help selecting a mini catamaran

[miles]

any help highly appreciated. so what im looking for is fast bl/lipo setup that looks somewhat realistic. the boats in question are: HOPF mini cat 14.3"x6.5", H&M Drifter Micro(great looks), MHZ Micro Iceberg, BBY Micro Scat (maybe the Carbon Fiber version). What are the good, the bad, and the uglies of each? Im new to boats but not rc 2 planes ,3 helis,and about 15 or so cars trucks from brushless micro-t's to a stroked and piped baja 5b gas and everything in between, oh and sadly a proboat blackjack 26 bl from what iv'e read not the best but it is my first boat and dang It IS Fast for a RTR. JUST SO YOU KNOW STOCK IS NEVER GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME. I just cant help myself. its a problem i know! I would like something stable that still turns well. I also am looking for around40+MPH. I like the looks of the drifter it looks very scale and sleek. also seen a dual drive setup here somewhere and steven has one with a single that looked good. The bby scat looks to have not so good of hardware (at least from my view it looks a little unfinished and cheesy) but if it works great then o.k.. I don't particularly like the double bubble cockpit on the Iceberg but if its a better boat then i can manage the look. The HOPF looks o.k. and it is smaller than the others which i like but how small is to small. I have a mamba 25 controller already so if dual drive isnt to bad id like to go that route but this is my first build.

[Avanti]

I have a scat cat but I have not built it yet. nice looking hull though

[SJFE]

I'll put my 2 cents in for the MHZ Micro Iceberg.

[Fluid]

I have a Micro Drifter and and Iceberg and have set SAW records with both. Without a doubt the MicroDrifter is the more versatile boat for handling, speed and looks. The Iceberg is a very nice boat and I like mine, but with modern power it is outclassed by the MD. I made 49.7 mph passes (official, not GPS or radar) with the MD on 6xIB4200s and a Neu 1506. I prefer it to all the other options you mentioned.


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[rhinopole]

Don't forget the Dr. Psycho Speeder MicroCat.....
Wider and more stable then the Iceberg.

http://www.modelltechnik-schnippkoweit.de/xtcommerce/product_info.php/products_id/71

[miles]

WOW thank you all for the fast responses. I'm glad to hear the drifter is good because I really like the looks and have seen a couple in here. the speeder looks like it probably handles well as wide as it looks in the pic. looks hard to get in the U.S. too. I'll probably build two different cats so I can race my buddy as its no fun without a little hull rubbin' action right! I'll build one first to see if i really like the minis enough to have two' but from the vids I've seen I think I will. Any Ideas about dual outdrives on that drifter maybe with dual mamba 25s and 3000kv motors? wont it turn better both ways with dual outdrives? Who makes good hardware with good performance and looks? do you need trim tabs on cats,or turn fins like on the Blackjack 26? I would also like to build an HPR Christo 03 or 04w/dual QD25's(super nice hull), Expresscraft MTI or Cougar w/dual QD25's or Thunderbolt single QD25's down the road! I like the BIG stuff alot and I really like gas engine convenience and power. THANKS AGAIN ALL OF YOU for your insight as theres no substitute for experience. and Probably stupid Q but what is a SAW setup exactly. Sorry for the huge posts but so many boats so little time!

[Steven Vaccaro]

I have a Micro Drifter and and Iceberg and have set SAW records with both. Without a doubt the MicroDrifter is the more versatile boat for handling, speed and looks. The Iceberg is a very nice boat and I like mine, but with modern power it is outclassed by the MD. I made 49.7 mph passes (official, not GPS or radar) with the MD on 6xIB4200s and a Neu 1506. I prefer it to all the other options you mentioned.


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Jay how would you power a micro drifter if you had to use a feigao and lipos? Mine is in storage and waiting for the thaw.

[Fluid]

Jay how would you power a micro drifter if you had to use a feigao and lipos? Mine is in storage and waiting for the thaw.

Oval, SAWs, sport? For a good sport setup I'd go with a Feigao 9S, 2S Lipos and start with an x430 or x432. The packs would be open, 25C/4000 2S1P would work although it may be easier to balance with saddle packs. Speeds would be mid-high 30s which is fast for this little hull

For SAWs a Feigao 6S with 2S/5000mAh pack and an x430. Speeds would be upper 40s assuming the boat was set up right. A Hydra 120 would work but a 240 would be better for SAWs.


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[ace028]

Where can you get this Dr. Psycho Speeder MicroCat easily, the website is in another language, but that hull looks really cool. Like miles said it would be cool to have a twin motor powered mini, it probably would be out of control though with all the power, but who knows till you try it I guess?

[miles]

ACE look up ( twin micro drifter ) on you tube. I dont know if it is for sure a twin, but thats what peaked my interest in a mini twin. thought it wouldnt be to hard if it had been done already. so a hydra 120 or 240 in a mini fluid? OR is it just if you use fiego. FLUID what all components/hardware do i need to get to make that close to 50 mph boat you got if you dont mind me asking? unless you got a better idea with the same or better results in mind.

[ace028]

For a mini wouldn't a 120 amp esc be over kill? and too big for the boat? The renegade rigger has a 25 amp and is pushing 45mph, so i'm thinking that with a cat= a little more water resistance so mabye with more cells or something maybe push up to 40amps. cant you run like twin ammo motors with twin 25amp escs of maybe a 4cell lipo?

[Diegoboy]

That micro drifter isn't posted here, but this (http://www.freewebs.com/asgpockets/asgpocketboats.htm)is the guys page.

[Diegoboy]

You could use the Google translate (http://www.google.com/language_tools?hl=en) function "Translate a web page" from Dutch to English on it.

[miles]

ACE I was thinking the same as you ace since my blackjack 26 BL only has a 40 or 45 amp esc and will push a 540 size bl and 26" boat 45mph with lipo. wouldnt it be cheaper to just use the proboat esc or an aquacraft esc. I'm confused as to how much amperage a liitle cat needs now?and does anyone make a controller to run two brushless motors or always separate esc's? I'm used to the lrp and novak car controllers and they don't really get into anything technical since you dont have many motor choices. I was hoping to go dual mamba 25s and with one more esc and two motors it would still be cheaper than just the hydra 240. thanks for the info DIEGOBOY, cool boats and the pic of the red hydro on just the running edge of the prop looks cool. like i said before the whole boat thing is all new and you guys are a great resource and i applaud you all for your kindness. this forum is great!

[Ocean Racer]

no u dont have to get a different controler u just have to get a one of these (www.offshoreelectrics.com/proddetail.php?prod=dh-54701S) and plug each esc into it and then ur receiver. u just plug it in the same as u would with 1 esc

[miles]

thank you Oceanracer. thats what i was planning on doing and figured that 2 mamba 25's = mamba 50 & more amps than my blackjack26 proboat controller. Any idea on what to use as far as motor KV's with twin power or is it the same as running a single as far as KV ratings? what props 4 twin?

[ace028]

I was thinking around 2000kv but I could be wrong