Sub-Micro Electric Boats

[Mario]

Has anyone built a fast electric Sub-Micro hydro, mono or rigger in the 6-10" length range?

My son has developed an interest in fast electric boats and I am playing with some sub-micro designs we can use in our pool.

I wonder if others are doing similar things. So far I haven't seen much, but I have not been looking that hard.

I am building for fun using slow /indoor RC components.

Mario

[George Pfeifer]

There is an F/E club up in Alaska that is playing with smaller race boats for indoor use. They are forced to because of the hard water for most of the year. If I can find the name and contact I will post it back here.
One of the problems with swimming pools is the wave action, the faster you go, or the more boats, or the smaller the boat, the worse the problem gets.
An idea that have been toying with is the motor out of a Black & Decker Hand Held Grinder. The motor will turn 22,000 RPM off of 3.6 volts (3 sub "C" cells) The shaft has a ball bearing mount, and you can leave the chuck on to hold a piano wire drive shaft. Units are inexpensive, especially from their Refurb stores. I built a simple catamaran hull from foam and 1/32nd ply. Using an Octura plastic prop. (red color, I forgot the model #) Using 2 micro servos for steering and to operate an on/off micro switch. Hope to get time to test it in the next couple of weks.
George

[George Pfeifer]

Mario;
Take a look at this one.
http://www.rumrunnerracing.com/feforums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1403

George

[avalentine]

Try these guys...

http://www.microhydros.com/

Lots of helpful info, construction tips and set up information.

[Mario]

Thanks for the links, I am familiar with microhydors.com. Excellent site!.

I have not seen a 6" micro fast boat yet. I have two I built for my son and I. They are in a rough foam form with sub micro componetns, they go very fast in our pool, I have noticed that the watters get choppy with a larger 16" fast boat boat but not the 6" boats we are running.

I will tweak the design further and will post some photos in the future. Would love to see others boats in this category. They are a lot of fun!

Mario

[Trent Hare]

Thanks for the kind words!

I recently added a new video from Miha Holc (Slovenia) that shows his 9" outrigger, the "kiwi pico" running. Check it out - it's a real micro marvel.

http://www.microhydros.com/video.htm

[Mario]

Trent,

I have yet to see the videos of your little boat but from the photos at microhydros.com, it looks Sharp!

Keep up the micro's coming. I have been promoting micro helis since 1985 and would encourage more people try building things in micro form, specially nowadays that we have sub-micro RC components available at reasonable prices.

http://www.micro-flight.com/anim300s.gif

This image was extracted from the original R280 web pages
www.micro-flight..com/robin280.htm

[Twmaster]

Originally posted by Trent Hare
Thanks for the kind words!

I recently added a new video from Miha Holc (Slovenia) that shows his 9" outrigger, the "kiwi pico" running. Check it out - it's a real micro marvel.

http://www.microhydros.com/video.htm

Wow! What a zippy little rigger!! That is cool! What is the drive/power setup on the little thing?

Now I need to get my Graupner Hydro Sprint (16" long) hydro finished :)

[slowflyer]

Randy, with BBY Racing has a small.6-8" deep vee that uses a 480 motor that I saw tear up the pond the other day.

I do not know his site address, but can look it up if you need it---Rob

[sportwin]

I've been doing small electric boats for a while now, i use speed 400's, 300,s and 280 motors, all direct drive, i use a 3/32 brass tube and a 4-40 steel push rod and nuts for a shaft, a piece of flexible plastic tubing for a universal, props are either dumas plastic 049's or from toys. most of the hardware is made of brass. batteries are 600-110 mah nicads, 6-7 cells. I recently got a 9volt radio shack battery, that is 120 mah, which works well outputting 8.4 volts, you just have to make sure to keep the amp down. I use a gws esc and micro servos the bec allows me eliminate the 50 mah reciver pack. because of the size, things are kept close so losing power isn;t much of a problem. the boat are usually plastic model boats, there are a buch form japan that make ideal r/c projects. you will need to make a radio box as this stuff absolutly hates water or moisture. one of the mags did a story about someone who put a radio and stuff in one of the dumas wood show models

[Dandi6065]

Walter Geens "Micro Cracker Box"
From: http://www.microhydros.com/hull_plans.htm
Has anyone built this yet???
Thanks
Dave

[Twmaster]

The smallest boat I could find on Randy's site was the Micro Patriot at 15".

Cheers,

[burgan]

examples of those japanese plastic boats that are good for making these conversions? i have two speed 400 motors and an extra radio lying around that i want to convert into an rc boat to float around in the local park's pond; i cant go more than 5 to 8 mph so speed isnt' a big issue for me;

thanks,

jeff

[Andrew Gilchrist]

Dave

if Walter designed it - it will be good

I have a couple of 13" gtm models in fact I have a cat setup for a 480 which I will sell for a very reasonable price

[Gonflyin01]

Anyone know the CG for that littlegreen hydro. I ave one exactly like it, but i dont know the CG. and the prop sticks 1/8 inch out of the water when not moving, is this bad?