How's the Hobby Engine "St. Tropez" ? [Archive]

gatorgarfish

Apr 03, 2008, 01:37 AM

It looks alright, "but don't they all" ! That's the only video footage I have ever seen of it, and I have really searched too. It's not reviewed, anywhere, either. Uugh ! That piece comes from 'our' Hobbytron and the UK's otherlandtoys, as an advertisement. Just like the Hobby Engine Southampton tug, it is mostly sold in England, alone (online, anyway), and so that is probably why it is relatively unfamiliar to R/C hobbyists here.

??

But it really is of German stock ! I have seen the paperwork--owners manual, on the original Graupner. Were it not from their design, I wouldn't have chosen it above others. I think it's odd that it's as overlooked as it sure seems to be. I guess I'll know firsthand in a few more days what's what with it, quality-wise.

RCScaleModel

Apr 03, 2008, 02:42 AM

I'm having a hard time finding any private citizen opinions on the web about the quality of this RTR boat ! I ordered one; I hope it's still got something Graupner left in there. I've heard alot of good things about the Southampton tug, but there's no buzz on it's cousin, the St. Tropez. (Can I call them cousins ?! ...or does the former Graupner tug far outclass it ?)

Here's another video for your reference. You'll enjoy this boat very much.
Saint Tropez video (http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showatt.php?attachmentid=1796876)

Kmot

Apr 03, 2008, 02:59 AM

A quick search on Google turned up this stuff:

http://www.graupner.de/fileadmin/downloadcenter/anleitungen/20071022143835_graupner_2038_saint_tropez.pdf

in the case of the Graupner St.Tropez, which is a sports cruiser, very much like my own Robbe Najade kit, the cost is £199 or there abouts, HOWEVER, for that, you get a high quality transmitter, which here in the UK is on 27Mhz waveband. the boat is extremely well put together as well.

http://www.tjdmodels.com/e-commerce/tjdmodels/media?id=2711&type=full

http://www.tjdmodels.com/e-commerce/tjdmodels/media?id=2712&type=full

http://www.tjdmodels.com/e-commerce/tjdmodels/media?id=2713&type=full

http://www.tjdmodels.com/e-commerce/tjdmodels/media?id=2715&type=full

From the photos, I can pretty much tell that this is a styrene plastic boat, made in China, probably by Syma which makes all the other plastic boats we see on ebay and in the toy shops around the world.

Possibly the St Tropez model has a proportional radio system which would seperate it from the rest which have simple "on/off" functions for steering and throttle.

It looks similar to my Syma Atlantio which is about the same size:

http://www.fototime.com/E96FF47EBD75FBD/standard.jpg

gatorgarfish

Apr 03, 2008, 07:12 AM

Here's another video for your reference. You'll enjoy this boat very much.
Saint Tropez video (http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showatt.php?attachmentid=1796876)Thank you; that's a great video. How did I manage to miss it up until now ?! When I was searching for a mail order US dealer a few weeks ago I came up with Hobbytron, and that was basically it (as I recall). They give scant info. on it, but at least it is 'domestically available. Your co. sells the St. Tropez too ? That would be super because the UK dealers have a monopoly on it, it seems. Do you all also deal with the "Graupner turned Hobby Engine" Southampton tug boat ? If so, you would be rather unique; many many online R/C stores do not. That's a shame; everybody I've read or 'talked to' (on, say, YouTube) is crazy about it if they have one.

I think this boat is going to work out well too. Thank you for responding. It looks like it is in keeping with their tug in terms of general workmanship/quality, however the detail and artful design on that 22" RTR tug is impressive.

It puts my $70 more expensive Aquacraft Atlantic down a notch.

gatorgarfish

Apr 03, 2008, 07:36 AM

A quick search on Google turned up this stuff:

http://www.graupner.de/fileadmin/downloadcenter/anleitungen/20071022143835_graupner_2038_saint_tropez.pdf

http://www.tjdmodels.com/e-commerce/tjdmodels/media?id=2711&type=full

http://www.tjdmodels.com/e-commerce/tjdmodels/media?id=2712&type=full

http://www.tjdmodels.com/e-commerce/tjdmodels/media?id=2713&type=full

http://www.tjdmodels.com/e-commerce/tjdmodels/media?id=2715&type=full

From the photos, I can pretty much tell that this is a styrene plastic boat, made in China, probably by Syma which makes all the other plastic boats we see on ebay and in the toy shops around the world.

