Boat newbie just bought a Dragon Hobby Miss Budwiser got a couple of questions

[Wildstallion]

Hi guys I am a complete boat newbie (I'm a RC Heli guy) and just wondered what your opinions are on the boat I recently purchased. I have always wanted a scale Miss Budwiser and after having run four packs through it I have to say I absolutely love it and it moves like stink.

http://www.jperkinsdistribution.co.uk/detail.php?JPNO=5502460&activepage=1&Navmain=Marine&subcatname=RTR%20Dragon%20Boats

I have a few newbie questions if you dont mind...

- Are Dragon Hobby a well known boat brand? Decent quality? The boat seems ok, the rudder is CNC and the hull glass fibre

- Whenever the boat takes a tumble i seem to get water in it despite my best efforts with sellotape. Is there a specific type of tape which is best to use?

- I have been reading about these autobailer devices are they any good? Some people seem to suggest they simply increase the risk of you loosing the boat if they fail. Are there any particularly good ones out there? would I need one device or two one for each Sponson?
-

[ray schrauwen]

These boats are o.k. I guess. Nice hardware. Very tight fit if you want to fix or replace spmething.

Batteries are a very tight fit.

A nice looking hull but, not sure of it's quality. Dragon is not known for it's high quality hulls.

[Flying Scotsman]

Use hockey tape to seal the hatch. No comment on Dragon boats.

Douggie

[martin]

Hatch tape needs to be waterproof tape, Sellotape isnt unless its the Sellotape Ultra Diamond or renamed Crystal Clear. Unfortunatally they recently stopped making theses water proof tapes. Their are a number of waterfroof tapes around for boats Etti being just one. A lot use plain old simple electrical tape which works well & is cheap.

[martin]

The problem i found with hockey tape is when you need to go around a curve it dosnt stretch at all well around a curve, Electrical tape stretches whilst still sitting flat & seeling better. If its just straight runs of tape then hockey tape is fine.

[Wildstallion]

Wow thanks for your input guys whats the deal on these autobailers are they worth it?

[martin]

Ive never used autobailers but ive heard a number of guys that i run with say on their gas boats they dont use them as they can let more water in than they do out.

[siberianhusky]

If you're getting water in the boat it's more important to stop it in the first place than to let it out. I personally wouldn't trust a little ball check valve not to get partially blocked by a bit of something, then it's an auto leaker! Even a little blob of duckweed could do it.