How would you rank these in order of importance?

[LuckyDuc]

How would you rank these in order of importance?

Racing/Driving experience, hull choice, hull setup, prop choice/work, battery choice, Esc choice, and motor choice?

… Just curious what others think.

[teach]

Hull, prop, set up, driving, I only do spec so the rest doesn't matter one bit to me.

[RaceMechaniX]

They are all equally important, but with that said experience, set-up and prop knowledge and the two biggest variables that cannot be purchased.

[Fluid]

Order of importance for what? Lowest lap times, most heat wins, most podium finishes, most fun? Without knowing your goal you cannot decide anything.

And where will you be racing? In many venues, the ability to finish all heats is enough to garner a trophy. At many Texas/Oklahoma races, where the water is rough and the wind blows, finishing every heat is essential, too much speed means a flip. Here driving ability is more important than speed.

If you race on relatively smooth water with one or two 'superstar' racers then you need speed and driving ability - lacking either will keep you out of the winner's circle. Here you need all the advantages including a good hull and motor/pack/prop combo.

Overall the bottom line is that a successful FE racer is a system - an excellent performing boat driven with skill and maturity. Ignore any one of these and you will be less successful.


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[LuckyDuc]

I was hoping that people would post their intended purpose, “goal”, and how they rank the above for said activity… similar to what you just did.

[T.S.Davis]

For me it's driving then setup. Setup = speed in my head. Jay's right though. Ignore either and you'll struggle with an experienced batch of racers. You can't just throw more speed into a boat to beat a guy that's a better driver than you. Sometime it works but more often than not he'll make you take the long way around the course.

I went to the nats with boats plenty fast but I could NOT put them on the pins to save my life. I don't know if it was the drive out there or what but I was horrible the whole week. My fastest boat with the my tweeked prop that I've turned hundreds of laps with was upside down and totalled before it finished a lap. Speed kills if you can't drive em.

Fast wont put you on the podium all by itself.

[Flying Scotsman]

An interesting thread. I have been a motor racing fanatifc for many years, mostly open cockpit and sports car racing and the adage you have to finish to win is so true. Guys that look after their tyres,a great setup for the conditions and have great driving skill are the usual supects on the podium even with out the fastest package on paper and were not on poll position

Douggie

[LuckyDuc]

Considering that I only do heat racing and travel to different venues to do it, I would rank them this way… (With the overall goal being podium placement)

Driving experience (Non purchasable)
Hull choice (Purchasable)
Battery choice (Purchasable)
Motor choice (Purchasable)
Prop choice/work (Purchasable)
Hull setup (Non purchasable)
Pitman choice (Non purchasable)
ESC (Purchasable)

I feel that actual racing experience and time on a course is the most important piece of the pie. It provides you with knowledge on what hull setup, prop, etc to use given the racing conditions and venue. Knowing when to back off the throttle is important too.

Hull choice to me is second because it MAY dictate what batteries you can use and it also is a major variable in determining your limits as far as stability and speed go.

IMO battery choice would be third. I like to choose cells that fit well into my given hull and that can provide a good amount of head room for current draw (45C or higher.) There are VERY noticeable advantages over lower cost/lower C rated cells vs. higher cost/ higher C rated cells.

Once I have selected a hull and battery, I like to test several different motor and prop combinations with a given hull. While testing these combinations, I take notes of what hull setups work best with each combination and use this for future reference. This is part of the "pond time" driving experience as well. Hull setup is largely dependent on hull choice, motor and prop choice, and water/course conditions.

[lars_01]

Is this not abouht given class?, same hull, same motor, same batteries, same prop!? Then it`s driving skill. Given the same prerequisite, 2-cells Lipo, 4000kv motor, 120Amp ESC, 40mm prop, mono hull, then it`s both driving and set-up skills!? Same driver, it`s the set-up of the boat!?

[detox]

How would you rank these in order of importance?

Racing/Driving experience, hull choice, hull setup, prop choice/work, battery choice, Esc choice, and motor choice?

… Just curious what others think.

Experience is most important (hull, setup, motor, battery, esc, driving), but even a beginner can beat the most experienced racer.

Or is it the prop?

[T.S.Davis]

Hull choice (Purchasable)
Battery choice (Purchasable)
Motor choice (Purchasable)
Prop choice/work (Purchasable)
Hull setup (Non purchasable)
ESC (Purchasable)

See that's all one thing to me.

Each of those items can have a direct impact on your choices for one or more of the others. I might start with a motor I already own and build/buy around it. Or buy a motor based on the hull I want to try etc. I've even designed around a battery choice. Cram 4s10000 in a Whip 20. You can't decide that later. Screws up.....the whole setup.

All those choices are setup in my opinion.

[dano1]

Driving....#1
setup......#2
Having a good handling boat.................priceless

[LuckyDuc]

See that's all one thing to me.

Each of those items can have a direct impact on your choices for one or more of the others. I might start with a motor I already own and build/buy around it. Or buy a motor based on the hull I want to try etc. I've even designed around a battery choice. Cram 4s10000 in a Whip 20. You can't decide that later. Screws up.....the whole setup.

All those choices are setup in my opinion.

That’s interesting. I have always started with a class in mind first, and then picked a hull for the class before considering everything else.

I have always considered “setup” to be hardware choice and placement (strut depth, angle, turn fin adjustments, adding of weight, CG location, and prop selection.)

I suppose “setup” is a broad term and means different things to different people. I can’t believe that you built a boat around a battery choice. That’s too funny. BTW... What boat would that be?

[detox]

Cram 4s10000 in a Whip 20.

My Whip will hold Two 4s5000 packs equalling 4s10000

This is just One 4s5000 in picture, but it will hold Two.

[T.S.Davis]

My Whip will hold Two 4s5000 packs equalling 4s10000

This is just One 4s5000 in picture, but it will hold Two.

Sure will but if that motor was mounted about 3" forward of that location forget it.

The new sport 40 on my bench was built around 6s2p. Everything else in the boat has been placed or moved so that the batteries will fit in the exact spot I want them and still get the CG where I want it. The nose of the boat was built to accommodate the ESC I want to put in there. It wont fit anywhere else without messing up the profile I want for the boat. The rear end of the boat was designed to piss off the ney sayers. haha No transome.

It's almost done. I'll have to post some pics.