Wild thing mono kit build

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John Finch

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2004
Messages
1,659
I just finished building an ML boatworks Wild Thing Kit and was very happily surprised at how much easier it is to build in wood when the parts are already cut out for you. Mike is building the original 32 inch boat and I asked him to lazor cut me a 36 inch version so I can test a longer boat for SAW trials. He will also be cutting 34 inch boats for the electric racers. I had designed the original Wild Thing for the 21 size nitro boater. Mine was collecting dust last year when I decided to convert it to electric. I did the conversion and set the two IMPBA oval records for the Q class first time out with the boat. I was so surprised at how well the boat cornered as an electric missle that I decided to run it in a SAW event last fall. The boat at 6s ran very close to the record but I learned my batteries didn't have enough power to carry the boat the whole 330 feet without sagging. The biggest problem was that I had to come up to speed slowly to keep the 32 inch boat from blasting off the water. Coming up to speed slowly used up my batteries very quickly. Hence....the 36 inch boat for which more weight would be forward so I could pull the trigger and not have the boat blow off the water at SAW events. That is why I asked for the 36 inch boat.

The 32 and 34 inch boats will be built the same way as this boat.

Now, with all that history behind us...........the boat kit arrived just before Christmas and I punched out all the pieces very easily from the sheets of plywood. The wood looked to be extremely high quality birch. I later found out from mike he does get the expensive wood because he believes it makes a difference. It does! This boat went together with no warps, hooks, or wood issues.

I down sized the photos by 50 percent and they went from perfectly clear to a little fuzzy. Sorry for that but I had trouble sending them as they were taken.

wt1.jpg
 
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w3.jpgThe boat kit comes with a jig so the boat can be buillt upside down on a table top like the original boat. The jig makes the build much easier. Note..... I used two squares to make sure I glued the jig together square. The wood is tabbed so it fits together

perfectly.
 
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The bulheads fit into the jig perfectly with the tabs and slots. The transom is two pieces of wood with the inside piece slotted for the engine rails.
 
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I added all the bulkheads to the jig and glued the engine rails in place while again.....the tabs and slots held everything in place. The bottom of the hull was then glued in place without attaching the very front of the two bottoms so there would not be any stress on the wood, thus assuring no bending of the bottom pieces between the bulkheads. The bottom was also taped to the table to keep it flat until the epoxy cured.

wt7.jpg

wt9.jpg
 
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After both bottom pieces were cured I bent the two bottoms together at the bow using epoxy and masking tape. By the way.....the entire boat was built with 15 minute epoxy. The jig is still in place to make sure everything stays square.

tape bottom.jpg

wt11.jpg
 
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After the bottom was cured out I removed the jig and cut some of the 1/4 inch strips that are used to be the keel and side corner supports. I cut the strips with little notches where they bend to make the wood bend easily and give a better grip for epoxy to run into. The first 1/4 inch strip was run from the transom to the bow right down the keel.

wt12.jpg

wt13.jpg
 
The 1/4 inch strips were then added to the outside edges of the bottom using binder clips to hold them in place. The little cuts in the strips made bending the wood easy.

binger clips bottom.jpg
 
After the bottom side strips cured and were sanded along with the bottom outside edges......it was time to attach the sides. I used clamps and masking tape to hold the sides in place while they cured. Note.....The bottom edge of the sides extend past the bottom of the boat and are later filled in with epoxy to add strength and to also add a strake to the hull which both adds stability while turning and water diversion from the hull. Don't sand the top or bottom of the sides as the angles are already cut to desired shape. Don't cut the sides down to meet the bottom! Note also....The sides only contact the bulkheads for a limited portion of the side height. This is a flex-ability that is built into the hull.

wt16.jpg

strake.jpg
 
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I then added the 1/4 inch strips to the sides of the hull and sanded them to be flush with the top of the sides so the deck would have a good grip to the sides when glued in place. Binder clips were the best tools for holding the strips of wood in place. You can see I elected to add the rudder servo and drilled the transom for hardware before adding the deck. The kit comes with a flat cowl and you glue a piece of pre-cut wood under the deck to serve as a lip for the cowl. Mike may make a cowl that has a driver pod to make the boat look more realistic.

wt18.jpg

wt14.jpg
 
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Masking tape is the ideal way to hold a deck in place while it cures. A little sanding of the edges after the epoxy cured and it is looking very much like a boat.

tape deck.jpg
 
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I elected to install two 3s packs close to the keel at the very rear of the hull to run 6s. I also made provisions for batteries to be mounted beside the motor as well. I wanted lots of option for weight distribution. As it worked out the rear mounted batteries gave a good heat racing CG at 11 inches from the transom which works out to 30.5 percent. I installed a simple hardware setup with no trim tabs. This photo does not show the turn fin which I mounted later.

wt bat back.jpg

hardware.jpg
 
We went to the pond to test the 6s setup on a windy day as you can see by the photo. You can see I also added a turn fin. The boat ran 70 mph going with the wind and cornered great! It blew off the water the following weekend at 69 mph going into the same heavy wind. I will move the batteries forward for the next run to see if I can more speed without blowing off unless we can get a weekend without 20 mph winds. I have to say the kit is right on the money! The bottom of the boat has no warps, hooks, or rocker. Good quality wood and a good manufacturer is hard to beat. I love the new Wild thing!!!!

wt lake.jpg

lake wt.jpg
 
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Great build thread Professor.
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Ahhhh the stories the lid on that field box could tell.
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.......==={}
 
These work great on the deck also,scanned from a photo..........==={}
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Ray.... What are those things you hold the deck down with? Are they knitting circles. Is that your other passion.....knitting. LOL

John
Why ,you want an ugly sweater.
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I'll send you some if you help with testing on my scale when I come down before the E-ville Nats in June......==={}
 
Very nice design. I particularly like the "slanted deck" (not sure if there is a proper term for it). I am sure the deck design will provide some degree of down force and help prevent a blow over. How about some videos or running shots?

Thanks,

kez
 
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