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Thread: Who builds or sells Good Rescue Boats?

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  1. #1
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    Default Who builds or sells Good Rescue Boats?

    Hi,

    Does anyone know where I can buy a decent rescue boat suitable to handle a heavy 45" cat?

  2. #2
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    Tower Hobbies... Works well for me on my 36 and my others combined with my pvc built float.

    https://www.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...SABEgL_hfD_BwE
    TFL Zonda (124mph), Miss Geico Zelos 36 (108mph), Veles 29 (91mph), Zelos Twin 36 (90mph), Miss Geico 29v3 (83.5mph), Sonicwake 36 V2 (83mph), Blackjack 42 (81mph), TFL Pursuit (79mph), UL-19 (75mph), Sonicwake 36 (73mph), Motley Crew (47.5mph), AquaCraft Rescue 17

  3. #3
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    You have to build these but I've heard good things about them from the large scale gas guys.

    http://zippkits.com/~zippkits/index....index&cPath=86
    IMPBA 20583

  4. #4
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    I am finishing up a slightly modified zippkits twin tugster kit. I figure if I do not need to use it to retrieve something my daughter will dig driving it. Currently I have to load up a 14' kayak every trip to the lake. Will use this to retrieve an 1/8th scale hydro and gas thunderboat.

    file.jpg

  5. #5
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    You can build your own with PVC pipes and pool noodles. . .there are videos on YouTube on building one or give you some ideas on what they look like and how you can design one of your own. It's not hard at all but you do have to use one of your boats. You can get one of those cheaper RTR boats with brushed motors. . .there's plenty to choose from.

  6. #6
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    This is a prototype designed that will do exactly what you requested, retrieve large/heavy boats (as well as small ones). It is currently undergoing a redesign that will provide adjustable sponson width and for packaging/shipping constraints and cost reductions.

    My goal is provide it at a cost under $200 without radio or LiPo, and holding shipping costs below $30.

    Here is a video of a much earlier prototype: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cd_T7QTGhz0

    I would be interested in knowing whether this would meet your needs.
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    Last edited by RayR; 01-11-2018 at 11:29 AM.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by RayR View Post
    This is a prototype designed that will do exactly what you requested, retrieve large/heavy boats (as well as small ones). It is currently undergoing a redesign that will provide adjustable sponson width and for packaging/shipping constraints and cost reductions.

    My goal is provide it at a cost under $200 without radio or LiPo, and holding shipping costs below $30.

    Here is a video of a much earlier prototype: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cd_T7QTGhz0

    I would be interested in knowing whether this would meet your needs.
    It would meet my needs!

  8. #8
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    nice work ray.i have been slowly working on making my fork air powered as well .had their been a "kit" available i would have purchased one as i am not the best fabricator (you either have it or you dont ),that said i wish you luck and i do see a market for this .
    volantex vector pro ,proboat veles 29 , traxxas spartan, hobbyking/tfl pursuit ,ft009 with rescue rigging

  9. #9
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    Ray, does it go in reverse?

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by fweasel View Post
    Ray, does it go in reverse?
    Yes it does.

  11. #11
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    Ray, I almost went to that route without the use of a boat as it is much lighter and easy to break down. . .as boatsrnew mentioned there is a niche for this and I'm sure when you have it perfected to your specification and price, you might be surprised how many people would be interested in this.

  12. #12
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    Ray, just to throw my 2 cents into the discussion, I have a reliable PVC rig and tug boat rescue setup that I use. I wish it was faster, and took up less room in my trunk when I drove to and from the lake. I have no interest in educating myself on airprops, compatible motors, and steering. I would be a customer for a refined version of this rig. I see the real value in a kit that either includes all the PVC pieces that I need to glue together myself, or just a list of dimensions and I buy, cut, and glue them myself according to your plans. That should cut down on your time investment and make for a smaller/lighter product to ship.
    Vac-U-Tug Jr (13mph)

  13. #13
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    Ray, does that have a steering arm that goes down thru that center PVC tubing? This looks interesting.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by CraigP View Post
    Ray, does that have a steering arm that goes down thru that center PVC tubing? This looks interesting.
    Not really, the entire tube turns both prop thrust and rudder. The key component comes from the furniture PVC industry, it is called a "Slip" Tee". For the next iteration I will use these on the sponson attachment points to make the sponson width adjustable.

