1st Build - Insane Boats 34" Mono

[riptide1]

This is my first attempt to build a FE boat from the hull up to rtr.

I am starting with the Insane Boats 34" mono hull. My goal is to create a formidable contender to run with my 31" Rico built by friend and fellow OSE member rearwheelin' The Rico corners either direction like on rails and does just under 50mph.

Hardware is Speedmaster 40 except for custom large turn fins and Accutech trim tabs. Today I drilled the holes in the transom, so the hardware is all loosely held on right now, ...we will get to things like strut angle adjustment later. I will be using .187 flex and starting with a x445 prop.

Powerplant is an overkill, but heck I think I can keep the weight at 9lbs, I know the hardware is plenty large enough, and I have experience with it in other boats. So I'm dropping in a Castle 1717 1577kv brushless, a T-180 with extra caps and my special cap cooler(to come later) and Turnigy 6s1p 5000mah 40c.

I'm using 3mm carbon fiber for the motor mount sides, a battery tray, transom reinforcement, and probably a center mounted esc plate.

Here's some pictures to start ...I have plenty of questions, I don't mind trial and error, welcome constructive criticism, and as you can see I definitely jumped in head first. You'll see the first novice mistake is not having all the right size drill bits and accidently letting the larger bits grap and take some gelcoat with it 002.jpg005.jpg006.jpg008.jpg017.jpg

[riptide1]

Interior loosely set in place. I started playing with CG; what is shown here is 9" from the transom ...mental note I need to look over Tony's builds of this boat for CG advice. 011.jpg012.jpg021.jpg

[riptide1]

Over the past couple of days I was able to get the flex drive laid in and the steering servo mounted with linkage complete. I also added the second motor mount bolt after making an adjustable angle cutout allowing the motor plate to tilt. The motor sits nice and low in the hull and their is minimal resistance as the .187 cable slides in to the collet. The cable length is 8.5" from the thrust bearing to the tinned tip.

Anyways I don't know if anyone is going to follow this thread and read any of this stuff, but I have enjoyed the build so far. I learned that the smaller stuffing tube should be sanded down and slid all the way into the strut, until it butts up to the flange on the brass bushing. I made the mistake of soldering the smaller tube into the larger and epoxying it down will only 3/4" to be stuck into the strut. I realized something was wrong when the brass bushing with grease holes pushed up into the strut. Instead of ripping out everything I did (West Systems G-Flex epoxy ...that's a whole other story ..basically I didn't know to use a filler to increase the thickness and the epoxy kept running down to the bottom of the hull), so I sleeved the bushing by cutting another piece of smaller brass tubing to butt up to the 3/4" I had sticking into the front. Then I was able to put the bushing in flush to the rear of the strut.

002.jpg003.jpg008.jpg009.jpg

[riptide1]

more pictures...017.jpg023.jpg030.jpg032.jpg

[Remmie81]

Nice project and nice hull you have there!!

I dont know if you have done it, but if you tape the transom with someting and drill true the tape, most of the time
this will prevent the gelcoat from chipping. (not always, but it can help)
It looks like your trimtabs are flat with the bottom. Its better to raise them a little bit. (mount them higher)

[ozzie-crawl]

looking good.
I would suggest if you move trim tabs bring them in a bit,could be wrong but they look fairly high up compared to were i generally run mine.

[riptide1]

Now that you've mentioned it ...I have heard that before, it reduces drag to not have them level with the bottom edge. If I move them in towards the keel, I will also move them up a few mm. Thanks

Nice project and nice hull you have there!!

I dont know if you have done it, but if you tape the transom with someting and drill true the tape, most of the time
this will prevent the gelcoat from chipping. (not always, but it can help)
It looks like your trimtabs are flat with the bottom. Its better to raise them a little bit. (mount them higher)

[riptide1]

I know it looks crazy, and you are probably right to suggest bringing them in. To start I wanted to duplicate the Rico setup that works so well. I will get you guys a good video of the Rico with the current Castle 1520 on 6s, doing 50 with no chine walk and cornering. I was second guessing it until I relooked at the pictures below. The hulls are very different, this 34" boat has a deeper V, so I mounted the tabs not all the way out touching the turnfin brackets like the Rico. The Ricos are currently set level with the transom, so maybe they aren't even engaged?? On another note, like yours is shown, people generally run their turn fins in a bit. Is it possible to describe the anticipated handling characteristics if you move either the turnfins or trimtabs in or out?
Rico Hardware 3.jpgRico Hardware 2.jpgRico Hardware 1.jpg

looking good.
I would suggest if you move trim tabs bring them in a bit,could be wrong but they look fairly high up compared to were i generally run mine.