Possibly the St Tropez model has a proportional radio system which would seperate it from the rest which have simple "on/off" functions for steering and throttle.

It looks similar to my Syma Atlantio which is about the same size:

http://www.fototime.com/E96FF47EBD75FBD/standard.jpgThanks again, Kmot; you came through for me with good information all around. You know your stuff. And I think you are right on: it hasn't a fiberglass hull.

It's plain jane looking. I understand that Hobby Engine makes their stuff in China and they are headquartered in Hong Kong. They only have this boat and the Southampton tug from the Graupner line up. The rest; who knows (?) It better not be Syma anything; this boats sells for $ 170 ! How and why they took over the ARR? kit design and manufacturing from a German co., and on just these two too, is a mystery to me. It does have fully proportional steering and "gas." It has a 550 motor *and claims to go backwards (IT BETTER !)

I remember trying to consult with a serious scale boat hobbyist on YouTube on a good word he had put in on the one and only St. Tropez promo (otherland.uk) video over there. If I am remembering right, he had a Robbe Najade that he had made, and he drew a favorable comparison between the two (in the viewer comments area.) He never got back with me on it; YouTube must have fallen down on the job about notifying him that someone had inquired a couple of times...

Oh, sorry ! I pulled down the picture and all in my post. I'm using up space now on my valuable thread. :o

RCScaleModel

Apr 03, 2008, 11:12 AM

Thank you; that's a great video. How did I manage to miss it up until now ?! When I was searching for a mail order US dealer a few weeks ago I came up with Hobbytron, and that was basically it (as I recall). They give scant info. on it, but at least it is 'domestically available. Your co. sells the St. Tropez too ? That would be super because the UK dealers have a monopoly on it, it seems. Do you all also deal with the "Graupner turned Hobby Engine" Southampton tug boat ? If so, you would be rather unique; many many online R/C stores do not. That's a shame; everybody I've read or 'talked to' (on, say, YouTube) is crazy about it if they have one.

I think this boat is going to work out well too. Thank you for responding. It looks like it is in keeping with their tug in terms of general workmanship/quality, however the detail and artful design on that 22" RTR tug is impressive.

It puts my $70 more expensive Aquacraft Atlantic down a notch.

Yes, we now offer the St. Tropez as well. It was actually by mistake we began to offer this boat. On a recent order for the Southampton/Wyeforce tugs, some St. Tropez's were included. We inspected and tested the boat and were very pleased so we turned right around and ordered a shipment of them and added them to our inventory. This occurred very recently as you can see by the fact we haven't even added them to our site, yet. I'll try to post some pics later.

Ghost 2501

Apr 03, 2008, 05:51 PM

Though the THICK end of £180, you do get a good PROPORTIONAL radio, which is as good as any Futaba 27mhz 2ch radio, a speed controller good for 20Amps, a Futaba s3003 class servo, and its built for you.

the radio itself is worth £40 at least, and the speed controller is also pretty good, however I am not sure if its forward only, however if it isnt, an Mtroniks Viper or Proboat Tornado-50 WILL interchange, as the reciever is the same as that in Southampton. so if you want to upgrade the internals because of wear and tear, OR want to change its Rx to one that is on your FM waveband, because you have already a spare Rx, then you can do just that.

radio is good for 300 feet! (at that distance you'll be hard pressed to see the boat)

by the way, that video is of an unmodified one. on 8,4v its pretty spritly :)

if I had one, the only change I'd do, as long as its a two-way esc) is change the propeller to a 3-blade, as I dont like 2-blade props on scale boats.

gatorgarfish

Apr 04, 2008, 04:23 AM

Yes, we now offer the St. Tropez as well. It was actually by mistake we began to offer this boat. On a recent order for the Southampton/Wyeforce tugs, some St. Tropez's were included. We inspected and tested the boat and were very pleased so we turned right around and ordered a shipment of them and added them to our inventory. This occurred very recently as you can see by the fact we haven't even added them to our site, yet. I'll try to post some pics later.Very good ! That was kind of a stroke of luck, to have St. Tropezes show up unannouced like that ! By today I feel alot more confident that this boat is of good quality--a fitting counterpart and companion to the Hobby Engine's retake on the Graupner Wyeforce.
Have you considered uploading that video on YouTube ? It really shows off well how fast and nimble and substantial the model is. The otherland.uk/Hobbytron one doesn't showcase it well. It gets lost in the crowd, and with it's silly musical accompaniment, suggesting it may be more like a too expensive toy instead of a genuine hobbyist's kind of boat.

