"Orange Cat" build 2013 - Fast and Reliable

[cugino]

Hello,

for next season 2013 i am going to build my new boat. It is 930mm long custom build carbon/kevlar catamaran hull. I wasnt sure about the suitable hull lenght, beacuse my intention was fast setup, but i didnt want to ruin my wallet much :-) I Thing that under 1 meter long hull will be enough for good speed, reliable setup and low budget boat. We will see.

I am not boat racer. I only want fast boat for holiday bashing. I will build twin motor powered boat, just becasue i like the roostertail and handling of twins. Nothing more.

There is my custom made hull. It is carbon aramid hull. Bottom part of the hull is carbon/aramid, hatch and top part of the hull is aramid only. Resin is high strenght epoxy with aerospace certification. Hull is tempered, unfortunately not vacued. Next time i will be smarter.

DSCN7108_resize.jpg DSCN7103_resize.jpg


I am not sure about HW i will use. I am only sure i will use wiredrive. It si simple, cheap, reacheble, reliable and efficient.

I am not sure, what motor, ESC (most likely T180) or battery i will use. I want to run only 6S configuration batteries, because all other boats i have i use 6S. I would love to try 6S A-Spec Nanotech 6600mAh 65-130C in 3S+3S configuration. Each pack in sponson. I prefer very light setup, all the build will be build within this phylosophy. All components will be as light as possible. Just try to look on 6600 Aspac nanotech - power/weight/capacity ratio.

[cugino]

Servo mount

I like doing as much as i can myself. Buying thinks is realy simple, but with no satisfaction for me. And finaly i want to save as much money i can to have low budget boat. I have some time these days, so i can play :-)

Today I will prepare servo mount. I will use low profile china servo, because it is only one that fits this low hull quite well.

There is my servo mount: I like to prepare all my carbon part first. Then assembly part togather. I always build boats like that. I will start with smallest parts then assambling together. Finaly equip hull with prefabricated components.


DSCN7302_resize.jpgDSCN7307_resize.jpgDSCN7308_resize.jpgDSCN7338_resize.jpgDSCN7336_resize.jpg

[cugino]

Transom assembly

Hi folks,

Its time to move on. I ordered some HW. I think, it fits very well. Some modification were done outside the hull. Here are some pics.

DSCN7115_resize.jpgDSCN7364_resize.jpgDSCN7360_resize.jpgDSCN7361_resize.jpgDSCN7363_resize.jpg

I think, choosen HW is light and stiff enough for the hull this size and power. Stingers are shorter metric version (4mm). 4mm version offers me variable use of different props, either bored 3/16 or 4mm.

I prefer high revving setups, so everythink is done to handle high rpms well. But about driveline i will write more in future.

Next time, there is need to make some progress inside the hull.

[cugino]

Inside hull - RX battery holder and more

My build continues. Today i did some work inside hull. I started with receiver battery holder. I dont trust china BECs, either internal or external. I was considering NiMH batteries, mostly Eneloop. But i dont have good experience with NiMHs at all. But i have nothing to complain on A123 LiFe batteries. They are pretty suiteable for receiver. The voltage is very similar to 5cell NiMH, so there is no need for BEC at all.

DSCN7368_resize.jpgDSCN7370_resize.jpgDSCN7411_resize.jpgDSCN7418_resize.jpgDSCN7472_resize.jpg

[cugino]

Inside hull - stuffing tube and more

Today i could install stuffing tube. I picked up carbon tube 6/4mm. It perfectly fits in my stingers. With wiredrive it is perferct stuffing tube. I glued carbon tube leveled with bottom of hull then will bend to correct radius.


DSCN7476_resize.jpgDSCN7496_resize.jpgDSCN7514_resize.jpg

I also prepared some carbon and metal garbage. I made inlets and outlets from brass tube. I was warried about silicon tube sliding off, so i solder welt from copper wire. I think i will work perfectly.

DSCN7413_resize.jpgDSCN7416_resize.jpg

[cugino]

Inside hull - servo linkage

Epoxy is drying, there is time to prepare some other suffs.

My servo links:

DSCN7549_resize.jpgDSCN7505_resize.jpgDSCN7510_resize.jpg

[cugino]

Inside hull - motor mount installation

Motor mount. It si made from 2x 1,5mm carbon sheets. Glued togather and then filed to proper shape. That was terrible and took lot of time.

DSCN7577_resize.jpgDSCN7585_resize.jpgDSCN7587_resize.jpgDSCN7592_resize.jpg

[mtbenjamin77]

Motor mount. It si made from 2x 1,5mm carbon sheets. Glued togather and then filed to proper shape. That was terrible and took lot of time.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]89047[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]89048[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]89049[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]89050[/ATTACH]

Use a jigg saw with a tunsten carbide blade. cut slow works great takes about 10min

[cugino]

Inside hull - motor mount installation continues

Stuffing tubes already dried and today i need motor mount installation i already prepared. It was quite frustrating to align stuffing tube with motor mounts but i think that result is good enough. All carbon garbage is on it place. And my epoxy phase is done. There is nothing left to glue with epoxy. U can see, there is very few matterial added. I wanted very light build.

DSCN7765_resize.jpgDSCN7768_resize.jpgDSCN7785_resize.jpgDSCN7780_resize.jpg

[cugino]

Inside hull - Electrical equipment

Everythink is glued on its place, there is time to equip the hull with electrical devices and wiredrive assembly.

It is only my test setup:

Motor Turnigy XK3665 2100KV
ESC: T180
Props: I will start with X436 CNC alu prop, good enough for first testing.

Only i want is to trim wiredrive instalation and tune it to zero vibrations. After zero vibrations procedure is done, i will upgrade to better motors. I expect some suggestions of very experienced FE addicts :-)

DSCN7789_resize.jpgDSCN7793_resize.jpgDSCN8075_resize.jpgDSCN7945_resize.jpg

[cugino]

Wiredrive installation and Power combo

Wiredrive is 2mm wire with 4mm stainless propshaft. Wire is in teflon tube with ketron bearings on eaech end of tube protecting lubricant (silicon oil) to escape outside tube. Teflon tube is fully filled with silicon oil. I hope it will work. I expect little drag from amount of oil, but i hope, that libricant will last several drives, i wish whole day. After whole day i will remove whole wiredrive with teflon and fill it with fresh oil.

DSCN8710_resize.JPGDSCN8712_resize.JPG

There is prepared power combo waiting for installation. I am very curious how will they perform. Motor wires will be soldered directly to ESC PCB after installation inside the hull.

DSCN7391_resize.jpgDSCN7396_resize.jpg

[cugino]

Ok, my build is almost done. Well, what do you think? :-)

Next step is paint. I will use 2K Glasurit or Standox car paint. Before that, i have to sand whole hull. I will send pictures after first paint iteration. Hull will be more white next time. :-)

[liteumup69]

Looking good, keep the pics coming!

[sampit]

Nice looking hull, with all the right bits fitted, nice and light it should be flying.
Any further info on the hull, how much does one cost, can another one be build to order? or is it just a one off!

[cugino]

Thank you for your post. I hope it will be light enough to need less power, less capacity batteries a then less weight again.

The hull is only test modiffied protorype now, if it will perform well, there is little chance to do more hulls, but i dont know if any.