Today was a boat test day and we made test runs with all of the boats.

Rigged Insanity: We adjusted the strut and moved tbe batteries about 2 inches further forward. That got the boat running nicely but it had a big tendency to turn right. It turns out the skid fin was not aligned properly. Once we straighten that out then the trim was good and the boat ran nicely. I must say it turns really quickly even at speed. We ran with a GrimRacer 40x57 3 blade prop and it hit 43.6mph.

Pay-n-Pak: Was tested with the Proboat motor, ETTI speed control and a X640 prop. The water was pretty rough during this test and we got to about 38.4mph. It was airborne quite a few times but stayed flat and didn't tend to flip - but it sure got banged around.

Atlas Van Lines - I think we need to change out the ProBoat speed control for an ETTI 100 amps speed control. We run both the Oberto and the Atlas with Proboat motors on Graupner K45 props. The Oberto has the ETTI speed control and runs just fine. The Atlas has the ProBoat speed control and after about 3 laps it shuts down briefly then it will run again. From the data logger we are getting pulling about 55 amps, and I think we are getting thermal shutdown from the Proboat controller. Other than that the Altas is running smoothly.
(Update: The Oberto now has a UL-1 motor and controller so the ETTI controller is now in the Atlas. This should fix up the shutdown problem)

1990 Oberto - Smooth and pretty fast. With better...Continue Reading

At long last the white ghost gets some decals and becomes the Pay-n-Pak - and more or less like the 1981 Pak. The graphics were created by the guys at Cal-Grafx... I like it.

Boat testing will be Friday, weather permitting - and racing in 3 weeks.

We made a quick test run of the Rigged Insanity at the local lake. We ran the test with the Grimracer 42x57 3-blade prop that is intended for the UL-1 hydro. I should have pictures when we run the next test on Friday along with some GPS speed numbers.

Initial Results: It needs tuning.

It got up on plane quickly, but at full throttle the sponsons were coming very high out of the water and it was certainly going to flip.

We ran it about 5 laps at 1/2 to 3/4 throttle. Overall handling was really nice and it turns very quickly at that speed without spinning out or digging in.

So, we are either going to need to adjust the batteries and CG, or change the strut depth... or both.

There was not too much left to do and as of tonight the Rigged Insanity is ready to run. The final steps were adding the radio receiver, antenna mount, and routing the water lines.

For the water lines - they run from the rudder to the lower side ESC, then the motor, back to the top side of the ESC and exit from the boat.

For the antenna I used a Bru Line boat antenna - cut down to 5 inches since it is being used with a Spektrum radio and receiver.

The final weight was 3lbs 15oz.

The receiver will get a bit of water proofing from something I read in another post. The seams and top of the receiver will be painted with a couple coats of Parma liquid mask. The mask is waterproof dries to a thin rubber coating to seal up the basic seams. The slots where the servo connections are made will be covered with Blu Tack - which is a bit like chewing gum, but never gets hard.

Unfortunately I am going to be out of town the next two week ends, so testing will have to be delayed quite a while - and the first race is only 5 weeks away.

In building up the Elam/American Spirit the first thought was to use a Speedmaster rudder, but it would need to have the control arm reversed. After fighting a bit trying to get the pin out to reverse it ... and not being successful ... Plan B was to use the stock Elam rudder.

The stock rudder arrived today - well I can say a rudder arrived today, and it is a ProBoat rudder, but not for the Elam. The hole pattern for the rudder bracket is horizontal and not vertical like it is on the back of the boat. Not that it could not still be mounted, but the 1/12th scale rudder and bracket from the Horizon Hobby site that is listed in the parts list for the Elam... it is not the Elam rudder.

Back to plan A, or C with the Speedmaster rudder. A bit more effort and I got the pin out, so I am thinking I am home free. Just reverse that control arm and we are set to go.

Somewhere the gods of boat building were snickering.

Not so fast. When you flip the control arm around the screw that tightens against the pin to hold the control arm does not have enough clearance with the rudder to get to the proper angle. But, with some help from a round file to grind in a slot for the set screw and ... tada... a flipped control arm on a Speedmaster rudder.

Next step - mount it on the back of the Elam/American Spirit - I hope.

I have been doing some hardware placement and was a bit surprised with the CG location. With most of by boats it seems I am fighting having them be tail heavy. Not so with the Rigged Insanity.

As you can see from the attached images of the hardware and batteries I ended up with the batteries coming back very close to the motor in order to get the CG to 13.5 inches from the transom. The speed control also moved aft. The battery wires will run just to the left and right of the motor mount in to that middle aft section for connection to the ESC. I built a little foam and 1/32" plywood box to be a platform for the batteries that is the same basic height as the two nuts that hold the sponson boom. The batteries will velcro down onto the platform.

Now I have a hole to fill as well. My initial placement for the water exit was forward of the motor. Nope. It was going to be in the middle of a battery. I will have to move it back into the middle aft section.

The paint job on the Rigged Insanity is pretty much complete, except for a little touch-up around the spars.

This is what it looks like now before the hardware goes back in. The paint is all Duplicolor automotive spray paint...

I am going to test out the Rigged Insanity color scheme on the sponsons before I commit paint to the entire model.

The general color scheme plan right now will be copper/orange flames over a blue background (with maybe some airbrush highlights on the flame edges). I applied the copper paint and a vinyl paint mask (the yellow), so next comes the blue.