HK Genesis - New to fast electric boats

[Andy Butler]

This is my first post on here so I thought I would say hi!
I have an HK Genesis as a present (to myself) as I wanted a fast electric boat. I have been modelling for more years than I care to think about, mainly RC aircraft. I had an MFA Piranha years ago and had a bit of fun with that until it was damaged in a house move.
I have read a lot of the Genesis threads on here but I do have a couple of questions as this will be the first time I have set one of these things up. I'm going to run it stock initially, with a 150A Turnigy Marine ESC. I have some 4s 5000 50C LiPo's and was planning on running two in parallel. I have read about greasing the flexible drive but my question here is how, and with what? Also, the drive dog is hard up against what appears to be a Teflon washer, so should there be a gap between the two to allow a bit of free play?
I'm not looking for any particular speed as it's going to be plenty fast enough while I get up to speed myself. If the bug really bites and I want to get the most out of the hull there will need to be some upgrades made but for now I just want to get it in the water and see what it can do. Plus, I'm about to retire (lots more boating time)and my reflexes are not what they were.
Thanks for letting me ramble on and look forward to hearing from the experts on here.

[fweasel]

Welcome and congrats on the pending retirement! I've been using the regular Proboat marine grease (Amazon Link) on all my flex cables. I like using the grease gun attachment to help squirt a few shots up into the strut on most of my boats and then a thin bead onto the flex cable and then smear it evenly with my fingers.

The stock flex cable, as you mentioned, is a two piece system with a squared slip joint. You don't need to run a gap at the drive dog like you would with a one piece cable that shrinks under load due to the cable coiling up, but there should be some play at the drive dog in yours to prevent binding. The stock system uses a 4mm bore plastic prop, which are fragile, and even known to break during regular running. This is why most people upgrade to a single piece 3/16" flex cable which also has a 3/16" propshaft (solid part at the end of the cable) that allows you to choose from a wide variety of more popular 3/16" metal props. If you replace the flex cable, you also need a 3/16" strut and a 3/16" collet for the motor. Many places sell this all as an upgrade kit.

Good luck with the boat. I think you'll be fine starting out with 4S speeds and will figure it all out in short order.

[Andy Butler]

Thanks fweasel, just what I needed to know. I have ordered some of the grease with the little grease gun attachment and will look at getting a 3/16 flex cable and the other bits needed - not so easy here in the UK. One more question if I may, how do you fix your battery packs in place? In the planes I used some sticky backed Velcro laid down on some epoxy just before it cures completely. I guess with a boat, at least the thing is not going to vertical - well at least not by design.

[fweasel]

I believe the stock Genesis hulls have composite battery trays epoxied to the floor on either side of the motor. You strap the batteries to those with velcro battery straps, sideways, two per battery. If you don't have the trays, yes, you can use wide, high quality velcro directly on the battery and hull floor. Cut the pieces for the boat a little longer than the batteries so that you have room to move them forward and backwards to adjust your center of gravity as needed.

[MadProps]

I have a Genesis and most of us have found the Genesis likes to leak water into the hull thru the flexi tube, and you will find that you will be more water proof by pumping a lot of grease in the shaft....I actually installed drain plugs in my hull

I use the "Astro 101 Mini Grease Gun with Needle Nozzle" mainly because I can refill it and I use blue marine grease for full size boats & trailers, I tried everything but found 6-7 good pumps of the thick marine grease is best for water intrusion on the Genesis

I also made a video of how to setup the Genesis hull for optimum running, for a guy that had trouble making speed, I epoxy'd a velcro strap to the hull, & you can see battery placement in the video.you do not want to use the carbon fiber battery pads from the factory, they are in a position for twin motors and waaay too far forward.......the offset rudder is a recommended MOD for better handling, (see video)


check your private message in a few minutes Im uploading the Genesis setup video for you now

61rm8Ke2g4L._SL1485_.jpg

[Andy Butler]

Thank you all for your help and advice. I will look at moving the batteries back and add a length of velcro strip to the hull. I would like to order the parts for the 3/16 drive over here. I don't really want to order from the US as last time I did that I got stiffed for tax and import duty, and a handling charge from the carrier. All in all, for a $68 order I had to pay an additional $33. Made it an expensive purchase. I'll let you know how I get on sourcing something from over here in case there are other Brits that want to go the same way.