    One of the other cool things about furniture PVC is it comes in colors!
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    Last edited by RayR; 01-12-2018 at 06:16 AM.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by RayR View Post
    Not really, the entire tube turns both prop thrust and rudder. The key component comes from the furniture PVC industry, it is called a "Slip" Tee". For the next iteration I will use these on the sponson attachment points to make the sponson width adjustable.

    One of the other cool things about furniture PVC is it comes in colors!
    i was wondering this myself but hesitant to ask ,didnt think you would give away your secret .
    volantex vector pro ,proboat veles 29 , traxxas spartan, hobbyking/tfl pursuit ,ft009 with rescue rigging

  16. #16
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    Thanks to all for the comments. Any and all are welcome.

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by RayR View Post
    Thanks to all for the comments. Any and all are welcome.
    i dont think a water rudder is needed .i have seen many a air rescue boat function well without one .also lends to rescues in areas a rudder would get stuck .
    volantex vector pro ,proboat veles 29 , traxxas spartan, hobbyking/tfl pursuit ,ft009 with rescue rigging

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by boatsrnew2me View Post
    i dont think a water rudder is needed .i have seen many a air rescue boat function well without one .also lends to rescues in areas a rudder would get stuck .
    When pushing a big boat the thrust method will work, just less than ideal. The rudder is easily removable if necessary.

  19. #19
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    fweasel,

    One of the design goals was to allow easy sponson removal for transport. I comes apart quite easily for that purpose. My selection of air power is totally based upon cost. Using standard marine propulsion for retrieving a 20 plus lb. boat that is dead in the water without burning up motors and speedo's gets expensive in a hurry. The craft in it's current form draws a maximum of 19 amps at full throttle tied down to the bench.

    I fully intend to provide the design details when all the proof of concept work is done. The market for these is with the folks who do not want to build their own. The question I am asking myself at the moment is do I really want to be a manufacturer?
    Last edited by RayR; 01-12-2018 at 05:15 AM.

  20. #20
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    I don't want to design and source the parts myself, but would actually enjoy receiving a box full of parts and gluing it all together. Gluing/cutting PVC and some zip ties should fall within just about everyone's capabilities, especially in this hobby.

    Not wanting to be a manufacturer is certainly understandable.
    Vac-U-Tug Jr (13mph)

  21. #21
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    I would be in for a kit type.

  22. #22
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    nice
    AquaCraft UL-1 59mph.
    Motley Crew 61mph.
    JAE 21FE ~~~ 70 MPH Club ~~~

  23. #23
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    A little test last Sunday. Worst case scenario, low freeboard P-mono. Worked great, but absolutely needed that big rudder. Mono's get caught sideways every time.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LR_6...ature=youtu.be

  24. #24
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    When the retrieve craft gets several hundred feet away, visual orientation becomes problematic. Cheap pipe clamp is an instant FPV mount.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  25. #25
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    Make it out of a boogie board. Here is mine

  26. #26
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    i just seen that on facebook...lol.how you turning that motor mount ? obviously a servo i mean how is that mount able to turn?
    volantex vector pro ,proboat veles 29 , traxxas spartan, hobbyking/tfl pursuit ,ft009 with rescue rigging

  27. #27
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    I used a MT knuckle with bearings, a bolt running through and a nut to hold the plate.

  28. #28
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    Those are nice set-ups. But you can just bend up a piece of PVC pipe like this, and use almost any boat you want as a Rescue rig. I have an Atlantic tug that rescued a 36" catamaran rapped up in seaweed that did a pretty good job. Also if you use something like an Atlantic tug with a lipo battery and brushed motor run times are over a hour. I just picked up a messed up Aquacraft Rescue 17 off ebay cheap that I am going to use as another rescue boat. Just another idea.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  29. #29
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    Sometime ago I saw someone in Germany sell one of these fully built and it looked pretty awesome. He even had small towing "forks" in the front for increase in contact area.

    It had a huge acid battery lol.

    https://www.mhz-powerboats.com/shop/...50mm-17-71-gfk

  30. #30
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    Are those Zippkits Tug boats easy to build? If I was to build just the bottom part... not the top portion.

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