Fixing the BJ26 Handling Issues

[kookie_guy]

Ok WOW!

First off fantastic information, but I must say that I’m such a newb I’m a bit scared to just jump in and start doing all the tweaks. I’ve been flying Helicopters for a little while now and just bought an Apache 24 to run around my pool. Needless to say the bug bit me and now I’m looking to get something with a bit more… umph.

I LOVE the look of the BJ26, but now must admit I’m a little worried about how many tweaks it takes to get this thing working… great. So my question is pretty basic.

Should I be looking at another Boat since this one appears to have some issues right from the gate, or is there a version 2 coming out that addresses some of the faults?

Is there a shop that sells the boat and will do the needed tweaks to it or am I looking at doing this myself?

Thanks for any info

all these tweaks are not absolutely required. the important one is the hardware change, which is basic. all the other ones are just tweaks and adjustments

[Loki]

Well thanks, thats honestly nice to know. It makes me feel much better inside knowing that the boat itself isn't that bad from the get go.

Has anyone made a master list of items that should be bought for the boat?

Has anyone made a step by step guide to show how some of the basics are done?

Some of the changes do look kick butt, but also look like the modder would have to know a lot about the boat and modding in general.

Thanks again for the response!

[kookie_guy]

Well thanks, thats honestly nice to know. It makes me feel much better inside knowing that the boat itself isn't that bad from the get go.

Has anyone made a master list of items that should be bought for the boat?

Has anyone made a step by step guide to show how some of the basics are done?

Some of the changes do look kick butt, but also look like the modder would have to know a lot about the boat and modding in general.

Thanks again for the response!

Hey,
First thing, before you go buying stuff to upgrade, get the boat, and just run it the way it is. You'll be surprised at the speed this thing can pull off out of the box. From a 'must buy' stand point, I would say the programmer. $18, and makes things a lot easier. Plus if you go lipo you will need to get one.

Mods, one of the first things I did was yank the battery trays so the packs sit lower and make the boat more stable. However, after removing them, you don't have a nice flat spot for the packs to sit. So I'm in the process of putting some flat CF plates in to help with the problem.

Next thing I'm doing is....
1) Remove tupperwear container for the electronics.
2) Relocate the antenna to the hull, with some Bru-Line hardware
3) Seal the hole in the hatch (when my boat flipped on me, this was the primary location for rapid water intake)
4) change the prop
5) making my own custom hardware for the boat (probably be ready in about a month or so, see my thread for updates)

I'm doing all this at once (other that #5) because after the boat flipped, I took the whole thing apart. I figured as long as it's apart, might as well get it done. Another thing to keep in mind is that when you finally start making the little tweaks, don't do too many things at once. Change one thing, and test. If it does not improve performance, it's easy to go back. If you change 5 things, who knows which one is working and which one is not. I'm a noob into boats just as much as you are. But just keep reading on here and you'll do fine.

[MAXAMUS]

Well thanks, thats honestly nice to know. It makes me feel much better inside knowing that the boat itself isn't that bad from the get go.

Has anyone made a master list of items that should be bought for the boat?

Has anyone made a step by step guide to show how some of the basics are done?

Some of the changes do look kick butt, but also look like the modder would have to know a lot about the boat and modding in general.

Thanks again for the response!

Iam a newbie to but have done all the mods and tweaks i to fly planes and the BJ26 was my first step into boating but found most of the mods quite easy the fullers hardware is easy to fit and now i am well impressed with my boat but just need to find the sweet spot video will follow soon i am off next week on holiday but hope to have it posted soon after my return but here are some photos taken yesterday to lure you in some more

[MAXAMUS]

and more foretrex 101 gps arrived today so will be able to post speed results soon

[caecage]

help-water cooling system

This weekend I noticed that the BlackJack water intake system did not seem to be working like it normaly does. Usually water shoots out the side but today it was barely coming out and it seemed like maybe it was clogged somewhere in the ESC and exiting from there to the motor seemed to be the slow down. Is this common and what do i do to fix it?
Thanks

[kookie_guy]

This weekend I noticed that the BlackJack water intake system did not seem to be working like it normaly does. Usually water shoots out the side but today it was barely coming out and it seemed like maybe it was clogged somewhere in the ESC and exiting from there to the motor seemed to be the slow down. Is this common and what do i do to fix it?
Thanks

put one end of the tube in your mouth and blow really hard. hehe.

[rockwerks]

Ive been thinking of filling in the last step in the hull and how to do it has ben on ly mind, now that I have the hull here in hand the step in the hull is to decrease the wet running area of the hull to increase speed the down side instability in the turns.

A few have filled in the rear step on the hull full width. which has a big improvement on cornering stability but also has increased the drag substantially. My thought is to give it more of a tunnel hull at the rear and only fill in the flat portion of the rear step. It might be a happy medium.. the picture has the area boxed in on the rear of the hull .thoughts?

[Jesse J]

dang, this thread is just what I have been looking for. I am a scratch build junkie - rather spend days tweaking my handbuilt boat than working for the $$ to buy a BJ hull.

I have just begun my BJ comparable wood/fiberglass build (27" total with about 25.5" wet) from some plans a friend gave me. I have built a smaller version (24") but the hull is not true.

To understand what it should look like, could I get one of you cats with the BJ 26 to take a photo? a side shot with the boat upside down and a long straight edge along it to see just how much is flat vs. curved in the steps? I would seriously appreciate it.

Thanks!

[kookie_guy]

here are some photos. If you want other angles you gotta be more specific of what you want.

[kookie_guy]

wouldn't fit.

[kookie_guy]

hehe, just saw you wanted a straigh edge. The 2 steps are lower than the flattest part of the boat.

[Jesse J]

Thanks, that really helps. I have had some problems with the smaller hull I am running a faigo 580L, X438 and 3S with the BJ steerable drive.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVoQUj_RcWw (I have more views on my website)

It seems to suck the right front down and run really wet at speed. I would like a little more air; I am following the plans for a 33% from stern COG, it appears that folks are running 25% for the BJ. I noticed that similar to your photos, my smaller cat has the rear steps a little higher - I think it is a product of my building - the plans call for flat line along the hull.

I wonder if this apparent gap between our straight edges and the rear steps is due to the forward-upward curve on the front step? Try checking along the tunnel - are the steps progressively higher (closer to the tunnel) to the rear?

I appreciate the help!

[kookie_guy]

hey,
it's stepped in the tunnel as well

[rockwerks]

hey,
it's stepped in the tunnel as well

the tunnel is smooth only the sponsons are stepped and this is not the hull to copy it has many short comings in design that I will hopefully be working out soon