Joe's Airboat trial run

[properchopper]

Testing out prop for size. This is a really cool boat and I can't wait to get it dialed in. Mark's got it now to determine what propeller works best & it should be major fun once dialed in

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxS77dTdzBc

[Darin Jordan]

Testing out prop for size. This is a really cool boat and I can't wait to get it dialed in. Mark's got it now to determine what propeller works best & it should be major fun once dialed in

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxS77dTdzBc

Tony,

Is that running direct drive?? What kind of RPM are they running??

I ask, because most airplane props aren't really designed to turn the 20,000+ RPM that our boat setups turn... sounds like the prop is REALLY screaming on that thing!

Looked cool while it was going, however...

[properchopper]

Tony,

Is that running direct drive?? What kind of RPM are they running??

I ask, because most airplane props aren't really designed to turn the 20,000+ RPM that our boat setups turn... sounds like the prop is REALLY screaming on that thing!

Looked cool while it was going, however...

Darin,

To the best of my knowledge, it's a 2200 KV Lepoard on 4S direct drive. Mark's a serious plane guy and has the boat to find a prop with the appropriate loading. It should be very interesting to see how it runs with the right motor/prop combo - also I think it needs more rudder, kind'a turns like a dirt tracker or swamp airboat. Stay tuned for more

[MarkF]

Darin, that motor is to high kv for that particular boat. That prop was pulling over 280 amps. I told Joe he needs to put a 1200 to 1500 kv motor in there to get the amps down. We ran the boat today with a smaller prop on but it was still too much for the motor. As far as airplanes go I have a 30% yak that spins a 26 x 14 prop around 5800 rpms. I also have a pylon plane that will spin a 8 x 8 prop around 30,000 rpms and another one that will spin a 4.7 x 4.7 at 43,000 rpms. The noise from these props are louder than a combustion engine with a tuned pipe.

Mark

[questtek]

Here is a video of Mark piloting my airboat with the new prop he put on. (HOWEVER THE ATTACHED PICS SHOW THE OLD PROP THAT WAS FAR TOO MUCH FOR THE LEOPARD 2200kv) Still some tweaking to do but it does have promise. Lots of fun to drive because it "drifts" thru the turns. Nice side-slip. I am putting on a smaller KV Leopard and changing the motor tilt angl per Marks recommendation. And now for the video with Mark explaining the setup.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LBcLFTHopY

[Krowbar69]

Very cool... pretty quick!! Wonder what the top speed will be on that..

[questtek]

Mark, I changed the engine angle by a few degrees as you recommend and the boat runs MUCH better. It went from plowing in the water giving it a high amp draw now to gliding over it. As a first step befor I change to a lower KV Leopard motor I went from a 4s to 3s and it was also much more fun to drive. NO overheating even with 6 laps and the motor is not quite so loud. Next step is to Eagle Tree and GPS it. Then I will change motors and go back to 4s and compare. This is one really fun boat.

[calcagno45]

Very cool boat! She sure is pretty quick!

Is that the old Aquacraft hull outfitted for FE? I had the itch to do one that that for a while, just had no knowledge of props that size.

[Darin Jordan]

Hmmmmmm... Makes me wonder how this old ProBoat Vortex boat would work with FE Power...

http://www.proboatmodels.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=PRB2700

[questtek]

Hmmmmmm... Makes me wonder how this old ProBoat Vortex boat would work with FE Power...

http://www.proboatmodels.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=PRB2700

Probably pretty good. The hull I have is very light. I bought it surplus with a gas engine. Sold the engine and it was an easy conversion. It is the first and only boat I do not have to tape up. If you not in the picture there is a black waterproof hatch for ESC and batteries. 2.4Ghz receiver and servo in the front.

I first used a aircraft ESC mounted on the outside but when I flipped hte boat at high speed on a windy day it instantly fried. Now with the Seaking 180 inside there is no problem. Water pickups on the back............an easy arrangement for the water pitot tube you inquired about.