** New Zelos 48 Brushless Large Scale Cat From Pro Boat**

[Jesse Flovin]

Yes 8s on the 52mm prop seems to be a good combo. I'm curious to try some more props and see what happens. The smaller prop seems to cavitate way too much. The 52 millimeter prop has a much better bite

[Jesse Flovin]

Here are a few high speed passes...

https://youtu.be/GcKtYTcUFQI

[Jesse Flovin]

High speed passes, the boat is doing about 42-45mph.

[Chado2448]

Started repairing and blueprinting my hull. After a few minutes blocking the sponsons this is what I ended up with. There are quite a few waves and hooks on them. Hopefully after I'm finished this will cure my bounce and get my speed where it should be. image.jpg

[Keagan-Z06]

I always hear Blue printing and never know what it is, now I do. Thanks! Off question, PM me your thoughts on the Spartan!

[Jesse Flovin]

This just happened! Man oh man these hulls are flimsy!

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[Jesse Flovin]

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[Keagan-Z06]

Ouch! Sorry to see that, should be an easy fix. kfx did his on his Twin. My twin was in a wreck but it didn't split like that, it never did breach.

[Chado2448]

Same place mine cracked. That sucks.

[Chado2448]

Since we're on the subject lately. After I finish repairing and reinforcing mine I'm thinking about filling the entire bow with low expansion spray foam. My thinking is the hull will be more solid so it won't flex and split. Anyone ever try it or do I run a risk of blowing it apart.

[Fluid]

Two problems. First some foams will continue to expand over days and weeks, bulging the hull. Second, after they are placed, some will shrink when exposed to heat (setting in the summer sum at a race) pulling the deck down (the latter happened to me). No solution known....too bad as the idea is a good one.




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[Jesse Flovin]

There are a few marine grade foams that are good for this type of project, I'll have a link soon to one of a friends suggested product.

[IRON-PAWW]

One issue is that the original block of foam doesn't go floor to ceiling. What I did was get a block of high density foam and cut it so it fit snugly floor to ceiling. That means that during a crash - that top deck is supported much better and won't flex as much. I also put 4oz FG matting across the top plus CF tape down the entire length of each side. Also - put epoxy in the sponson tips and tunnel nose with chopped cf in the mix. I can tell you - the hull feels a *lot* more solid reinforced even just like that. See back a few pages for my pics. Honestly the full height foam block takes a *lot* of flex out of the hull. No huge crashes since I did this but a few lesser ones. Hull will be heavier but I still have my speed - though not as fast as you guys. Definitely looking now that after a number of us have had splits it's time to sfart recommending people reinforce this hull. No disrespect to proboat though in saying that.

[Hyfive]

hello all, I got the 48"Zelos couple months ago but only had about 4 or 5 runs on the boat when my brother told me ya got a crack in ya boat! I said WHAT! Yep that's a crack alright, man I was feeling pretty good before he told me that. So knowing I had to fix this right away or stop it from opening up any more I took everything out taped up the hull and started to glass the inside with west system and cloth plus filled the tips up for a little more weight up front all together added 1.2 lbs to the hull. looks like its holding together still but time will tell and Note: I have not gone more then 49.9 mph and if wasn't for my brother sitting next to my boat in my workshop that night my hull would have come a part. Still having fun with trying to keep boat from blowing over and getting pass 50 mph, gonna throw boat over now a see what happens.

[IRON-PAWW]

Can anyone point me in the direction of a dual pickup rudder for the Zelos 48? Can't seem to get the under-hull pickup on this hull flowing too well.

[Hyfive]

Hey IRON-PAWW
You have any luck yet finding rudder? I'm on a search for a dual pickup rudder as well, the only rudder blade that I can find that would probable need a hole to be drilled to work is http://kintecracing.com/images/d31f3...30dcec7e72.jpg I've also watched
Rodney Phillips https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U02-aABtaVc I've asked Rodney in the comments could he give a link to where he got the rudder but still waiting for a reply. The rudder he has looks like no mods need just bolt on and go. The other option I was thinking a little more work needed http://www.offshoreelectrics.com/pro...0400_small.JPG I'm still unsure which way to go.

[IRON-PAWW]

Yes actually. I found a rudder on my shelf actually that looks like it will fit nicely. Can't be certain - but I think it might be a 6.25 inch dual pickup speedmaster. Steve (OSE) has them, and mine looks notoriously similar. The mounting holes are closer together like in Steve's pic. Stock rudder I measured at 160mm. That Speedmaster one comes in at 158.75mm - so almost the same. Just looking by eye the pickups look deep enough to get the water. Not much modding - if any to fit it so should be easy to test. Gotta get water fittings for mine though before I can test.

EDIT: Got Photos


Speedmaster Dual Pickup rudder installed. I had to take off a wisp of thickness to get it fitting in the Zelos 48's mounting bracket. Also, see how the rudders have that indent at the top where the mounting holes are. I just had to file the Speedmaster's downward a little so that indent would fit under the main mounting arm. No biggie. Also the hole for the sacrificial pin on the speedmaster was bigger on mine, so I made a little sleeve for it to take up a little slack.



Stock rudder in the middle. Speedmaster (modded) to the left with the little sleeve for the sacrificial pin. Generic brand to the right with a hole drilled for the sacrificial pin. Both new rudders *do* actually fit without issue. But the Speedmaster was closest to the dimensions of the stock rudder. Plus you can see the generic brand rudder is an angled edge, not a straight edge like the stock. No tests yet. Will get back to you on that.

[Jesse Flovin]

Looks good so far! I'm interested to see how much better the flow will be.

