Mini V is a Awesome Little Boat!!

[Steven Vaccaro]

Today was the most fun I have had with rc boats in a while. The Mini V is a huge hit with my 9 and 11 year old! I haven't seen them smile about a rc boat like this for a while. They said its not much faster than their mod zig zag but the looks of it make it a really cool looking boat. Since putting a gps on a rc boat this size would have affected handling and speed substantially. I race it side by side with my real boat with a gps on board. 13-15 mph on 6 stock cells. 17-19mph on 7 gp1100 cells. We are about 8 packs in it today with only one flip in very wavy conditions. The only downfall is its tight turning. It would spin out. I'm going to make some tiny turn fins this week.

[Diegoboy]

Hey Steven,

I bought some tiny trim tabs for a megatech H2O to install on my mini-v.

Trim Tabs (http://www.rchobbyexplosion.com/MEGATECH_H2O_PRO_RACER_TRIM_TABS_2_PACK_p/mtpt-ho106.htm)

I haven't installed mine as yet, because of the Miss Bud Conversion.

Just a thought...

[Tunda]

Steven heres what i did to mine........:D

[Tunda]

Steven I also ran my stock one on a 3cell lipo...... try that and watch how big of a smile your two boys will have........

[Steven Vaccaro]

Diegoboy, thanks for the link. I'm going to try to make some.

Tunda how fast is it on the bl? Does it handle the speed ok?
I'm not looking for much more speed. I will do the flex mod like you did. To much speed and I will be chasing flipped boats all the time.

[Tunda]

steve didnt get to run it yet. I tryed to solder the shaft and the flexshaft and it came apart just as i was going to put it in the water. So im going to glue it with some glue my buddy got from you........Let you know as soon as i run it........ALOHA.........

[SJFE]

Steven I have a very small set of the purple fdm fins. I wont be needing them. they are yours if you want them. They would make great right side fins. Not to mention look trick :D

[Tunda]

ILL take um if steven dosent want them..............

[Steven Vaccaro]

Steven I have a very small set of the purple fdm fins. I wont be needing them. they are yours if you want them. They would make great right side fins. Not to mention look trick :D
I sent you a pm. Thanks!

[Tunda]

Well boys ran the mini v today and it was pretty fast.:) 1st run 7.4v lipo,reefracer prop it ran good good speed. 2nd run changed prop to 431 went way faster but needs turn fins......:D Didnt try the 11.1v lipo i think its to much for my set up. I think the best set up would be bone stock with the flex mod,11.1v lipo water cooling the stock motor and 431 prop, turn fins...:D Oh and steven if you make some couplers for the stock motor to .098 flex ill take a couple thanks.....ALOHA.......:D

[Steven Vaccaro]

Well boys ran the mini v today and it was pretty fast.:) 1st run 7.4v lipo,reefracer prop it ran good good speed. 2nd run changed prop to 431 went way faster but needs turn fins......:D Didnt try the 11.1v lipo i think its to much for my set up. I think the best set up would be bone stock with the flex mod,11.1v lipo water cooling the stock motor and 431 prop, turn fins...:D Oh and steven if you make some couplers for the stock motor to .098 flex ill take a couple thanks.....ALOHA.......:D
I set mine up with a .098 flex cable and bought a 11.1v 1050 lipo to test with the stock motor.

A coupler is real easy. Use a ocfhe18098 coupler which has a 1/8" motor end. Buy a 1/8" k&s brass tubing. Cut a piece of brass about 5/8" long. Than notch the center of it. Slide it into the coupler. Line up the notch with the coupler setscrew. The motor setscrew needs to go through this notch and make contact with the motor shaft. I will post pictures once its fully tested in the water.

[Steven Vaccaro]

The mini fin has been installed along with a .098 flex cable.

[Tunda]

looks good......have to make me some turn fins also.........

[Gilbequick]

How hot does the stock motor get running it on a 3cell lipo? The speedo will handle it?

[Steven Vaccaro]

How hot does the stock motor get running it on a 3cell lipo? The speedo will handle it?
hot enough to boil water

[Diegoboy]

I just ran mine with the ammo 28-45-2700 brushless, 11.1v lipo, x623 prop, and flex shaft mod. the torque @ full throttle seems to twist the boat to lean to one side. I pulled the brushless out, ran her again with stock elect. 11.1 lipo, still leans from the torque. :mad:
any thoughts...?