[Andy Butler]

Ok so I have hit a snag with the Genesis. I wanted to remove the flex cable to grease it but it won't come out. I have removed the drive dog and teflon washer, and undone the coupling at the motor end it it won't move. There is obviously something I've overlooked that will be blindingly obvious once somebody points it out. Do I need to remove the strut also? I'm having trouble visualising the set up as it is and was hoping to have look so I inderstand what needs to be done to get the thing greased adequately.
I will be replacing the 4mm drive with the 3/16 equivalent and have found Prestwich model boats that have an Ebay shop that has all you could want and more. Which leads me to another point. Will I have to remove and replace the drive tube and teflon liner or will a 3/16 liner and flex cable fit? I don't really want to have to hack out the installed one but I will if I have to.
As always, your help will be invaluable.

[Mike W]

Yes the cable removal requires the strut be removed. The new cable will fit the stock tube with the liner removed.

[Andy Butler]

Thank you - it is fairly obvious if you think about it. Good to know that the 3/16 cable will fit. I will order the bits this weekend and let you know how it goes. I will probably end up upgrading the motor in time but I will run with the stock motor first.
Thanks again.

[NativePaul]

Model Marine Supplies, Ian's boats, and Prestwich Models are all likely to have what you are looking for, and if you are after anything unusual in the future, Tony at Marine Model Suplies also does custom shafts couplers wire drives etc, and is the UK distributor for ABC props.

All 3 owners are IC model boat racers, we don't currently have a FE specialist shop in the UK, so it you are after FE specialist stuff Ecomaster.torgg, Hydro and Marine, Tenshock.de and modelbaupirat are all in Europe so will all avoid the import fee lottery (until the end of the month at least).

The Genisis is a good boat, but has a VERY different driving style to the Piranha, if you get a hankering for something more similar look at those site for "Eco" boats which are like a modernised Piranha on steroids.

Do you ever see yourself entertaining the possibility of racing? if so tell me where you are and I can tell you where the nearest racing is to you so you can check it out and/or have a go.

[Andy Butler]

Thanks Greased Weasel, I think I have everything sorted now for now. Once the strut was off, the shaft and Teflon tube came out easily. I wasn't really after a replacement for the Piranha, it was a bit tame to be honest and it left me with a hankering for something much faster. I have ordered the parts from Prestwich to convert it to a 3/16 drive so that when I upgrade the motor eventually, it will be ready and just require a new prop. I also ordered a prop balancing unit so I can do my own balancing and sharpening as having flown planes for many years I know how critical that can be.
I may consider racing in the future, but it would be good to at least go along and watch, at least at first. We live in Ipswich, on the east coast at the moment but we are looking to move down to the south Wales border(Monmouth / Abergavenny) once I fully retire on the near future. There are some nice lakes own there and clubs that allow IC boats, which many clubs and waters do not.
Thanks again for your help.

[Andy Butler]

I found that Prestwich Model Boats do a one piece 4mm flex shaft for the Genesis so I've got one of those coming, and the 3/16 strut drom the OSE shop in the US. It should be below the import duty / VAT threshhold so I'll keep my fingers crossed on that one. I'll run with the 4mm shaft initially and go to 3/16 when the strut arrives. I've read that the gap between the OSE strut and the stuffing tube can cause dirty running so I'll put a piece of heatshrink on just to cover the gap. Anyone see any flaws in that logic?

[Alfa Spirit]

6S battery and 1500kV motor is a very good setup for the Genesis.

[Andy Butler]

Weirdly, a brand new Piranha turned up on Ebay over the weekend and I snagged it for a very reasonable sum. My plan is to reifnforce the bows and use it as a rescue boat for if / when the Genesis is laying dead in the water for whatever reason. It has one of those horrible 500 brushed motors with it so I'll be looking to use a brushless motor and 3s lipo - I've got lots of those.
Had a good weekend with the Genesis though, she is now ready to get wet. I installed the single piece 4mm flex drive and spent a happy couple of hours balancing and sharpening a 38 mm octura prop (X series) in lieu of the supplied plastic one. I installed my receiver in the roof of the hatch cover. It has twin aerials that need to be 90 degrees to each other and so it was easier to tape it all up there with a couple of shortish extensions. I don't think fibreglass poses much of a barrier to 2.4GHz signals, at least it never has in any plane I've flown. Also in is the 25Kg torque digital metal geared waterproof servo. I ditched the supplied rod and used a 2.5mm steel replacement and got it running nice and free - albeit with a fairly complex bend in it - not ideal but the rudder is solid - no play in it at all. I placed the two Lipo's in place on the installed pads and it balances of the G of Genesis. I need to measure that and adjust accordingly.