Feeler thread- FE 1/10 scale unlimited hydro class in IMPBA

[Doug Smock]

David, you’ve already been warned by another moderator to stay off this thread. Like it or not, this is not your forum, it’s Steven’s. Disruptive behavior - by anyone on the forum - isn’t tolerated well. Consider this another warning.....


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I with that I'll I've said my peace on the matter.

We'll take you at your word....

Thank you sir and have a great evening.

[Coug90]

That there is the essence of scale racing!! That is too cool. 1:10 scale and full scale replicas together. I talked with the guys that did the replica boat when I was building mine. I even took some hints from their decking of the boat when I laid down my mahogany decks. They were helpful in trying to match the color of the original boat as best we could. Who would have thought my old Gale V would make it out to be with theirs. I'm gonna save those pics if you don't mind. I might even post one on my web site if that's ok too. Thanks for making my day. I'm just a scale hydro geek at heart

[Coug90]

Having driven lots of boats that turn right and quite a few that turn left, here's my input for what it's worth.

Actually driving the boats is easy, it takes a few laps to get the accustomed to the direction, after that it just driving a boat. These boats are fun to drive and they look great on the water without breaking the bank.

The hardcore scale guys love the left turning thing, it scratches that itch. I don't know that it's worth changing the direction for an established class with pretty good equipment support.

The only time there is any issue with the lefties is in open water, they need their own open water sessions. It's not a big deal, the organizer just needs to plan for it.

Just my .02

I think the Snowman is right there. A little wheel time turning the other way and it doesn't really make a big difference. Driving is driving. It seems worth it if it doesn't eliminate the possibility of crossover. It would be a shame not to even try it when you're talking about decisions being made for the very beginnings of 1:10 scale racing in your area. It's a different experience, but I think it would be well worth it in the long run if you don't make it that much harder to easily allow sharing of the class. I could see it a bigger issue if you'd already established the class years ago and there were many people invested in it. We have a few different clubs out west that run this class. A couple run it exclusively. Sure, we have small differences between club motor specs and variances in little rule things here and there, but even the clubs who run several other classes that turn right, decided that they would turn left when they adopted 1:10 scale as a class. It comes down to the priorities of the racers in your area. If they are not at all interested in ever racing outside of your area, then I suppose it doesn't matter, but if they knew that others have done it and that challenges brought up have been overcome easily by others, would they make the same decision. You have to weigh the pros and cons, but I hope you share with them what you've learned from others who have been through this already and can share what they've learned. It's not surprising that people would shy away from something that seems new and scary. It's why we tend to do things the way we've always done them and turn a blind (or at least inexperienced) eye to things. It's the easier path in the short term. You have to ask yourselves where you want this class to be able to do for your members over the next ten years, not ten months and plan ahead. It would be hard to grow the class outside of your area, if that's one of your members' long term ambitions, if you don't turn the same way that most everyone else does in that class. It's probably the same reason that die hard 1:8 scale racers don't turn left when they know that the only thing keeping them from doing so now is that it would go against what is already established and has been since the 70's. IMO, they won't be really scale until they turn left, but I can understand why they don't. I could only imagine how unpopular and isolated the group that drives a proposal to change 1:8 scale to left hand turning would be. I'm sure it's been talked about, but I don't see a scenario where that happens. Heck, even when they started running FE 1:8 scales, they decided to turn right! Maybe when the electrics in that class run separately, someone will decide to mandate that they turn left. I'm not sure the nitro guys will ever follow suit. I got off track there a bit, but hopefully you see what I'm saying and that it gives some perspective to your decision making process.

[dethow]

Who would have thought my old Gale V would make it out to be with theirs. I'm gonna save those pics if you don't mind. I might even post one on my web site if that's ok too. Thanks for making my day. I'm just a scale hydro geek at heart

That's 100% fine with me Mitch.
I have been collecting a lot of old memorabilia with my pride and joy being an original Seattle newspaper from when she won the 1955 Gold Cup. My plan is to put together a display area which will tell the history of the boat along with fun memorabilia (such as photos, pins and match books) and an area to mount/hang the 1:10 Gale V. I'll have the ability to remove her from the display for racing. It was so awesome to go meet Bill and talk about the boats. Thanks you for passing this wonderful boat along to me. You can trust that I also get and appreciate the essence of scale racing and I love the Detroit history of this boat. Glad that helped make your day. Have a good one, Mitch.

