Preferred Boat constuction material.

[Kris Flynn]

Just curious as to what most of you guys like to make your Tunnel/boats from (all can chime in, it doesnt just have to be for the Tunnel Guys) and you can also give your reasons for your choice if you like.

I have only built a couple of smaller balsa tunnel so far, the Villain will be my first wood kit and i havnt had any glass boats yet...so i guess i will have to say wood.

Kris

 

[_laxmasta2039]

just got my first glass/kevlar hull [other that that it's been wood, plastic, and ABS], i dunno about performance yet but it sure is a helluva [as we say in virginia] lot easier to clean/wax!! i was touching up my OB rigger for tommorrow's race and decided to do the same to the glass boat, it was sooo much easier. also, fiberglass is alot more resistant to dents and scratches IMO.

Joe

 

[lohring]

One off boats are better in wood. Sealed with epoxy resin it is strong, light and easy to modify. Epoxy glass with carbon fiber reinforcement makes the toughest, light weight production boat. An epoxy glass hull will stand much more abuse than a gel coated polyester hull. Both are stronger than ABS. However, the standard gel coated polyester hull is easier to build, costs less and comes with a finished surface. This is also true for ABS, the least expensive of all. In a 7.5 size tunnel the epoxy glass hull is one pound (about 25%) lighter than either a gel coated polyester or ABS hull. A wood hull can be the same weight as the epoxy glass hull if carefully built. The WOF method produces a very tough light hull.

Lohring Miller

 

[Jerry Dunlap]

You mean there's some other method of making a model tunnel boat other than wood over foam??!! Amazing!!

WOFman Jerry

 

[lohring]

I have personally "structurally tested" several boats by running them into the shore at full speed. My favorite to date was when I hit a tree with my Dunlap constructed WOF gas cat. There are still pieces of plywood embeded in the bark, but the boat was an easy fix. I doubt any other material or construction method has the energy absorption of WOF. I wonder if the Department of Transportation is going to mandate its use in cars?

Lohring Miller

 

[Precision Boats]

I have seen our HTB take unbelievable crashes before an come out unhurt. The other day Josh flipped our Villian several times in the air about 2 foot high I knew that it was over for it but the only thing that happened was it broke the balasa wood on the front nose cone. So I don't know but i think both glass an wood have there good an bad point each.

Tim ;D

 

[Kris Flynn]

Thanks again for the input guys..some good points were brought up.

Guess i will be finding out how good the Villain holds up to crashes soon should be fun

Kris