I hope it becomes popular. I look forward to more pictures of it from y'all. By then though I will have one running on my neighborhood pond. It looks alot like the pond you guys shot that video at, except the houses we are in (along it's shore) aren't quite that nice ! Still, I'm fortunate and grateful.

gatorgarfish

Apr 04, 2008, 05:07 AM

My post. It's gone. I'm sorry, Ghost 2501; I wrote back, but a thoughtful involved post didn't submit properly. Rats. I have no idea what happened. Not happy !

Thank you for replying to my post. I do appreciate it. You are an experienced and accomplished R/C boat hobbyist, so your appraisals and advice means alot. I had noticed your posts especially during my lurking period here. I read your thread on the Southampton tug weeks ago. I should have bought that one; not the Atlantic tug.

Ghost 2501

Apr 04, 2008, 06:13 AM

though you called it "Graupber wyeforce", gator, Hobby engine made the model for graupner.

they also made the University club yacht as well, though the sails let the yacht down, apart from that, its not a BAD boat, just not a brilliant boat compared to the st tropez and the southampton, though some minor adjustments can improve the university club

gatorgarfish

Apr 04, 2008, 06:32 AM

Ghost 2501

Apr 04, 2008, 03:54 PM

(Will some kind soul tell me how to reply to private messages ? I have somehow failed in the sending of two in a row now.)

~edit, to add: Bill, can you recommend a good 8.4v battery for the St. Tropez ? I have Venom 7.2v 6-cell 3000 NiHMs and that won't cut it. Hobby Engine says the battery that comes with it will power that boat for about 10 minutes, or less ! I would like a longer running time, naturally, but don't want to overwhelm and overheat the motor and attendant parts.

8.4v is news to me ! They are (all) 7-cell sticks, right ? All I have is a Hobbico AC/DC Multi-Charger, model 905, BTW.

1/ private message: to reply, follow the prompt where it says "private messages"

2/ 7.2v 6 cell 3000mah ni-** batteries WILL work the st tropez, just dont expect it to skate like a speed boat, I used to run my najade on a single 2000mah 7.2 and was getting 15 mins, running on a pair of 3300mah ni-cads, i got considerably longer run times.

they state 15 mins or less as a disclaimer so you are not tempted to sue hobby engine!

4.8v - 4 cells
6.0v - 5 cells
7.2v - 6 cells
8.4v - 7 cells
9.6v - 8 cells

and if you want to be really mad you could go for 12v - 10 cells!

gatorgarfish

Apr 05, 2008, 04:38 AM

1/ private message: to reply, follow the prompt where it says "private messages"

2/ 7.2v 6 cell 3000mah ni-** batteries WILL work the st tropez, just dont expect it to skate like a speed boat, I used to run my najade on a single 2000mah 7.2 and was getting 15 mins, running on a pair of 3300mah ni-cads, i got considerably longer run times.

they state 15 mins or less as a disclaimer so you are not tempted to sue hobby engine!

4.8v - 4 cells
6.0v - 5 cells
7.2v - 6 cells
8.4v - 7 cells
9.6v - 8 cells

and if you want to be really mad you could go for 12v - 10 cells!I may have had one PM go through successfully, at least. Since my post to you didn't submit, I think what happened is that I was simply timed-out on the page here. I was too talky !

How big is that najade ? It's roomy enough in there to put in place two battery sticks ? I wasn't aware that a person could join up two battery sticks at once, but then again I don't know squat about the R/C hobby. :o

What kind of adapter gizmo is used, I wonder (?) A "Y" adapter, it would be (?)

Yes, on the box of the St. Tropez I think it's printed in big letters that it will operate for, quote: 5-10 minutes, on the 8.4v battery that they include in the package. They also say it has a charger included. The whole thing is $ 170. Anyway, I know that while it isn't the hottest battery going (ahm), nevertheless it really will crap out at 10 minutes, max; no kidding around on their part.

