Cat Selection

[Seadweller]

Hi All,

I'm interested in building a Cat and interested in opinions on a hull selection. I've build a couple of mono's so I have some building experience. I'm looking for a hull between 30 to 34". Right now, this would be for sport running. My budget is limited. I have available the following:

2 UL-1 motors and ESCs
2 Castle 1518's
Speedmaster 21 rudder
Swordfish 120
various props from X438 to X646 and a X450

I'm thinking of using the 1518 on 5S with a 180 amp ESC. I've been looking at the Mean Machine builds and also Fighter Cats hulls. I'd love an HPR but I think it may be out of my price range. I've been reading about the cat build on here. Ideally, I'd love to try a twin cat but that might be a bit much for a first cat build. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

HMH

[oscarel]

There's a couple of good choices with the mean machine being a very good one. There is a 29" sprint cat, HOTR and Skunkworks.

[tiqueman]

The Fighter cat, Skunk2, HOTR, Venom EKOS, Apparition, TFL (and theres one or 2 more) are all the same hulls with slight deck variances. From the sides down they are all exactly the same. I have both a HOTR/ TFL and a Skunk 2. The Skunk was the best lay up of any Ive seen. TFL, who builds Fightercats, Ive heard are very nicley layed up as well. They are a pretty good handling hull, my twin HOTR is doing 70. I never built the Skunk. It was my "oops I screwed up my HOTR" back up hull and the build came out wonderfully. Ive been tossing the idea of letting it go. I talk about it a lot but havent yet.

Blackcat built a nice twin boat using the Proboat Geico hull. Matter of fact hes got it in the swap shop b/c he wants to do a HPR. The Mean Machine is a fantastic handling boat. Ive seen them on single power and they are just nuts and out handle just about any cat. I havent personally seen a MM twin, but Ive seen videos and they are pretty impressive. Prop wise you probably wouldnt spin anything lager than a 42mm. Maybe a 45 depending on your set up. Motors are just going to depend on what you want it to do. We have a couple in our club on UL-1 power and they are probably just inside the 40mph mark.

[Seadweller]

Oscarel and Tiqueman - thanks for the replies; yeah there are way to many choices. I have experience with Aeromarine hulls and have found them to be nice hulls, hence the MM. There are a couple of twin MM build threads on here that I've looked over. I'm wondering if I can fit 2 1518's in the hull, plus I hear the handling is great - of course that depends on the set up (5S 2x 1518).

Tiqueman your HPR is very nice; I read you twin build thread also. I've heard about the Skunkwork boats but have not been able to find a "homepage" for them. I'll also take a look at Blackcat's Geico. Is there any advantage to the pull/pull servo set up versus standard?

Thanks for the information.

HMH

[oscarel]

Here's the man that makes them, send him a PM http://forums.offshoreelectrics.com/member.php?u=30

[Seadweller]

Thanks Oscarel

[tiqueman]

Oscarel and Tiqueman - thanks for the replies; yeah there are way to many choices. I have experience with Aeromarine hulls and have found them to be nice hulls, hence the MM. There are a couple of twin MM build threads on here that I've looked over. I'm wondering if I can fit 2 1518's in the hull, plus I hear the handling is great - of course that depends on the set up (5S 2x 1518).

Tiqueman your HPR is very nice; I read you twin build thread also. I've heard about the Skunkwork boats but have not been able to find a "homepage" for them. I'll also take a look at Blackcat's Geico. Is there any advantage to the pull/pull servo set up versus standard?

Thanks for the information.

HMH

Glad we could help. Did you look at the HPR thread or the twin HOTR thread? Or both. The twin HOTR thread will have any and all info you might need for that style hull. Shoot me a PM if your interested in a Skunk cat. Ive got one undrilled. I like the pull pull just to try and make it look a bit more scale. Also, then your not pushing one way and getting steering rod flex. The right size rod would prevent that, but I still like a pull/ pull better.

[Seadweller]

Tiquemam,

I've looked at several twin builds, HPR, MM and HOTR including your builds; lots of stunning boats! Can I fit 2x 1518's each on 5s in an HOTR or a MM? I agree with you opinion of the pull pull and was thinking of trying it out on my 31 mono.

Thanks for all the info

[tiqueman]

5S packs, unless the mah is very small, will not fit in the HOTR. I currently run 2-4S 4000mah 30C in mine and theres about 1/32" clearance once the hatch is on. My 540 XL motors w/ the cooling cans are very tight. I can check in my Skunk hull later to see if a 1518 will work. Ive got a Leopard 4074, which width wise, I think is close to the 1518. Im not sure its going to work though.
As for the MM, I dont have one of those hulls but I will be around a few of them tomorrow and I can scope them out. Theres quite a bit more room in those.

