A Few Random Thoughs

[Doby]

Just a few things I observed this weekend at a race I attended (just as a spectator); In no particular order, agree with me,,,disagree with me........it doesn`t matter.

1) LiPos rule, NiMh are a dying breed and no-one used them at all.

2) LiPo cuttoffs for racing, in this case 5-6 laps,,,are not needed if you run anything above 4000 mAh.

3) Gas and Nitro boats of any kind are no longer competitive when running against FE boats. I saw a FE rigger easily lap the fastest nitro rigger, almost lapping it twice. in a few laps. Apparently its a 80Mph boat and I saw no reason to disute that claim.

4) Delta Force hulls rule and are very stable,,,the most popular choice of Deep V there. Very fast.

5) I met Steve Ressor, He is a member here and basically ruled all classes he was in. If you have a FE question,,,he should be able to give you an answer. Very nice man, beautifully built and fast boats, Riggers, DeepV`s and Hydros.

6) In the mixed classes of nitro , gas, and FE. Watching the fuel guys tinker trying to get their boats running while the clock was running was funny,,,,,,and the FE guys quietly holding their boats waiting for the clock to get to around 45 seconds
before putting their boats in the water.

7) Electric Tunnels looked like the most fun class there . I have to add on to my fleet eventually.

8) Next year, I`ll be starting to race.

Just my thoughts.

[Diegoboy]

That's cool. Unfortunately, the race club here hates electric boats. I do, however, get to see all the racers boats stall a LOT. It's funny when a race is over with no one crossing the finish.

[G Doggett]

Yep, I guess it's evolution, or some would say a 'quiet revolution'.
I don't run nitro any more but still love my big gas boats.
One place where gas still rules is offshore endurance races if you want to run for more than 5 minutes.
We run 1/2 hour races at our regattas to simulate real offshore racing.
Graham.

[Doby]

Yep, I guess it's evolution, or some would say a 'quiet revolution'.
I don't run nitro any more but still love my big gas boats.
One place where gas still rules is offshore endurance races if you want to run for more than 5 minutes.
We run 1/2 hour races at our regattas to simulate real offshore racing.
Graham.

Good point, They do still have their place.

[Eyekandyboats]

8) Next year, I`ll be starting to race.

who are you joining with ?
us ??? come on John....

Steve's rigger ran 81 mph. and then got a glitch and lodged his E2 mono 6 inches into a log at the end of the pond.

[SJFE]

One place where gas still rules is offshore endurance races if you want to run for more than 5 minutes.
We run 1/2 hour races at our regattas to simulate real offshore racing.
Graham.

I agree 100%. Half hour offshore endurance..THATS what I'm talkin bout. I love my FE cat and it's the single boat I've never sold. How ever it's the only FE that size I need. I am investing in a big offshore gas boat. It's just a matter of finding the right combination of engine, hardware & a hull with the scale looks I need. Oh and that little money issue.

[properchopper]

[QUOTE=Doby;39082]

7) Electric Tunnels looked like the most fun class there . I have to add on to my fleet eventually.

I'm with you there, Bro ! I love my tunnels, & the Spec OPC SV 27 class lets a driving-impaired guy like me run at controllable speeds. Word is that a TS-3 is forthcoming, hopefully with a built-in radio box to make a less tedious build than the TS-2.

[longballlumber]

Gas and Nitro boats of any kind are no longer competitive when running against FE boats. I saw a FE rigger easily lap the fastest nitro rigger, almost lapping it twice. in a few laps. Apparently its a 80Mph boat and I saw no reason to disute that claim.

Sorry, but I am going to get on my soapbox.

That is a pretty broad statement. I personally don't see how people can compare FE and Nitro boats. How do you qualify an FE power system with a Niro/Gas power system? Horsepower calculations? The power sources are so different it's like comparing "apples to oranges” With FE the sky is the limit, as far as power. Batteries are getting better with higher C ratings... Sure if you put too much voltage into a system it will go up in smoke, but with the introduction of LiPo that has changed the hobby. Batteries and electric power is still an emerging technology. Nitro motors have the same mechanical limits they did 20 years ago. I have been around nitro boating for many years, but just started racing FE this year. They are both good fun, but each have there place. Nitro boaters do some amazing things mechanically with the internals of the motors, machining work for hardware, and there ability to build boats (fiberglass or wood). Trust me, we can all learn more from each other. I gotta tell ya, I haven't had the opertunity to smell that awful smell you guys talk about when burning up a controller (I hope I never do, they cost too much...LOL), but there is no better smell than a Nitro motor running at about 9:00am in the morning...