So an extra volt and cell will make the boat run fast ? ...and it's probably kind of leisurely on the 6-cell 7.2 volt'er' ? I wonder if an ordinary $12.00 550 motor can run almost continuously at the pace in the RcScaleModel's video, that he (Bill) provided on this thread, for, say, 30 minutes without overheating (?)

I'm asking too many questions ! Sorry.

Thanks, Ghost 2501.
garfish.

gatorgarfish

Apr 05, 2008, 05:20 AM

The Robbe Najade is huge. (I just now saw it YouTube.)

Ghost 2501

Apr 05, 2008, 06:35 AM

looks bigger than it really is, it is 3ft 2" long, 1ft wide

a nice comfortable scale

this my najade in my car, admittedly at the end of an model boat show

Reckless

Apr 05, 2008, 07:33 PM

wonder if it would be worth it to switch to a pair of like 4000 mah 7.4 lipo's? I know it would be pricey.. especially if you didn;t have a charger yet or anything... but I would bet you'd get a fairly nice run time

gatorgarfish

Apr 06, 2008, 03:52 PM

I have a charger that will 'do' the 8.4v 7 cell sticks. It seems that the 7.2v 6 cells will not allow the St. Tropez to run as fast as can be seen in Mr. Oates', RcScaleModel, video (previous page). I don't know how to connect two sticks at once; it's no doubt probably as simple as finding a "Y" adapter of some some that I've never seen before.

The St. Tropez comes from Hobby Engine with a 8.4v 1300 NiCD. I've got good advice that a 3000 mah would fit the bill all around; a long run time and the speed you need ! Further checking has led me to believe that the St. Tropez may be the poor man's Najade, and that's a good thing. It's surely good for the people like me, new to the r/c scale boating hobby. It may look ordinary, sitting there, but this boat really is up to Graupner's higher standards, I've learned.

I'm still mighty put out with Aquacraft. I had to replace two ESCs on two brand new boats, to replace the garbage stock ones they so generously provide. You've heard of the weak reverse that plagues the Atlantic Tugboat ? Neither my tug or a right-out-of-the-box Bristol Bay would go into reverse at all. They could fix that design problem...by giving their customers an ESC that would cost them only $ 10 more, per model. Is a $ 40 ESC too much to ask for when buying a mass-produced Chinese boat that they sell for $ 250 ?? My third new Aquacraft boat (King's Ransom), which is the only one of them that does do what their $ 30 ESC is capable of doing, at best; it does faithfully runs like a slug in reverse.

Greg_Vincent

Apr 24, 2008, 01:10 PM

gatorgarfish, have you had a chance to test out the St. Tropez yet? Let us know how it performs.

Thanks - Greg

Ghost 2501

Apr 25, 2008, 06:29 AM

Gator, making 2x packs of 4000mah 8,4v give you 8.4v 8000mah is litterally as simple as adding a Y-lead.

if you follow the lead from the Proboat esc, (50A(F) 20A(R) rating), you will come to a plug that forms a Y-lead.

there are two types of lead, Y and triangle, a Y lead takes the red and black and splices them into two, allowing two batteries to be drained simultaneously, (like having linked twin gasoline tanks on a big rig, doesnt double the octane rating but will double the gas milage that the truck can get)

a triangle lead, forms a triangle, what it does is takes is makes the second pack of cells a slave pack, so adding a 6 cell 2000mah and a 4 cell 2000mah you will get 10 cells at 2000mah. the third wire on the triangular lead goes from the + wire of one pack to the - battery of the other.