[oscarel]

I run 2 3s 5000mah 40c's that fit fine and 4s 5000mah 40c's will not fit without a gap in the HOTR. I'm using the Turnigy T500 outrunners and 2 Swordfish 120's and with 4s I'm getting right at 50 with x442's with no sign of heat. Also run times are more than 10mins with either set of batteries. I'm using a low profile servo as well sitting inverted with pull/pull and it works perfectly.

[Seadweller]

Tiqueman - Good info thanks. My big concern is the size and what will fit. I've seen that issue come up in some threads and I'm beginning to think I may have to go to a 34 to 36" to fit the 1518s. You are right about them being pretty close in size to the 4074s. What speeds are you seeing on the XL's on 4S?


Oscarel - More good info thanks. So you are running both 4S (2 x 2S or 2 x 4S) and 6S. I like the run times since my intention for now is a sport boat. I've got 1 Swordfish 120 but was thinking of going up to the 200s or a 180 for the 1518s. Maybe I'll try twin UL-1 motors/esc. I've got 2 sets and have found them near bullet proof.

Any advantages to wire drives versus flex?

[oscarel]

I'm running 1 3s or 4s per motor/esc. And I am also using wire drives. The one advantage is you don't have to worry about reverse flex cables. The T500's are 1800kv so 3s is about 22k unloaded and 4s is about 30k unloaded, I've got a set of 447's that I'm working on now and should have them done next week to try.

[tiqueman]

Tiqueman - Good info thanks. My big concern is the size and what will fit. I've seen that issue come up in some threads and I'm beginning to think I may have to go to a 34 to 36" to fit the 1518s. You are right about them being pretty close in size to the 4074s. What speeds are you seeing on the XL's on 4S?

I just ran it for the first time on 4S 2 days ago. Im having an esc isuue so she only let loose for a few moments. But when she did, Id estimate real close to 50. My plan was to GPS her at Sundays race but I think I need a new esc. 6S was right at 70mph. But it got boring as a SAW boat and I wanted to run it a little differently so I just dropped the cell count. I will say I really enjoyed running it on 4S. Handled exceptionally well.

[Seadweller]

Oscarel - I like the idea of the wire drives. What the heck it's fun to try out new stuff. Withe the 1518s I'm looking at about 26,400 on 4s and 33,300on 5s - that may be pushing it a bit. I'm trying to go for the higher voltage and lower amp draw with the 1518s. I'd probably start with x442s and move up from there.

The problem living in WI is the long winters - they can get expensive building new toys rather than playing with them!

Tiqueman - what ESC are you running? So far I've been pretty lucky and haven't burned up anything yet. Except a couple of Flightmax LIPOs. The UL-1 set ups I've been running have been pushed way beyond their limits on amps and temps - like I said, I've been lucky. I did have one UL-1 motor shatter a mag and Aquacraft replaced it no cost. So on 4S the boat handles well. That sounds good. What about run times?

[tiqueman]

Oscarel - I like the idea of the wire drives. What the heck it's fun to try out new stuff. Withe the 1518s I'm looking at about 26,400 on 4s and 33,300on 5s - that may be pushing it a bit. I'm trying to go for the higher voltage and lower amp draw with the 1518s. I'd probably start with x442s and move up from there.

The problem living in WI is the long winters - they can get expensive building new toys rather than playing with them!

Tiqueman - what ESC are you running? So far I've been pretty lucky and haven't burned up anything yet. Except a couple of Flightmax LIPOs. The UL-1 set ups I've been running have been pushed way beyond their limits on amps and temps - like I said, I've been lucky. I did have one UL-1 motor shatter a mag and Aquacraft replaced it no cost. So on 4S the boat handles well. That sounds good. What about run times?

Im running Turnigy 120s. On 6s w/ 442s, 10XLs I was pulling about 90A per side at 70mph. Ive only got one run using 4S packs and like I said it wasnt good. Ive got an esc issue. Its working but not correctly. So I cant really give you a good run time. One side was pushing twice as hard to carry the other side that wasnt running properly. I hope to have my new esc in the next couple days. Once I get it installed I will be doing some data logged and gps runs to see where she is. I really did like the speed on it though when it did run right for all of 15 seconds.