Miss Geico Maiden Voyage

[blackcat26]

Here is a quick clip of her bone stock on 4s2p lipo. Slow, but handles good! 33.7mph.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqUrdUlVUAw

[Rumdog]

Man, they do turn well. Put a good prop on her, and she'll scoot!

[johnf]

sweet! your's had the correct cable?

[FloatDaBoat]

Nice initial run; I’d be too Chicken to pass that close to that submerged tree top, though . . . .

[Brushless55]

Looks great in the turns!

[blackcat26]

Rummy, I just wanted to see what the baseline runs was before I did anything else to her. Cant decide if I am gonna go crazy on this one or keep it fairly stock. I have a tendency for going to the excessive side.....

FloatDaBoat, The first time I passed the limb was a total accident!
The second time was on purpose. I'm not really a great driver but after running my blackjack around 75mph this boat feels relaxing.

Johnf, When I took my factory cable off it appeared to be the wrong rotation so I made up one with an octura stub shaft and correct lay cable. (Didn't want to take any chances) It's about a 1/2 shorter that the factroy stub but seems to work fine.

Brushless55, Thanks bro. I was taking some at full speed which my Blackjack wont even turn half that well.

I am really loving this boat. The shape of this hull is beautiful and the color in the pictures does not do it justice at all. It's been described as "radioactive" and I agree!

[blackcat26]

I have put 2 more runs on her since the other day and this hull still is bouncy. Tried raising the strut but then it cavitated alot and lost some top end (still bouncy). Put a x642 on her and ran again with the strut lower and gained a few mph back but is still bouncy. Everybody's video I have seen so far has this same problem.....Any idea's?

[Diesel6401]

I just rounded my rudder, haven't run it since then though. Maybe today or tomorrow ill give a test run

[blackcat26]

How much did you round it? I just kinda rounded mine enough that it would not scratch me! lol

[Diesel6401]

I used a small socket to get a nice curve. I didn't take much of, just a really smooth curve and then sharpend the leading edge.

[jac4412]

Turns on a dime

[Darin Jordan]

I have put 2 more runs on her since the other day and this hull still is bouncy. Tried raising the strut but then it cavitated alot and lost some top end (still bouncy). Put a x642 on her and ran again with the strut lower and gained a few mph back but is still bouncy. Everybody's video I have seen so far has this same problem.....Any idea's?

Did you move the batteries forward??

It could be that the ridepads need to be block-sanded as well.

On the test boat, raising the strut and moving the cells forward seemed to help a lot. My production boat is going to need some blueprinting on the ride-pads to get it where I want it. Painting and the production process seems to take it's toll on what otherwise were very true surfaces. Normal RTR "race prep" stuff...

[Darin Jordan]

By the way... on my wedge rudders, I don't "round" them... I simple use my bench-top disk sander and "V" the bottom of the rudder... Kills any lift that might be cause by the flat rudder bottom pitching. Easy to get even also.

[Diesel6401]

By the way... on my wedge rudders, I don't "round" them... I simple use my bench-top disk sander and "V" the bottom of the rudder... Kills any lift that might be cause by the flat rudder bottom pitching. Easy to get even also.

I will do that as well to the bottom of the rudder

[blackcat26]

Darin, I tried moving them around both directions. Seemed like it was still kinda skippy. Gonna run her again in a few minutes with the rudder mod you mentioned and try my 442 out. Have not sanded the pads yet but will soon if I can't tame this thing.

[Rumdog]

Yeah, if the ride pads arent flat, it will make all the difference in the world.

[blackcat26]

OK tried moving batts all the way to the front and raised the strut again with the 442. Still bouncy. Looked at the last ride pads and they are concave in the middle. I'm guessing that this is the problem??? So, should I fill them with something? Or try to sand em flat. Looks too deep to sand the dip out of them.

[Rumdog]

wow, that much? I'd add material from the inside. Then sand flat.

[blackcat26]

Didn't measure it but looks like just under a 1/16 or so.

