Phil Thomas sport 45

[Shooter]

Hi Mark. I ran my smaller PT boat with the rudder on the right side. I didn't have anything to compare it to, but it ran and raced well. The servo 'pulled' when turning right (rudder link was towards the outside of the boat). I remember Randy telling me this was a good practice. If it pushes to turn right you risk more flex in the system.

Here is a vid (not a race, but good enough for reference):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxPUwhtMn6k

[Shooter]

I had a SS45 as well, but I ran the rudder on the left....

http://forums.offshoreelectrics.com/...S45&highlight=

[ray schrauwen]

Stop sanding so much. Start with the spackle and wipe off with a barely damp sponge. Repeat. Each deeper sanding makes more holes.

Thank you!!

I was just going to put some finishing epoxy on the inside (of the cowls) so it would pass through the little voids into pin holes. Some pin holes go through to the inside.

[MarkF]

I did the epoxy on my cowl too. Well after 2 days at my buddies house, he had some white and dark blue PPG epoxy paint left over that I could have, I got the boat painted. He did the spraying and I did all the prep and taping work. I think it came out pretty good.

Mark

[Fluid]

....I think it came out pretty good...

I think so too!


,.

[MarkF]

Now if I could just decide on the left or the right side for the rudder:)

Mark

[Fluid]

flip-coin_5.jpg

[MarkF]

I know. It looks like no one has built one of these recently. I put the rudder on the right of all my hydros and think I should just go for it on this one. If you were building one of these Jay, would you go right side?

Mark

[longballlumber]

When I still owned the boat I had decent success with the rudder on the left.

Although this was a time trial event, I was running my heat racing setup - https://youtu.be/NRoMLxtbY4Y

Here is how it handled in race water - https://youtu.be/Li_KTBHzz2E

[ray schrauwen]

Threading a needle nicely Mike

[MarkF]

Very nice Mike. What your motor setup? Whenever I have played with putting rudders on the left of my hydros in the past, I always came back to putting them back on the right side. That's why my hesitation, but you guys all make the boat look good with it on the left. Also do you like the tapered rudder or is a 1" strait going to work fine?

Mark

[Fluid]

My buddy Steve Muck says that in his experience (rather substantial) a straight rudder works best on most Sport 40 boats. I have seen minor benefits over tapered rudders, especially in rougher race water.

In spite of the success of left rudders on this hull, I'd try it on the right myself. This assumes a good-sized hooked turn fin is firmly mounted.


.

[longballlumber]

Very nice Mike. What your motor setup? Whenever I have played with putting rudders on the left of my hydros in the past, I always came back to putting them back on the right side. That's why my hesitation, but you guys all make the boat look good with it on the left. Also do you like the tapered rudder or is a 1" strait going to work fine?

Mark

NEU 1527 1Y
GrimRracer cells (8400mAh)
Octura X455 (bent up a bit)
If I remember correctly I had the speedmaster 21 rudder assay on there and that was a tapered blade

[MarkF]

Thanks for all the help guys. I am going with my first instinct to put the rudder on the right. Here is my turn fin and bracket. The fin is from ML boat works and one of the nicest SS turn fins I have seen. O flex on this setup.

Mark

[Shooter]

That's a great fin. Kevin really knows what he's doing. Not sure if he's changed anything, but the first ones were based on the fin I made for the Black Pearl boat. I gained a consistent 2-3 mph when I switched to his thinner SS welded version.