[rat350r]

I have been watching this thread sense I got home from the D-12 race this past weekend. I met Mr. Ferrette this past Friday at the race in Centerville Va. He was displaying his 1/10 scale hydro that he was building and that really caught my attention. It caught my attention so much that on Saturday I brought out my 1/10 scale Miss Thriftway that I built back in 2016. This boat and its sister boat the Miss Wahoo were the first boats I have built sense the late 70s.

I soon discovered after finishing these two boats that the 1/10 scale boats were very popular on the west coast and not as popular on the east coast, at least not in IMPBA D-12. I ended up racing my Miss Wahoo boat in Q Sport Hydro in 2017 because it was too long to run in P-hydro. Sense then I have built three LSG boats and have been racing them along with the Q Sport Hydro the past couple of years here in D-12.

I was very glad to hear that Mr. Ferrette is exploring the potential of 1/10 scale FE here in D-12. Sense this past weekend reading all the posts and reading the NAMBA 1/10 scale FE rules for both vintage and modern hydroplane, I see where both sides of the discussion have valid positions. When I was asked if I preferred to run 1/10 scale FE turning left or right I said I prefer to turn right. This is because this is how I have always run boats. Now after the discussion here I am defiantly open to giving both directions a try.

I started a modern 1/10 scale kit from ML boat works to build the 96 Pico American Dream boat. I am about half way through the build and do not have the deck covered. My intention is to do as Mr. Ferrette putting reinforcement in both sponsons to allow for turn fins for left and right turns. I also am going to setup my Miss Thriftway boat with a vintage turn fin on the left sponson for left turns.

I propose that between the two of us and maybe one or two others in D-12 we may have enough interest to do some exhibition heats either at test and tunes or at some of the D-12 races next year turning left and right. It is quite possable that the left turn could catch on, only trying it and seeing what driver opinion is will tell.

I know one thing, the fact that there is interest in 1/10 scale FE here in D-12 has reignited my interest in what I also think is one of the neatest looking boats on the water in real life and RC.

[T.S.Davis]

I have to admit, turning left sounded stupid to me when these guys started it way back when. It's just different. Makes it even more of an eye catcher. People stop what they're doing to watch them go. I hate having to CD those heats because I lose my head and forget what I'm doing.

For us, limiting the turn fin keeps the hulls kinda sorta running like their full sized counterparts. My opinion. All the quirks of the full sized boats exist in the scale renditions. You can make up for some sins with a curved fin. It's rare for a boat to be gobs faster than anyone else too. You can't really engineer yourself into a ton of extra speed. Some sure but power is limited, the hulls design is the hulls design, and your fin can't hold the turn any better than anybody else. There are still tweaks but not major stuff like with a sport where somebody finds a bunch of speed and the lapping ensues.

We're racing of course....they're race boats..........but....there's something more to it. It's that realism I think. Not sure I can express what I'm getting at. Something about that class is cool. It's not uncommon to see two or three boats coming up the front straight together. You guys are gonna dig it no matter which way you turn.

[rat350r]

Well I just ordered some reverse props and reverse flex shafts and a vintage turn fin from OSE. Looks like I am going to give turning left a try. I may have things set up on my Miss Thriftway for the open water on 09/14 at Fort Richie Md.

[ray schrauwen]

Does Mike at ML cut a atlas VL kit for 1/10th scale? I prefer modern but I also prefer less work building.

I'll check his site. It's most likely one of the prettiest non-modern hydros to me.

If I dive into this, I'll need some mentoring.... ....Terry?
\
Here it is.. $100,not bad! http://woodrcboatkits.com/index.php/...-mhr-7701.html

Maybe if I can talk to my import buddy... ...supposedly the Canadian government is going to lift the duties and taxes on consumer purchases however hell could freeze over first, lol...

[don ferrette]

Does Mike at ML cut a atlas VL kit for 1/10th scale? I prefer modern but I also prefer less work building.

I'll check his site. It's most likely one of the prettiest non-modern hydros to me.

If I dive into this, I'll need some mentoring.... ....Terry?
\
Here it is.. $100,not bad! http://woodrcboatkits.com/index.php/...-mhr-7701.html

Maybe if I can talk to my import buddy... ...supposedly the Canadian government is going to lift the duties and taxes on consumer purchases however hell could freeze over first, lol...