[saleens7]

move the batt to one side of the hull to counteract the tourque?

[Jeepers]

try a x 430 x432 prop.

[Steven Vaccaro]

With the a x431 plastic, 3s and stock motor, my boat didn't twist at all. It did jump totally out of the water every few feet. The drive angle is just not made for such power.

[Diegoboy]

That purple pro boat prop for the 1/12 hydro. Is that one the x431?

[Steven Vaccaro]

the one i used was orange

['83 chevy]

i just bought one and love it, but i have a stupid question. what is the capacity of the stock battery? i need to know so i can charge it with my AC/DC charger.

[Steven Vaccaro]

I think the stock batt is around 1000mah. There are no specs on it from ProBoat.

['83 chevy]

I think the stock batt is around 1000mah. There are no specs on it from ProBoat.

ok thanks thast what i was thinking. i ran it yesterday at work and it is so much fun in water with a moderate chop to it. best $100 ever spent

[Steven Vaccaro]

Also I ran the boats yesterday. A bone stock mini v against a mini v with a x431 plastic and flex system. The flex system boat is easily faster. Faster take off, faster top end.

[Gilbequick]

That purple pro boat prop for the 1/12 hydro. Is that one the x431?
That prop is a Y534.

[Rex R]

I've got a y531 thats purple too.

[sidv13]

steve where did you get the turn fins?? did you make them and if so how hard is it to make them.

[sidv13]

the stock battery is probably the same as the losi mini-t battery which is 1100 mah. just a guess seeing that they used the losi reciever/ESC in the boat they probably used their battery also

[Tiki_man36]

Okay, so I went to the hobby shop today and purchased all the things to construct a flex system, however, I need a little instruction as I am new to boats. I read the tutorial here, but it does not seem to tell me what to do with the teflon lining and brass tubing, etc.

Let me know what I have to do. I also couldn't find adequate glue at the hobby store. I have Industrial Strength 43TL HV Loctite, not sure if that'll do the trick, I mainly use it for screws. I was thinking maybe Gorilla glue? Also dug up some Epoxy 2K, and Silicon Epoxy. Anyways, if not I'll make a trip to the hardware store later on.

I also scored one heck of a deal on a Neu 1105/3Y, and seeing as I have no other application to put it in, this will have it for a bit.

[sidv13]

steve where did you get the turn fins you used on youe mini-v did you make them or buy them

[Steven Vaccaro]

I cut them out of aluminum I bought at the hobby shop. Its quite easy to work with aluminum in this gauge of metal. A pair of cutters and a file will do wonders.

[sidv13]

has anyone figured out what the shaft size in on the mini-v? I was lookin on the site and was wondering if the prop adapter for the zig-zag would work if you were to make a new threaded propshaft. that is if the stock one is 2MM. it would be simple to make a new shaft out of a 2mm piece of paino wire if I can find one.

[sidv13]

Steven,

when you put the flex drive in you mini v how did you get the prop shaft thru the strudder because the only way is seems to fit is to remove the brass sleeves? did you have to remove the brass sleeves from the rudder and if so how did you take up the extra space because mine seems to fit really loosely. also is there a way to put the teflon sleeve into the stuffing tube with the flex shaft?

[Steven Vaccaro]

Yes I removed the stock metal bushings in the strut and put a piece of 5/32" k&s tubing to take up the space.

"Similar" to this build
http://forums.offshoreelectrics.com/showthread.php?t=328&highlight=blackjack

[FRED]

Dumb idea!

[sidv13]

thanks steven. that was the missing peice of the puzzle.

[stahlm004443]

hi,

im thinking of getting a small boat as my first rc boat but wasnt sure what to get. it was out of the reef racer 2 or the mini v. it sounds like you guys love the mini v but i like the idea of the reef racers self-righting hull. i plan to upgarde to brushless after i get used to the stock. any suggestions would be great

thanks

matt

[Mash13]

hey guys, I have 2 mini v's which are awesome fun. One took a tiny hit the other day, and has now lost major power. I have ruled out batt, driveline etc so I think the motor threw a brush :(