Thanks for reading, I am now off my soap box…

Mike

[Fluid]

I personally don't see how people can compare FE and Nitro boats....

This goes back to the years and years that nitro boaters dissed FE for being slower than nitro and not running very long - like it or not the comparison started with the fuelers and has continued....right up until FE passed nitro performance.

To me we are all R/C boaters and have more in common than we have differences. The drive technologies are different, but the fact that winners have to know their respective systems better remains the same. Boat setup is the same. Driving skills are pretty much the same.

The sad thing is that nitro is a dying part of the hobby. Yes there are some nitro guys who still do amazing things, but compared to gas and FE it is difficult, expensive for the time you get to run, and too noisy for many locations. Fewer and fewer newbies are entering nitro, and more and more nitro boaters are going to gas. Change is inevitable, but it is sad to see this "original" part of the R/C boating hobby drying up.


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[Doby]

Longballlumber;

I agree,,,the smell of nitro is great. Thats one thing I do love about them
As for your other comments.,,,,when the clubs run gas / nitro/ FE all together, its obvious to anyone watching that the FEs are superior in speed, acceleration etc.

You points about apples and oranges are valid as well. Maybe clubs should not let them race together. That would keep the apples with the apples.........etc.

Fluid;

Well put as well

[longballlumber]

OK OK OK.... My intention is to not get into a debate on which is better....

I again ask my question... (not being a smart butt, it's a true question). How do determine what cell count and motor size for FE is the equivalent for a .12, .21, .45, or etc. Nitro motor? Horsepower calculations?

There is no doubt that FE is king in SAW. Heat racing could be a little more interesting though. You can’t put a Top Fuel funny car up against a road racing Mazda Miata and expect the Mazda to win a drag race or the funny car to win a road race…


Mike

[Raydee]

I belong to Gas, Nitro and FE boat forums and I am really starting to see interest in guys that would normally never even look at FE boats. At this point I think the main thing that keep's a gas boater away from a FE boat is the price. There is no doubt that the instant torque and power that the FE hulls have is addicting and a head turner. I Post my vids on the gas forums and I get a lot of questions from the gas guys and a lot of interest. FE has come a long way and will only get more popular. No more tinkering with carb needles and worrying about water getting into the carb during a race, no more glow plugs and no more $20+ gallon's of nitro fuel. Sure the cost of FE is higher at first but it all equals out in the long haul.
I won't get into the whole race debate, I think Nitro, FE and Gas should all be seperate. It is way to hard to regulate cross classes and it will be no fair to the fuel guys to run up against a FE boat that is making more power and will make that power in less than 20 feet.
I still run Gas hulls but I am a FE boater now and I love it.

[txboatpilot]

I think the classes should run independently... IMO,,,There is a unfair advantage with FE boats... Unless running in the OPEN classes....

I run a gas hull from time to time, but have lost interest now that I have raced my 10S Insane Cat... The power, reliability, easy of use, and speed capabilities are a major factor in my focus into FE boats... In the last race, I saw 4-5 nitro boats total out of 150 boats... I think we had around 15 FE boats and the rest were gassers... After the races I found there was alot of buzzzz about the performance of the 10S open class...

I think it will take some time, but eventually FE will take over!!

[SJFE]

I share Fluid's feelins in regard to the down turn in nitro. I don't like to see anything go away. With respect to mixed class racing I agree100% with Raydee. Even though I don't race I can imagine it can cause bad feeling's.

[Fluid]

OK OK OK.... My intention is to not get into a debate on which is better....

I do not think that one is "better" than another, just different.

How do determine what cell count and motor size for FE is the equivalent for a .12, .21, .45, or etc. Nitro motor? Horsepower calculations?

The answer is - you cannot. It is a moving target today, but IMO the only classes which should run FE and fuel together are the Open classes.

Heat racing could be a little more interesting though. You can’t put a Top Fuel funny car up against a road racing Mazda Miata and expect the Mazda to win a drag race or the funny car to win a road race…

Fair enough, but in Open classes (Cat and Mono anyway) a decent FE boat runs away from 90% of the fuelers - happens every race I've been to. SAW FE boats are a far cry from oval racers, just as in fuel. You cannot expect a 100 mph SAW gas hydro to run away from most of the oval gassers in heat or enduro racing either.

Lots of folks complain about the cost of FE versus gas, but in a poll on JRCBD (arguably the largest fuel site) 2/3rds of those who answered a poll spent over $1200 just on their boat. That covers about any competitive 4S FE race boat you'd like to run. Seventeen percent spent over $3000 on their boat - that's a top-of-the-line 10S Open racer. Is the "cost" of FE simply an excuse for the majority of fuelers?


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