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My first boat....
- Thread starter nitromanRI
- Start date
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Ron Olson
RCTalk Champion
Stick with the supplied .32 engine for now until you get used to it.
There are a few things that you can do to make it faster. The Prather prop isn't the greatest one for it. Try either an Octura M-445 or Zippkits 444.
The header blocks the exhaust flow badly so it can be opened up to let it breathe better. Use the header gasket to mark where it needs to be opened then carefully smooth it into the header from the flange.
Leave the stock tank in place or just toss it out. Place an 8-10oz. tank in the rear of the right sponson as that'll help to move the CG back
When you get it, first check all of the nuts and bolts to make sure they're tight. While going over it, also take a good look at the flex cable for alignment at both ends of the stuffing tube. While you've got the cable out, look for any solder that has wicked up too far on the cable as that can and has too many times caused it to break.
Remove the bottom bolt on the rudder hinge and replace it with a nylon one. If you snag something in the water or it hits lake bottom, it'll break off the rudder and they're getting hard ot find another one. You can crack the top bolt open just enough to where it will swing in case the bottom shear bolt breaks.
More than likely, the carb settings are going to be a mile off. They have no idea where in the world the boats are going so your climate is going to be way different from where they did their inital settings at.
That's about it for now. I never owned one but have put in a lot of time with a friends TC-31. We got his up to just under 50 MPH with using this setup, pretty fast for this boat. OK, we tipped the can a little and ran 65% nitro in it.
The reason why I'm also giving you this advice is that it won't handle a gas engine and finding a suitable nitro replacement isn't going to be easy or for that matter, cheap. Nova Rossi does make a .28 that is an absolute killer, 100 MPH+ in a 'rigger, otherwise you'd be looking at a $400.00+ mill plus a completely new exhaust system. It's just the design of the boat that makes it hard to drop in anything more than what it came with.
There are a few things that you can do to make it faster. The Prather prop isn't the greatest one for it. Try either an Octura M-445 or Zippkits 444.
The header blocks the exhaust flow badly so it can be opened up to let it breathe better. Use the header gasket to mark where it needs to be opened then carefully smooth it into the header from the flange.
Leave the stock tank in place or just toss it out. Place an 8-10oz. tank in the rear of the right sponson as that'll help to move the CG back
When you get it, first check all of the nuts and bolts to make sure they're tight. While going over it, also take a good look at the flex cable for alignment at both ends of the stuffing tube. While you've got the cable out, look for any solder that has wicked up too far on the cable as that can and has too many times caused it to break.
Remove the bottom bolt on the rudder hinge and replace it with a nylon one. If you snag something in the water or it hits lake bottom, it'll break off the rudder and they're getting hard ot find another one. You can crack the top bolt open just enough to where it will swing in case the bottom shear bolt breaks.
More than likely, the carb settings are going to be a mile off. They have no idea where in the world the boats are going so your climate is going to be way different from where they did their inital settings at.
That's about it for now. I never owned one but have put in a lot of time with a friends TC-31. We got his up to just under 50 MPH with using this setup, pretty fast for this boat. OK, we tipped the can a little and ran 65% nitro in it.
The reason why I'm also giving you this advice is that it won't handle a gas engine and finding a suitable nitro replacement isn't going to be easy or for that matter, cheap. Nova Rossi does make a .28 that is an absolute killer, 100 MPH+ in a 'rigger, otherwise you'd be looking at a $400.00+ mill plus a completely new exhaust system. It's just the design of the boat that makes it hard to drop in anything more than what it came with.
Last edited:
nitromanRI
RC Newbie
- Thread starter
- #3
Thank you very much for the info. I did run into a problem .. stupid me wanted to run it and not knowing the carrier for the flexshaft underneath got supper hot.. and started to lock up.. that was the end of that. I think it is out of alignment. The previous owner said he took it to a hobby shop and they went through it top to bottom. I paid 100$ boat, stand, tool box, starter. It was to fast for his son. What the best place to order those parts from? I'll do it right now.
---------- Post added at 7:06 AM ---------- Previous post was at 7:01 AM ----------
This is a .36 magnum dynamite. I'm sure just tuning the pipe and other goodies I can get it to move. We will keep this and build it up. Boats don't use a clutch ? I guess it makes sense.
---------- Post added at 7:06 AM ---------- Previous post was at 7:01 AM ----------
This is a .36 magnum dynamite. I'm sure just tuning the pipe and other goodies I can get it to move. We will keep this and build it up. Boats don't use a clutch ? I guess it makes sense.
Ron Olson
RCTalk Champion
Getting parts is n't going to be easy from the factory as Proboat/Horizon Hobby quit making them as well as its sister boat, the Shockwave 36. They've gotten out of the nitro boat market altogether.
OK, you probably cooked the Teflon tubing running it out of the water as that helps to keep it cool.
Two places that I think that might be ableto help you out with any of the easy problems (it isn't too bad, really) near you would be either Aeromarine Laminates in Seaford, DE at www.aeromarinerc.com or www.offshoreelectrics.com which is mostly an electric boat site yet he carries the parts you'd need. Oops, I forgot about www.zippkits.com as he has the parts plus the 444 prop and is in NY. I buy a lot of parts myself from him and his service is excellent.
For $100.00 you did get a very good deal though!
Not to argrue but it shoulld be a .32, it's a weird size for an engine for a boat unless they upgraded.
Most boats don't use a clutch which is a good thing as the boat needs to be kept moving to keep water flowing through the head. The few nitro boats that do have problems anyway with the clutch slipping too much. Just be careful when launching.
