Is anybody OUT there?

[bmwbob]

I'm just looking at getting into a fast electric boat, preferably a classic "shovelnose" hydro.
My ONLY R/C boat experience is the little bit of sailing I've done with my Soling 1 meter sailboat. I have flown planes, and gliders, including electric, and MANY years ago played with the cars a bit.
Before I spend a bunch of $$$ on the wrong stuff, setting up a boat that is an orphan in the central Florida area, I want to make sure there are some other more experienced folks to help me out, and also that there are others with the same sort of boat to race with.
Any takers?
TIA!
Bob
Mims, Florida

[Twinpowered]

Welcome to the forum. I'm sure there are people "around" in your general area that can help you if you need it.
In the meantime, what do you want exactly? Do you want to build it yourself, what size, what budget, etc?

[pondripper]

Hello Bob!
Get in tuch with Guys they will be helpfull to you in getting a boat ready, one that you could race at there club.
http://216.120.233.47/FloridaHighVoltage/default.htm

[bmwbob]

Welcome to the forum. I'm sure there are people "around" in your general area that can help you if you need it.
In the meantime, what do you want exactly? Do you want to build it yourself, what size, what budget, etc?
Twin,
Thanks for the reply!
I'm pretty open on the "build it or buy it" thing, though I have modelling experience, mainly in R/C airplanes.
If the class exists, I'd like to get started in something like the NAMBA Limited Sport Hydro class. So, as for size, I guess around 1/12 scale.
I have a line on a nicely built PIP 24" hydro done up as Miss Budweiser, but it's got a brushless motor in it, which (if I read the rules correctly) would put it somewhere around O or P Sport hydro.
I guess that's good, as the same hull would easily run either way.
I currently have a Robbe Infinity 2 charger for nicads and nimh, and have sent my Schulze isl6-330D off for a software update.
From some of the discussion I've seen, the "lipo or not" question seems to be quite a point of contention.
Budget is pretty loose right now, but I need to be convinced that whatever I get won't end up being just a "duck chaser" due to lack of activity in the area.
So, I'm hoping someone from the local area will respond to my queries.
I've used every link, and e-mail address I could find to try and raise someone from the apparently-extinct Florida High Voltage club.
Today, I tried contacting the Orlando Culvert Dodgers, but haven't heard back from them as yet.
Maybe if I came to the Netherlands I could find someone to run with, eh?
BTW, my direct E-mail is: rcowgill@cfl.rr.com
Bob

[Ub Hauled]

This is a start bmwbob....

http://www.finedesignrc.com/hullsclassichydros.asp

[bmwbob]

This is a start bmwbob....

http://www.finedesignrc.com/hullsclassichydros.asp

The Miss Budweiser I have a line on is built on that 24" glass hydro hull from PIP that Chris sells.
The boat looks good in pictures, and the owner seems quite cooperative in getting together for a test run.
The REAL issue is whether or not the boat would end up just hanging on my wall.
I'm just about equally inclined to get the Campbell shovel kit and build one myself. The main questions I would have would be on installing the hardware and trimming the boat.
I'm sure it's a hoot for a little while to run a boat around by yourself, sort of like an R/C car. But, solo operation would get old quick, IMO.
Though I have about as much natural ability for operating R/C objects as your average armadillo doesn't mean I can't have fun chasing the fast guys around! :-)
Bob

[Twinpowered]

Maybe if I came to the Netherlands I could find someone to run with, eh?

Not likely, it seems most efforts are towards big boats over here. But if you do find someone, it's always within a relatively short distance ;)

Most of choices are quite good, so your starting point doesn't sound bad at all. Of course having experience in R/C did help a lot. I would use Lipo as a power source if I were you:
1. it's going to be allowed anyway, that's pretty certain. Only questions remaining are when and how.
2. it's cheaper in the long end, and as you likely have some packs lying around it's likely cheaper to start with too. Do keep a GOOD eye on heat/your runtime, as that could be potential killers for your cells. Never forget density of water is around 300 times larger than the thing you're used to: resistance is quite high, so start really small with your props.

[Eric]

Sorry Bob but the florida club is defunct you may wanna send Don Wollard a line and see if he can help.Or e-mail or pm Chris Harris directly for some assistance. Also there is a club in port St Lucie "waveblasters".
Good Luck.

[bmwbob]

Sorry Bob but the florida club is defunct you may wanna send Don Wollard a line and see if he can help.Or e-mail or pm Chris Harris directly for some assistance. Also there is a club in port St Lucie "waveblasters".
Good Luck.

Eric,
Thanks for confirming what I was already discovering! :-(
I just got the right prop and flex shaft for the motor and 8 cell nimh setup in the Bandit shovel.
My plan is to run it on the pond in our RV park a bit and get the feel of it.
If it seems like fun, I'll probably buy a couple of 3s lipo packs and go run with the Orlando Culvert Dodgers. They said I could come and run with their gassers and nitro guys.
The Port St Lucie folks are a bit far distant for regular contact, but I'm sure I'll get down there with them at some point.
If I DO like the boats, I'll probably also get an SV27, as it seems like that will be a class nearly anywhere you go. The PSL club is racing them now.
Bob

[blowbuggy]

HI BOB, I just came across your thread on the forum. I'm in the Ocala area. I have a 1/8 scale FE hydro, 1 LSH hydro, and 1 LSH that I'm going to repower and probably run in P hydro. I have found 2 guys in Sarasota and 1 in Brooksville and we get together every once in a while and fun run. Other than the Waveblasters this is all I have found so far. I've been down and watched the Culvert Dogers run and they seem to be a pretty good bunch of guys, but I havent run with them yet. They run mostly on Sunday's. If you want to meet there sometime let me know and I'll bring some boats to play with. JOHN

[jdbugman]

there is a hobby shop in orange city that is closing there shop on sunday so that they can play with there boats. I was racing minizs at there track at the shop and they talked me into going out to see the boats run.

well I am trying to build my first rigger now and i got a bass boat so that i could take the outboard off it and make a tunnel hull.

they run a bunch of the SV27s and a bunch of gas and nitro boats. it keeps getting bigger and bigger.

they race at campbell park. every sunday.

I can only make it there every other sunday but it is always a blast

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