Revived DPI 3.5

[Brandon Galles]

After searching the boating boards out of boredom at work, I saw where some had converted the old 3.5cc K&B outboard to electric. This got me really excited - I have an old DPI Tunnel 3.5 (like 20yrs old, that has not been run in as many years). Next thing you know I ordered up a castle 1515 2200kv motor, a Seaking 180amp ESC, & tore down the old nitro motor so I just had the lower unit. Spent some time polishing up the old lower, installed the new electrified power system and Walla! I have my first FE Tunnel!

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[HTVboats]

Looks really nice. Let us know how it performs. Might be a tad overpowered on 4S but lite the fusel, your boredom will be over, and you're in for a real power trip. As the man said in Jaws, "were gonna need a bigger boat".
Mic

[Brandon Galles]

Thanks! Overpowered may be right. I took it with me to work and lit the fuse! Shot out of the water like a rocket and back flipped. Did not get to run it after that as I had to wait for it to blow back to shore since I was in my work clothes. I also have to rebalance the set up. It was way ass heavy. I moved the pack from mid hull to the front and shifted the radio box to the center. Well see how that goes. May need to drop down to 3S, but we'll see.

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[Brandon Galles]

Had the chance to get back on the water today. She ran awesome, until I lost the receiver and it went full throttle across the lake and into the raised shoreline. Buried it about 1ft into the mud. Hull is toast. While feeling a bit bummed it was a 20yr old hull and the electronics survived. Time to rebuild. Anyone have F1 tunnel hull suggestions?

[RandyatBBY]

You did not say what prop, I would start small a 38MM to 40MM prop untill you get use to the speed.

[Thomas Schlarb]

MLboatworks has a PX335 tunnel kit me and me son are building for that same setup on 4s for next race season.. check him out.. he's got some youtube videos too.. I have one of his that currently holds the world record at 78.424mph his boats fly..

[Thomas Schlarb]

Or I have a MRC Mach ll.. I'd sell.. it would only need the radio box cut out and a longer one put in to convert to FE..

[Brandon Galles]

You did not say what prop, I would start small a 38MM to 40MM prop untill you get use to the speed.

I was running an Octura x443. Speed is not the issue, I have a couple large gassers that run upper 50's. Problem was I lost the receiver and it just stuck at wide open throttle until it hit the shore, failsafe failed.

[Brandon Galles]

MLboatworks has a PX335 tunnel kit me and me son are building for that same setup on 4s for next race season.. check him out.. he's got some youtube videos too.. I have one of his that currently holds the world record at 78.424mph his boats fly..

That PX335 is a darn sexy boat! I do not have the skills or patience to take on a full balsa kit like that though. I'm thinking I may go with a BBY or a VS1. They both are darn near the same as my old DPI hull. Wish I could find something though in the 30" size that is not a ffull balsa kit.

[Thomas Schlarb]

That PX335 is a darn sexy boat! I do not have the skills or patience to take on a full balsa kit like that though. I'm thinking I may go with a BBY or a VS1. They both are darn near the same as my old DPI hull. Wish I could find something though in the 30" size that is not a ffull balsa kit.

I have two I'd be willing to sell.. that Mach II. And a prather lap cat III..

[Thomas Schlarb]

The Prather was already converted to FE..

[Brandon Galles]

I have two I'd be willing to sell.. that Mach II. And a prather lap cat III..

Thank you for the offer, not to sound like a snob but neither of those hulls apeal to me visually. I like the "style" that is the VS1, BBY or PX tunnels.

[covedweller]

The Vs1 is a nice boat. I am on my second FE conversion, and for my money, it might be easier to do a full build up. I built an ML310 sport hydro last year and it was a snap, The kits are not balsa wood. They are aircraft grade plywood, and are cut and labeled really well. If you are handy at all, you can build one. Converting these darn VS1's can be tedious. I learned a lesson last season too. The factory construction will not hold up. Poor epoxy, unsealed inside the sponsons. Had one peel the skin off several times. This latest one, I ripped the top decks off right out of the box, sealed inside with quality epoxy, filled them with expansion foam, and made new deck skins from high grade ply. Now I am using 2oz glass on the entire outside of the sponsons. It will be strong, but its a hell of a lot of work. Not to mention the battery/electronics box that has to be fabricated, its easy as big a job as a build of the PX300. Just food for thought. good luck either way, its fun!

[Commotion]

That is a shame about the boat. I had a new in box k&b 3.5 outboard i bought many years ago and was looking for a hull of the same vintage. I always wanted the DPI hull because i thought they looked the nicest but i could not find a second hand one and they were no longer in production. I ended up buying a dumas hotshot 3.5 wood hull kit about 2 years ago and have almost finished building that. Im not sure if i will end up using it or not as they are not terribly fast compared to my FE boats but it was enjoyable building it regardless.