Phil Thomas SS20

[Buckshot]

Dose anyone here have some photos of their Phil Thomas SuperSport 20 boat that they would like to share. I'm fixing to dive off into building one and would like to see others that have been built. In the build sheets it said for a MAC motor to use the rear radio box with a front mounted fuel tank and with a NR use the front mounted radio box and rear mounted fuel tanks. CG at 14" from transom with out fuel. How about with a full load? What do ya'll sport 20 guys think?

Thanks in advance.



-Buck-

 

[P THOMAS]

Buck, What motor will you be using? The Mac 21 can be used with the front or rear but the Novirossi only uses the front box.

Here are some pictures of the SSP21 in the gallery.

https://www.intlwaters.com/gallery/thumbnails.p...lbum=305&page=1

 

[Buckshot]

Thanks Phil!

I'll be running a MAC motor.

Dose the rear mounted radio box span the inside of the tub?

I have never set up a sport boat and running a push rod from the front of the boat to the rudder out back makes me think flex / binding issues could happen. But I like the idea of having the radio up front. I need to do some research on the carbon push rod set up. Do you guys put something midspan to support the rod?



-Buck-

 

[P THOMAS]

Thanks Phil!

I'll be running a MAC motor.

Dose the rear mounted radio box span the inside of the tub?

I have never set up a sport boat and running a push rod from the front of the boat to the rudder out back makes me think flex / binding issues could happen. But I like the idea of having the radio up front. I need to do some research on the carbon push rod set up. Do you guys put something midspan to support the rod?



-Buck-

The rear box is wide but not as wide as the tub.

check this picture https://www.intlwaters.com/gallery/displayimage...lbum=305&pos=15

The long rudder pushrod works fine, you just have to watch the clearance for the motor mount.

The rudder link is pulling for a right turn with the rudder mounted on the left side.

The red Bud boat in the pictures has a 4-40 rod that is supported by a nylon guide in the rear.

You can get the carbon fiber rod sets from Dave Brown products or you could use a 1/4 dia arrow shaft, I think you can get those at Walmart or a sport store.

 

[Racerdude]

Hi Buck and Phil -

I have been running my SS 21 for a year or so now, and I think I have figured out a few of the things to be aware of. I also run a MAC.

First, your question about the radio box is a good one. The boat can be sensitive to the CG. It may be a faster boat with the front mounted radio box. However, mine is the mid-mounted radio box. It did not run right (hopped sided to side and up and down) until I RE-BUILT the radio box, moving it forward in the boat to be flush with the midway setp in the tub. I think Phil's instructions say to put it 3/4 of an inch back from the step, but mine runs WAY better with the radio box flush with that step (yes that 3/4" makes a big difference). I also bought a flat pack re-chargable battery that fits in the center of the radio box (as opposed to one side or the other), and I push the battery as far forward in the box as possible. I think that the radio box / battery position is a key to making this boat run right.

To a point, this boat needs front weight, so anything you can do when building it to remove weight fron the rear / center of the boat and put it in the front will most likely work out well for you. Also, try to get the weight as centered (along the length of the boat) as possible. I run an ounce of lead weight on the inside right of the tub.

One other thing that you might want to do is put a "drain" in the rear of the boat. Again, this boat can be sensitive to subtle changes in the CG, so when water gets inside the hull, it can change the way it runs. I went all the way and )in addition to the rear drain) cut a couple of "access" hole in the sides of the tub so that I can let the inside dry completely out between races.

Now, all that said, I think the boat ROCKS. I can run with the best boats around (maybe not always faster, but certainly in the range), and won the club championship here in San Diego with this boat last year. I have had it on the radar over 50 mph (not gonna say how much over 50 mph ) I am confident with a tweek or 2 I could be that fastest boat on the pond on any given day.

Let me know if you need anything more!

Jay

 

[P THOMAS]

Thanks for the input Jay.

You are right about the balance,, keep everything to the front.

That 3/4" reference is for the front radio box setback not the rear box. If the front box is not set back some the cowl wont fit. I have changed that measure to 1" setback

At some point last year I quit adding foam blocks to the hull and just opened up the side of the engine well so something like pipe insulation flotation can be added. the foam block in the sides just helped make the boat tail heavy.

Using the foam pipe insulation weight can be added to the front tips of the sponsons by tyraping some into the front end of the pipe insulation.

I have updated the radio box setup info

RADIO BOX

Mount the front radio box 1” inch from the front inside edge of the engine well. Be sure the cowl will not hit the radio box, the cowl should fit the hull and not sit on the radio box top.

Be careful about the clearances of the header pipe and the throttle control link boot.

The rudder control rod should run straight back to the rudder control arm.

The front or rear radio box has room for a standard size steering servo and two mini servos.

The rear box is mounted on the flat surface behind the motor.

update---- Set the rear box as close to the motor as possible to keep the weight forward.

Allow about 1/8” to ¼” clearance for the header pipe over the box top.

The setup will keep changing as more boats are built and raced.

The boat performance just keeps gettig better.

THANKS PHIL T

 

[Buckshot]

Thanks for the update.



-Buck-