Matts 32" Rivercat/Apparition Build

[Mattwarner]

Having only just finished my Carbon Daytona I really got the bug for building boats, and hopefully each one will get better but this is only my second build so feel free to offer help and advice along the way.

I wanted this build to be different from my single 4082 Daytona build so I decided to go for a twin.

Ive had a lot of fun thinking up different ideas for the paint scheme and although i love the carbon fiber look of the Daytona, i was looking forward to a bit of colour and decided on red and white and to stay with the Fightercat theme.

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j397/mattwarner1979/IMG_0404.jpg


Base coat

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j397/mattwarner1979/P1000408.jpg

All thats left is a few weeks to fully cure (its enamel paint and is still a little soft after a week!) and a wet sand, polish and wax:

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j397/mattwarner1979/P1000415.jpg

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j397/mattwarner1979/P1000412.jpg

Hope you like it!

[Gimp]

Paint work looks real nice Matt!

[Mattwarner]

Ordered a pair of Turnigy 3126 1600kv which i am going to run on 6s through a Fightercat Twin ESC.

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j397/mattwarner1979/TH-motor9.jpg

Couldnt decide on what stingers to use as my options where either the standard 4mm ones or to cut down the 3/16 ones which fightercat stock, i decided as this is a budget build to go for the 4mm ones and run wire drives as i dont think 4mm flexi's will be up to the job although it would be a cheaper option if i could get away with it.

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j397/mattwarner1979/HK-503B511.jpg

Also got my carbon fiber laid up, I hate doing this job and admire some of the guys on here that get this looking perfect, although i am fairly happy with it and its much cleaner than my first attempt in the Daytona, had some advice not to go overboard on the epoxy and use a roller which works well although i really struggle to get the edges sharp from the tunnel into the sponsons as the ffabric wants to curve and bow out.

ive also cut some transom plates which havent been fitted in this pic which is why you can see some fiberglass on the transom, I will also be fitting a bulkhead.

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j397/mattwarner1979/P1000417.jpg

[Mattwarner]

Paint work looks real nice Matt!

Thanks Gimp! I must admit the pictures dont do it justice and the finish looks really good, just really gutted I got impatient and didnt leave it to go off for a few weeks, this stuff takes FOREVER to cure and already has a couple of tiny marks which I am really annoyed about :doh: but i guess its all a learning curve and this is my first ever go at spraying.

[Gimp]

Thanks Gimp! I must admit the pictures dont do it justice and the finish looks really good, just really gutted I got impatient and didnt leave it to go off for a few weeks, this stuff takes FOREVER to cure and already has a couple of tiny marks which I am really annoyed about :doh: but i guess its all a learning curve and this is my first ever go at spraying.

I'm sure you can wet sand those spots with 1000-1500 and polish.

[Mattwarner]

I cant really sand them as they are indents where the paint was still soft and something has been pressed on it (no idea what)

Got the rest of the carbon inlay finished on the transom:

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j397/mattwarner1979/IMG_0437.jpg

And also got the transom drilled for the rudder, I am using a Strudder setup and just removed the strut as it was cheap, used the same technique as on my Genesis and used brass inserts for the bolts to go through, these bolts have been upgraded to A4 stainless steel.

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j397/mattwarner1979/IMG_0439.jpg

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j397/mattwarner1979/IMG_0443.jpg

The transom is at an angle which i didnt realise was soo bad till i mounted the rudder, do you think this is too much angle? not sure what i can do to correct it?

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j397/mattwarner1979/IMG_0444.jpg

[Mattwarner]

Also how far forward should the motors be mounted? I would like to mount the batteries in the sponsons and esc on the tunnel so i guess they should be mounted as far back as possible? is this going to be an issue running wire drives as apparently they dont like much bend??

[Mattwarner]

Got some more done this week and happy with the progress! Sorry Keith for copying your idea for an esc cover (Keith Bradley makes and sells some awesome esc covers and servo mounts)

Motor mounts were cut (nothing has been mounted yet just placed in the hull to get an idea)

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j397/mattwarner1979/IMG_0447.jpg

Lined the hatch with tape and sprayed expanding foam in the recess, once dried i marked round the foam to get a flush finish, ripped the tape and foam out and cut flush! easy!

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j397/mattwarner1979/IMG_0448.jpg

ESC cover just rested in place going to use one of fightercats twin esc's which should keep everything nice, neat and simple. Just needs wet sanding and polishing once dry as there is a ton of lacquer on it and its a bit orange peely.

