Max Weight , Rule of thumb?

[brons101]

is there a rule of thumb on max weight of an rc boats? im building in a 30inch cat hull, what is a good overall weight it should be with batteries ? not racing just a fun lake boat.

[Fluid]

There is no "rule of thumb" since there are so many variables including:

- voltage - 2S, 4S, 6S?
- hull quality/thickness
- motor size
- hardware type

I'd not worry about the weight unless the boat performs poorly.

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[Bp9145]

is there a rule of thumb on max weight of an rc boats? im building in a 30inch cat hull, what is a good overall weight it should be with batteries ? not racing just a fun lake boat.

What do you mean by "a fun lake boat"? Something to go 20-30mph or 50mph? Because if it's just for running it around and high speed is not your concern then the weight shouldn't matter much. However, if you're building it from scratch then just do it right the first time. Do your research because 40mph might be fine for now as a lake boat but soon enough you'll want to it to go 50mph then 60mph. . .So keep that in mind and pick your parts accordingly. Remember, a heavier boat will run slower than a lighter boat with the same running gear. . .kind like having a 50mph boat and then you put 5lbs of anything inside and you won't have a 50mph boat any longer. . .but put, preferably, a small 5lb object since a bigger object will not only slow the boat down but balance will be off as well.

[CraigP]

Where the weight is located in the boat is the key thing. The CG has to be correct... Cats, I believe are 30-35% of overall length, as measured from the back. Most folks use the weight of the batteries, located along each side, to get the CG right. I'd shoot for 32.5%, run the boat, and adjust from there. The faster you go, the more the CG has to be moved forward....