1969 Pay N Pak

[Josh Stollfuss]

Here's a link to a couple of "after" pics.

I was getting the boat ready for the internats and it was one of those "one more run" kind of things. After running a couple of tanks of fuel through the boat I tossed it in for one more run. I lost the radio after about two laps, and it made a nice gracful arcing turing at full thorttle into the rocks at the FMBC practice pond. I later traced it down to a failure of the on/off radio box switch. At 1st I though maybe it was a battery failure. But I had a freshly charged battery in it and it would usually last several runs before a recharge. The damage while severe is fixable. It's going to have to be a winter project.

Josh-

Before-

https://www.intlwaters.com/gallery/displayimage...m=833&pos=0

After-

https://www.intlwaters.com/gallery/displayimage...=479&pos=10

 

[PakMan]

Here's a link to a couple of "after" pics.
I was getting the boat ready for the internats and it was one of those "one more run" kind of things. After running a couple of tanks of fuel through the boat I tossed it in for one more run. I lost the radio after about two laps, and it made a nice gracful arcing turing at full thorttle into the rocks at the FMBC practice pond. I later traced it down to a failure of the on/off radio box switch. At 1st I though maybe it was a battery failure. But I had a freshly charged battery in it and it would usually last several runs before a recharge. The damage while severe is fixable. It's going to have to be a winter project.

Josh-

Before-

https://www.intlwaters.com/gallery/displayimage...m=833&pos=0

After-

https://www.intlwaters.com/gallery/displayimage...=479&pos=10

Oh Man... that's Horrible Josh... Let me know if I can consult in any way... I've done some pretty extensive repairs on that hull, but that's a tough repair. Almost all of it is a structural (as well as cosmetic) repair that needs to be thought through, to get it back to where it it needs to be, for the best chance of long-term success.

I feel your pain... sorry to see it....

David

 

[Wesleys Custom Graphics]

Here's a link to a couple of "after" pics.
I was getting the boat ready for the internats and it was one of those "one more run" kind of things. After running a couple of tanks of fuel through the boat I tossed it in for one more run. I lost the radio after about two laps, and it made a nice gracful arcing turing at full thorttle into the rocks at the FMBC practice pond. I later traced it down to a failure of the on/off radio box switch. At 1st I though maybe it was a battery failure. But I had a freshly charged battery in it and it would usually last several runs before a recharge. The damage while severe is fixable. It's going to have to be a winter project.

Josh-

Before-

https://www.intlwaters.com/gallery/displayimage...m=833&pos=0

After-

https://www.intlwaters.com/gallery/displayimage...=479&pos=10

Man, that was a pretty boat too. You just about had it dialed in at Seville. That sucks! Was it a toggle switch? I've seen way too many of them go bad lately.

 

[Andy Greene]

I ALMOST didnt want to look at the "after picture" when I viewed the first one.What a sweet looking boat. Really sorry to hear about that one, good luck getting her straightened out. I had a couple of bad scares lately with the same switch type issue. Its a sickning feeling whatching it go in and there is NOTHING you can do. After I got over the ouch factor , I had to chuckle at the second photo- the driver appears to be looking up at you like - WTF ???? , Good luck. Andy

 

[PakMan]

I ALMOST didnt want to look at the "after picture" when I viewed the first one.What a sweet looking boat. Really sorry to hear about that one, good luck getting her straightened out. I had a couple of bad scares lately with the same switch type issue. Its a sickning feeling whatching it go in and there is NOTHING you can do. After I got over the ouch factor , I had to chuckle at the second photo- the driver appears to be looking up at you like - WTF ???? , Good luck. Andy

Nice observation Andy, I missed that... you are right, WTF, the nose is gone, and both sponsons are broke off... what am I going to race next weekend???? This thing is just a missle now...

Give me a call Josh, I will tell you how I have reinforced the cross-members and put the "straps" over the top to cap the "Beam" so you can race well into the future.

Respectfully,

David

 

[Josh Stollfuss]

Actually the switch was an MPI slide switch. The boat had an inherit problem with the radio box, I couldn't keep water out of it due to the way the push rods ran inside of brass tubes with no real way of sealing them. I had corrosion X on the switch and the electronics plus the receiver was in a ballon. I had taken every precaution to protect the electronics but in the end water in the switch was the ultimate end of Pak.

The way the boat was built the sponsons are connected by boom tubes. The front nose of the boat was built with styrofoam in the nose which ended up absorbing some of the impact. The damage isn't really into the tub. I can rebuild the nose, Rebuild the tips of the sponsons. Install new boom tubes. Easier said then done but I think it is do-able.

Inoticed the driver looking at the camera after I took the picture. I laughed at that too.

Josh-

 

[Don Ferrette]

**** Josh THAT is a major bummer my friend. Losing radio on a scale is one ugly feeling. Even though in reality it happens quickly it sure seems like time stands still as you stand there helplessly waiting for the inevitable crash. I had that happen once on my first Bud T-4 during pipe & prop testing. Watched the boat cross the pond at full song, launch off the bank & enter the trees about 4 feet off the ground. Man that was a gut wrencher to watch, I was lucky that the boat was repairable but it still SUCKS!!!

The pic with the driver looking like WTF?!? is funny though.

 

[Josh Stollfuss]

I pulled the sponsons off the main tub last night. It looks allot worse then it really is. None of the ride surfaces are damaged. that attachement points of the boom tubes are still sound. I've even got a quart of brown paint from when the boat was originally painted and some of the red pin striping tape that was used. So I should be able to match up the paint. I'm hoping that I can save the gold leaf lettering. The radio box will get totally removed and rebulit. I'm going to stick the peices on the shelf until after the season is over. And concentrate on getting my recently aquired 74 Lincoln Thrift rigged and ready to go for the remainder of the year.

