What boat would be right for me (I live in the city)

[irr1449]

I have been into RC cars for awhile and I've moved to a big city and really have no place I could run them. We have a park with a huge pond and I would really like to get a boat.

These are my criteria and maybe someone could suggest some boats for me to look at.

-Size: Should not be huge. We have a very small apartment and a very small car (Mini cooper). My wife probably wouldn't like something lying around that took up half our bedroom.
-I really like gas, half the fun for me is seeing that smoke, the sound and the powers.
- I have tons of radio's, servo's engines that I can use.
- I'd like to build something... the other half the fun for me is building it.
- Price... I'd rather not spend more then 200-300 dollars if thats even possible. I would like to get something good that I could place my radio/engine gear in...... Or atleast the radio gear I could get a new engine.

Please let me know if you have any suggestions.

[MattHiggins]

A gas-powered boat probably won't be a possibility, but nitro should be. For your needs, gas would be too big, too expensive and might stink up a small apartment. You said you wanted something to build, but keep in mind that if you go nitro, you might quickly eat up half your budget on the marine engine alone. What kind of RC car enigines do you already have? If they're nitro, you might be able to get a water cooled head and if they're electric motors, you could just use all of your old gear and buy a hull and hardware.

[piper_chuck]

Since you like to build, here's an idea. How about a slightly reduced size Wild Thing with a .12-.18 car engine? I haven't built one, but I'm thinking of one so I've done some research. I'm guessing on these prices, $20 for the plans, $30-50 for the wood, $50-100 for an engine (from your post, it sounds like you may have one already), $100-150 for the hardware. Here's a link to the plans: http://www.rcstore.com/rs/general/detail.asp?catnum=fspb1000&catego=PL

[piper_chuck]

A gas powered boat probably won't be a possibility, but nitro should be.
It's good that you mentioned it. I wonder if he really meant gas, or was actually talking about nitro? Isn't it unfortunate that 3 branches of the R/C hobby use different terms for the same thing? What fliers call glow, car people often call gas, and boaters call nitro. Amazing.

[irr1449]

I have several .15 and .21 engines for cars.

I am guessing electric would be ok... I would just prefer nitro powered. Thank you for the responses so far!

[69dart]

get yourself like a 32 inch fine desing deep vee with a 700 size motor on 14 cells
its really quick. and big so waves arent an issue
i love myne

[piper_chuck]

Here's a link to Ron Olson's .12 Wild Thing.

[piper_chuck]

And if you want an electric hydro, here are a couple choices:
http://www.rcstore.com/rs/general/detail.asp?catnum=fspb1193&catego=PL
http://www.rcstore.com/rs/general/detail.asp?catnum=fspb1201&catego=PL

There's an eBay seller who has laser cut versions of both of these boats. I'm toying with the idea of mounting a car engine in the 1/12 Oberto boat. Enough choices for now?

[irr1449]

Thanks guys.

One thing is that I don't have a lot of tools or a workshop for cutting wood (Does it need a power saw). It sounds fun but I would need to do it in a limited space (Linke a kitchen table). Can I build one of those plans with hand tools (I have powered drills and dremmel tools)

[piper_chuck]

The kits do not require power tools. You probably could build the Wild Thing without power tools, but it certainly would be easier to cut if you had a scroll or band saw. I definitely would not want to do all the cutting required for one of the hydros without a power saw.

[Sky_Dancer]

I'm fairly new to the boat part of things but I'm pretty sure I've seen at least one kit for a .12 to .15 car engine. I believe it was an outrunner though. It didn't need water cooling because the cylinder was sitting up in the open air.
piperchuck, I've been thinking about downsizing a wild thing myself. I plan on trying to use stuff out of my Miss Bud. At least the engine and pipe. I want a mono. I figured about 75% of the original size. That what you get?

[Ron Olson]

Mine is at 26" and runs very well for a .12 air-cooled O.S. motor. Mine was built by Mike Zaborowski and he only did very few that I know of. He is in the process of coming out with an epoxy-glas version but no release date or price on it.
Warehouse Hobbies has a great little boat that they just put out on the market, a Mini-Manta Ray that appears to have some good possibilities, www.whobbies.com . A decent motor in the boat would put you in the mid-30's with no sweat.

[scorpien boats]

irr, if you want fuel burning get a nitro boat, there is no reason to get an electric if you don't want one. You said you have rc car engines right? well there are many rc boat models that use rc car (air cooled) engines so there you go, you have servo/radiogear all you need is hardware and the hull.

[irr1449]

Can anyone suggest some models like the previous poster talked about? Something that I could bolt in my car engines and radio gear but that doesn't require building from scratch (like the wild thing)? Thanks.

[irr1449]

Actualy that Mini Manta-Ray looks like JUST what I was looking for.

So I would need to buy the shell, and then the rutter and a prop and I would be all set?

I have the radio, fuel tank, all the tubing, engine etc.

Do you think I would need to buy a water cooling head for my engine?