1/8 scale hardware

looking for manufacturers who produce scale looking strut,rudder,turn fin,etc

jameswelbaum said:

looking for manufacturers who produce scale looking strut,rudder,turn fin,etc

Click to expand...

RC Boat Company has great stuff

www.rcboatcompany.com

Kevin Lloyd said:

jameswelbaum said:

looking for manufacturers who produce scale looking strut,rudder,turn fin,etc

Click to expand...

RC Boat Company has great stuff

www.rcboatcompany.com

Click to expand...

cool thanks

http://www.accu-techrchardware.com/ another one

ya i had seen on the rc boat company website the accutech hardware good looking stuff. Also i was on the mhz website and seen a rudder bracket that looked even more realistic but seems to place the rudder pretty far aft of the transom. Is there a general rule of thumb for how far aft the rudder blade should be off of the transom? and how far off center should it be mounted?

X2 for Accutech hardware. Real nice stuff.

I doubt there is a "rule of thumb" as each boat is different. One thing that is consistant is the further aft you move the rudder, the larger the boat handles. If you have two almost identical boats and install rudder brackets that has one rudder further aft than the other, the one with the further aft rudder will act like the boat is longer. In the case of a scale boat, you could have a 43" Bardahl corner like a picklefork or like the Thriftway Too depending on how far back you have the rudder

that makes since. Does the mounting of the rudder closer to or farther away from the centerline of the transom have any affect on handling?

Rule of Thumb? Not sure there is really one of those. I have a number of scale boats and only a few are the same as they are similar type boats. I prefer to keep the rudder blade up as tight to the transom as possible. I have done a variety of setbacks all the way to 1.25" off the transom and keeping it up tighter seems to be a better fit for me and my driving. As far as a dimension from center or the strut....again the hull will dictate. I have several turbine style boats where the blade is between 2.75 to 3.25" left of the center of the air trap. I have a two wing hull that because of the nature of the transom and the width of the tub is in much tighter. My latest boat which is a 70's Pickle is only about 2.25...I think. I will have to measure it. I do not remember off the top of my head. The thing you have to remember is that the rudder placement needs to be in such a place so that it doesn't fight with the skid fin. The rudder should work with the skid fin. Meaning it changes the angle of forward direction enough for the skid fin to hook up and the skid fin should to a majority of the work turning your boat.

Accu-tech does have some nice stuff. I use some of it. My only criticism is that they and other manufacturers have the water pickups on the rudder blade on the left. I prefer the right.

never thought about water pick up location!

jameswelbaum said:

never thought about water pick up location!

Click to expand...

I never thought about it until a friend pointed it out to me. Since we turn to the right the pickup should be on the right. If it is on the left, and some may argue this is negligible but I am a firm believer, that the water flow off of the leading edge of the blade will interrupt the water flow somewhat. It has a tendency to create a swirling or eddy effect and reduce waterflow at a time when you least need it. Nitro engines are already loading up because of the turn and are leaning out slightly anyway. An interruption of waterflow will create more heat and if you are already just a touch on the lean side it could lean you too far. Just my opinion. I've had it happen and so to combat that if I have a boat with a blade like that I always run a touch fat on the needle.

ya i had come to the same conclusion when you mentioned the water pick up being on the left side. I wander why they made them that way?

jameswelbaum said:

ya i had come to the same conclusion when you mentioned the water pick up being on the left side. I wander why they made them that way?

Click to expand...

I think alot of it is because most East Coast racers mount the rudder on the opposite side of the transom and most manufacturers fabricate based on what they are most familiar with.

I have always taken a dremel and slotted all the way through the blade. It's always worked well for my team.

Bill

that seems like a easy fix. Does that by chance also increase the amount of water it can pickup?

jameswelbaum said:

that seems like a easy fix. Does that by chance also increase the amount of water it can pickup?

Click to expand...

I haven't tested that but it's always worked for us and it does seem to reduce the chance of plugging up.

Bill

cool appreciate all the great info