75mph UL-1 6s Build - Possible or not?

Hey guys, I've been contemplating about building a set-up that can do speeds in excess of 75mph. I have read several threads of guys who have done some nice UL1 set-ups but I never found any speeds verified by GPS and/or radar gun.

I have been leaning towards the Aquacraft UL-1 which can do speeds stock at 65mph with the upgraded Grim Racer 3 blade prop on 4s. For higher speeds, I was thinking about running the SeaKing 180 amp ESC paired with the Feigao XL12 motor on 6s. I have seen a few video's of set-ups like this and they seem ridiculously fast but nobody has been able to post any GPS or radar gun data.

Do you guys have any information in regards to hitting this speed and if its actually something the UL-1 hydroplane design can withstand without flipping over repeatedly? Or would a set-up for these speeds require something along the lines of a rigger set-up?

I don't know where you read a ul1 does 65, but I'll tell you that the ul1 speeds are limited by hull design, not power. If you do try to power this thing crazy, be prepared to be retrieving it and replacing parts ALOT. Total waste of time, get a hull that can handle the speeds. Period.

Your trying to get too much out of that hull................huge power and speed is fun to a point, but 75 is excessive for that hull............and it will be in pieces on the first 75 mph flip.

Hit 50 on 4s and have it stable and then you will have accomplished all the boat can handle.

Thanks for the quick reply guys... I was a bit worried that the hull design would limit top speeds. That's why I came to the experts instead of going by what's floating around on youtube and other forums. So I'm assuming for speeds of 75mph you'd recommend a custom rigger set-up?

I found it hard to believe that AquaCraft hit 65mph with this set-up over 4 years ago and the set-up has not progressed since with any published higher speed runs.
65mph run: - Back in 2008
http://www.aquacraftmodels.com/boats...b20-65mph.html


https://forums.offshoreelectrics.com/...540XL-in-UL-1-!
That's the thread that kinda turned me onto doing a 6s set-up. He never got around to trying a 6s set-up because he ended up hitting a turtle which totaled the boat.

2s/4S Set-up
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELmjwLeOzIk

6s set-up (one that I was going to do)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OA2Eg-8pVDw&feature=plcp

I have a real hard time believing throwing a 40 x 57 3 blade prop on there jumps it from 40-ish stock to 65...............???????? I dont know anything about the man that performed this SAW run so I am not judging him in any way, it just seems too easy to increase top speed by 60% with a stock motor/speedo and a prop change. Why wouldnt AQ have included this prop with the boat to market it as a smokin' 65mph RTR? :confused2:

Brian Bauss holds 9 different SAW speed records. if anyone can do it he'd be the one. Alot of people think I'll just put a huge motor in a small boat and it'll go fast. Well it not that easy. Speed over 70mph you really need a top notch hull that was designed to perform on that level. The rtr boats are deisgned to go 45 not 75. the ul-1 would be airborne and everyting would be at the bottom of the lake after the boat splintered into pieces

The money you would spend to make the UL-1 go that fast would be a waste to put in a UL-1. if you're gonna spend $1000 on electronics why put it in a $150 hull that'll blow up verses a $300 hull that'll get'r done. get my drift?

A 40x57 won't do it, makes a nice heat race prop though. Runs in the mid 40's.

Somewhere there is a post with the setup I ran 65 with.

I know I added an airdam and changed the strut depth/angle significantly. The turnfin was removed, the rudder sharpened and the sponsons trued/sharpened. Prop was a heavily reworked Octura 2047 (107mph P rigger SAW prop, I miss that one:crying:). Stock hardware/motor/speedo.

~125 amp current spikes, pretty much 20 seconds at a time or you let the magic smoke out. Just ran it that way to see what we could make the little boat do. Not practical for anything but SAW passes. You'll hurt it if you crash at those speeds.

If you want to go 75+ spend the money/time, put together a good outrigger and learn how to tune it.

