ML BOATWORKS GSX 380 Q-Sport Build

[Blandon]

Great looking build!!! ML Boatworks does amazing work and such attention to detail. I'm building two boats right now but my next boat will definitely be from ML. I am a cabinet maker so wood kits are kind of my thing!Lol... Look forward to your progress

[Speed810]

Thanks Blandon...it's getting there!

[Speed810]

Boatnutz...the batteries are 2 4500mah 6S packs that will be hooked up in paraelle.

[Speed810]

Great looking build!!! ML Boatworks does amazing work and such attention to detail. I'm building two boats right now but my next boat will definitely be from ML. I am a cabinet maker so wood kits are kind of my thing!Lol... Look forward to your progress

Thanks Mike...it's coming along really well. Any input on the ESC location? Did you end up locating yours up front?
Great to hear about the 310. Definitly will look at one soon here. Love building these boats!

[nichismo]

Man how the heck does he manage do pull this stuff off??

Not only does he knock it out the park with the first ML sport kits, then he somehow tops those off immensely by creating a new boat that not only looks AND performs better, but is also stronger and MUCH easier and convenient to build (not saying the original sport kits were difficult by any means either)!!

Mind=Blown

Dudes a genius!!

and judging by the looks of his ever expanding quality of fiberglass parts, if he steps into the glass hull game....... well.... we gotta ask if thats even going to be fair to the other manufacturers out there!

[Speed810]

Little more progress

Evening guys!

Well I have been trying to plan my time a little better seeing that I have 2 boats on the table. Found that with a little pre-planning I have been able to make some good progress on both. The Pearl is about ready for prime and paint.

I completed the motor and stuffing tube install. As with most of my builds I take some west system epoxy and mix in a good amount of west systems 404 filler and fair in all the inside corners and seams. Using a little lacquer thinner on your finger you can smooth it out to the point where very little sanding is required. Then went over the whole boat inspecting for any imperfections such as where the bulkheads fit down into the bottom of the boat and of course small scratches or dents in the wood.

Final sanding has been completed and its now ready for its epoxy sealing coat.

As with my P-sport boat I decided to stick with HOK products for the prime and paint. I'll be doing this with the KD3000 epoxy primer and finishing with a Emerald Green Pearl and a couple coats of clear.

Can't wait for the race season to start.......

Mike

[Speed810]

Epoxy sealing complete

The epoxy sealing coats were finished last night on the 380. Love this West System epoxy. Went with the slower hardener for the sealing process this time and thinned slightly with lacquer thinner.

Tonight spent about 2 1/2 hours sanding the whole hull down with 120 and then 320 for a real nice finish. Will wipe the hull down with HOK KC10 that is a grease/wax/silicone remover before priming. It also pulls out any left over sanding particles so you have a good surface for adhesion.

So I'll be putting up the paint booth on Sunday morning and getting ready for the prime and paint work. Really excited to see this emerald green pearl on this boat. I know the wife is.....she picked it out.....lol

Mike

[Brushless55]

Zing !

Wow, that looks nice and clean.. Great job man !

[785boats]

Looking good Mike.
We've got a couple of these racing at our club now. They are magic in the rough conditions.
Both were built by John who also builds Scale R/C Jets. His attention to detail during construction is outstanding. Just like yours is.

[Speed810]

Thanks guys for the cudo's..... This 380 is really so easy to build and when you get done it is one solid boat. Mike has out done himself with this boat.
Will be ordering the 310 later this summer to have another P-sport boat in the fleet. If the TP motor in the Pearl holds out, I'd like to put the same power in the 310 and compare the two.

Also will be looking at building another 1/8 scale this fall. Now that I have learned so much more from you guys, I'm thinking with my revised building techniques I will have this next 1/8 scale coming in a lot lighter than the Elam's boat. But still a lot of guys are saying that a 20lb. 1/8 scale is not that far off.

Prime Booth is back together and will be priming the 380 tonight.

Mike

[Blandon]

Looking great!!!! Can't wait to see the paint job!

[785boats]

Hi Mike.
What new 1/8 scale are you thinking of building?

I'm not trying to talk you out of it but you might find the GP310 a tad small for your full P spec racing. The GP335 is possibly a better option in race water at those speeds.
I run the GP310 in our 'Restricted' class, which is the Proboat or Aquacraft 1500kv motor & the 45A ESC. Very fast in that class with an X645 or X447 prop.
I have raced it in that format in full our full open EA class (your P class) It was a bit slower than the other boats of course, but the choppy race water created by the bigger boats really affected the smaller hull. Just something to consider. But it is a magic little hull.

[Speed810]

Hi Paul..

Its actually Mikes new GSX310 designed off the 380. Its a 31" hull with the same air bleed design and I believe a bit wider sponson stance that hopefully would give it a bit more stability in rougher water. But I'll be watching it for a bit during the summer and watch the test runs to see how it performs.

Not sure of the 1/8 scale build as yet.....I am leaning toward ML Boatworks Newton 108/ MHR 7025 in the 1975 Miss Bud or the Miss Squire Shop Boat. Seems to be a very stable boat and the lines are really sleek. The wife wants me to build it in the Miss Bud....LOL She loves that boat....HAHAHA!

[785boats]

If it is more stable, then it will certainly be a little rocket. I'm running one of the original hulls. I look forward to seeing the progress on it when you get started.

The Budweiser is a cool boat in all it's various forms.
John, at our club has just finished this one. Hasn't even had its first race yet. He did a stunning job on it. His skills come from building large scale jets.

[Speed810]

That's one beautiful boat right there. Wow....John does some great work!!
That is the boat right there that I am looking at building for my next project. Is that an ML Boatworks boat?

Did John have a build thread somewhere so to take a look at it?