Ray gotta tell ya Mike's kits rock, hardest thing about them is waiting for glue to dry so you can keep going. I'll tell you the same thing I'm recommending to folks in and around my area, since this is just getting going and we haven't locked down left or right turning put a turn fin backer on both sides.

[ray schrauwen]

Ray gotta tell ya Mike's kits rock, hardest thing about them is waiting for glue to dry so you can keep going. I'll tell you the same thing I'm recommending to folks in and around my area, since this is just getting going and we haven't locked down left or right turning put a turn fin backer on both sides.

Thanks Don.

I misunderstood the scale section at ML. the kits are just frames right? He has the option to add skins and timbers.

Just lost interest in P Sport and Spec Sport. I'll have to sell a few boats to get this project going. Actually, since I've been out of racing, these classes have gotten so fast that I think I'd have a hard time coming close to keeping up. Scale is more gentleman like and the older I get, the more I like that sort of thing.

Still need to rig up the GP265 and the RSX310 rigger I built... Too many Irons... I'll get them done for 2019 season.

[HOTWATER]

This is absolutely one of the most interesting threads I've come across in a very long time. It's always fun to see what folks are building and talking about in 1:10 scale. I don't have much patience when it comes to politics, but I love racing 1:10 scale. I've done it exclusively for over 25 years now and I still love it. Out here in WA, where scale racing started, it's so much about the history of the real unlimiteds. I love the idea of more racers getting into 1:10 scale in other parts of the country and world. IMO, they are just about a perfect fit in size and affordability. I can tell you that turning left was as important to me as the fact that the FE boats don't have to be toss started while running. I grew up having seen real hydroplanes run and I was hooked when I saw a 36" hydro get on plane from a standstill. Once I got on the water with my first boat and got enough confidence and skill to go deck to deck with other scale boat and sliding through corners on the small skid fin, I couldn't imagine doing it any other way. It's not surprising to me that people who have experienced only turning right in other classes would tend to want to continue that when faced with something new. Yes, I will always want to see scale hydroplanes turning left. Yes, I always wondered why 1:8th scale racers haven't started turning left now that they are not so limited in prop selection. IMO scale racing takes a commitment to something other than the people that race. It's a commitment to the history of the real boats. That's hard to do when you're just starting out and it may not be popular. Is turning left a deal-breaker for some, maybe. Maybe you build a few boats first, try turning left in a few experimental or exhibitions. Maybe it won't be as big of a deal as anticipated. I know we have a different connection to history and maybe some have never seen event a video of a real unlimited race from the 50's or 60's but why not try it if it's easy to change over if you don't like it? At least then you know that you have a chance that there could be some crossover with other hobbyists if the majority are turning left in 1:10 scale. It doesn't sound like you'd be risking much by starting out that way and seeing how it goes before locking in on making it a formal class and solidifying a rules package. Anyway, it's nice to see 1:10 scale being talked about. I've never dealt with IMPBA, so I won't speak to it's bad relationship history with NAMBA. Let's see some more boats! Let me know if there is anything I can do to help with a build. I'm working on some parts for the 83 Renault and a 92 Coors dry build right now for some guys on this thread.

Mitch, got the scale parts today for the 83 Renault build...they look great! Nice job on the plug...cowl looks great!!! Thanks for spending some time on that!! Allison engine parts are really nice as well!!

Thank you!
-Kent

[rat350r]

Looking for some suggestions regarding motor and prop choices for 1/10 scale. I have tried an Aquacraft 36-56 1800Kv motor with a CNC 3814-R prop in my Miss Thriftway and it didn't go well. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Bruce Price
hope to be 1/10 scale boat racer.


https://forums.offshoreelectrics.com...1&d=1535328284

[T.S.Davis]

Thats not enough prop even for the 1800.

Try the 1500kv proboat motor and a CNC 4714R. Once you get the boat freed up you can likely prop up from there.

[rat350r]

I have been working on my 1/10 scale modern. I am attempting to build the 1997 Pico American Dream boat. This is my first attempt at making my own fiberglass cowlings. I am also initially setting the boat up to turn left but as Don is doing I am putting an aluminum plate on the right sponson just in case.

[rat350r]

Here are a coupe more shots of the running gear.