Another first boat recommendation thread

[p_t_a]

New to R/C boating, actually this first boat is for my nephew, but after researching I may just get one for myself so we can race. :)
I'm into reef aquariums and recently had to leave home for two months and my nephew agreed to stay at my house and tend to my tank while making sure the house wasn't empty and a burglar magnet for the two months I am gone. He has been getting into R/C, car and a small helicopter, and with a bayou behind the house I want to surprise him with a boat for stepping up to help me out. My research has left me scratching my head, RTR doesn't always mean ready to run, it means RTR with other components that may or may not work since I'm clueless. lol
Anyway, wanted to keep the cost below 200-250 bucks. I was looking at the Impulse 26 Deep-V EP thinking it would be better for a beginner. The bayou is perhaps 20 to 30 feet wide so I'm thinking turning radius wouldn't be a problem. However the catamaran hulls look good too. But 5 minutes run time?
So, is the Impulse a good choice or is there a catamaran that falls in that price range? Suggestions are welcome, I have looked at other threads here and I'm finding some of the boats are discontinued or out of stock, not sure if the new models come out at this time of year or what. I guess I need a list: X boat with Y battery and Z charger, etc. Hope you folks don't mind the newbie questions.
Thanks,
Perry

[Flying Scotsman]

Your budget is way out of sorts...search some more and there may be some good deals on this site for used boats.

Douggie

[p_t_a]

Your budget is way out of sorts...search some more and there may be some good deals on this site for used boats.

Douggie

I was thinking that, too low I guess. Well, he's a good kid so I may up the ante, I'll have a look at the used section. Thanks.

[Aquacraft]

The Aqucraft Minimono sounds like the perfect boat for the buyou. Small, but very fast and can out turn any boat that fast. Tower hobbies has it on sale for 129 less 20 if you are a member and ender the monthly saving code number. So boat and radio for 109 and they run free shipping on orders over $99 frequently. You will also need two packs of deans connector pairs. One for the charger and two for batteries seeing you will want two packs. Then go to hobbypartz.com for charger and battery. Thunder AC6 charger for $45 works great. Then sky lipo 40c 1300 mah 3s batteries for $10.25 each. Lipo charging bag 5.75. I have this same set up and works great. My buddy liked my boat so ordered the entire package last week. Hobbypartz.com had mothers day 10 percent off so the entire package with free shipping was $182. Can't beat this boat for that price!

[Aquacraft]

Tower also has larger aquacraft wildcat ep on sale for 200, with tower member discount that is only 150 and free shipping. I am thinking of getting one seeing it is a great deal for a large brushless boat with lipo capable esc and 2.4 ghz radio. You will need charger, lipo charging bag, deans connectors on 3s lipos probably 2500 mah or more. Still just over 200 complete for an awesome boat. Go online and watch some videos of both boats and you will see these are a great value.

[Kent55]

Aquacraft - those are Great answers. I liked how you explained every detail; place to shop, detailed parts list, prices. You pretty much explained exactly what to buy. That is VERY helpful to a beginner.

Perry - I joined this Forum 'Club' about 2 weeks ago and here is my "pick out a boat for me" thread. http://forums.offshoreelectrics.com/...-Electric-Boat

The boats recommended to me were:
Impulse 26 Deep-V EP
AquaCraft Wildcat
AquaCraft Minimono (was what I was looking at for the last 7 months-since it came out, just a little small for my lake)
minicat velocity mono

[Diesel6401]

I like to mention self-righting hulls for beginners, because they're typically not ready to handle a situation as if their boat flips over. If have a canoe or something like that, then anything and everything is a possibilty. If your running in a river or something with a moving current, be perpared that the boat could keep drifting with the current. What ever you do don't ever swim, we don't want another horror story to about swimming to be posted.

Velocity Mono is self-righting, which is why I mentioned that little guy to Kent55 and batteries are very cheap for it, typically $7-$10 each and only uses 1, becuase of the self-righting features I would suggest it over the AQ Minimono for that purpose alone. Smaller the boat, more subject to roll-overs.

Signup for the Tower Super-savers membership which is $10 and you'll get discount codes and free shipping which was mentioned.

The Impulse 26 is a good runner, same with the Rio Ep but both are brushed and speed is <15mph, with the slower speeds I've never flipped my Rio EP.

Just some suggestions. The most important thing is having fun and enojoying you time with your nephew! Welcome to OSE by the way

[p_t_a]

Thanks for the answers, Aquacraft that is very helpful and detailed. I have to admit I was overwhelmed when I started researching this, a lot of reading trying to get the terminology down. Still working on that. My brother flies planes but knows nothing about boats, or electric, and I got away from the hobby when we were kids flying the U-control Cox motor planes in a circle. Not sure if they still even make those. I'll check out your thread Kent55. Diesel6401 no worries, water safety comes second nature to a Cajun, paddle boat at the ready and pirogue (a flat bottom canoe) so retrieving a stranded boat shouldn't be a problem. Grand kids are required to where life vest even when fishing for perch from the dock. I just read a thread about someone hitting a turtle, didn't consider that, we have many turtles in the bayou I intend to run these boats. Actually, a few ducks, nutrias and a gator, also. Should be interesting when this project comes together.
Thanks again,
Perry

[p_t_a]

Really like that Aquacraft Wildcat EP, but to become a Tower member I have to order first. Hopefully when I order I can sign up and get the discount, I'll see. The cat should run fine in the bayou, rarely a ripple and usually glass with slow current as is the nature of a bayou. Worst conditions further south, but where I'm at it's usually very calm. I think the boat uses one battery, I would probably get two so one can charge while the other is in the boat. I'm having trouble figuring out run times, or maybe I shouldn't put so much emphasis on that. Hobbypartz is out of stock on the 3S 2500 mah, they have 3000 mah but for about 5 bucks more they have a 4000 mah. Does that equate to longer run time, or does that equate to burned motor? From what I gather it's longer run times. I've been reading up on LiPo's and found some interesting video on what happens when not charged correctly, I get the reason for the charging bag now.
Perry

[Kent55]

I think the Tower Hobby coupon discounts are on a schedule. For the real answer just call and talk to sales and say you may be ordering that boat-how can the membership help with the order. Sorry, I am too new also to answer your Lipo battery question. For the best answer there, what I did was sent AquaCraft a Tech Question email and within 1 hour, I got my answer.
What I would ask is for a beginner what Lipo battery size would be recommended for that boat.

[p_t_a]

Ordered the Wildcat EP, just waiting for it to come in.