Josh-

 

[Dan Kramer]

looks like the switches are winning more than we are,josh something i found out after loosing my oberto in june. i use the dubro kwik-switch mount. you need to bevel or round the corners on the little box that the push/pull rod goes thru. it binds and you may think the switch is fully on and it is not . it will vibrate off and...........bye-bye boat. i found this out after my new oberto took the bank for no appearant reason one week before the internats. i was ready to throw in the towel. after deep inspection, i discovered what had happened.

bye the way, i was the champ at golden corral wasnt i ??lol.

dan

 

[Mike McKnight]

Man I hate to see that Josh. I hope you can get her back together soon. It is never good seeing any boat hit shore but a scale boat especially. I watched Al Waters' boat hit the shore last month at the NAMBA Nationals and I got that terrible feeling in my stomach, as if were my own boat, watching it start to round turn 1 and then kept going straight. You want to say something but it's almost better that you don't.

 

[Josh Stollfuss]

The switch actually lost continuity through it in the on postion. It must have corrosion on the contacts. It's unfortunate that it worked for two tanks of fuel that day and even more unfortunate that it didn't fail on the starting stand! Dan, you were that champ at Golden Correl. I know I had a hard time walking out to the truckt! That was allot of fun that night.

Josh-

 

[Joe Wiebelhaus]

If you use that dubro switch mount, after it is installed, pull the stem out (Off Position) and put a bend in it, so it takes some "push" for it click "On", always corrosion x the thing. I cant believe after all thes years, that Futaba or whoever else makes the stock switch for rc, hasent come up with a better switch. Take one apart, take a look at what is powering on/off your $2500.00 boat, scarey, real scarey................... the least engineered part on your boat.

jw

 

[Norm Doerr]

If you use that dubro switch mount, after it is installed, pull the stem out (Off Position) and put a bend in it, so it takes some "push" for it click "On", always corrosion x the thing. I cant believe after all thes years, that Futaba or whoever else makes the stock switch for rc, hasent come up with a better switch. Take one apart, take a look at what is powering on/off your $2500.00 boat, scarey, real scarey................... the least engineered part on your boat.
jw

Ditto; I am thinking part of yearly maintainance would be a new switch every season....funny how a .10 cent switch is what they put in the box with every radio no matter if it is an Attack two channel or a nice PCM... top of line computer model.

 

[Josh Stollfuss]

I've got one of those Magnetic switches that stays concealed under the radio box lid and you use a little magnet to toggle it on and off so no part of the switch is ever out side of the sealed radio box. I didn't use it on the Pak because the way the radio box was built it would not have really worked. But I'm installing it on the Used Lincoln Thrift I'm putting back together. I'm going to make sure I never go cheap on that part again.

Josh-

 

[norm j]

:blink: hey josh, the driver in your boat, was looking up at you saying, "thanks for the styrofoam nose" he looks like he came out of it without a scratch, just think of the bionic man saying " we can rebuild it stronger and faster, we have the capability to build the first bionic boat!" LOL!!

hope you can bring it back to life!!!

norm

fmbc

 

[brandonclan]

Mannnnn....Bummer Josh!! Hated to see that "after pic"

Some tough lessons learned in this "hobby" Like Joe said...the switches are very poorly engineered. Most everyone has had one fail at one time or another...sorry to say, some boats receive more damage than others. All we can do is try to use the best we can.....

Hope you can rebuild that one Josh...it is a great looking boat for sure!!

Dan

 

[Glenn 787]

I felt your pain early this year only not nearly as bad!

I just finished repairing mine over the winter and at the first of the year the battery pack failed. Sick feeling just watching it go down the back straight into the bank.

I don't run boom tubes in mine. (foam, plywood and glass) I've hit the bank, buoys and even a wood box and they've held up well.

"PakMan" was a big help getting it back on the water in time for the NAMBA Nationals.

 

[glenng]

I've got one of those Magnetic switches that stays concealed under the radio box lid and you use a little magnet to toggle it on and off so no part of the switch is ever out side of the sealed radio box. I didn't use it on the Pak because the way the radio box was built it would not have really worked. But I'm installing it on the Used Lincoln Thrift I'm putting back together. I'm going to make sure I never go cheap on that part again.

Josh-

Josh, Where do you get these magnetic switches and why wouldn't they work on the pay&pak? On the new boat I'm building I've used .100 lexan for a radio box lid(that will be screwed down). The inner half of the lid has been milled away with a 3/8 lip to accept a .040 lexan insert(that will be secured with radio box tape) for easy access for charging the battery. In the past I've used Dow Corning 111 (non hardening silicone) to keep the radio box dry and it worked well but I used the same 111 around the cowl and strut areas and found water in both. Any comments would be appreciated, Thank's, Glenn

 

[Josh Stollfuss]

The magnetic switch is available through this web site. http://www.midwestrc.com/rcproducts.htm The switch just didn't fit the Pak's radio box right.

I used the "invisiswitch" on my 40 mono and it worked great, no part if the switch is out side of the radio box. The only draw back in the magnet used to turn it on and off. You need a back up magnet in case you loose one!

Josh-

 

[glenng]

The magnetic switch is available through this web site. http://www.midwestrc.com/rcproducts.htm The switch just didn't fit the Pak's radio box right.
I used the "invisiswitch" on my 40 mono and it worked great, no part if the switch is out side of the radio box. The only draw back in the magnet used to turn it on and off. You need a back up magnet in case you loose one!

Josh-

Thank's Josh, Got one on order. Glenn