34" Hornet Tunnel FE build!

[Mike Luszcz]

Well, I picked up a new Hornet tunnel from a fellow Intlwaters member, and I am starting my FE build of it. I must say, these boats are nothing but quality. The build of the boat itself is awesome. I cannot wait to get this one out on the water. Here is the build. Its the 34" Hornet usually used for 7.5cc mod, or 11cc stock nitro engines. This hull is getting set up for 4s2p, running a lawless 7.5 lower unit, Medusa 36-70-2000kv V2 motor (R.I.P. Medusa, your motors will be missed), a Seaking 180a Marine ESC, etc. Kris Flynn is cutting me some flex cables to fit the layout as we speak. So far, I have cut out the flooring, layed a layer of carbon out, and cut out the sides of the radio box. The radio box is going to be interesting, as I am doing the sides in 1/32" plywood, with a layer of carbon fiber on the outside wall to give it rigidity. The reason for this, is I needed a very thin radio box to help fit my 5000mah 30c 4 cell Zippy packs and anything much wider would end up cutting it very close. Here are some pics!

 

[properchopper]

Totally gorgeous, Mike ! Should rip with that power. Keep us posted.

 

[Mike Luszcz]

Thanks Tony. I was just sitting here wondering if I want to just make a one piece fiberglass radio box. I just did some searching about the Hornet hull, and realized what I truly had, and thought to myself "Sounds like I need to really do this up with quality and not half-a#@ any of the build since its such an apparently great hull!" So now I have to ponder what to do! Mike

 

[properchopper]

Pix of Herb Stewart hull with an easier-to-adapt radio box. Will start build soon, will talk about a cowl when the time comes. Anxiously awaiting the Hornet run report !

 

[Mike Luszcz]

Tony, How long is that hull? I can definitely get you a cowling made, or anyone else interested for that matter! The mold is waiting! Mike

 

[properchopper]

Mike, the hull is 29.5". For reference, pictured with a VS-1 cowl. I'm just days away from first wet of my P-Sport Hydro build, and my sanity is hanging by a thread ! After a brief financial and psychiatric rehabilitation period I'll start the tunnel & I'll be gettin' with you.

Tony

 

[MOTOboat]

Mike,

What thickness of carbon are you using?

1) For Radio Box

2) For the sponson on your other boat

.003? .007? Other than just plan cool looks, would not just a epoxy coat on 1/16 plywood do the job equally well? Remeber the Carbon will case havoc if the antenna is not out far enough. It is also conductive.

I learned this on Ted's boat the hard way.

THX

Dave

 

[Mike Luszcz]

Tony, My cowling was designed with a 29.25" hull in mind, so it is actually 2" longer out of the mold than the VS1 cowl, so I think it would be a great fit!

Dave, The carbon is not very think. I have owned this piece of carbon cloth for like 10 years, just never had a use for it! I am only doing carbon on the outside of the radio box as of right now, and doing plain 1/8" ply for the top, and lexan for the radio box cover. I feel the antenna will be up high enough to not cause problems. The receiver is being mounted on the white gel at the front of the radio box area. 1/16" ply on the sides I'm sure would have been fine, but I really wanted that nice look on there. I had no problems with the carbon layer on my 41" kneeler FE build, so lets hope things work out..if not..ahhhh...Ii will rip it all out! The sponson carbon ride pad you are talking about is actually on Doug English's tunnel build. I sold him the custom cowling for his project, and I have been posting a lot on his updates, so I can see where that might have been confusing! He does so much nicer work than I do tho!!! I should have more build threads after tonight! Mike

 

[properchopper]

Bye the way, I scored some absolutely beautiful CF plate from McMaster-Carr for my hydro build.Good size selection, reasonably priced & fast shipping. FWIW.

 

[moparbarn]

mike, any questions about your hornet, contact jimmy edelman, jydracing on this site. he is the builder of that hull. good guy, will be willing to share info to help out, & he lives in s.c. ......... i've seen him run his boats at the tunnel champs, they are awesome hulls, you're gonna love it.

 

[Mike Luszcz]

I would contact Jimmy, But since I got the hull second hand, I don't want to bug him as he saw no gain from me buying it this way. I just would not feel right about it ya know???

 

[Mike Luszcz]

Little more work done to the boat. Got the side plate glued, and fitted some of the top plates. I would have worked on it more last night, but I wanted to run and work on my 41" kneeler some more. I loaded new pics of it in the build thead..looks cool now! Anyways, here are some more!

 

[David Kingston]

Mike,

I still would try contact the builder of these hulls. Even thought it is second hand, im sure they would be very happy to help out. I know that when i asked Mike (grim) for assistance on a villain i got second hand he was more than happy to help. The guys that make these boats are usually really top notch folk. Plus your doing an electric one which out of the ordinary, and thats another direction the hulls can take. More that people see and its working well - from tips from the designer - then the more they can sell in the long run.

Any how, watching this thread with interest.

Electric tunnels ROCK.

Dave

 

[moparbarn]

I would contact Jimmy, But since I got the hull second hand, I don't want to bug him as he saw no gain from me buying it this way. I just would not feel right about it ya know???

mike, don't even begin to think that way about jimmy. he wants ALL of his boats to run well, regardless of where they came from. he just isn't all about the $. if you have issues with your hull, he wants to help. heck, it's bad advertising if a hull doesn't perform....... call him, you'll be glad you did. he is one of the folks on iw that i am proud to call a friend.

 

[Mike Luszcz]

Thats cool. It just seems like here lately the designers/ builders are almost paranoid because of splashers, and I feel if you just pop up with one of their hulls that they didnt sell to you, they quiz you to death! Which the man I purchased the hull from was the original buyer, so Im sure Jimmy would know his name. Anyways, I got more work done to the boat over the last day or two. The radio box will be done probably tommrow, then im in the short rows. Waiting on the flex shafts will be the main delay right now, but no hurry! I am having fun with my big kneeler hydro right now! Mike

 

[MOTOboat]

Hi Mike,

I noticed you cut the top portion of the hull to make the elec box drop into the hull. Did you permaently attach the box to the upper and lower portions of the hull?

I'd suggest you do that because much of a fiberglass hulls stiffness is due to both portions of the Hull (Top and Bottom)

Dave

 

[Mike Luszcz]

Yep, it is tied all together. I will have new pics in a couple hours!

 

[Mike Luszcz]

Here are some more photos. Just need to finish sealing the top of the radio box, install the electronics, and give it a spin! Flex shafts have been shipped and should arrived in the next week or two. Mike

 

[MOTOboat]

I realy like the lawless lower...could you take a few more pics of it and it's mounting to the hull. I have Cap Vics 3.5 mount.

Does the Lawless come with the stearing arm? Can the angle of the drive be changed with out the steering arm moving (Like the OS.

Might have to swap the REK outdrive for one of those.

Nice JOB!

Dave

 

[Mike Luszcz]

Dave, I will take some more once the motor is on and everything else is installed. The Lawless steering arm is purchased separate, and it DOES move with the motor mount adjustment. I never knew the OS steering did not change while adjusting it. I have finally figured out why everyone likes the OS so much! You lit a fuse in my head! lol. The lawless is very nicely built tho. I use the hyperformance products prop shaft in it. I am going to switch all my propshafts to their parts very soon. Worlds nicer that the OEM K&B part.