The best boat you built and why, Rtr's are excluded

[raptor347]

I've got so many memorable boats that it's hard to pick. I'd have to say my original Dark Horse Shovel. It was #2 out of the mold and painted up like the '66 Mariner Too. It won lots of races and set more than it's share of records, I think four still stand. Three with me driving and one with Dick Crowe at the wheel. It was an amazing little boat.

Unfortunately, that one resides on the bottom of Blue Lake in Valdosta after it came apart trying to back up an 87mph pass on 18 sub-C's. One of these days I'm going to build another just like the original.

I went looking for pics of that boat and couldn't find any. Doug Smock may have a shot of it floating around. That was at the 2006 Valdosta SAWs.

[crabstick]

the rule on the flood chamber was changed so you couldnt use it in a race. so if you flipped that was it.

it makes me lol, but the Oval Master was up to the task did what ever you told it, they are a fantastic little hull with a bit of stiffening and sharpening of a few areas. Mine didnt chine walk much at all.I normally drill the hole for the stuffing tube up a few mm from the keel to let the boat sit down a little more in the watrer on a V.

[785boats]

The X-WING. The one in my avatar.
Because I drew it up from a photo in an advertisement. Built it from foam & ply & although it started out powered by 12 cells & a Neo-X 700, it has worked it's way up to a 3200kv brushless on 3s & sometimes 4s Lipo.
Very satisfying.
Paul.

[Simon.O.]

The X-WING. The one in my avatar.

Too right there Paul.

Please elaborate on "Best"

Best looking? My 4S mono
Best running? My 2S cat
Best speed? My 4S rigger
Best attention getter? My Canard, Canards rock If ya know how to set one up

I will continue to design and build odd wooden hulls and then modify the little buggers so that they go better.

This is THE best hobby I have ever had.

[kevinlew211]

I just want to show off my very 1st serious and most excited FE boat i builded.
btw, my best project is my avarta cat

[ED66677]

I love my 29", it's a DF copy, saddely I could not afford the original from Steven due to high shipping cost to France, easy to setup, fast and stable, did not require $$$ to have lot of fun!

[egneg]

To date I would have to say my Campbell shovel because it was fun to build and runs great but the boat I am starting now may take it's place.

[yurkanip]

My favorite hull is the Keps .21, I modify for Brushless power. They corner like they are on rails!!!
The classiest hull I built is a 1/10th shovelnose from Finlay Plans, "Miss Burien" (in my avatar). It was beautiful, only problem performance wise, was the sponson design was never meant to handle the brushless power we use now.

[Flying Scotsman]

I will chime in now, it was my second build an H&M Drifter Micro Cat...it got me addicted to the hobby and many boats later, it still brings a smile to my face when I run it.

Douggie

[Shooter]

My favorite is my new vacu-pickle w/UL-1 power!!

Gary - post some photos and/or vid of that slow poke!!!!

[jantagg]

I don't mean to critize anyone, but, it kind of bugs me when people say that they BUILD a boat when in fact, all they do is put machinery and equipment in the already manufactured hull. A better word might be to say that you assembled a boat.

Phil Thomas designs, produces molds and BUILDS boats. I design, buy the lumber and BUILD my boats. I also, assemble running machinery and hardware in or on the hull but, that is not the same as building the boat.

I just thought that I would get that off my chest.

[Rumdog]

Why does that bother you?Call it what you want, but it is still building. Not everyone is a top notch hulldesigner so why not get tried and true hull performance and add the power and hardware of your choice?

[domwilson]

I would say that assemble means that you essentially don't do much planning. It is all layed out for you. Build I would think, building means you plan, assemble and test. There are no rules or instructions. Verify desired outcome. If not try different parts. Why is it so different from a guy who builds a hi-perf engine?

BTW..for me, for now, it's my skunkworks cat. I like the way it handles as I don't have great driving skills. Can you say, "Demolition Derby?"

[Gary]

My first""BUILD"" took me 2 months almost every night cuting, glueing and sanding. It was a 1/8 scale miss budweiser all wood but a kit none the less. I now would rather buy a hull and ""BLUID "" it from there to my standerds. SHOOTER - i have some i just have to look in my video files. RUMDOG- ...im 100% with you on that. KEVENLEW- that hydro is just too cooool !!!!!

[jantagg]

You missed my point. I have nothing against buying a manufactured hull. It would be a very small little boat fleet if there were not top notch manufactured boat builders. Did you get the last words. They are the boat builders.