gatorgarfish

Jun 19, 2008, 03:24 PM

I finally have a St. Tropez and I'm getting it ready. It's motor is vibrating too much and making a loud noise, but I'm working on a solution to dampen it. (Is that the word; dampen ?) See, it bounces up and down some because it's mounted at the rear only, with a two point bracket putting it and it's direct drive straight shaft at an angle, down...to it's butt and the water. Otherwise, all looks good inside--quality. I'll post more on my 'findings' soon (meh; does anybody care ?) It has plastic railings. That was an immediate disappointment. It looks like it has a fine little radio however. It obviously does perform really well for others; I'm sure it'll be more than satisfactory for me. I've not seen another cabin cruiser that has the potential this Hobby Engine/Graupner RTR does. The other cabin cruiser I seriously looked into (Great Power's Power Deluxe 280) is not up to snuff. Anyway, if you do want a St. Tropez, get it soon, I say. I have a sneaking suspicion that they will be all but sold out in the US in the near future. I don't know why the St. Tropez didn't quite catch on here. It remained an unknown and now the dealers are pulling back to the UK with them. The sister ship by Hobby Engine, the Southampton Tug, is popular in the UK and here too. It is a good boat. Surely the St. Tropez is in it's class, being a Graupner 'underneath.' RCScaleModels is the only online source that I know of; otherwise it'll likely have to be ordered from overseas somewhere. I warn you though; I am a newbie to all this. You might have a local store that can get one in a week for you. "What do I know ?" This I was wrong on: $ 200 is a very reasonable and fair price for this boat. I discovered with some effort that the former dealer, Hobbytron, was attempting to sell their's (Southamptons too) at a mark-up of perhaps only several dollars above the bottom-line wholesale price. That's it. Why I don't know, and how many they actually did get for people and for that next-to-no-profit price is a mystery. They sold me a bum electric helicopter last Christmas, so whatever Hobbytron !

Ghost 2501

Jun 19, 2008, 04:22 PM

you will find that the st tropez actually goes as well as it looks, the motor vibrates because its got a big ass motor. My najade vibrates like a whacker plate gone demented as well but it dont half shift

gatorgarfish

Jun 20, 2008, 08:07 AM

Ghost 2501

Jun 20, 2008, 10:39 AM

Hi there, Ghost 2501,

That's a relief, frankly. I thought I had myself a brand new kind of headache--a unique problem to solve somehow, now, with the motor mounted only at it's rear end, the front sticking up a bit and free to rock up and down as it (naturally) will. You can see it moving in a blur. Is your najade loud and rudely so! when you test run it in your home ? Is it tilt mounted as the St. Tropez's motor is ? I suppose it could be a very commonplace arrangement, and I just am blissfully unaware... That way the shaft is pointed right straight back where it needs to go. Perhaps it's done this way for many speedier boats. It's simple--efficient.

(Newb alert: Forgive my ignorance on the term, but what is "half shift" ?)

most motors are mounted at the output end, My Najade is similar, only it has a 1/8" steel plate to mount to, and again its on a slight slope. running in air, (as opposed to in water) it is VERY LOUD, you will find that in water it isn't quite so noisy, as a lot of the noise is actually from the shaft bearings. My najade spat its prop coupling off, and all you could hear then is a feint buzz.

oh the term "that dont half shift", is an English way of saying "thats quick"

gpzy

Jun 20, 2008, 12:23 PM

Gatorfish,
You keep saying it is a Graupner. Is there anywhere on the model or packageing that says Graupner ?
Just wondering if this is a Chinese knockoff?

Ghost 2501

Jun 20, 2008, 12:42 PM

GPZY, it is made by Hobby Engine, on behalf of Graupner

gatorgarfish

Jun 23, 2008, 02:34 AM

It's been out on the water, twice, now. It's fast and nimble. Handsome. The battery that comes with it gives it no more than 10 minutes of running time. I am unhappy that the boat leans quite noticeably to the left (port side). It even effects the steering, it's so bad. That port side is where the battery stick is firmly positioned, lying down flat, with velcro straps and pegs keeping it from sliding, any. After the first running of 'her,' I put a 2 oz. fishing bullet weight (football shaped), using velcro, on the far right side, just forward of the single construction that serves as frame for the ESC and receiver and switch. That barely cut the leaning. So, I had prepared another 1 oz. weight that I would squeeze under (try to !) the low-lying guts on the starboard side. Unfortunately, after a test in the bathtub, I see that's not 'going to get it'--not even close. No, I will have to place another weight of the same kind (2 oz.)--at least that much now, up under there. Naturally, this extra weight will slow the boat down.

The opening in the center of the boat is small.....maneuvering in there with just one 'man hand' is tough enough and you can't see squat. This velcro I'm using is of the highest quality and SUPER sticky--no repositioning--no second try, for sure !

