Newbie Building a fast electric and needing help.

[mscrampton]

I'm an old retired guy with not much else to do and started buy building a customized steam boat into an electric. I was hooked, but wanted something faster. Sooooo I jumped in with both feet and trying to learn the ropes. I bought Mountain Hobbies 55" fiberglass Scorpion. It has a 12" beam and weights about 7 lbs. I've purchased the drive hardware (stinger, rudder, fins etc. everything for outside the skin. Now the hard part. Motor selection. I am pretty much set on the Swordfish 300 Pro ESC but not set in concrete but thought it surpased the Castle 200 Ice. The Neu brushless are way out of range pricewise and have been looking at the Leopard and Nemisis Black series motors. I need advice on the best setup for speed and runtime. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciate it. Thanks in Advance.


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[Chilli]

Hey Mike. Welcome to the board. I've got to be honest with you. A 55" inch FE is a tough first build even with an unlimited budget. I don't thing there are many good quality, low cost budget motors that can push a boat that big. You are also looking at four 4S or 5S packs to run a boat that big. You'll spend allot of time charging batteries, spend more money than you anticipated (thats with any build) and I'm afraid you'll get frustrated with the whole experience. I don't like to see that with first time boaters. IMO you would be much better off putting your current project aside and down sizing to a boat in the low-mid 30's in size. You will have many more electronic choices and it would be a good experience before you tackle something much larger. Plus it will be just as fun, just as fast and just as rewarding. So thats my two cents.

Where in MD are you located??

[mscrampton]

Okay So now I'm confused!!

Hi Chili,

I'm in Bowie. I've been emailing back and forth with both Steve and Chris Fine from Finedesigns. So here's is what they have suggested given the Swordfish 300 Pro ESC.

Steve Vaccaro suggested either a Castle 2028 or a Leopard 56110.

Chris Fine suggested for 55'' mono for the best speed & run time that can safely run 10-12 s Set up's. the Black Nemesis 10000 series 6Y 820 KV 13 HP. As for ESC The Castle 200 HV Hydra Ice II But I figured the swordfish being cheaper in cost and higher capacities was the ticket.

As for the build I'm a pretty handy guy in my shop. I'll drop a picture tomorrow of my last and first boat project. I built Planes groing up mostly freeflight as radio control was like science fiction back then.

Thoughts??

[Heaving Earth]

Castle 2028

[Chilli]

All my big boats are gas so I wont have any electronics input for your application but hopefully someone will chime in. Typically boats in the 45 inch range have plenty of room for 10s2p application plus they can handle all but the roughest water so I don't know where Chris got the 55 inch range from. But it's will work. It looks like you are doing your homework so if you want to proceed, go for it. Did you get the hull from Fine Design or Mountain Hobby?

As far as motor quality I've got to agree with Patchy that the Castle is the best out of the three.

I grew up in Largo in the 70's but have been on the other side of the Potomac most of my adult life.

[mscrampton]

As Promised

Okay as I said this is my first and only boat built so far. Interesting but not exciting. This was originally a Midwest steam launch that I had bought for my boys probably fifteen year ago. The kit sat in my garage so I said what the hey. Anybody that knows me is A) I seek to be one of a kind B) I usually manage to craft or customize until I get what I want. C) I've always thought that if you can think it threw you can usually build it. Anyway I will struggle threw this and get her palanned out. I'm sure I will have some more question. As per Chris Fines suggestion I think I will probably go with his suggestions except for the ESC. It seems to me just good engineering sense to got with the controller with the higher output ratings. Anyway pictures are attached. It's birch ply and mahogany on the top decks. The support posts for the canapy are 1/4" oak dowels drilled down the center with aluminum tubing inserts to keep the ends from splitting. The whole top lifts off but I like to just flip it for access. Runs like a dream. Motor mount is formed wood for the best available angle and double back rubber tape which holds the motor firm but allows for some dampening of the vibration. Drive shaft is brass rod with two univeral couplers. And yes all navigation light work great. DSC_2676.jpgDSC_2677.jpgDSC_2678.jpgDSC_2679.jpgDSC_2680.jpg

[mscrampton]

DSC_2681.jpgDSC_2682.jpgDSC_2683.jpgShots of below decks.

[Chilli]

Nice looking launch. Good luck with the build but a word of advice. Ratings are not always as advertised. In engineering the numbers don't lie, but in advertising they often do. So dont believe what you read on the package. The guys on this board will tell you what works.

[mscrampton]

Thanks!!

Nice looking launch. Good luck with the build but a word of advice. Ratings are not always as advertised. In engineering the numbers don't lie, but in advertising they often do. So dont believe what you read on the package. The guys on this board will tell you what works.

Thanks, I liked the design. Hopefully I will hear something back in the next few months. I will begin my build tomorrow and of course the ecs, motor and batteries will be the last in. Keep a watch on the "Sea Raven".

