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View Full Version : Discussion Inexpensive ChiCom model boats.


Kmot
May 13, 2006, 03:59 PM
I decided to buy some of the boats I have seen advertised for ridiculously low prices. I wanted to learn if they were worth anything at all.

Boy, am I surprised! I got these two boats for $64 delivered. That includes purchase price, CA sales tax, and shipping via Fed Ex. :D

The Atlantio is a total knock off of the Kyosho version. Dimensions are identical. Even the radio is a knock off of the Kyosho pistol grip except all the knobs are just molded in for looks. Nothing turns. :p

But instead of ABS these are made of styrene. None the less, they are very light. The radios are crude. Just full on or full off. Not proportional. And the Rx and ESC are one integral unit. The servo is also not proportional.

The Atlantio planes nicely and has very good speed, more than scale. By pulsing the rudder you can make a sort of proportional type turn.

The Century speed boat has twin surface drive props and I just tested it in my pool. This thing is fast! I bumped the walls a few times already trying to figure out how to steer. It does not have a rudder for turning. It has motors that turn off and on. Once I got it sorted out it was cool. Can't wait to get it on the open waters at Hansen Lake.

Both of these boats are deserving of proportional radios and will be upgraded. The value is there, considering the price.

One other thing: neither of these boats got any water inside the hulls and I was trying my best! :D

HorribleHarry
May 13, 2006, 05:10 PM
I was making waves for you with the tug!!! I saw them inside, dry as can be.

such a deal!

Cap'n Harry

MILLERTIME
May 14, 2006, 01:37 AM
Kmot,
How long is the Century?

Kmot
May 14, 2006, 02:14 AM
29" (L) x 8" (W) x 6" (H)

Marv829
May 14, 2006, 02:37 AM
Could you post pictures of the insides? I'm looking for boats to mod also.
Did you have a link to where you bought those?
Thanks,

-Marv

Kmot
May 14, 2006, 12:39 PM
Marv, I do not have any pics of the insides yet but I will get some for you. In the meantime, this is the seller I got them from and the ad's for the boats usually have a pic of the inside:

http://stores.ebay.com/PcPartUSA-Com_RC-Boats_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ1935315QQftidZ2QQtZkm

Kmot
May 14, 2006, 03:58 PM
Here ya go Marv:

Marv829
May 14, 2006, 05:57 PM
Wow, thanks for the close ups and the link. Both boats look like they have lots of room to work with. Does the Atlantio have reverse? I'm trying to find some boats that my young nieces/nephews can run on our pond. The goal is to get them to run about 8-10mph max and run for ~1/2 hour on a 6 cell 3000mah pack. I'll mod them with GWS 400 geared motors to get the speed and amps down but if it has reverse that would be a plus.

Kmot
May 14, 2006, 08:28 PM
Yes, the Atlantio has reverse.

KnimRod
Jun 28, 2006, 12:08 AM
The NQD Atlantio has a reverse but like the forward speed it's not proportional. It operates slower in reverse than in forward thanks to a large power resistor in the radio box but the very first time I hit reverse, the prop unscrewed itself and went to the bottom of the lake. Lucky for me it was shallow water and I found the parts.

As evidenced by your video, the throttle and steering is not proportional but still fun for the money.

I modified mine with cheap RC car electronics and now it's a riot: http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=380139&highlight=atlantio+059

SEALORD
Jan 04, 2007, 12:17 PM
Hi KnimRod

Im new to Rc boat, i buy a boat like yours Atlantio 059, please advice me for :

please advise me in chosing a BATTERY TYPE for my ATLANTIO 059,
MOTOR RS-540SSH which uses a 7.2V 1800 mAH by default. In my country
there limeted choice of batteries, i found a battery model 9V, 1200 mAH,
this is tempting me, but afraid if it would burn the Receiver and motor.
. & What is the Battery voltage limitation for this model.
Thanks you.

KnimRod
Jan 04, 2007, 12:49 PM
I'm not sure what the limitation is but I ran an 8.4V (7-cell pack) in there for a while. The motor ran pretty hot and eventually burnt up after about 15-20 charges. I was pretty rough on it though.. and ran at full throttle for extended periods. Not to mention that the packs I was running were 3300mAH and would provide useful power for 15-20 minutes at a time.

I'm having much better luck with these same battery packs now that I have proportional throttle control and am water cooling the motor.

Good luck!