One more thing. If you can get the Teflon tube out of there you can insert a brass tube inside of the stock tube, a little tricky but can be done which does away with any of the problems associated with them. Keep it well lubed.
OK, I keep remembering things for you to watch out for.
Keep a 3/16" gap between the drive dog and the strut. If it has thrust washers there, you can remove them as they're not doing you any favors. the gap is needed to prevent cable wind-up that in turn can also break a cable.
OK, you probably cooked the Teflon tubing running it out of the water as that helps to keep it cool.
Two places that I think that might be ableto help you out with any of the easy problems (it isn't too bad, really) near you would be either Aeromarine Laminates in Seaford, DE at www.aeromarinerc.com or www.offshoreelectrics.com which is mostly an electric boat site yet he carries the parts you'd need. Oops, I forgot about www.zippkits.com as he has the parts plus the 444 prop and is in NY. I buy a lot of parts myself from him and his service is excellent.
For $100.00 you did get a very good deal though!
Not to argrue but it shoulld be a .32, it's a weird size for an engine for a boat unless they upgraded.
Most boats don't use a clutch which is a good thing as the boat needs to be kept moving to keep water flowing through the head. The few nitro boats that do have problems anyway with the clutch slipping too much. Just be careful when launching.
One more thing. If you can get the Teflon tube out of there you can insert a brass tube inside of the stock tube, a little tricky but can be done which does away with any of the problems associated with them. Keep it well lubed.
OK, I keep remembering things for you to watch out for.
Keep a 3/16" gap between the drive dog and the strut. If it has thrust washers there, you can remove them as they're not doing you any favors. the gap is needed to prevent cable wind-up that in turn can also break a cable.
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nitromanRI
RC Newbie
- Thread starter
- #5
wow thank you for all of this info. I am going to start digging into it today. Now for tools what are a couple must haves to work on this thing? I see a bunch of alen bolts if i am correct. I bought some t wrenches at HF. But i just looked at them and they are in american. Are all the bolts on this beast metric? The kid that owned it was about 10-11 years old. I got a tool box along with the boat, matching stand, radio, 1 gallon of gas. The gas he gave me is 20% car mix. Should i be using a higher nitro in the boat? I've read 30% is just right for them. I am still trying to understand how the head gets water.. the water that the prop moves around somehow is forced into that brass pickup tube and pushed through the head? Thank you again!
Ron Olson
RCTalk Champion
Yes, seeing how it's foreign-made, everything except for a very few parts like flex cable and glow plug should be metric. The fuel is totally wrong for a boat as most car fuels don't have an 18-20% oil content. Thirty percent nitro is a good area to be at though like you said.
As far as cooling goes, the boat has to be moving to keep water flowing through the head. It's just shoved up through the pickup tube. When you get it running on the water, keep an eye out on the exit line to make sure that it's working as junk can get in the system.
As far as cooling goes, the boat has to be moving to keep water flowing through the head. It's just shoved up through the pickup tube. When you get it running on the water, keep an eye out on the exit line to make sure that it's working as junk can get in the system.
I remember my first rc boat back in 1988...
Dumas tunnel hull with a k and b .21 outboard.
When I first put it in the water soon as it got 10 feet from the shore I had radio interference and it went wot right into a bunch of boulders 100 feet from shore... pretty much destroyed the lower outboard and front of the boat.
Didn't even get more than 5 seconds out of it....
Dumas tunnel hull with a k and b .21 outboard.
When I first put it in the water soon as it got 10 feet from the shore I had radio interference and it went wot right into a bunch of boulders 100 feet from shore... pretty much destroyed the lower outboard and front of the boat.
Didn't even get more than 5 seconds out of it....
nitromanRI
RC Newbie
- Thread starter
- #8
ausher that is my first change also... get rid of the crappy 27mhz radio 
i know where i live that band is busy and me being a ham radio operator i know how much crap is down on that band i do not want that to happen. I remeber back in the day seeing those dumas tunnel hulls in my veryyyy old tower catalogs.
i know where i live that band is busy and me being a ham radio operator i know how much crap is down on that band i do not want that to happen. I remeber back in the day seeing those dumas tunnel hulls in my veryyyy old tower catalogs.
Ron Olson
RCTalk Champion
I don't know how the 27 Mhz band is anymore as it isn't being used as much as it used to be. The CBer's found that they could drop the crystals in their radios and have "funny" channels to yak on. It's also the few left around that are still running big foot warmers that can splash over onto other channels.
I never did like that awful JR anyway as there's one in my pile of junk radios as the trims were all but impossible to use if your fingers got wet or slippery with anything else. There's a lot of really good systems out there for under $100.00, even a few decent 2.4 Gig outfits.
Back in the day, Tower sold a lot of Dumas, Prather, Warehouse Hobbies, DPI, MRP, house brand and others but about all they have left now is AquaCraft. You could get a .21 OB boat for around $115.00 and a new K&B to hang on it for the same price.
I never did like that awful JR anyway as there's one in my pile of junk radios as the trims were all but impossible to use if your fingers got wet or slippery with anything else. There's a lot of really good systems out there for under $100.00, even a few decent 2.4 Gig outfits.
Back in the day, Tower sold a lot of Dumas, Prather, Warehouse Hobbies, DPI, MRP, house brand and others but about all they have left now is AquaCraft. You could get a .21 OB boat for around $115.00 and a new K&B to hang on it for the same price.
