Blackjack 26, time for an upgrade

[Shovelnoserc]

Not too long ago I purchased the blackjack26BL off a board member here.

http://forums.offshoreelectrics.com/...ogramming-card

It all went well til late this afternoon during my second run, the stub of the flex shaft broke off. Lost the prop.


It was great, so now I'm taking suggestion on a new flex shaft and prop, it has the stock motor and esc.

I will be doing 80% of my boating on salt water


Also Ive noticed it's a bit unstable when going against the waves or while turning too fast. Most of the time I was able to reduce speed and level it back up, but a few times it flipped

[JIM MARCUM]

First of all, STOP running in saltwater! One bad flip or crash can destroy all things electrial & if the LIOPs fry it can ruin your hull.

I live in San Diego and our only official boat pond is saltwater. I've ran my gassers there, but will never run my expensive FE boats there. The only freshwater lake that will let me run my boats is a 30 mile round trip - but it's well worth it.

As to flexshafe, put the largest one you can w/o being too snug. Maybe a 3/16" setup. I'm still running the stock Blackjack drive & haven't had a problem, yet.

Second, get an offset ruder adptor from OSE or Pro Boat. With a strudder like yours the propwash will make your boat squirelly as Hell and lousy in turns. JIM

[Chuck E Cheese]

i wouldnt worry about the saltwater. im in hawaii and we dont have freash water. i have been running high end fe set-ups in the salt for years with no problems (outboards included). all it takes is a little extra maintnence when your finished. the blackjack is known for being unstable in the turns, thats just how that boat is. it is a great boat and fast on the straights but no mater what it will not corner wide open... have fun and enjoy it...

[Shovelnoserc]

Thanks, similar to Hawaii I am in Puerto Rico surrounded by saltwater I have found waterfalls, rivers and mixed salt/fresh "lakes" but no 100 fresh lakes yet. I'm visiting hobby shops to find new places but most run at the sea shore.

[Shovelnoserc]

What size and length flex cable do I buy to replace this one?

[Shovelnoserc]

I posted the above question, because when I looked at the fillers site it shows a .125 flex shaft, but I finnaly got home and it measures .130, so at least I know which one to purchase now w/ a 3/16 stub.

[Shovelnoserc]

Fullers

[JackBlack26]

I don't know why the strut is so far back. Looks like it broke apart due to the cable whipping since it looks to have no support from the end of the tube to the front of the strut. I would replace the stuffing tube and get something like this. This is my nitro to electric conversion that I have had in my garage for at least 4 years. Finally looking to get it done this week. The strut alone(no brackets) is herehttp://www.offshoreelectrics.com/pro...prod=ose-80975 I'm using 3/16 prop shaft with .150 cable in 1/4 tube with brand new teflon liner.

[Shovelnoserc]

Thanks jackblack26. I've gotten that comment from everyone that has seen the boat. It seems that it is advertised by fullers as a catamaran upgrade

Here is the link:

http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com/viewitem?itemId=120375965842

Sorry I'm using the phone.

I bought it this way, it works all right. I've bee listening to a few guys here and on different forums, I'm considering changing the strut, maybe keep the rudder, although an offset one would probably turn better.

Btw is that shrink tubing?

[Shovelnoserc]

[JackBlack26]

Yeah, the shrink tubing helps to keep the water from rushing up through the stuffing tube, in to the boat.

Yeah, I know its a Fullers "upgrade" but my question of why it was so far back was more rhetorical than literal. As in "why the h3ll is that so far back?!", lol. Looks good but dont see what the gain is from having the prop so far back from the boat. I always wondered that.

Also, the rudder OSE sells for the Formula Fastech bolts right up to the stock rudder holes.http://www.offshoreelectrics.com/pro...rod=dh-prb3756

[JIM MARCUM]

I think you're on the right track. I've sheared off flex shafts the same as yours did. It was caused by too much flex between the stuffing tube and the front of the strut. Depending on the strut, sometimes you can drill out the strut enough (but not so deep to hit the bushing) to slide the stuffing tub into it about 1/2" or so. Finish up with some shrink tubing to help keep the water out. You will likely need a new, longer stuffing tube. But make the bend gently - not like the sharp bend shown above - starting about 1 1/2" from the strut. Sharp bends cause more friction on the flex drive, and wears out the stuffing tube faster.

The reason FE people use an offset rudder is to keep it out of the propwash. In straightaways, a strudder rudder is in the comparitively high velocity counter-rotating propwash which makes the boat twitchy & overly sensititive to rudder input. In turns it causes the rudder to over react and hard to control. Some of my boats - Miss GEICO, Black Jack, Apparition & my 56" Segad - came with a strudder and all were so squirely the boats would twitch all over the place or roll over in the straights http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPZGtssIXyQ , and were lousy in the turns. After changing to offset rudders they were like entirely different boats. Steady in the straights and smothe in the turns. JIM

[Shovelnoserc]

Thanks, to all.

I just ordered the .130 flex shaft with tubing so that I can do just what you said there (same thing my uncle suggested).

[Stephavee]

I think you're on the right track. I've sheared off flex shafts the same as yours did. It was caused by too much flex between the stuffing tube and the front of the strut. Depending on the strut, sometimes you can drill out the strut enough (but not so deep to hit the bushing) to slide the stuffing tub into it about 1/2" or so. Finish up with some shrink tubing to help keep the water out. You will likely need a new, longer stuffing tube. But make the bend gently - not like the sharp bend shown above - starting about 1 1/2" from the strut. Sharp bends cause more friction on the flex drive, and wears out the stuffing tube faster.

The reason FE people use an offset rudder is to keep it out of the propwash. In straightaways, a strudder rudder is in the comparitively high velocity counter-rotating propwash which makes the boat twitchy & overly sensititive to rudder input. In turns it causes the rudder to over react and hard to control. Some of my boats - Miss GEICO, Black Jack, Apparition & my 56" Segad - came with a strudder and all were so squirely the boats would twitch all over the place or roll over in the straights http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPZGtssIXyQ , and were lousy in the turns. After changing to offset rudders they were like entirely different boats. Steady in the straights and smothe in the turns. JIM

Also you can use your offset rudder to fight prop walk instead of using rudder trim just move the rudder outboard of the prop (if off set to the right side of a counter clockwise rotating prop) the drag on a rudder in "clean" water is far less than dragging it through high speed prop wash!

[JIM MARCUM]

JIM