[Hyfive]

I think i'm gonna go with the Speedmaster from OSE, I moved my Esc water outlet to the other side of the boat so I can see the water coming out a little better, was having a hard time seeing it before with the other outlet next to it. Now I can see the water shooting out intermittently not steady like the motor outlet. I just need that peace of mind knowing that its getting enough water to that esc. I see IRON-PAWW that your got your strut all the way down, how's that working for you? I'm running my strut about have way down and I think its working better for me as i'm only able to run in rough waters. Looking forward to your test on water flow.

[IRON-PAWW]

I put the rudder pickup through the ESC on mine to begin with, and did the motor with the under-hull. Generally - ESC's tend to get hotter. But really, neither got all *that* hot with mine. But I'm just testing to see if a dual pickup rudder will help with temps at all. No harm in trying. Insufferable tweaker...

I've still got tweaking to do with my strut placement I think. Maybe I'll try a little negative next to try and calm the bounce a little more. Slowly getting there. Note Rafael's pic a few pages back. But I think each boat will be slightly different. I already have a little extra weight up front with the epoxy in the sponson tips etc. Putting my 4 lipos as far forward as I can muster. But that will be different for everybody.

Anyone else run much negative?

Once I get it sitting a little calmer I have some ABC props to try on it.

Not a 2215 (56mm) like someone did a few pages back, but some 20's (50mm) and 21's (53mm). 2 & 3 bladers. Good times.

[Jesse Flovin]

Well proboat, I'm more & more disappointed as I dig further & further into my zeros. Here are a few more pictures of the motor plate Mount and it's broken Hardware straight from the factory I didn't notice until tearing it apart that the whole front corner was not even mounted with hardware.20160805_091837.jpg20160805_093003.jpg

[Jesse Flovin]

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[Hyfive]

Jesse, I see your having fun with this boat. still looking at pic's did one bolt break off and still in the hull stringer? and the other bolt go through the black mounting plate and that is still in the hull stringer as well? Looks like your found time to do some repair work to the hull. When things like this happen to me I just say to myself I' m not repairing I'm making this stronger and better then before! hope all goes well 4 u.

[Jesse Flovin]

Yes bolt broke off so theyou drilled one out to fit a nut in the carbon plate to show aesthetically all hardware was fastened, the other snapped off @ the base & they again fitted a nut onto the motor plate. I'm currently deciding what the next steps are. Waiting to receive a new hull when they get back in stock and I'll be repairing this one soon.

[Bexum]

Jesse did you order the replacement hull from pro-boat? If so good luck. I've been waiting since June 8th for a replacement hull. I read in one of your early posts about a friend you had who owned a hobby shop? Does he have any ideal why pro-boat can't get these bare hulls in stock? I've call horizon hobby many times only to hear we never know when these back-ordered items from pro-boat are coming in. I find it hard to believe that a large company like horizon hobbies has no ideal when a spare that's been out of stock since the boat was released is coming back in. Also does anyone know where I might be able to buy a used Zelos hull. Mine was completely destroyed by a piece of floating debris and is not repairable.

[IRON-PAWW]

Yeesh. If a manufacturing fault has been hidden at the factory and passed off as good to go - then that is underhanded. Fair enough if something breaks with fair use - or because we pushed the hull past the original design specs. But faults that are hidden at the factory and sent to market anyway are pretty tough to swallow. You're going through the warranty process it sounds like so you should be looked after - rest easy with that I suppose. They may ask you to send the hull back. I was asked to send my split one back which I did - but still have the one with the bad stuffing tube. It's the nature of the RTR beast at the end of the day unfortunately. Although I don't see the Zelos 36 people report manufacturing defects like the 48 seems to have.

I wonder if the lack of stock may mean Ver2 is on the way? Strengthened perhaps and with updated quality control practices?

[Bexum]

Iron-paww
I just got off the phone with horizon hobby, the new date for zelos 48 hulls in around October 18th. So it's changed from Mid-August to October 18th. My hull replacement is not a warrant issue. It was destroyed by floating debris. My first boat was cracked in the box. This time when I called I spoke to sales instead of customer serivce. The salesman told me the reason for the delay was because they are redoing there boat molds. This I believe because I have been waiting for a replacement hull since June 8th. I then asked if there are any other options for getting me a replacement hull, he transferred me to customer service who re-stated the new October 18th date but denied the re-tooling. Don't misunderstand me I'm not blaming horizon hobby or pro-boat for my damaged hull. But I do feel my order which is already two months old and I have another two plus months

[Bexum]

Maybe is unacceptable.

[IRON-PAWW]

Re-doing the molds. That could be a very good thing. It may indeed mean they are re-working the Zelos 48 hull - which can only be a very good thing. Frustrating to have to wait so long to get your hands on a hull I know - but if there's no stock then there's no other option...... unfortunately. Hulls to send you just don't exist yet. I guess you may get the possibly re-worked hull so that could be a good thing. There was a few on Ebay a few weeks ago - but honestly I'd wait.


Took mine for a quick test run today with the Speedmaster rudder, 6500Mah SMC lipos, & a little negative as below. Was 10mph slower, but the bounce was very minimal and definitely improved over before :-). The Speedmaster was unsharpened - so I've now fixed that. A little too much negative too I think. I realised I changed too much though for this run so I'll keep everything the same for the next run except the sharpened rudder. Water flow was much improved - but temps were unchanged. Oh well - worth a try. Will do a few more runs and see how it goes.

[Jesse Flovin]

I am in the middle of my warranty exchange process from the original purchase in April, my first replacement was unacceptable in my eyes having as many if not more flaws than the one I currently had, option send back & wait till next order est august. Now I'm hearing Oct as well. I would assume that the next batch was overhauled & taken up to qc standards!