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j397/mattwarner1979/IMG_0463.jpg

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j397/mattwarner1979/IMG_0466.jpg

also got some braided hose covering which expands and fits over the cooling hose, i have ordered lots of different sizes as its going to be used to cover all the wires and should look really nice.

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j397/mattwarner1979/IMG_0457.jpg

servo mount is also being "blinged up" with red washers and one of these servos from hobbyking

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j397/mattwarner1979/MG959.jpg

just waiting on the stingers, motors and need to order up the esc and wire drives, which is where i am going to need some serious help setting up!! Hope you like what ive done so far, this is only my second build but its thanks to the experienced guys on here which gives us newbies something to aspire to when building our own boats.

[srislash]

Nice work thus far there Matt.It should stand out real well.

[Mattwarner]

Cheers!

[Drax21]

Hi Matt its looking really good.
That rudder up like that may not be a problem as the Apparition does like to sit back in the water a little. A angle like that will also force the front down more which is often a good idea in these hulls.
The braiding hose covering from Mike works a treat. I'm gonna get a load of that!
I need to paint my Apparition soon.
The set-up is a beast and all the water pick-ups etc work great. Doing things back to front really with painting now.
I'm thinking of going blue lightning or something like that. How did you get the lines so straight. By eye??

[hazegry]

where did you get that colored braided hose?

[Mattwarner]

Hi Matt its looking really good.
That rudder up like that may not be a problem as the Apparition does like to sit back in the water a little. A angle like that will also force the front down more which is often a good idea in these hulls.
The braiding hose covering from Mike works a treat. I'm gonna get a load of that!
I need to paint my Apparition soon.
The set-up is a beast and all the water pick-ups etc work great. Doing things back to front really with painting now.
I'm thinking of going blue lightning or something like that. How did you get the lines so straight. By eye??

Thanks Tim,
Yep did it all by eye, trust me this this sounds easier than it was and took me ages to get curve around the cockpit correct on both sides first with masking tape and again with pinstriping tape after it had been painted

Ben at FC said the angle of the rudder was designed for a reason so I am not messing with it! It had already been sanded to remove the seam which was pretty bad so I didn't want to go any further with the sanding.

Braided hose was from eBay, just search "expandable braided hose sleeving" although I got mine from Www.heatshrink-online.co.uk be careful though as you need bigger than you think, order the size for the diameter hose NOT what it will expand up to, 6mm just fitted my 3mm ID hose but not my 4mm, there is also a "knack' to working it over the hose without fraying it so order much more than you need!

[battlefury]

I found this as a reference sizing for those expandable braided hose. Hope this helps

http://singapore.rs-online.com/web/c/cables-wires/cable-accessories-ties-tools/cable-sleeves/?sort-by=default&sort-order=default&view-type=List

[Checkmateguy01]

Matt, that is an incredibly good looking boat, nice job!!! Should be a very fast set-up! Now you got me thinking about a twin cat, but i'm not done with the Daytona yet tho lol (but close).

[Diegoboy]

where did you get that colored braided hose?
Jason,
Back in the late 80's I used it on my '78 Fiat 124 spider. It was made by a compant called Spectre. They still make it, but only in Stainless braid which would add significant weight to an RC boat. Back in 2005 on my Mazda3, I used a product from Mr gasket called G-sleeve (http://www.google.com/search?q=spectra+hose+braid&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&startIndex=&startPage=1#q=mr+gasket+g-sleeve&hl=en&safe=off&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&prmd=imvns&source=univ&tbm=shop&tbo=u&sa=X&ei=zWI-T_agKqTv0gH9g6yXCA&ved=0CFMQrQQ&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=ae82152aa1cf79e4&biw=1366&bih=575). It is very light weight and comes in many colors. I used to us it on some of my earlier boats, but I change out the cooling tubes so often, I couldn't justify keeping it on the hose.

HERE's (http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2216806/2005-mazda-mazda3/page-3) my Mazda3 with that stuff installed.

70610

[Mattwarner]

Matt, that is an incredibly good looking boat, nice job!!! Should be a very fast set-up! Now you got me thinking about a twin cat, but i'm not done with the Daytona yet tho lol (but close).

Haha i started this build before id finished my Daytona :smile: and no doubt there will be another (fancy building a mono next!)