Seriously, why do we have to use TAPE?

[Rumdog]

Hockey tape. Hands down, the best. My second choice is the colored electrical tape.

[MassiveOverkill]

My Super Mono X seals up fairly tight and I only get water in her when she decides to go for multiple dives:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4j1MVoOKDE

[BHChieftain]

I use hockey tape and I think tape is a great solution. The hatch is the weakest part of the hull, and tape distributes the force across the entire surface. I have a friend who used bolt latches on a mono, and when it got ripped off in a crash, the bolts caused massive damage to the canopy. My canopy designs use a flat surface that mates with the hull so it is simple and strong.

Chief

[jcald2000]

Mic, how does the shipping tape work on paint?

[Mike Caruso]

After 30 years in the hobby I'd be beyond thrilled if somebody came up with a reliable easy method of sealing hatches, seen and tried dozens of different ideas and non are as good as tape.
Personally don't care how clear tape looks on the water, you can't see it on a 50mph boat from shore anyway, and I don't leave my boats taped up when on display.
I do use some kind of mechanical lock (depends on the boat) to keep the hatch on but tape seals it. Tape is far quicker and easier than dozens of screws trying to hold a flexible hatch down with a seal all around the edges.
I've never owned a nitro boat with a screw down radio box lid that didn't let some amount of moisture in, always have a little moisture fogging the lid after a couple runs. Tried lexan, plywood, aluminum plate, fiberglass, all leak either around the seal or screw holes. My electric boats with tape on hatches and no radio box all come in bone dry.
Not saying it can't be done, but it would have to be easier, faster and more reliable than tape. I'd be the first to hop on the band wagon if somebody ever does come up with a solution. I don't enjoy taping hatches, but I dislike the smell of wet cooked electronics even more.
Somebody get working on it, we're all waiting for a workable alternative. I have no clue what it could be.

I am right there with you!

[HTVboats]

Mic, how does the shipping tape work on paint?

There are actually two tapes. Shipping and packaging and the only difference I see is thickness. Either do not seem to have a super adhesive yet they stick and seal very well to a smoothe surface. As for paint I have never had a problem but I have mostly Gel-coat surfaces. If you wax the paint the tape will stick to the clean smooth surface and less likely to pull the paint. If you don't have a paint with a good bonding primer underneath I doesn't adhere to fiberglass very well.
Mic

[morewattsnow]

Hockey tape, about $3 per roll. For wide tape Frost King weatherproofing tape.

[egneg]

I tried the MG without tape, it blew over and the hatch came off along with the tupperware lid (which doesn't float). I ordered a new TW lid and I always tape it now. I have a Campbell vintage hydro that was made to screw down - it has 8 screws and takes much longer than tape. This was the first and last boat I built with a screw down hatch.

[kevinpratt823]

I tried the MG without tape, it blew over and the hatch came off along with the tupperware lid (which doesn't float). I ordered a new TW lid and I always tape it now. I have a Campbell vintage hydro that was made to screw down - it has 8 screws and takes much longer than tape. This was the first and last boat I built with a screw down hatch.

Same thing happened with my Impulse 31, you're right, it doesn't float, and replacements were backordered for a month everywhere

[96XP]

Killer paint job Jason4636. Where from?

[Jason4636]

Killer paint job Jason4636. Where from?

Steve Mills at Air Brush Alley. He's a member of this and many forums his screen name is PROPAINTER

So far I've only ran it on 8S ran right at 60mph. In a couple of months I'm buying a 5s batteries to run it on 9s and 10s. Spring tuning, or maybe sooner. I got a MG that I rebuilt, ran it today for the first time. It ran 56.7mph not bad for its maiden run

[kevinpratt823]

SAM_0088.jpgSAM_0086.jpgKintec Hatch locks(not locked in pic in water, that's why they look so high) and foam rubber window insulating tape, works like a charm! No tape, 60+mph loop outs, and little to no leakage. Success in my book.

[Fluid]

A few spin outs are no test of success - "little leakage"? Try a blow over at that speed and floating on the deck for ten minutes waiting recovery - you may change your tune. Believe me, if that worked so well for racers etc. we'd all be using it. I've seen that exact setup fail repeatedly, and it only takes one failure to ruin your equipment. But regardless - use it if you like it, there is more than one way to skin the cat.






.

[marko500]

I agree. I had the hatch locks on a cat with the hatch taped also. About 5 minutes upside down and the hull was full of water. The only place water came in was through the hatch locks. The boat doesn't have the hatch locks on it anymore.

[kevinpratt823]

SAM_0092.jpgSAM_0091.jpgI should clarify, I actually added O-rings to the hatch locks(Losi low friction shock shaft O-rings for a 22 buggy), they fit perfectly around the shaft and into the recessed hole, and are pressed in by the spring, otherwise they would leak like a sieve and the seal or tape would be useless anyway. I also sanded 1/8" off the lip of the cover, to allow the seals to meet tighter.

I guess it's semantics, but looping out to me is probably the same as a blow over to you. Definitely not talking spin-outs, I'm talking 60+mph, catching some air under, or a boat wake wrong, and cartwheeling violently for over 50 feet, several feet in the air, dislodging the bateries and esc from thier mounting positions, THEN sitting upside down for a good 10 minutes, with maybe a half ounce of water in the boat upon retrieval. Good enough for me and the way I want to enjoy my boats at this time, but to each his own........If I were to race, I would definitely use tape as extra insurance, but for sport running this is convenient for me.

P.S.-Fluid, I fully respect your experience in his hobby, and I appreciate all of your input on the forum. I have learned a great deal here, and a lot of it has been from your posts, thanks for all the input, and keep it coming.