 

[Duck899]

hey guys, first try didn't go so great.  got all my stuff together and got the boat fueled up.  got down to the waters edge and cracked the leg on the first dry start.  the short side of the leg cracked and chipped offright around the bearing.  the long side is just cracked.  the water pickup got all mangled up.  my x440 is dented pretty good.  the only thing that come out in one piece was the flex shaft.  whats a lower half gonna cost me?  what would've caused something like this?
nate

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Was the prop balanced?......All metal props have to be sharpened and balanced. It was probably out of balance and the vibration in the lower unit broke the threaded halves around the prop shaft.

 

[bbnate804]

hey duck, thats what came to mind for me too. i looked the prop over before i put it on and it looked as it had been sharpened and balanced. maybe it was just sharpened tho. the other thing that i noticed is that the lower bearing on my motor wasn't threaded. to change the flex shaft i had to take the leg apart. all the parts i been looking to order have all got threads on em. what's the difference? i either think the bearing hung up(prop shaft is now bent) causing the prop to hit the plate(visible gouge in cav plate and matching tip on prop) and the thrust had to go somewhere so it went out the leg. not the way i had hoped my first run to go. on a good note the motor did fire after some minor tweaks and sounded clean.

nate

 

[Duck899]

hey duck, thats what came to mind for me too.  i looked the prop over before i put it on and it looked as it had been sharpened and balanced.  maybe it was just sharpened tho.  the other thing that i noticed is that the lower bearing on my motor wasn't threaded.  to change the flex shaft i had to take the leg apart.  all the parts i been looking to order have all got threads on em.  what's the difference?  i either think the bearing hung up(prop shaft is now bent) causing the prop to hit the plate(visible gouge in cav plate and matching tip on prop) and the thrust had to go somewhere so it went out the leg.  not the way i had hoped my first run to go.  on a good note the motor did fire after some minor tweaks and sounded clean.
nate

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Nate....If you can find someone with a prop balancer, check the prop. Those old lower units were also famous for wearing out the lower ends. The newer ones have threaded propshafts which are easy to change and once removed, allow access to the shaft for greasing. The even newer lower units have a hole for greasing the shaft from outside. No need to take the lower unit apart. If you want to invest in a balancer, the one made by top flite called the Top flite power point with the magnets on the ends works really well. Its about $20. As far as lower units, you might try advertising in the for sale section for parts. Good luck.....

 

[bbnate804]

thanks again for your help guys. i had a lowe's card with some money left on it so i went ahead and rigged up a pvc display stand(picture at left) that i'm gonna keep in my room. is nice and tall for working on the boat or just showing it to my friends. i did see that it was a hand full to try and start the motor and hold it still and everything else so i'm gonna take some of the scrap ply we've got around here to build a starting box for the pond. i think i got enough money for my b-day to get some lower unit pieces and hope to make it to the water this time. when you guys are starting your outboards to you put the stater on the cone and then pull the trigger OR do you have the starter spinning when you drop it on starting cone? i did it the first way and didn't seem to really be gettin a hard crank. was only using a motorcycle battery and think that may have been part of the problem. what kind of batteries do you guys use?

nate

 

[John Knight]

thanks again for your help guys.  i had a lowe's card with some money left on it so i went ahead and rigged up a pvc display stand(picture at left) that i'm gonna keep in my room.  is nice and tall for working on the boat or just showing it to my friends.  i did see that it was a hand full to try and start the motor and hold it still and everything else so i'm gonna take some of the scrap ply we've got around here to build a starting box for the pond.  i think i got enough money for my b-day to get some lower unit pieces and hope to make it to the water this time.  when you guys are starting your outboards to you put the stater on the cone and then pull the trigger OR do you have the starter spinning when you drop it on starting cone?  i did it the first way and didn't seem to really be gettin a hard crank.  was only using a motorcycle battery and think that may have been part of the problem.  what kind of batteries do you guys use?
nate

85335[/snapback]

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Nate,

A 12V battery is fine for a 20 tunnel. A good gel cell about 7.5 AMP HR is better than a motorcycle battery as there is no acid to potentially spill. Batteries Plus has them for about 18.00 each. Start the starter before you hit the flywheel with it and it should crank easily. Move the boat forward on the stand and get the engine over the piping. Boat will not rear up on you then.

John

 

[bbnate804]

18 bucks ain't bad at all. had the motorcycle battery readily handy. have to try hitting it with the starter going next time. didn't kno if i'd tear anything up but now i know. still think i'll build the box as i like the idea of having something to hold the motor and being able to keep body parts away from the prop.

nate