Thank you guys for all of the responses. It seems that the outrigger set-up is what I'll be going with for speeds above 75mph. I was also advised to look into the Whiplash and Insane Hydro hulls if I wanted to stay with a hydroplane hull. The hydroplane's seem to be an all around better platform for mild racing (turns, etc) opposed to the outriggers that seem to be simply for drag race type set-ups.

I currently have a Traxxas Spartan that I'm extremely happy with. A few simple modifications has really made the boat super reliable with doing verified speeds of 55mph on 6s. I have had an issue with clocking the boat via radar gun and 55 was the highest we've been able to register. I have a feeling that the boat does 57-59mph tops though with perfect conditions and fully charged lipo's. It has EC5 connectors, additional 1000uF low esr Cap soldered onto the ESC leads, alum cooling jacket, modified water inlinet, jeff wohlt flex shaft, aeromarine 3 piece coupler, 2 sets of trim tabs, and Octura x442 prop. I have been debating on doing the Leopard/Seaking 180 upgrade which has successfully done speeds of 68mph (http://www.offshoreelectrics.com/pro...-Combo&cat=172). It just runs so perfect that I don't really want to mess with how perfect it runs at the moment. That and I don't think I'll be happy with only 68mph.

Riggers are NOT a straight line setup only, mine and my buddies all turn like slot cars at speeds that amaze onlookers. Set up properly they are the best handling boats out there and the fastest. They are the Formula 1 setup of the rc boating world and can be just a picky if set up wrong.
Mine will also handle slightly rougher water better than a hydro, although both are limited when it comes to rough running conditions.
My favorite boats are hydros though, got a new whiplash to build this winter, 1515 1y, 180 amp esc, 4s2p. Going to be a very fast boat!
Riggers are a lot of fun and damn fast but IMO look like a 2x4 with pontoons. LOL Hydros at least look something like a boat.
A suggestion would be to ditch the EC5 connectors in favor of 5.5 or 6mm bullets, much much lower resistance and no funky harnesses to run a simple series setup. I used EC5's at first, soon as I started pushing things I had them unsoldering and melting the bodies, switched out to bullets and have never had a connector related problem again.

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The hydroplane's seem to be an all around better platform for mild racing (turns, etc) opposed to the outriggers that seem to be simply for drag race type set-ups.

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Nope - the fastest oval racers are outriggers, that is what they were designed for originally. Their design gives them higher top speeds without the excessive lift of the full-bodied hydroplanes, and their light weight helps a lot in turning. If you want to go 75+ mph in a full-bodied hydroplane reliably, you may want to choose a larger hull like the Whip 40 or Phil Thomas SS45 and run 6S. These hulls handle the speed better on not-so-perfect water. The little Insane FE-30 can run 75+ but it doesn't take much to flip it at those speeds, and it can't hold enough flotatoin to stay afloat if the hatch comes loose with 6S packs inside. As Brian said, better to find an outrigger...


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I will start researching the outrigger set-ups. Thanks for clearing things up for me on how well they handle... it seems that all the outrigger video's i've come across have been just used in going straight. It's nice to know that they can handle as well... that pretty much takes care of all of my needs in one set-up. I agree with siberianhusky... the rigger's look nothing like a boat anymore. But you know what they say, function over fashion.

I run a lot of on-road set-ups and the Castle 5.5mm bullet connectors were a bit overkill for my needs (Traxxas XO1, EREVO, etc). The EC5's seem to be perfectly suited for the needs of my Spartan as well as my other vehicle's. They also helped to drop my cap temps down roughly 30 degree's compared to the traxxas connectors. I'm not disagreeing with you though as the 5.5mm Castle's would have a better option. On my 8s XO1 set-up I am actually running the Castle 8.0mm bullet connectors as I'm pulling over 200 amps on that set-up. If I have to upgrade again in the future for the out-rigger set-up then I will.

I'm familiar with wrecks over 100mph on my road set-ups... and wrecking a hydro at 80mph and having it sink doesn't sound too appealing to me, haha.

