does this strut look about right????

[millzee]

I'm gunna get the MM wet again tomorrow and need some more advice, I'll put some pic's up of the strut height and angle, could you please let me know if this is about right or if it needs to be changed. It's close to 1/4" above the sponsons and on a bit of an angle.
The cog is at 30% from the transom. This will be my first run with the 1515, I've ran the X642 on that motor in a t29 which was too fast for that hull so I thought I'd give it a burl tomorrow and she how it runs on the MM. I finally decided that it's time I learnt how to use this eagletree so it's hooked up but only for the basic info, gps speed, max amps, mAh and pack volt, I will leave the garmin in for the first run just to see if the speeds come back different. Any advise will be greatfull, I'm getting sick of paddling.

[Rumdog]

Get it up higher. 1/2" Will be perfect. She will run much more stable, and be faster!

[millzee]

thanks mate, I was hoping you'd answer. I'll get it up as high as I've drilled it out and see how that go's.
Here's to a good day

[ray schrauwen]

Get it up higher. 1/2" Will be perfect. She will run much more stable, and be faster!

Really RUM? That high? Maybe I have been doing the wrong thing in my cats??/

[millzee]

the highest I can get it is around 1/4", I'll try it at that and if it needs more I'll have to drill it out some more.

[Rumdog]

Yeah, Mine was a pain to adjust that high too. Had to slot the strut and re- bend the stuffing tube, I started at around 1/4" and it liked to dance from sponson to sponson. Especially with bigger props/ Temps were on the high side too. Bumped it to 1/2" and it was a night and day difference. 0b angle too. A lot of cats can benefit from this. It isn't always going to be 1/2", but that setting has worked on lots of cats for me. Even my newest cat (gas), the guys who run the same boat on JRCBD said at least 1/2" up from the sponson bottoms.
Good luck, man. The Mean Machines are a blast!

[ray schrauwen]

Cool.

[millzee]

After those test runs I think I'll be drilling out the strut a little more. I rasied it as High as I could, it would have been just a fraction under 1/4" above the sponsons and it's the best the boats handled since I built it, full throttle hard turns no worries, well most the time. It was running at about 45mph but still short about 10mph of the speed calc, I couldn't raise it any higher so I thought I might try lowering the strut to see what would happen, low and behold, I lost another 4-5 mph, the batteries where draining qicker and it was a bit bouncier in the turns which resulted in a few barrel rolls. I was running a castle 1515 2200kv, sf200 on 4sp2. I started with a x642 and it wasn't biting very well, only managed to get 37.5mph, way off. I then put on a m445 and it ran a lot better but still only hit 42mph, temps all good. Then I tried a M545 and thats when I had the best handling and speeds, hit 45.7mph and was super stable in the water. Temps did get up around 45-50c on motor, esc and about 40c on the batteries. It was then when I thought I'd adjust the strut, I lowered it 2mm and put on a x445 and it wouldn't hit 40mph so I then put the m545 back on and could only get 41.3mph out of it. It's been a great learning curve, Thanks Rumdog for the help, I'll drill it out more and get that thing up high for the next run. I'm not too sure but I think the extra 10mph will come from the speedo, as with my sf240, I had to raise the throttle travel to 150% on the dx3s in order for the motor to rev hard so I'll play around with that a little more and see if I can get it right. As always I'll have some footage later, I'll cut the slow crap and just show some of the quicker laps and turns.
Thanks again Rumdog, you sure know this hull

P.s. The negative battery lead come off the eagletree system, this happened duing the second run, the system doesn't look to have gotten too hot, the shrink wraps still in good order and the solder has come off so clean that the end off the wire looks like it's suppose to have a nice flat connector on it, must have just been a poor solder. The only thing this E/T has taught me so far is how to make a boat look like a bowl of spaghetti

[millzee]

here the video

[D&D]

First issue, in the video, the boat is way to wet. Move your batteries back, maybe as much as 2 inches from looking at the video. The setting of the strut depth is determined by the prop you are running. Running a larger prop is not necessarily better if your overall setup does not allow the engine to attain the proper rpm. With you strut set at one-quarter inch try a Octura X440-3 or Y537-3 prop and get that hull running back on the "heel" of the transom. That will give you speed, adjust from there for handling, etc.

[Rumdog]

Yup, D&D is right on. Your strut, where it is now will be good for a smaller prop. If you want to run the bigger ones (45mm) and up, get it up a bit more. Just getting that CG back a bit is going to loosen her up a lot and pick up a bunch of speed. They will ride with a slight nose up attitude and on the very back of the ride pads. It is looking much better though! Good luck!

[millzee]

thanks guy's, thats good info, I'll be sure to use it next time I run it. Although it was a bit slow, it was the most enjoyable time driving that boat since I built it.
I appreciate the help.

[D&D]

Millzee, In my 17 years of running nitro and now electric I always ran Areomarine cat boats and I love them. The Mean Machine is a good little example of what a cat boat should be. Hope you enjoy your hull they can be great fun.

[millzee]

thanks, I'm enjoying it now and it's not even running right lol.