Tweet
Hi, I'm new to electric boats and wanted some recommendations on which boat to buy. I want something fast out of the box. Ideally. I would like to pick up a zelos 36, twin motor boat, but i also understand that means extra costs for twice as many batteries, props, ECT. While I still may go this route, I'm open to other suggestions. Any other FAST out of the box boats out there.
-
-
Love or hate the looks of it, but the new Proboat Veles is a real performer right out of the box. The Promarine (based in Indy) single motor cats are an incredible value too if you see yourself wanting more speed.Vac-U-Tug Jr (13mph) -
Agreed, great starter boat!Comment
-
Looks like a nice boat, and nice savings. I did check that one out, along with the UL19.Comment
-
That’s the big question you have to answer, Hydro or cat. For me, it would be the UL-19, fabulous RTR Hydro and a boat that can allow you much learning on. And it’s fast out of the box!Comment
-
batman53201, You said that you are new to electric boats...but are you new to boats all together or do you some other rc boating experience such as gas or nitro? If you don't have any experience at all, I don't recommend the Zelos 36 as a starter boat due to this boat requiring more knowledge and skill to set up properly so your not breaking hulls in half like others are doing. I recommend the boat the two gentlemen above suggest. Below is a video of my Veles 29 if you want to check one out. Good luck with whatever you choose.
TFL Zonda (124mph), Miss Geico Zelos 36 (108mph), Veles 29 (91mph), Zelos Twin 36 (90mph), Miss Geico 29v3 (83.5mph), Sonicwake 36 V2 (83mph), Blackjack 42 (81mph), TFL Pursuit (79mph), UL-19 (75mph), Sonicwake 36 (73mph), Motley Crew (47.5mph), AquaCraft Rescue 17Comment
-
I like both the veles and the zelos. Both of mine run fast and have the capability of running much faster. Just look north 1 post (#6 ) for the proof of that. Mark has the distinction of owning the fastest running stock veles and zelos around.
I had issues with my veles out of the box Took quite a while to get them sorted out. Be aware there are some issues with the stock flex cables. Consider the additional costs of good OSE cables before your purchase of either boat.Comment
-
Madrcer, I had 3 nitro boats, the fastest being my Prather deep v . So, not new to rc boats, just new to electric. I would also like to purchase a toy t.v. boat to use as a recovery boat, if anyone has any recommendations.Comment
-
Thanks for the tip vinnyp. I have been hanging around here and plan on taking advantage of tips like yours and buying superior flex cables, batteries, and props no matter which boat I decide on.Comment
-
BTW, if anyone is looking to purchase my Prather deep v, I've been trying to sell it. Was asking $500 . Comes with contoler. When I put it together, the engine alone was almost $500. I don't have a lot of Info handy, but if anyone is interested, I will try and answer any questions that you may have.Comment
-
ok, I narrowed it down to 2 boats. Veles29 or UL 19.
Can some more people chime in as to the advantages/disadvantages on these 2 boats. Same speed capability? Which one can better handle a slight chop?Comment
-
1. Both are smooth water boats, but hydros are generally accepted as handling rougher water a bit better.
2. UL-19 is overall a slower boat, but they provide great excitement in the turns. Cats flip a lot in turns, so you have to go slower.
Basically, you need to ask yourself do I want to run fast laps or do I want a zip-zip boat and loaf around the turns? I have both a Cat and Hydro and for me, the hydro is more exciting because I can push it more to the danger line with higher confidence it will stay right side up. It really amps you up to run a hydro full speed down a straightaway then just turn it, never letting off. It takes a while to work the courage up! At least it did for me. My hydro and cat are both mid 70’s boats, but I generally run around 62-63 on the hydro and do full speed corners. I have not worked my resolve up to putting the big prop/motor in it and turn it full speed yet. My Cat I run in the 70’s but have to back out quite a bit in the corners if there’s ANY chop in the turns.
So obviously MadRCer is a Cat guy and I’m a hydro guy. So the question is, what are you?Comment
-
I agree, stock, the boat is a good mid-50's runner all the way around the track. The stock turn fin is a joke at higher speeds. You said "washing out" in the corners. I think what you're seeing is turn fin deflection at fast cornering speeds and the boat starts to understeer going through the corner. I fought the same thing on my hydro... I had a UL-1 turn fin on mine with a side brace installed, it still deflected badly! I'm running the Speedmaster single bend turn fin now. Its made for a 45" boat, but I cut it down. Boat turns like on a rail now... Tried the curved fin, it tagged the right side down too hard on my hull...
But back to the OP, this is part of the decision making process. Both boats need "tuning" to get them right. All RTR's have limited upper end performance. But there's a big difference between tuning a Cat and a Hydro. They both involve about the same amount of work, but the two behave very differently to common changes. They're both very exciting to tune up right, and both hull types will leave you feeling with a good sense of accomplishment! But it's better to start with one, then progress to the next. The Deep-V Mono is also a completely different animal to tame. But I'm not sure you can ever tame a Mono! And they take rough water the worst...
There is plenty of postings on both boats on this forum, so I suggest you just take a week or two and read about both here. I think one will light your fire more than the other, then go with that one. Post your questions along the way. There's a great group of guys on this forum that try hard to help others! Use that resource...Comment
-
thanks guys. yeah I have done some searches here. I could of searched more, but I'm lazy. another question. I'm sure that some batteries are better than others. what are some good 3s batteries?Comment
Comment