How does one learn about racing nitro boats

[Marty Davis]

If you want to learn a lot about our hobby, suggest that you look at many tech notes at: http://rcboat.com/past.htm

 

[TomMoorehouse]

Come on down to our club race! You can learn.... we can use the help

 

[Rick Taylor]

If you are just going to fool around, then get what you want. If you want to race eventually, then some other things should be taken into consideration.

Lots of good advice here. I would parrot the response of checking with your local clubs to see what is popular. .21 mono normally makes its class around here. But if you only have a couple in your area, and someone drops out of the hobby, then you have a boat that never makes class. So...check with the local clubs. A lot of folks around here are switching to gas. Too much wind for small nitro boats. This might also be a good reason to look at the .45 mono, if it makes class near you. It will be able to handle a little bit rougher water.

I got back into the hobby during the hay day of RTR around here. It has died off a lot, but normally still makes class (we normally have a stock RTR class, and a mod RTR class). Might be a good place to learn about nitro motors, because if you burn one up, it only costs about $100 to get a new one.

On a side note, I find that folks on forums are more willing to tell you that you are wrong, then they are to give advice in the first place (not saying everyone, just a general comment). So if you have an idea of how you are thinking of doing something, if you share that idea, it seems to me, you are more likely to get inputs.

If you are not going to run with a club, make sure you have recovery set up. Too many folks make bad decisions because they had not planned on their boat dying out in the middle of a lake/pond. Seems like every year someone dies trying to get their boat back. I am not one to say don't swim for a boat. I grew up swimming in ponds and lakes. I will say to take a life jacket with you if you don't have a retrieval boat. That $10 life jacket can save your life.

Welcome aboard,

Sean

Thanks Sean, .21 is popular here. They don't even run RTR here. What some people are doing is taking the vegas deuce and puting in a .21 or .32 and running hydro classes. What I have to work with is a 40" Prather set up for a .81. I don't think a .45 is big enough for it but give me your opinion. Putting a .67 in was one option given to me. I plan on racing it. My dumas Scarab is for fun.

 

[Rick Taylor]

Come on down to our club race! You can learn.... we can use the help

I'd like to do that. Should be able to walk by May. Would like to have something to race by then though. Would like to get involved with your club even if it is just to help.

You want to be my Mentor Tom?

 

[Rick Taylor]

Thanks for the replies guys. Alot of useful info here. This is what I have to work with. A 40" Prather DV. Set up for a .81. Also I must add that I am now on Permanent disability so I have to be frugal with money. That's why I'm not buying new everything. I'll attach pictures.

 

[dwilfong]

Looks like you have a good starting point. a 40" boat is good size you can run any thing from a .45 to a.80 in this boat. you should run a third channel needle. I would suggest a new radio box to fit every thing in. Go to aeromarine thy have any size you will need. Thy don't cost much. The motor mount looks good just need to drill it for the eng you get for the boat. the turn fins are mounted back wards thy need to line up with the corner of the transom. Also would change the fuel tank to single 16 oz. with a fuel tray from aeromarine and install a 1 oz tank before the eng needle.

Now the eng this is where it gets pricey. You can buy a used eng. But beware used means many different thing to many different people. If you do buy a used eng make sure you can get parts for it at a good price. Like I said you can't go wrong with a CMB just make sure it is the newest version ( RS, HR or VAC) so you can get parts.

David

 

[Rick Taylor]

Looks like you have a good starting point. a 40" boat is good size you can run any thing from a .45 to a.80 in this boat. you should run a third channel needle. I would suggest a new radio box to fit every thing in. Go to aeromarine thy have any size you will need. Thy don't cost much. The motor mount looks good just need to drill it for the eng you get for the boat. the turn fins are mounted back wards thy need to line up with the corner of the transom. Also would change the fuel tank to single 16 oz. with a fuel tray from aeromarine and install a 1 oz tank before the eng needle.

Now the eng this is where it gets pricey. You can buy a used eng. But beware used means many different thing to many different people. If you do buy a used eng make sure you can get parts for it at a good price. Like I said you can't go wrong with a CMB just make sure it is the newest version ( RS, HR or VAC) so you can get parts.

David

Thanks for the input. That's the kind of help I need. Glad you told me about the turn fins. Was going to remove the left one and replace it with the smaller ones.

 

[Sean Bowf]

Thanks Sean, .21 is popular here. They don't even run RTR here. What some people are doing is taking the vegas deuce and puting in a .21 or .32 and running hydro classes. What I have to work with is a 40" Prather set up for a .81. I don't think a .45 is big enough for it but give me your opinion. Putting a .67 in was one option given to me. I plan on racing it. My dumas Scarab is for fun.

Sorry I did not get back sooner. Looks like David already set you on the right path. He has more wheel time than I do, so he would be more likely to steer you in the right direction anyhow. I think my .45 is 38 inches long, and it is hard to keep the wet side down and the pointy end forward some times. But even with this said, I think, if you want to race, you are going to want an engine that is a bit bigger than a .45 for your boat. I don't think prather even makes boats any more (???) and engines have come a long way over the years. What I am trying to get to, is you might have your hands full with the biggest engine you can get in that boat. At to the .67 or .84 choice, I would have to go back to what I mentioned earlier...see what makes class in your area. I know in our area, it is not uncommon for a slower boat to win a race, because a lot of the faster ones don't finish. In short, better drivers with a slower boat can win more often than a poor driver with a fast boat.

Sorry to hear about your health problems. I left the military after 20 years with a lot of back problems (nothing close to what you are dealing with) and it limits me more and more each year.

Good luck, and keep us posted on how it goes. It's cheaper for me to learn from other folks' mistakes, than to make them myself... B)

Sean