OPC anyone?

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Hey Mike,

The check is in the mail! Maybe we could hook up and do a little testing when I get it together. When is the next fun run a waughop?

Dick
 
There are no more till the fall. We start racing the dist schedule next week. I still have to do the cowl. Haven't had a chance yet.

Mike
 
Cool Mike,

I'll check the schedule. I may have to blow the dust off of my 3.5 and 7.5 tunnels and join you guys at a race or two.

Don't rush the cowl man. In your own time. Got to keep it fun. I appreciate all you've done.

Thanks again,

Dick
 
Well I was able to finally finish the cowl last night. The boat after sealing came in at 11oz. The cowl came in at 3.5 oz. Total of 14.5 oz. ready to float without electrics and power plant. I was thinking I could get the cowl lighter but it would not hold up. It is a 2 oz.,2 oz. ,6 oz. layup. I tried it with the 2 oz., 2 oz. layup and it was to thin so I added the 6. Dick is suppose to come by and pick it up tomorrow. It won't be long now before he gets it in the water.

Mike
 
I just got hom from Mikes. The boat looks great and is super light. just over 14 ounces. Here's a pic.

Can't wait to hang an outboard on it!

Dick

hughestunnel.jpg
 
Hey Dick, just wanted to see if you had started to set the boat up yet? Any pics of it with the Motor on the back?

Also, could you or Mike please comment on what the boat was sealed with? Also how will you be setting up all the electronics and batteries in the boat?

Sorry for the questions, just looking for extra info on setting up my 12 cell OPC when ity finnally gets done (which will be after i start building it lol ;) )

Thanks

Kris

Also Dick, i remember you said in a post on RRR that you cut a skeg off one of your lowers for FE use...how did it run?
 
The boat is sealed with west system expoxy. You brush it on and hit it with the heat gun. It gets really thin when you heat it up, plus it soaks into the wood. You scrap off all you can with what ever it takes (scrapper, playing card, mixing stick, 1/32 piece of ply, etc.). You put the scrapped epoxy back into the bowl. This way it does not take a lot of expoxy to seal a boat. Next you wipe it down with a paper towel. Let it dry. Done. You might find it easier if you only do a section at a time. Once dry you go at it with some 300 grit to smooth it out.

Mike
 
Hi Mike nice work!! Dick is very proud of his new boat.Would you mind going over the process you used to mold the Cowel??.I have a Villian on the way and would like to make a lighter cowel.Again very nice work.Any plans available?
 
First you need a plug. The new cowl will work great. Cut it to fit the boat. You need to use a mold release on it. I use PVA and brush it on. Let it dry.

Second if there are any sharp corners in the plug you will need to fill them with epoxy that is thicken with something. I use west system and they have a wide range of these agents. This is because the glass sometimes will not lay down perfect in these area. If you don't you may get air bubbles. Brush the rest of the cowl with epoxy. Now you are ready for glass. I used 1 layer of 2oz. and 3 layers of 6oz. to do the mold. Cut the glass so you can do half at a time. Much easier. Lay the glass on (2oz.first) and brush it into the epoxy. After each coat you will need to brush on more epoxy. If you have a heat gun it helps the epoxy flow better into the glass. You only want to put on as much epoxy as it takes to wet all the glass. Any extra jsut weakens the cowl. Repeat till all layers are done. Let dry.

Third you will need to trim the edges so that the are even with the plug. Next you need to get the plug out of the mold. Grab edges and start pulling towards the middle. Should be farely easy to pop it loose. Wash the mold to get rid of the mold release scraps.

Fourth you will need to PVA the mold and repeat the steps it took to do the mold. This time with less layers. The one I did has 2 layers of 2oz. and 1 layer of 6oz. I was trying for a 2 layer 2oz. lay up, but decided against it after it dry a little. I pryed the edge and it was going to be to thin so I added the 6oz. You could probably get away with a 2oz and a 6oz. This shuld come in at 2.5oz weight.