[iridebikes247]

Welcome to the forum, nice looking boat you've built by the way. Ok for motors you have a few options and they'll all make the power you need to push a boat that size.

http://www.keithbradleyboats.com/?wpsc_product_category=motors

The Proteus 524-3T will push that boat albeit not at very high speeds. A step up in the power department would be the X528 beast motor sold for $190 on the site also. Very powerful but not many people have run one yet so I can't tell you much more other than what we can read/infer on Keith's site. Personally I would go with the beast motor its similar to a castle 2028. I agree with the above poster rating are eh whatever, I mainly just look at the max voltage. You can find a motor mount after selecting a motor you have a lot of options

2. For lipos once again...a lot of options. I have run Gens ace packs but will all lower cost packs you won't get the warranty support you get with Hyperion, Maxamps, TP, whatever. Anyway I would run Gens Ace if you have the cash but if not try these out. http://www.hobbypartz.com/77p-sl5000-5s1p-40c-5555.html
People find these packs to be superior to a lot of stuff out there, you're gunna need 4 of them so 10s2p, meaning 10 cells in series, the other 2 packs in parallel.

3. Hardware- You will have to use a 1/4" stinger Steve offers one here on his site, and also 1/4" flex cable.

Hope this helps. Building a big v hull is easy. A small catamaran with dual motors would be more difficult to build than something like this. Only difference is you're spending a lot more money but with a bigger v hull you wont cramp up your fingers and stuff. FE is an expensive hobby but a rewarding one. Good luck on your build.

[mscrampton]

Thanks!!

Welcome to the forum, nice looking boat you've built by the way. Ok for motors you have a few options and they'll all make the power you need to push a boat that size.

http://www.keithbradleyboats.com/?wpsc_product_category=motors

The Proteus 524-3T will push that boat albeit not at very high speeds. A step up in the power department would be the X528 beast motor sold for $190 on the site also. Very powerful but not many people have run one yet so I can't tell you much more other than what we can read/infer on Keith's site. Personally I would go with the beast motor its similar to a castle 2028. I agree with the above poster rating are eh whatever, I mainly just look at the max voltage. You can find a motor mount after selecting a motor you have a lot of options

2. For lipos once again...a lot of options. I have run Gens ace packs but will all lower cost packs you won't get the warranty support you get with Hyperion, Maxamps, TP, whatever. Anyway I would run Gens Ace if you have the cash but if not try these out. http://www.hobbypartz.com/77p-sl5000-5s1p-40c-5555.html
People find these packs to be superior to a lot of stuff out there, you're gunna need 4 of them so 10s2p, meaning 10 cells in series, the other 2 packs in parallel.

3. Hardware- You will have to use a 1/4" stinger Steve offers one here on his site, and also 1/4" flex cable.

Hope this helps. Building a big v hull is easy. A small catamaran with dual motors would be more difficult to build than something like this. Only difference is you're spending a lot more money but with a bigger v hull you wont cramp up your fingers and stuff. FE is an expensive hobby but a rewarding one. Good luck on your build.

Actually already bought all the 1/4 hardware and the dual pickup rudder etc, from Steve. I'm thinking I will go with the Swordfish 300 pro, Nemisis 13hp 50,000 rpm, and Steve's recommended 12s pack. I will be mounting at least 1 3volt pack for the radar mast. I LIKE UNUSUAL!!! Some of the fner things like auto bailer, etc I will probably need help with. WHY ISN'T THERE SOME KIND OF GUIDE, MANUEL, ETC ON BUILDING R/C ELECTRIC BOATS??? The only thing I have found so far is this link. http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_9069147/tm.htm. I would really be nice if the Guru of R/c electric boatbuiilding were to produce some book or manuel. I'd buy it.

[iridebikes247]

This forum is all you'll ever need to be honest. Very good builders post on here and will help you out especially if you make a detailed build thread with pictures.

[mscrampton]

This forum is all you'll ever need to be honest. Very good builders post on here and will help you out especially if you make a detailed build thread with pictures.

No problem, I have always beleive d that a picture.........

[Eodman]

Welcome to the forum. Nice looking hull. May I suggest you do a search on here on Fine Design. Just a heads up! There's alot of guys here that will chime in to help you build this. You will have a great boat when you are done!

[mscrampton]

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Okay! This is my shopping list so far:

Boat Hull- Mountain Hobbies 55” Scorpion
Motor – Black Nemesis 10000 series 6Y 820 KV 13 HP
ESC – Swordfish 300 Pro
Batteries- ??? Lipo (10-12 s)
Stinger – Speedmaster ¼”
Rudder – Speedmaster center mount Dual pickup Tapered blade
Turn Fins – Carbon Fiber
Trim Tabs - ??
Cable assembly – OSE .250 30” assembly for 1/4 “ prop
Octura brass bullet and drive dog. Brass tubing and Teflon liner for ¼” flex shaft
Prop – Octura 467 – 2.64” by 1.4 pitch

So what else will I need besides the usual building materials?? What do I need to change in my current shopping list??

I've also added a couple more pictures of the boat hull (and just for your added enjoyment they are in varing colors. The open hatch on mine will be finished with a removable carbon fiber sheet. I'm also going to add a 3 volt electric radar mast from Harbor models (just got to be different). I'm planning a custom Graphic topside in a black Raven hence the official title of this boat will be "Sea Raven". How else is this old guy going to have fun??