Stiletto Race Prep

[JimClark]

get a programming card

[5150WS6]

re:

For some reason my stock ESC wouldn't work out of the box. Not sure if it wasn't set up for lipo's outta the box or not.

Either way upgraded and have a new monster 120 esc coming that should handle any power I need.

Mike

[giddyuperic]

I don't think they are set up for lipos out of the box. I had to program mine with the card and then I just went with 120 amp any way and she now rips on the water.

[GixerGuy1978]

hey Darin; Can you comment more on block sanding the hull on the stiletto. Someone on here was asking whether all 3 riding surfaces needed to be done. How do you setup to do this and with what grade of sandpaper do you use??

[Vortech C5]

hey Darin; Can you comment more on block sanding the hull on the stiletto. Someone on here was asking whether all 3 riding surfaces needed to be done. How do you setup to do this and with what grade of sandpaper do you use??

GREAT question! Also interested!

[Darin Jordan]

Hey Guys... sorry for the delayed response...

When I block sanded my first Stiletto, I used a 10" block sanding block with some 180-grit to start, then 220, then 320. The first one I did didn't take that much material removal... the second one I did, did. You need to be careful not to sand through the original pads. Better to add some material and then sand the high-spots.

I only sanded the ride-pads (bottom of the sponsons), and made sure the trailing edges and inside edges were SHARP. I didn't do much to the outsides.

It's especially important to make sure the last 12" or so are nice and true and flat.

[giddyuperic]

This is off that topic but can you tell me why when I make turns the bow goes up and down??

[GixerGuy1978]

Hey Guys... sorry for the delayed response...

When I block sanded my first Stiletto, I used a 10" block sanding block with some 180-grit to start, then 220, then 320. The first one I did didn't take that much material removal... the second one I did, did. You need to be careful not to sand through the original pads. Better to add some material and then sand the high-spots.

I only sanded the ride-pads (bottom of the sponsons), and made sure the trailing edges and inside edges were SHARP. I didn't do much to the outsides.

It's especially important to make sure the last 12" or so are nice and true and flat.

thanks Darin; so you don't go as far as making some sort of sanding jig to sand both sponsons at the same time to ensure continuity and trueness between them?? Just sanding each one by hand usually suffices hey?

[Darin Jordan]

thanks Darin; so you don't go as far as making some sort of sanding jig to sand both sponsons at the same time to ensure continuity and trueness between them?? Just sanding each one by hand usually suffices hey?

A jig would be nice, but I'm not sure it's necessary. I hand-sand the surfaces, putting the hull frequently back on the setup board to verify that I'm getting them where I want them.

Hmmmmm.... maybe I should make a jig for my Mill, and just run them through it! (too bad my mill isn't large enough to do that... :D )

[SkipJack]

Well, I took the plunge and ordered my stiletto / radio combo late yesterday afternoon and you gotta-luv HH, it already shipped.
Thanks goes to Darin too for your encouragement and knowledge, as well as, all the others that have contributed to this web-forum.

I had a time figuring out a charger and batt combo but I finally got there.
I ordered an iCharger 208B from the US and ordered a Turnigy nano-tech 5000mah 4S 65~130C Lipo Pack from hobbywing.

Hopefully I will be able to charge 2 of these batteries at the same time when I can afford another one.
In reality, I would have put the whole idea of another boat on the back-burner for another 5 years if I couldn't have found a battery at this price so I hope it works out. The batteries sure are not cheap. I hope they last longer than in my helicopters, 4 sure.

Getting on the water is still relatively about the same cost, if not less now, than it was 25 years ago because I know I paid dearly for all new Dumas HotShot 45 hull, K&B 45 engine, Kraft 2 CH radio, sullivan starter, fuel, bits and bobs, paint, etc. Heck, I spent at least $600 on stuff from some jerk who owned the LHS on a v-hull project that would have never worked even for a pro. Finally I got wise and went mail-order catalog. We didn't have the internet back then, LOL, and the LHS was over an hour drive. Actually I had move fun with a little Dumas Short-stuff with a Cox 0.49 black-widow that I just tied the rudder to one side and let it go around in circles; before I got into nitro tunnel-hulls and mail-order.

Well, I will keep you all posted, I expect quite a wait for the battery

[jasoncyclone]

Glad to see you got a Proboat tunnel!!!!! You will love it. I run these batts and they are a few bucks cheaper. http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...arehouse_.html

Follow Darins race prep on your new tunnel and you will love the results. Let us know when you get it.

[SkipJack]

Thanks for the tip. I guess I should have asked before I jumped and ordered from the overseas location and the nano-tech one that is even more on top of the shipping. All the more reason I hope I get a good one, I think the one you advised is perfectly adequate. I also ordered 6 mm and 5.5 mm bullet connectors but saw today where some use 6.5 mm on the battery, Oh Well.. I had to order a few other little parts I got wrong the last time, so I guess I will just wait.

Does anyone have experience with the iCharger 208B? Will it charge 2 of these 4s batteries simultaneously at a decent rate? I plan on using a marine deep-cycle for my power source.

I hope I picked a good charger. Reading the charger threads was a nightmare.

I have a few Power-one industrial power supplies but I have to dig them out of storage and they are either 15vDC, 18vDC, 24vDC, some are +/-. I guess any of these have the right voltage, it will just be the current output I have to verify.

[jasoncyclone]

5.5 bullets will work fine with your setup. That is all I have ever used and I have never had any issues with them. I don't have the charger you bought so I can't help you on that. The battery you bought is very nice and will work great in that boat. Have fun and post pics or vids when you get it!

[jasoncyclone]

Not sure how comfortable you are with the soldering gun, but I justinstalled a extra cap on my buddies 60amp esc and it was pretty easy and will make the esc last longer! The cap is only 75 cents from OSE!

[SkipJack]

Howdy, Jasoncyclone!
When you say you installed an extra cap did you replace one or add it across the power wires? I have no problem soldering.
Thanks for more info! Was it on the Proboat ESC?
All the Best, Harry