[ozzie-crawl]

My turn fins were set right on the edge of the chine. Being a different hull it has a edge sticks out were the chine meets the bottom of the hull.
Think the turn fin acts as a pivot point so needs to be right out on the edge.
Some guys run 2 sets of trim tabs so i guess the outer ones help in either turning or lower speeds ?
I dont have my mono any more but from memory there is generally not much hull in the water when running anyway.
I am only just getting back into boats after a couple years off. So i am a little rusty on some theory :-)

[ozzie-crawl]

Picture probably explains better about the edge/lip from the chine to hull and the reason the turn fins look to be to far in.

[riptide1]

I follow, so since my hard chine doesn't have that more flat edge, I have them set correctly at the edge; as do you for your chine shape. Thanks

Picture probably explains better about the edge/lip from the chine to hull and the reason the turn fins look to be to far in.

[properchopper]

Hey Brian, Lookin' Good ! If you don't mind me buttin' in, here's a few thoughts :

To avoid chipping the gelcoat finish, like stated by Remmi, tape the area to be drilled. I always put a drop of oil on the drill bit also to prevent chipping. Then go EASY - light pressure & high speed. Here's three indespensable tools for hole drilling :

a drill bit hole size thang :

DSC03179.JPG

Hole center marker (Tower Hobbies -love this thing)

DSC03181.JPGDSC03180.JPG

Good that you're using G-Flex; nothing else works for keeping stuff in place like G-Flex. (To avoid dribbles, tape area around bond & peel before full cure)

I noticed that you have a thrust bearing between the prop & strut. Conventional wisdom says not to do this; if the flex shortens due to wind-up, places stress on shaft and rear-facing motor bushing.

I'd agree that your trim tabs should be closer to the strut - I realize that strut/tabs want to occupy the same real estate but a pre-install mock-up helps to figure out the spacing.

DSC03178.JPG

( the curled down edges courtesy of Darin & Brian-they call them "training wheels" and tame chine walk)

I keep my CG around 9" from back but rember that running attitude depends on interplay between strut height/angle, prop lift characteristics, tab orientation, and water conditions. On smooth water the hull runs "stuck"; chop/racewater breaks it loose.

[MarkF]

I like my trim tabs to be right next to the strut. They won't help you much with chine walk if there to high up. The turn fin should run strait down the back of the boat and not be angled back. My cg is at 10" when running.

Mark

[riptide1]

Tony, really good stuff here. It would have been helpful indeed to have those tools. I agree that the tabs should be a bit closer, and definitely raised like Remmie said, I find that when I drop them down amps and heat go up a lot. I like the long tabs, because I like speed and long reach provides the right leverage(definitely needed on the Rico), but I think all it takes is a small bit of the end to apply pressure on the water surface for them to do their job. I do like the keel to sit planted, with my strut at 2 degrees up and the trim tabs not buddying up too close. As far as the thrust bearing goes, I agree it puts pressure on the rear motor bearing (hmm might need to pickup a ceramic boca bearing set while still in production) ...but it fixed the shaft overheating problem I had with the 45" Sniper and it should eliminate that annoying hop that I see in some boats, from the winding & unwinding. I leave a up to a 2mm gap even with the bearing, only allowing it to thrust under load. Tony ...even with the chip I put in under the drive hole, she's still a beauty! Thanks for your help

Hey Brian, Lookin' Good ! If you don't mind me buttin' in, here's a few thoughts :

To avoid chipping the gelcoat finish, like stated by Remmi, tape the area to be drilled. I always put a drop of oil on the drill bit also to prevent chipping. Then go EASY - light pressure & high speed. Here's three indespensable tools for hole drilling :

a drill bit hole size thang :

[ATTACH=CONFIG]75561[/ATTACH]

Hole center marker (Tower Hobbies -love this thing)

[ATTACH=CONFIG]75563[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]75562[/ATTACH]

Good that you're using G-Flex; nothing else works for keeping stuff in place like G-Flex. (To avoid dribbles, tape area around bond & peel before full cure)

I noticed that you have a thrust bearing between the prop & strut. Conventional wisdom says not to do this; if the flex shortens due to wind-up, places stress on shaft and rear-facing motor bushing.

I'd agree that your trim tabs should be closer to the strut - I realize that strut/tabs want to occupy the same real estate but a pre-install mock-up helps to figure out the spacing.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]75564[/ATTACH]

( the curled down edges courtesy of Darin & Brian-they call them "training wheels" and tame chine walk)

I keep my CG around 9" from back but rember that running attitude depends on interplay between strut height/angle, prop lift characteristics, tab orientation, and water conditions. On smooth water the hull runs "stuck"; chop/racewater breaks it loose.

[riptide1]

Mark, good tip, the turnfin will be straight down parallel with the transom. If you sit the boat on a table the fin length was designed to be even with the keel when the boat is level.

I like my trim tabs to be right next to the strut. They won't help you much with chine walk if there to high up. The turn fin should run strait down the back of the boat and not be angled back. My cg is at 10" when running.

Mark