Extra tip

Get a piece of plywood 2" bigger than the cowl (height and depth). Cut a U shape in it that matches the outside of the mold. Slide it over the mold and glue it into place. This way it will hold the mold upright. You can also set it on it side and it will not roll around. You could even clamp it into a vise for doing the layup. Very helpful.

There are no plans. I use the cut off pieces that came with my kit years ago. Just traced them onto wood and cut them out.

Mike
 
I'm finishing up on my first hydro rigger using sheeted foam.I enjoyed it so much that I'm thinking on making an opc using foam and ply sheeting.How tall are the sponsons and what angles are you looking at the freeboard?I will do the center cowling with the lost foam method like I do on my own designed gliders.This would be my second scratch build boat if any of you guys help me on some design parameters on tunnel boats.I don't have much time so I would like to build this one right and not make a second one to improve on it as much as possible.Any advise would be appreciated and I will post pictures when I get starded on my construcion as soon as I get those design criteria to make the design.

Redster ???
 
Mike

a little bird told me that tunnel passed it as it flew low over Dick's pond last week!!

Andrew Gilchrist

fastelectrics.com
 
It would be even cooler if I could have kept it on the water! I was just going to post over on the nitro board for a little help! I think I'll have to move the radio compartment to the back and put the (or at least 1) battery packs up front. I figured some of the guys running these dudes on a weekly basis might have a thought or two. I may just have to pop out to one of your races Mike and have you take a peek. ]

It ran real nice with the 700 BB on it. Then I dropped a brushless motor on the back and she flies! Literally! I've got the motor low and even kicked in some down angle.

Dick
 
What prop are you turning? Where was the center line of the shaft relative to the sponson bottoms? What kind of angle? With the amount of power that the brushless puts out, you will probably have to drop the motor to bring the front end down more. With the nitro boat we ran the prop at about 3/16" below the sponson 1 degree negative. If we can't get it to work on old technology we might to have to redesign.

Mike
 
I'm not that deep Mike. I'll drop it lower and kick in a touch more negative. I built the skeg back up too.

I was running an ABC 45/55 but will step it up to a M447 if I can keep it on the water! I'll keep you posted,

Dick
 
Hey Mike, I ran it tonight with all the little changes and it was awesome. I dropped the unit way down and kicked it in a little more. AND, put a BIG skeg on it. Maybe too big, I may cut it later.

It was actually stuck and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't get it to hook. Totally predictable and corners like it's on rails. Now I'll start loosening it up a little and see what it can really do!

Thanks,

Dick

hugheshotshot3.5_300.jpg
 
For the Tunnel Guys,

Do you think a Tunnel designed for 12 cell FE use needs to have a bit of Rocker built into it?

I think AndrewG mentioned that it was good because it helped lift the boat out of the water...but i am not sure if he only meant in lower cells than 12?

It is my understanding that some rocker is good, but it was taken out of recent design's (Villain for one) because it stops the boat from reaching higher speeds (50+ MPH)because it lifts the bow too much...soo i would think it would be worth while in an FE tunnel which will only be going mid-high 30's...Anyway, pleaes let me know of your thoughts?

Oh and looking pretty good there Dick...Could someone please suggest a good setup that isn't too expensive (ie not Brushless) that I could run on a Tunnel on 12 cells? Not so much looking for setup tips yet (although would be nice to have), mainly just equipment or running gear choices :)

Thanks

Kris
 
Kris

if you want to go fast brushless like the Megas is the cheapest on 12 cells (102+99 = $US201) vs say a Plett ($250+90= $340) or use a 700 bb 8.4v

Brushless you dont have to worry about brushes and with vented cans the brushless are easy to dry and care for

Brushed the 700 stands out so far it isnt funny

Oh mega Mini is very good on 8 cells - I love it! about $85

Andrew

fastelectrics.com
 

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