I don't get this at all: the motor is mounted left of center and is angled (to the center). It's meant to be this way. Why, in the blazes ?! Why ?! The motor itself puts a little more weight to the already heavy battery side.

Ghost 2501

Jun 23, 2008, 10:51 AM

being an RTR, chances are it has a few screws hidden away somewhere under some stikers, remove them and then you should be able to get hull access

gatorgarfish

Jun 24, 2008, 05:25 PM

It takes exactly 4.5 oz. to balance/level the boat. In this youtube video, featuring the Hobby Engine Southampton, look at the St. Tropez (about to be rescued/pushed) at 20 seconds in. "Make it quick," for a few seconds later the tug contacts the St. Tropez on the starboard side. The lean to port problem can be seen right there before that. So, 4.5 oz. of counterweights and you're set !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKw3nANT1lo

gatorgarfish

Jun 25, 2008, 01:24 PM

I'll sum it up today; I think I can now. The radio is better than the one I have for my other few (Aquacraft) boats. And that's a Futaba that AQ provides, so it's a brand name product. The control Hobby Engine gives (with the ESC, naturally) over the speed is nicely variable. It can go from really slow to hopping fast in several stages; I like that ! The motor does vibrate up and down rather wildly at the front, for it's unsupported there, and the noise is more than a bummer, IMO.

This is just me, but I decided that to add 2 more oz., placing another fishing weight, snugly, under the motor's front end; it sitting on a square mat of thick velcro (the fuzzy-sided part) and the bullet also insulated from the motor's underside by a piece of fuzzy velcro, is indeed worth it. It's really worth it for me because it eliminated alot of the noise--alot of it for sure, and this 'intervention' takes just about all the strain off the two plastic pegs the sole bracket screws down onto. So, I haven't any worries about fatigue there now. With this done, the boat sounds boss and it moves deliberately. It growls in near slow passes ! I wish it didn't ride as low in the stern as it does, but this is the manufacturer's deal: my adding the 4 1/2 oz. of counter weights only leveled the boat. In the final weighing, my St. Tropez is only carrying 2 oz. over what it really must (but let a person decide for themselves if the leaning to port thing is not a problem).

It has a short run time with the included 8.4 V Ni-Cd 1300mAh battery. In ten minutes it's done. The motor is very hot by then (no surprise). I think it ought to be allowed to cool down for awhile anyway.

In more than a simple and slow reverse one can expect water to rise up onto the rear deck platform. The boat has rubber gaskets at both panel pop off places and they do work well. The operating parts--all of them, appear to be of superior quality and tough. The only skimping that Hobby Engine may have done is in the details that contribute to appearance. The lines of the boat are super, but it is not fancy. Still, it has details that other cruisers likely do not. It has stairs that go up to the top deck and a mirrored doorway under the overhang... There are rails all over (even a little table next to the driver's bench) but it is...is...white plastic looking all-in-all. Someone who can spruce up the appearance would have alot of fun. This is a boat that is not for static display, but it does look really sharp on the water, and that is more than enough to satisfy in this case. Just watch RCScaleModel's video of it; that's what it truly looks like in action. No camera tricks ! The St. Tropez is a little speed demon and the big picture you see is impressive.

Ghost 2501

Jun 25, 2008, 06:35 PM

Gator. a real one would have twin drive, if I ever get one, I may convert it to twin drive, but hey 1300mah giving 10 mins nothing to complain about, I get 15 mins run from a single 2000mah on my najade.

alter the prop for a 3-blade scale prop as opposed to a race prop, it will probably cure the torque lean

gatorgarfish

Jun 25, 2008, 08:54 PM

How long do you think (I know it's a guess, of course) this motor might can run and not overheat ?