[blackcat26]

Got some brass shim and some plastic thin strips that will cover up the ride pads for a test run. Gonna tape em on for a quick run to see if it kills the skipping. Will post some pics tonight.

[blackcat26]

Taped the gap up with some masking tape then put a layer of duct tape over the entire last step. No changes, still bouncy. Had the batteries hanging over the front of the tray about an inch. Should I try and tape the other steps??? Somebody help before I pull my hair out!

[Diesel6401]

Taped the gap up with some masking tape then put a layer of duct tape over the entire last step. No changes, still bouncy. Had the batteries hanging over the front of the tray about an inch. Should I try and tape the other steps??? Somebody help before I pull my hair out!

I was thinking of running the batteries inside the sponsons themselves and not on the tray. It would allow the batteies to be placed further forward then the trays allow and also lower the cg. It was gonna be my next step. If it works I was going to cut the battery trays in half and still allow part of the tray to maintain support.

[Rumdog]

Where is the cg with batteries all the way forward? Too much forward weight can also cause bouncing. I'd flatten the pads a bit with sanding. Set the cg at about 30 percent, then try different strut adjustments.

[Jeff Wohlt]

Got a hull and hardware coming so I will be building one.

Setup:
180 ESC,
leopard 4074..2200 kv
4S 5000 40C cells
642 to start.
078 wire drive.
Tactic radio

[Diesel6401]

Where is the cg with batteries all the way forward? Too much forward weight can also cause bouncing. I'd flatten the pads a bit with sanding. Set the cg at about 30 percent, then try different strut adjustments.

I moved batts forward and aft to no change with the bounce. I thought the x642 may have had to much pitch, but every video I see has the bounce. In my video on 5s you can really see the bounce. It's not out of control and for a newbie they prob wouldn't care or know the difference, but for us we kinda get more critical of our set-ups and try to perfect or boats. All n all I really love this boat!

Jeff let me know if the 4074 will fit with the tupperware. I eyeballed mine and it looked like it would be to long for the tupperware lid to fit on, but that was a eyeball and I wear contacts so my eyes suck. That is if you are using the lid of course.

[blackcat26]

Where is the cg with batteries all the way forward? Too much forward weight can also cause bouncing. I'd flatten the pads a bit with sanding. Set the cg at about 30 percent, then try different strut adjustments.

The first part of my run I had the batts basically centered in the trays. Right at about 8.5 inches for sponson back. The second part of the run I moved them far forward to try and fix the issue. The forward Cg was about 9" from sponson back edge. Prop has just a little negative angle with the CenterLine about the bottom of the sponsons.

[befu]

Block sand the pad lightly to see where the curve is, then fill it with some spot putty and let dry. Sand/fill/sand/fill/sand until it is flat. You do not want to just sand it down flat as you will change the sponson height to much if you are off by 1/16". that is actually quite a bit if it is that deep of a curve! You shouldn't have to add any material to the inside of the hull, sanding way to much if you get into the glass. You want to flatten the ride surface, not change the hull shape.

Spot putty comes in a tube (maybe 8 oz) in the automotive section by paints and bondo at wally world or at auto part stores. Spread it on with a piece of plastic or other straight edge and let dry, do not make it to thick.

good luck, Brian

[blackcat26]

Befu, I may do that Man I hate putting the grit to a new boat! I measured the dip and in it's lowest spot it about .04 deep. Is the spot putty better than Bondo? I realize it's made by Bondo. You are talking about glazing putty right? Should I do just the last steps or the ones before also?

[Jeff Wohlt]

Every run I have seen looks like everyone is trying to run it like it has no steps....on the very last bit of the hull...which will make it teeter. The boat should ride more flat and touching the second step. Just my opinon and what I see on real cats. I think and will try running mine with more power and bit flatter.

[blackcat26]

Hmm. I did notice mine was like that tonight. Maybe it needs some weight up front??? My batts were about 1" overhanging the front of the tray with the prop just a little neg and it still ran like that.