Hydro question

[NitroEd]

I have a Miss Llumar and I have seen that some people glue those runner strips on the bottom of the hull to get the boat out of the water. Has anyone tried this on a hydro hull? The boat is stock and it seems that it would run better if you could get the transom up out of the water more.

[Hydro Junkie]

The runner strips you are referring to are called shoes, and yes, they can help. What would help more is moving weight forward in the hull anywhere possible. The problem is that there is too much weight on the prop and, unless you've already changed it, not enough lift by the prop. If you haven't done so, replace the prop with an Octura Y535. If I have the number wrong, I'm sure someone will correct me. Next, move as much weight forward as you can. This may be just the battery pack, and if so, so be it. Next, using stick on weights on the deck, add weight to the LEFT SPONSON, starting about the canard and work your way forward. Keep the weight along the deck edge as much as possible. It is best to do this at the lake, so you can run after each weight change. You should be able to see the hull's ride changeby doing these mods. Let me know if I can help more.

[NitroEd]

OK, I'm going to show how new this is to me. What part of the sponson is the canard?
I've ordered a Y535 and a Y435. From what I've read, people have used both.

I've been told that on full sized boats that a three blade prop will lift the transom. Is this true? I haven't seen much of people using three blade props on this forum.

[Chris LaPanse]

Some people use 3 blade props, but that is not what affects lift. A lifting 2 blade will give much more lift than a non lifting 3 blade. IIRC, both the Y535 and the Y435 are non lifting props (they work fine, though). A lifting prop in a similar size would be the Octura 1435. This prop does use a 3/16" prop shaft though (the bud and llumar have a 1/8"). I wouldn't try it unless it is absolutely necessary (the Y535 and 435 are useless), and I highly doubt that. Actually, I believe that the stock prop is a plastic Y535.

Oh - and the canard is the forward wing.

[NitroEd]

Thanks, I've been told that the stock prop is a Y534.

I've noticed that the 1/8 scale hydros have the prop about 2-3 inches past the transom. I thought of extending mine to help lift the boat. Will this help? I figured that all of these real nice hydro's I see have the prop extended.

[Hydro Junkie]

That's news to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The scale clubs in Washington REQUIRE that the prop be AT LEAST partially under the transom. Extending the prop shaft further back will only screw up the handling of your boat. If you want your boat to perform, you need to get the weight off the prop. Balance your boat on the sponson transoms and put a scale under the prop. If it weighs in at over a pound, you're too heavy. That's where the sponson weight will help, by counter balancing all the weight at the rear