Also, looking at the boat this afternoon I realize I was far too critical of the St. Tropez's appearance in my "professional" Ha! review. Seriously; it is a fine looking boat with alot of interesting details and attention paid to aesthetics done by Hobby Engine (that would be, rather, Graupner's artistic design to begin with). It is big and white, w/dark decals across the model's surface, bow to stern. But there's alot more good stuff to see and enjoy once you have had it with you several days and with the opportunity to study and take in the intricacies within am overall fat, gently angular nose to a squared-off butt, monochromatic hull meets everything above it, on 2 decks... It's deceptively simple. Am I making any sense ?! I need some sound sleep, badly. Compare it's mug, in profile, to it's main competitor: Great Power's Power Deluxe 280. Hands down, it's the St. Tropez that pulls ahead in the looks department. I'm just unreasonably picky, maybe because I have an artsy-fartsy degree (?) Hey, the ESC has fins on it. Is this a 'heat sink' thing of sorts ? Is that what it is called, because..........ZZZZZZZ...snore, snore, snore, snore. :)

*Thank you all for overly indulging me this thread at times*

gatorgarfish

Jul 13, 2008, 12:37 AM

My St. Tropez is still doing just fine. I bought another battery; a Duratrax (Sanyo cells) 1900 stick. It weighs what the battery that came with the model does, so I had no need to make adjustments to the starboard placed weights; they remain at exactly 4 1/2 oz. The new battery more than doubles--easily, my run time.

But a WARNING ! Two people on YouTube have had their motors detach from the 2 back pegs that the motor is mounted down onto. The pegs eventually broke from the fatigue that the unsupported front end--it's wild vibrations dealt them, over time.

Supporting the front end of the motor is an absolute must. This is a big design flaw, IMO. If you have one, I suggest you figure out how to do that: brace the front of the motor against it's normal up-and-down vibrations.

I placed a bullet fishing weight snugly up underneath it, cushioned by heavy velcro, above and beneath it. My boat's hull floor has a small square mat of thick velcro on it below the motor's front, where it juts out. The motor points up, slightly; you have some room for your fingers to apply these things. The 2 oz. bullet weight is further cushioned against the *underside of the motor with more velcro--a narrow strip of it (fuzzy-side, again).

At first, when my boat was brand new, I pushed the weight up underneath the mat and motor using Liquid Nails Clear Seal. It acts as a glue in many applications (uses, I mean). That product will do, I'm sure, for anyone. But I made the placement of the football-shaped weight permanent now though, having heard today! of the other guys' misfortunes. That Clear Seal is strong, but I was able to pull forward the bullet weight out, regardless. Now it is glued down fast with epoxy, and will continue to very nicely keep the motor motionless and quiet. Thank goodness I did this right away. I have no idea how those two guys did, or will, repair their St. Tropezes.

Naughty, naughty; Graupner/Hobby Engine !

gatorgarfish

Jul 21, 2008, 12:27 AM

Here it is in all it's glory. "Whoop dee doo, Edith, whoop dee doo !"

I only have this one photo as of today; I'll probably put up more 'as they become available.' :rolleyes:

My lady rider going up the stairs is barely hanging on (see her feet). Whoops ! Almost in mid air there. :o She is mounted to the upstairs cabin opening at her upper arm level, each side, with dabs of clear seal. It's amazingly flexible--good stuff.

Leo-bra

Feb 02, 2009, 02:36 PM

Nice Boat

more pics?

I have a Saint Tropez too

I need more batery

3000mh is ok?

Ghost 2501

Feb 02, 2009, 06:07 PM

does my najade just dandy, i get 20 mins on 3800mah

shove a pair of 3300s in and it runs on for ages

Leo-bra

Feb 02, 2009, 11:23 PM

does my najade just dandy, i get 20 mins on 3800mah

shove a pair of 3300s in and it runs on for ages

7,2 or 8,4?

Ghost 2501

Feb 03, 2009, 11:56 AM

8.4 for 3800, 9.6 for 6600mah depending how mental i want run it

eggroll

Sep 17, 2009, 12:15 PM

this one on 380 brushless motor... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BY9P7YNDo9E

Darek_ST

Sep 24, 2009, 01:09 PM

Hallo evrybody. My name is Darek and I come from Poland. I have a boat Saint Tropez. My boot is Hobby Engine and I have stock engine. This is 550.... ? I would like to change engine on graupner 600 or Brushless but brusshles is too fast...

I Have orginal packet 8.4 2000mah and Orion 8.4 4500mah - boat on this packet is faster.

I have one problem. The engine has a high level of vibration and when I swim slowly the boat stops and tears. I don't now what is this...

Ok, that's my film...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OelqvL8p3lU

I have one speed boat. Thunder Tiger Outlaw 7.5 Nitro - this is veeeery fast boat :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cAYfuawSao