I will try to help as best i can.
I currently run a brian blazer whip.
Nice boat.. runs good.. the radio box is VERY tricky to get set up but other than that good boat.. brian is supposed to be working on a new radio box design. ( boat runs 60mph with a nova rossi )
David pruesse builds a nice glass boat.. runs great and me an dave have great races every time we race together.
Bob tuttles boats are nice.. I don't have much on them as i havn't seen one run.. I have seen them up close but again not running.
Mark bullard builds one also.. again.. it is a wood boat that is build like bob tuttles.. nice boat and me and mark have had good battles at races
you already stated phil thomas boat.. again a glass boat.
I would ask this question.. do you want to BUILD a wood boat.. or buy a glass boat and rig it up. glass would be less time consuming to build.. faster to get on the water.
As for the motors.. i am byast and like novas.. a mac is fine and if you have it.. run that.. no point in spending more money on it than you have to and it gives you a chance to see if you like the class.
What boats are running in your area?? It may be best if you are unfamiler with the boats to look at what others are running.. may give you some idea if you like them or if you want to go with another brand.
they are a blast to run and kinda takes the load off.. it is nice to run a boat that you don't have to fuss with to much like a hydro.
hope i helped.
chris
Thanks Chris for the good remarks. And yes we have had some good races and I think that Phil and others have been mixing it up with us also. I can't say for sure but I think that Bob Tuttle's and Brian Blazer's boats are built-up from kit's which takes a little more modeling skills. Which is great because it helps people that don't have those skills learn to build. I hear that they build very easy. I too love to build. But my boats are built a little differant. The sponsons or what is called canoe's are built up like our standard riggers with foam core sponsons and chine's. These are built and glued on the inside plate with all of the lower sheeting done. The tunnels I guess they are called are made of foam that are glued on the plates that match their profiles for their location. The tub is then build like our rigger's and has the radio box built into the tub. I have two holes front and rear drilled in the canoe's, the tunnels and the tub that I use tubes to slide the parts to their position against the tub. The tunnel are placed first and then the bottom is sheeted over these parts. Then the canoe's are placed glued on the tubes and tunnels to finish the bottom. Another piece of ply is place on the transom to tie those parts together. I then sheet the top on each side of the tub with ply, cut the tubes out of the tub and this finishes the hull. This makes for a very, very strong but lite boat.
It is a wood boat but the hull is what I would say 75% built and come with two ABS cowls. All that is needed is to install the shaft log and mount the hardware just like you would do a glass boat and then finish it like you would do any other wood rigger.
I will try to post some more pictures. I also have a finished boat for sell that Doc completed that is complete less reciever, battery, motor, and pipe. It is setup for a Nova with mixture control on the carb, but a CMB will fit the same holes in the motor mount with a little change on the pushrod for the carb.
Doc traded it back to me for my wild fast F mono. This boat is a beautiful little boat with nice paint that looks like a little Miss Rock and that is what it's called. If you have ever seen any of Doc's boats you know that he puts a good finish on one. Price is $450.00 shipped anywhere in the lower 48. I will try to post pictures of it also or send me a e-mail and I can send pictures direct.
Mark