Phil Thomas sport 45

[MarkF]

I am starting the build on this boat. I notice in the instructions they say to put the rudder on the left side. Has anyone run this boat with the rudder on the right side? Thanks for any help from those who have built this boat.

Mark

[TRUCKPULL]

On any Sport Hydro, you should put the rudder on the left rear side.

If you put it on the right side, you have your turn fin and now your rudder putting drag on the right side of the hull, making the boat want to turn right.
you also have the prop walk pulling the rear end to the left.
This all would make it a hard boat to setup to go strait.

Larry

[Fluid]

Old news. Modern hooked turn fins no longer require the loading from the left side rudder that older, straight fins required. The hooked fin can be adjusted to compensate somewhat for drag on the right side. A big disadvantage of the rudder on the left is when attempting a left correction the boat is much more likely to flip than with the rudder on the right. This can mean the difference between finishing a heat with points, or a DNF.

I used to put the rudder on the left....until I got a hooked fin. Now all my sport hydros run a right rudder, and they turn great. But to Mark's actual question, we have had several PT 45s in the club, and as I recall they had the rudder on the left.


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[MarkF]

I know, I see a lot of videos of them on the left and that's why I wanted to know if any one has run this boat with fin on the right. I have ML Boatworks hooked SS fin. What a nice fin this is too.

Mark

[phil t]

I know, I see a lot of videos of them on the left and that's why I wanted to know if any one has run this boat with fin on the right. I have ML Boatworks hooked SS fin. What a nice fin this is too.

Mark

Most of the SSP45 boat use the left rudder, seen a few run a right side rudder ok.
The left rudder puts the angle of pressure thru the center of the hull. if any left rudder will cause the boat to lift it is the turn fin is not running parallel.
If it is tweeked out it will make the boat flip easily. The back of the fin can be tweeked in towards the centerline of the hull, make it parallel or just in a bit. You can make a figure 8 if the fin is correct, it wont like it but it will do it.
Use a straight edge about a foot long, i made a straight edge about 3 inches wide to lay on the inside of the fin.

[ray schrauwen]

You can make a figure 8 if the fin is correct, it wont like it but it will do it.

That's funny Phil. :)

[TRUCKPULL]

The back of the fin can be tweeked in towards the centerline of the hull, make it parallel or just in a bit.

This is why I run this little adjuster on my turn fins.

Larry

[MarkF]

Thanks for responding Phil

Thats nice Larry but I don't think my turn fin bracket would let me have any adjustments. But I can shim it if need be.

Mark

[TRUCKPULL]

It is not only an adjuster, It also helps stop flexing under load.

Larry

[MarkF]

Thats a great solution if you have a flexi turn fin. Well after 4 coats of primer and and sanding I'm going to paint the boat now. And at this point if there's any air bubbles left i don't care:)

Mark

[ray schrauwen]

Yeah, air bubbles.... Been there... Whip cowls are no better.

[Fluid]

Great hulls, terrible bubbles! I understand they are better in this regard now than a few years ago. I built a "Sport 21" about 6-7 years ago, used spackle slathered all over, sanded off, repeat. Never got all the bubbles out, but like Mark by then I didn't care! Loved running the boat though.


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[MarkF]

The cowl had the most bubbles and was the hardest to get right. My boat is dated 2012

Mark

[RandyatBBY]

Bubble's are a balancing act. I go from too much fillers, to just right to a few bubbles. The first thing vacuum bagging that must be done is to make sure that you do not trap air while installing fillers. Then pushing the fillers around after layed up and in bag will help push out bubbles. When the pump needs oil it is weak and will not pull the air out also. Most of the time I have no bubbles in my boats.

[T.S.Davis]

Stop sanding so much. Start with the spackle and wipe off with a barely damp sponge. Repeat. Each deeper sanding makes more holes.

[Shooter]

Hi Mark. I ran my smaller PT boat with the rudder on the right side. I didn't have anything to compare it to, but it ran and raced well. The servo 'pulled' when turning right (rudder link was towards the outside of the boat). I remember Randy telling me this was a good practice. If it pushes to turn right you risk more flex in the system.

Here is a vid (not a race, but good enough for reference):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxPUwhtMn6k

[Shooter]

I had a SS45 as well, but I ran the rudder on the left....

https://forums.offshoreelectrics.com/...S45&highlight=

[ray schrauwen]

Stop sanding so much. Start with the spackle and wipe off with a barely damp sponge. Repeat. Each deeper sanding makes more holes.

Thank you!!

I was just going to put some finishing epoxy on the inside (of the cowls) so it would pass through the little voids into pin holes. Some pin holes go through to the inside.

[MarkF]

I did the epoxy on my cowl too. Well after 2 days at my buddies house, he had some white and dark blue PPG epoxy paint left over that I could have, I got the boat painted. He did the spraying and I did all the prep and taping work. I think it came out pretty good.

Mark

[Fluid]

....I think it came out pretty good...

I think so too!


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[MarkF]

Now if I could just decide on the left or the right side for the rudder:)

Mark

[Fluid]

flip-coin_5.jpg

[MarkF]

I know. It looks like no one has built one of these recently. I put the rudder on the right of all my hydros and think I should just go for it on this one. If you were building one of these Jay, would you go right side?

Mark

[longballlumber]

When I still owned the boat I had decent success with the rudder on the left.

Although this was a time trial event, I was running my heat racing setup - https://youtu.be/NRoMLxtbY4Y

Here is how it handled in race water - https://youtu.be/Li_KTBHzz2E

[ray schrauwen]

Threading a needle nicely Mike

[MarkF]

Very nice Mike. What your motor setup? Whenever I have played with putting rudders on the left of my hydros in the past, I always came back to putting them back on the right side. That's why my hesitation, but you guys all make the boat look good with it on the left. Also do you like the tapered rudder or is a 1" strait going to work fine?

Mark

[Fluid]

My buddy Steve Muck says that in his experience (rather substantial) a straight rudder works best on most Sport 40 boats. I have seen minor benefits over tapered rudders, especially in rougher race water.

In spite of the success of left rudders on this hull, I'd try it on the right myself. This assumes a good-sized hooked turn fin is firmly mounted.


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[longballlumber]

Very nice Mike. What your motor setup? Whenever I have played with putting rudders on the left of my hydros in the past, I always came back to putting them back on the right side. That's why my hesitation, but you guys all make the boat look good with it on the left. Also do you like the tapered rudder or is a 1" strait going to work fine?

Mark

NEU 1527 1Y
GrimRracer cells (8400mAh)
Octura X455 (bent up a bit)
If I remember correctly I had the speedmaster 21 rudder assay on there and that was a tapered blade

[MarkF]

Thanks for all the help guys. I am going with my first instinct to put the rudder on the right. Here is my turn fin and bracket. The fin is from ML boat works and one of the nicest SS turn fins I have seen. O flex on this setup.

Mark

[Shooter]

That's a great fin. Kevin really knows what he's doing. Not sure if he's changed anything, but the first ones were based on the fin I made for the Black Pearl boat. I gained a consistent 2-3 mph when I switched to his thinner SS welded version.