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Thread: Proboat Widowmaker first impressions

  1. #1
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    Default Proboat Widowmaker first impressions

    well yesterday ira got his widowmaker and i had a chance to play with it... here are a few first thoughts about the boat before we got it in the water:
    1) this is not a fiberglass hull.. it is a ABS hull that is lined with fiberglass. the hatch and top deck are ABS not lined.
    2) it uses the same Proboat style shaft as the fastech, this is a pain in the butt to service. (1/8 stub so you can not just replace the cable. you have to replace the strut to get a 3/16 to 1/8 stub shaft or use a .098 cable)
    3) 6 cell NIMI fits in the recomended location. we tried 3 2s LIPO's from max amp 3000mah to zippy 4900mah and none of them fit sidways in the hull as recomended. this was no big deal we just moved the reciever and matched the cog with one pack on the side.
    4) man this thing is UGLY!!

    after hitting the water on 2s lipo this is what happened:
    less than 1 minute it was upside down. i thought on 2s it would be slow with a 2900kv motor but speed wasn't the issue. it goes about 25mph which is way faster than needed given it handles like a brick... tall and top heavy it doesnt turn good at all, slow to react and have to back out to avoid flipping... then there is the hop... we got some of that worked out with adjustments but needs more help. after 2 runs the stock prop broke, replaced it with a x435 and it is now slow to plane.

    we ran about 3 packs (6 x 2 minute runs) and my overall impression was not good. i recomended putting it back in the box and on e-bay. if i was a new commer to boating and got this RTR i would have had a hard time with it.. im sure with some tweeking it will be ok but am worried that hopping it up will only magnify the ill handleing hull... after running this i let ira drive my no-step 1 2s 8s and see what a 2s boat should be like.... day and night in speed and handleing

    please keep this review alive and try to help with mods or fixes for this boat. the size is good and i always like to see newcommers to N2 but this isnt going to be competitive against real hulls (not RTR's). i dont mean to be harsh but it is like compairing a super-vee to a delta force 29".

  2. #2
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    Default 1st Mod everyone needs to do!

    On the 2nd day of running (this time without Chuck), I tried a number of props and found the answer: an Octura 435 3-blade. Plenty of speed, extremely long run times and a smooth ride. Eight minutes on 4,900 mah and both the motor and esc was cold.

    The 2nd mod will be to exchange the stock strut with a stringer type strut for easier maintenance.

  3. #3
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    Default

    The 3rd day (with Chuck) didn't go so well. The Widow ran fast and cool for a long time, but wouldn't stop hopping. Since the Proboat stut forces you to remove it to grease the shaft, I lost the setting I found yesterday that made it run smooth. (I marked it and put it back exactly as marked, but it didn't work.) Tommorow, I will try to find that sweet spot again

  4. #4
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    Default

    Sounds like it's Chuck that's bringing you the bad luck.

  5. #5
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    Default

    A buddy of mine loves his. Props are breaking but we are changing that. He says it does not like smooth water but rocks in hard water.

    He is trying a Y535 when it comes in.

  6. #6
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    Default proboat Widowmaker first immpressions

    I agree IT must be Chuck... We HAD that boat running good. Ira we had the strut pretty much stright with the bottom of the hull. Is the strut moving again?
    Good luck Ira.

  7. #7
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    Default

    It probably is Chuck. (That's exactly what I was thinking.)

    When it ran smooth, the strut was perfectly straight with the final step. I scratched a line right where it met the bracket. After greasing the shaft, I lined it back up perfectly and it just hopped again.

    As for the stock screw, it moved everytime. I ended up using a longer screw, some washers and small prop nut and it stayed put.

    I'm glad to hear you guys got the boat running right. What battery are you using and where are you placing it?

    Ira

  8. #8
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    Default

    well my 2 cell ran perfect that day.. so you guys are probablly right, i see the vodoo dance i did to get everyone elses boats to do the hipity hop worked. that way i can run out front...

  9. #9
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    Chuck,
    you don't have to worry about that boat he has nothing on you. Your not going to belive this but we HAD that boat running good. I should've seen the look on his face he was a happy camper.

  10. #10
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    Default

    not so today.. the servo went out... i don't understand b/c it didnt get wet or anything just failed....

  11. #11
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    Da vodoo dance backfired on you.

  12. #12
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    After a couple of more days running with some strut adjustments made by a "friend", we have proven that the Widow can run smoothly. Now, the goal is to see if I can get it to turn without a "wiggle".

  13. #13
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    This is my first boat and I was pretty impressed by the way it handled. My friend has a super
    v27 and talked me into getting a boat. I like it so far, only problem is the prop broke after about 3 battery packs.

