Jet boat?

[FormulaZR]

So...my full size boat is a jet. I don't see a lot of "good" rc jets out there (maybe I'm just not looking). Do any of you guys have one? If so, how well does a jet "scale"?

I prefer a jet for several reasons, but the main drawbacks are they take a lot more power to achieve high speeds and they don't handle rough water as well as a stern drive/outboard. Do these drawback become more pronounced when scaled down?

[RunningBeer]

Hi, I built one I think goes O.K. (if I may be so bold!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epTeFouvsdk There's a few build pics on my page.
R.B.

[TheShaughnessy]

i would say the drawbacks scale down for sure. The same 4s power that would take a 27" or so mono to 40+ mph would maybe result in 25-30 in the same or similar hull with a jet drive. If you want a jet boat you will certainly have to build it yourself. Many have had a good time gutting the electronics from the
tear into jet drive boat and replacing them with hobby grade components, but it is on the small side. Mickiebeez offers a good choice for a jet boat and drive combo. I have done a couple jet drives and have a really nice unit from Mikiebeez that needs to fine a home in a hull. If you are looking for high speed, this isn't a direction i would suggest. If you want to run up streams/ moving water/ rapids or possibly jump logs or maybe a ramp you put in the water, then perhaps a jet boat is what you desire. I would say they handle rough water just fine, mainly because of their lower speed, you do however run into the issue of aeration. My final thought is the fun factor is high, so long as you aren't running in a massively open lake on glass water. High speed passes are zzzzzzzz. Here is one of mine https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cycVjjbJ2Go i have since replaced the steering nozzle to a tapered conical shape and the turning improved some, not quite as loose. Fun but it doesn't go out much anymore

[FormulaZR]

Thanks for the info.

Beer - yours looks like it runs very well. What is the hull size/power system?

Shaughnessy - it was actually the Mickiebeez stuff that got me sort of "serious" about an rc jet boat. I've seen the modified NQD's...but you're right - they seem so small. Mickiebeez just finished a river race hull that looks more like a "normal" jet boat rather than a jet sprint. I wasn't sure if it's something I would like or not. I didn't expect that it'd be near as fast as a boat with a surface drive. But should be fun in shallow water. I didn't know how hard they were to keep "hooked up" on the water. Maybe something I need to look into in the future.

[RunningBeer]

Hi ZR, My hull is 880mm x 380. The jet unit is a Swashdrive 56mm 3 blade impellor over a 5 blade stator. The motor is a NEU 2215 3Y 480KV running on 10s. R.B.

[FormulaZR]

Swashdrive is gone now, right?

[RunningBeer]

..as far as I know Craig a.k.a. Doctor Swash, is concentrating on making the world's finest tattooing machines these days. That's a shame as he knows a lot about jet units and all sorts of other engineering things. It looks like he may have sold the tooling to a company in N.Z. called Jettec who make full size aluminium and Rc jet boats. I noted a while back they had a few units for sale on their facebook page that came out of the Swashdrive moulds by the look of them. R.B.

[FormulaZR]

Found them on FB - thanks. Don't know if they still have them, but when they did it looks like they were about $800 usd. Ouch. For sure cheaper than the Dominator in my boat, but still - more than I could dedicate to a toy.

[mickieb49]

If your after a hull / unit kit check out the Mickiebeez FB page too, Or contact Steve at OSE and he will sort something out for you.
Cheers

[FormulaZR]

Thanks Mickie. Haven't decided if I "need" one yet or not.

[RunningBeer]

....I think the Swashdrive unit cost me about $500Aus in 2008, that was before I got married and thus had a much larger build budget. These days I have to try and sweetspot the 'wife price curve'......haha., R.B.

[FormulaZR]

Ha ha ha. I hear you on that. Jettec's FB post says the remaining 1/4 scale jet units are 1059 NZD.

BTW - Mickie, any chance there would be a market for a 21' Daytona/Liberator hull like this one?

[mickieb49]

Not too sure there would be a market there, cool looking boat, just the funds required to get drawings done, molds created and testing, i fear may not get covered by the amount of hulls sold?

[FormulaZR]

That's fair - and I can understand that not being a big seller. I think I have CAD of the 21' Daytona...but no molds. Probably not ideal for an rc jet...

[mickieb49]

Maybe not, but its one cool looking boat,