Just a ballpark estimate, what does it usually cost to do a setup that can see in the 75+ mph range for both Hydro (Whiplash/Insane/Phil Thomas) and Outrigger? already have plenty of 6s lipo's (Thunder Powers, Max Amps, etc) and complete RX/TX set-up. I know things can change... I'm just trying to get an idea of what I'm looking at. I also read that setting up the outrigger is a bit more time consuming compared to a hydro hull.

Again, thank you guys for all of the help :thumbup1:

The cost depends on how "cheap" you want to go and how important reliability is to you. You can set up a 6S rigger with a Leopard motor and Swordfish ESC, cheezy hardware and spend less than $400 minus the hull and cells. Or you can go with Neu motors, Castle controllers and SpeedMaster hardware and spend around $650. Add from $100 to over $400 for a good 2.4 gig radio, depends on how many bells and whistles you want. Both setups can get you to 75+ mph, one may last longer and be more reliable.

Setup on a rigger seems more time consuming. Getting everything right - strut depth and angle, CG location, the right prop, sponson angles - can take awhile. Or you can get lucky and get it just right after very little testing. Either way you have a great time learning and running the thoroughbred of race boats. No, they don't look like "real" boats, but then a NASCAR stock car only looks like a "real" stock car.......


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I like this thread so I'm going to tag along...
What about a JAE on 4s with a TP Power 4092 2600kv ?

A club member runs one with a Castle 1515/1Y. It is quick but he has never spent the time to get the setup just right. Too, the build quality is a bit shaky. Set up well it's a 70 mph heat racer.



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I kinnda disagree on this hull not running 75mph, yeah thats pushing it. I had a neu 1515 1.5y 1500kv running 5s and believe the last pass I got was 68mph and it was stable, but, I had diff strut and hardware.

Its been years since this vid, but the fastest pass was 57mph w/m447. I swapped to I believe an x445 and trimmed the rudder and turn fin got 68mph with ease.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNAjbjWo8FE

Damn Nate that's insane. How are you fitting 2 5S packs in your UL-1? You have pics in your album of it? Thx Jeff

There 5s flightpower 3750mah's in Parr. They fit just perfect, snug fit top and bottom, and they add weight, which is a plus when running over 55mph. I though about running 6s, but that would just push the limits of this hull.

Here ya go

http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/k...icbooks121.jpg

http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/k...icbooks158.jpg

I just got in mail today a Leopard 4074 2150kv and a Swordfish 200a 2s-6s ESC to replace my stock stuff.. Gonna try it with a new S/B L40x57 3 I have. I have currently couple of sets of 7.4 2s1p 45c 5000mah lipos but was gonna buy some 4s for this new motor and ESC. Any thoughts? Thx Jeff

Im on here now looking for one of those Neu 1515 1.5y 1500kv motors you had in that old thread. Is that what you still have in your UL-1?

I parted the motor and esc out, and sold the hull. I have a white Ul1 now with the stock motor and 120amp esc on 5s w/x442 that runs high 50's all day, but the motor runs on the hot side after a straight pass.

I'm going to be honest, don't spend over 200bucks for a neu motor just to fit w/ the ul1 hull... I had bought it for my PTss21 build, and had the idea to through it in my ul1 for gigs, ended up staying in my ul1 longer than what I anticipated. I go for a leopard motor.

Yes these just came....

Attachment 111022Attachment 111023

2150 on 5s should be ballistic! Maybe just stick with 4s power lol

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Originally Posted by nate

Its been years since this vid, but the fastest pass was 57mph w/m447. I swapped to I believe an x445 and trimmed the rudder and turn fin got 68mph with ease.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNAjbjWo8FE

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That is awesome!!! Nice work!! But when it comes to heat racing/water conditions (i.e. not glass water), I'm with Jimmy. 50 is the absolute limit for that hull.

sorry to wake up an old thread, which batteries would be best to run on a stock set up with upgraded prop for maximum speed?

thank you,