  14. #14
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    Hey guys. I made my first run of the widowmaker 22 last night. Ive got tons of rc experience but its my first boat ever. Honestly this thing is downright scary. Its fairly fast and is totally out of control constantly hopping all over, and gets a gnarly death wiggle in turns. I thought the whole time i was going to roll it over.

    15 minutes later i was getting the feel for it and ripping it pretty hard. and then of course, the propeller broke in half and it was time to go home.

    Im looking for a new prop now but im having a hard time justifying the 45 dollar octura prop. is there another good option out there ?

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by AxlesOfEvil View Post
    Im looking for a new prop now but im having a hard time justifying the 45 dollar octura prop. is there another good option out there ?
    Why not buy a $13 prop and balance it yourself. It will only take a couple of hours on the first one, but it will be easier after that and you will be able to save money and enjoy the outcome of your own work.
    Steven Vaccaro

    Where Racing on a Budget is a Reality!

  16. #16
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    Smile

    The trick to stop the hopping is to adjust the strut to just the right angle. And, if you tilt the rudder back a bit, that will help with the wiggle during the turns. See photo.

    This turned out to be a great boat! I don't like the "military look", but it will run very fast for 8 minutes on one 4,900 mah 2 cell and not even get warm. What more could you ask for?

  17. #17
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    Sorry, here is the photo...

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by iratner View Post
    The trick to stop the hopping is to adjust the strut to just the right angle. And, if you tilt the rudder back a bit, that will help with the wiggle during the turns. See photo.

    This turned out to be a great boat! I don't like the "military look", but it will run very fast for 8 minutes on one 4,900 mah 2 cell and not even get warm. What more could you ask for?
    It felt like i was out there quite a while longer than 8 minutes, i think i was running for about 15 or so on a 5000mah 2s lipo. I should have timed it more carefully thought because i cant be sure. i also wasnt at max speed the whole time.

    Quote Originally Posted by Steven Vaccaro View Post
    Why not buy a $13 prop and balance it yourself. It will only take a couple of hours on the first one, but it will be easier after that and you will be able to save money and enjoy the outcome of your own work.
    for the extra 30 bucks id rather just buy one already balanced.

    how often will an octura prop need to be replaced? do they get damaged or broken easily ?

  19. #19
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    doing a little more shopping and am now wondering what the difference is between a 2 and 3 blade prop?

    seems the general idea is a 3 blade will accelerate faster than a 2 blade?

  20. #20
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    I am using a 3 blade from an Aquacraft Miss Vegas and I am getting great acceleration and smooth ride at the top end.

  21. #21
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    Finally, I took a photo of the photo using my phone. Notice the strut angle and the 3 blade prop.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  22. #22
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    cool. i made a small order today at tower so i put a grim racer metal prop and a couple of the miss vegas 2 blade props on it to test some things out and see what works. once it is back in the water i'll start making adjustments.

    thanks guys.

  23. #23
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    Ira is using a octura Y535/3 prop.

  24. #24
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    i picked up a couple of y535/2 props in plastic/fiber to see how they work.

    can anyone tell me the difference between a 2 and 3 plade prop ? it seems like the 3 is more for acceleration and less top speed?

  25. #25
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    well yesterday i took the boat out again and the prop works GREAT...

    however, it is even bouncier now, one time it slapped the water so hard the lid popped off. luckily some "real" rc boaters with their big gas powered monsters were there with a retrieval boat to get it.

    i had the strut angled all the way down to see what would happen. BAD idea for any kind of even mildy choppy water. the big gassers were skimming across the water like it was glass but mine was poppin and diving all over the joint.

    they told me i should move the strut to be about level with the bottom of the hull.

    if i cant get it trimmed out with the strut, im going to add some trim tabs for a supervee to it.

  26. #26
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    Use a ruler or a straight edge and get the strut level as possible. If that don't work, try tilting the rear of the strut up, alittle makes a big difference.

  27. #27
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    i tested it out a little bit today in my gf's pool lol. not enough room to get it going, but i think i am getting somewhere.

    thats a great idea with the ruler to get strut level, i'll have to try that.

    at first i was skeptical about boating but man im hooked now. i cant wait to get another one. im thinking a catamaran would be sick.

  28. #28
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    any videos?

  29. #29
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    I put mine in the pond yesterday, run it for about 2 minutes and it stopped dead in the water, I went and retrieved it to find the battery exploded and fried the esc. The battery was a brand new venom 3200 7.4 lipo, I have cycled at least 3 times, never ran the battery for more than about 5-6 minutes, always leave switch on lipo for the esc, the battery has been charged and cells balanced with venom pro charger. I don't know if the battery failed causing the esc to burn up or if the esc caused the problem. I haven't contacted proboat yet, but this sucks.

  30. #30
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    3200mah may have ran down under a safe volt ?

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