Need opinion regarding modified Miss Geico

[Aunights]

Fine Design has a modified MG that is supposedly 60mph out of the box. This will be my first boat, and I would like to know if this seems like a good setup. I want a good reliable boat. Below is the description of what is in the boat.

"featuring FDM Nemesis Gold 482 series, 4.6 HP! with upgraded 120 amp, 180 amp surge, ESC 2-6S with automatic lipo cutoff settings. Sharpened and balanced metal racing prop."

Am I better off just getting a blackjack 29 instead of this MG?

[dana]

How much does fine design want for it?

[Aunights]

$589 which includes shipping.

[dana]

Seems like a decent deal

[Aunights]

I was thinking this could be a good boat to learn with before I build one. Is that a pretty good motor?

[tlandauer]

A tip: the ESC is best suited for 4s, use 6s at your own risk, further more, they don't tell you to disable the BEC to run 6s. 2200kv is too high for 6s anyway. Don't ask how I know, let's just say it is first hand experience. Other than that, it comes with a s/b/p/ prop, so if you don't want to do anything yet, it is not a bad deal.
Motor is very good, but you should know that it is just a Leopard 4082, 2200 kv motor . FineDesign has custom made motor cans.
After my first hand "experience," I bought a Seaking 180 A ESC, have been ruunig the boat ever since, it's been more than two years. Currently running with 4s2p. M445 prop.
If you adjust/trim the boat right, with 4s and a X642, it should give you 50+ mph. ( mine GPS'ed @ 53+ mph)
Fine Design is NOT lying when it said 60+ mph out of box, but I believe that is running 6s on that 2200kv motor and well, there goes my so-called first hand experience.

[Aunights]

Thanks for the advice. Sounds like I should run 4s for a little while to learn how it handles. Then perhaps I will upgrade to a 180 A and try my luck with the 6S. I appreciate you sharing your "experience".

[tlandauer]

If you have the budget to up grade to a 180 A ESC, do so at the beginning. The 120 ESC that Fine Design used in my boat was the same as the Seaking 120---a great ESC. However, if you up grade now, you are doing yourself a great favor of preserving it for later use. Also, if nothing has changed from the time I got mine, you should change to 5.5mm bullet plugs.
So, my point is that in any event, some participation by you is needed, I don't want to say more to either bore you or confuse you. These steps I consider to be very necessary to ensure an enjoyable experience.
OSE has the best price for the Seaking 180 A ESC.
Cheers!

[Aunights]

Definitely not boring me at all with your help. I will gladly make any mods that i need to make The more i do to my first boat, the sooner i can build one on my own.
Do you know how well the MG handles in choppy water. I was reading today about mean machines by aero marine. There is no doubt that my lake is choppy most of the time. I am wondering now if the MG is the right boat the lake I will be using it on.

[lenny]

If you are going to be running in very choppy waters,
You may want to look at a mono deep hull and the bigger the better for chop and wind.

[Make-a-Wake]

A mono is best for a choppy lake.............check out the 32" Pursuit.

[lenny]

And still have money left for some cells to.

[tlandauer]

Definitely not boring me at all with your help. I will gladly make any mods that i need to make The more i do to my first boat, the sooner i can build one on my own.
Do you know how well the MG handles in choppy water. I was reading today about mean machines by aero marine. There is no doubt that my lake is choppy most of the time. I am wondering now if the MG is the right boat the lake I will be using it on.

Both Lenny and Make-a-Wake are absolutely right, I have not run my Geico in really choppy water,the MeanMachine's main strength is its handling, I just got a hull today and plan to build one myself.
Some peolple like Cats and some like monos. They evoke different imagination and emotion on the boater.

[brett657]

well in my opinion you should try other boot at the beginning because i read that the experiences and opinions of racers that have been running that particular rc boot found it hard to handle it so there is a great chance of it..

[Aunights]

I prefer to have a cat. I have been around boating all my life, and nothing performs like a cat. The deep vee hulls just don't do it for me. I think I will enjoy the cat much more even if doesn't handle quite as well.