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56" Viper (my first boat!)

10K views 106 replies 15 participants last post by  millzee 
#1 ·
I have been toying with the idea of getting a boat for a while now.

After looking at lots of hulls and other boats I was unsure what to get. I wanted brushless as thats what I know, but I really wanted petrol.

Then I came across this Viper Hull 56" Apache.

The guy I bought it from had built it but never run it.

Here are the pics of how I bought it.

Dog Felidae Floor Dog supply Dog clothes

56" Hull agaisnt two p00fy little dogs.

Wheel Watercraft Tire Plant Vehicle

I personally like the shape of it.

Watercraft Plant Vehicle Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies Boat


Watercraft Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies Boat Automotive exterior Surfboard
 
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#2 · (Edited)
I am going have lots of questions for your other RC boat fans. Boats are all very new to me so thre will be some noobish questions.


Gadget Gas Grass Electronic device Box

Horribly drilled holes for the hardware.

Question - Should I fill all the holes and re-drill them when I get my own hardware?? If so what should I use? fibreglass resin?


Monoplane Vehicle Gas Plant Machine

The bloke gave me a rudder and prop/shaft.

Question - Should I use these? are they anygood? Note: the rudder dosnt have a water pickup so I'd have to mount my own.

Automotive lighting Automotive tire Fluid Wood Bumper

Inside the hull is pretty oily and dirty, I am going to give it a good clean out as I am fussy.

Cloud Sky Aircraft Vehicle Airplane

This is the prop, the shaft seems to short.

Question - Should I keep these?

Vehicle Water Cloud Monoplane Propeller
 
#49 ·
I am going have lots of questions for your other RC boat fans. Boats are all very new to me so thre will be some noobish questions.


View attachment 15097
Horribly drilled holes for the hardware.

Question - Should I fill all the holes and re-drill them when I get my own hardware?? If so what should I use? fibreglass resin?


View attachment 15096
The bloke gave me a rudder and prop/shaft.

Question - Should I use these? are they anygood? Note: the rudder dosnt have a water pickup so I'd have to mount my own.

View attachment 15099
Inside the hull is pretty oily and dirty, I am going to give it a good clean out as I am fussy.

View attachment 15095
This is the prop, the shaft seems to short.

Question - Should I keep these?

View attachment 15098
In your second pic ( where your holding the rudder) flip the mounting bracket 180 degrees and set the rudder so the servo steering rod just clears the inside of the rail - like this

Automotive tire Motor vehicle Bumper Automotive lighting Gas


as for rudder height , go for around 2/3rds of the rudder below the hull.

In regards to engines, go for a Zenoah or a RCMK engine - don't bother messing around with the CY engines
 
#3 ·
Firstly I am going to remove the ugly stickers. I have started removing them and it is a tidiuos job.

But I plan to paint the top deck or perhaps the whole hull so I need all the stickers removed.

Question - what paint should I use on the gel coat? what prep is required? do I need to sand and undercoat it first?
 
#6 · (Edited)
Well I went from a stock 26 Zen to an RCMK S254 and gained an additional 10km's/hour in speed, That engine was just under $ 300 from Hobby Supplies in Victoria, In my Conquest Cat I have the new RCMK K -30s Side Exahust engine but can't offer feedback as I am yet to run this one. Only issue with these engines are the Pull Starters are crap but thats a simple fix, Just swap it out for a a Zen E-Z Starter.

I don't know anything about the CY Boat engines but you can always trust the relability of a Zen

I see you are in Adelaide, Just drop into Powerslide Racing as I know he has some well priced Zens for sale at under $ 300

http://www.hobbysupplies.com.au/RCMK%20Engines.htm

By the way mate I am know guru when it comes to boats, Plenty more blokes out there that should be able to offer you better advice than I.
 
#7 · (Edited)

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#8 ·
Wouldnt gas be better as its cheaper to run with petrol where as nitro is expensive. Its a big hull, would it need the weight of a gas motor for correct balance/cog?

A twin cylinder gas motor would be awesome!!
 
#9 ·
The hull has a few imperfections that I would like to fix befor painting.

What should I use? there are a few little chips and a couple of harsh scratches.

Also what should I use to fill in the holes in the transom?
 
#10 ·
Automotive bog is good for scratches and chips. You should use resin and fiberglass mat on the inside of the hull for the holes, then full them in with resin on the outside.
Without the mat on the inside the holes will eventually split.

How good is it, you have a boat! :)
 
#11 ·
Its awesome that I have a boat and its all your fault.

I am not sure where to begin.

I want a killer paint job but I think Ill wait till I get it in the water.

Its all about the money and keeping the missus happy.

First thing will be a motor, then hard ware, radio box etc.

The thought has still crossed my mind to make it brushless but I would need a massive brushless inrunner. Prob run it on 8s.

But I really want a nosiy petrol motor.
 
#12 ·
The paint is always the last thing to do. Get an engine first and go from there.
 
#14 ·
That's like asking "How long is a piece of string". I would go a new one, you never know how the previous owner has treated it.
 
#17 · (Edited)
I am jealous LD, nice hull. I think you need to get a gas engine for it, anything less would not do i justice. Why go for 10 min runs on lipo when you can go for a 30min run on gas. Cost wise it is probably cheaper to go gas as well, $300 for a motor has to be cheaper than motor, esc and a couple of 8 or 10S lipos.

Just looked, 2 10S 40C lipos from HK are going to set you back more than the cost of the petrol motor. Go gas, go hard.
 
#18 · (Edited)
Yeah I have been looking at different brushless motors this morning and they are almost the price of a gas motor, then there is ESC and all the hardware that would be required. (I have lipos)

Its def going to have a gas motor. Plus I love the sounds they make!

I have finally peeled all the crappy stickers off. It took about 2 hours to get them all off, was a pain. But now it dosnt look so crappy and used, now its just a blank canvas.

Question - when I mount the rudder etc, does water get into the hull through the mounting holes? if so what do I need to do?
 
#19 ·
Question - when I mount the rudder etc, does water get into the hull through the mounting holes? if so what do I need to do?
It's unlikely you'll get enough water through the holes to cause any problems, you could seal the screw hole with left over Sikaflex if you really want to.
The stuffing tube exit is more important to have sealed well.

The hole where the rudder control link goes through the hull will need a rubber boot on it as well.
 
#20 ·
Cool, this was my concern if I was to mount the hardware with the current holes. Who ever drilled them did a horrible job.

I will def have to fill in all the holes and re-drill them.

How do you seal the stuffing tube exit?
 
#21 ·
Judging by the pics it looks like it's been glassed in pretty well, so I wouldn't worry about it.
 
#25 ·
Looking good Matt! Now you just have to decide whether you get a trampoline or a nice shinny new engine. lol
I recon I know what the answer will be. lol
 
#29 ·
I would go the RCMK. Check out their website. He is in Korea but shipping was extremely quick and he stocks quiet a bit of gear to help like motor mounts, exhaust pipes and headers. water pickups and water pipe. Buy about 3 times the water pipe you think you will need as I ran out 3 times lol.

And to boot they are very resonably priced. The RCMK motors are somewhere around 5ish HP depending who you ask. Stock Zenoah is about 3ish and you will spend more then the cost of the RCMK to get the zenoah up to that output.

I've clocked my cat with the S254 motor at approx 90kmh. And there is still some setup left to go.

I've got 1 brushless boat, 1 brushed boat (homemade project), and 3 large scale gas boats. The brushless is fast and easy to run but still requires bit of maintenance. The gas boats require a lil more but not that much more. And there is just something about the sound they make lol.

Look forward to seeing the build mate. Any questions just ask away
 
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