Rich404

To all current builders:

A gentle reminder that the Dauntless's bow was covered. Its not yet installedon my boat.

I hope this photo is helpful. This pic was pulled from page 95.

-Rich.

kokaneezer

- I've made this bushing (locater) to position the motor in relation to prop shaft. It is 1.750" long, the same length as universal coupler from Harbor. It is drilled 3/16 on one end to match shaft and 5mm on other end to match motor. Locater was made on collet lathe so it is very true. It is not clear how to mount motor board to hull precisely. Should I dam up underneath and fill with epoxy in situ? Does it really have to be dead nuts on? How did you guys do this?
Steve

deep sky

hi look up harbor models find hardware then porpultion and coulpers you can order size ends you need i used 1/8 ply under my motorsangeled it to fit checkout page 151

kokaneezer

Got it. Thanks!
I have the couplers, was using locator bushing to position motor. When bushing slips freely I know motor is in best location. I was thinking maybe this is overkill and universal would compensate for any minor misalignment.
Steve

kokaneezer

[I must say that the arch was nicely done! Very streamlined, Good stuff man! -Rich.


Thanks Rich-
means a lot!

rblubaugh

My Feedback: (5)

Steve,

I think your alignment bushing is a great idea.  Anything that reduces misalignment between motor drive shaft and prop drive shaft is good.  While the universal might take care of some misalignment I personally believe it is false insurance to trust it completely by not doing your best to keep the drive system in alignment. 

I literally spent hours aligning mine using a low voltage battery to drive the system and adjusting the motor position (up, down, left or right)  by the sound of the motor.  I wish had something as nice as your alignment tool, it would have been much easier and faster.

Bob

kokaneezer

Hey Bob-
If you need one in the future let me know, I'll make you one. Just give me shaft sizes and an address.

How did you all fasten motor mount board to hull? It is just resting on the 1/8" bulkheads. Reinforce with blocks and screws? Epoxy? Both? If props jam, lotsa torque is going to be delivered to motor and mounting board. Could be catastrophic. Hot motor whipping around in there, tearing stuffing shaft loose, letting water in. Holy Mackeral, Andy! Best we head this one off before it happens. Suggestions?

Kingfish

deep sky

hi this is what i used on my last dauntless this is the blue i used the same brand for the red

rblubaugh

My Feedback: (5)

Steve,

Thanks you for the offer, hope I remember the next time I'm in that situation. To give you one alternative, my motor mounts are epoxyed to the hull using liberal amounts of epoxy. Pic may give you some idea.

I noticed in your picture that you are using nuts and bolts to hold the aluminum mount to the ply base. You'd have to turn them around if you ever hoped to get the motor mount off using my method. I've seen others who epoxyed the ply to the frames and then bolted the aluminum mount to the ply. Don't know what else they may have done though to secure the motors.

Bob

deep sky

hi caps found this on e bay

ASTRO FLIGHT CHALLENGER COBALT 40 MOTOR

item 200938640218 50.00 or offer

rblubaugh

My Feedback: (5)

DF,

I did as you suggested and separated the batteries putting one forward and one aft. Strangely, that is almost how I initially had them placed, should have stayed with my original layout. After I changed the batteries I refloated Big Red in the kids' pool and she looks pretty level to me, even if a little high. Setting/putting on the water line is something I'll get done sometime later, along with several othe improvements. Checking for list I did re-adjust the lead somewhat and she looks pretty good for now. I didn't have to add any, just redistribute. I didn't know whether the Port or Starboard waterline pic would show better so I've included both.

One other thing I've noticed is some 'wierd' motor control problems i.e. the throttle takes off when all I do is move the rudder. I think it has to do with the BEC (a warning about 'ghosts' in the mixer instructions) so I'm going to cut the other BEC wire and install a receiver battery letting it take the place of some of the lead I have sitting in the bow takeing care of the listing problem.

Bob

dauntlessfan

Lookin' good BOB!

rblubaugh

My Feedback: (5)

Thanks DF!  Now if it will quit raining around here.

Bob

Rich404

Greaaaaat!!!!! Just what you need....A haunted boat...

She is looking good Bob...I cannot wait for you to run trials!

-Rich.

Rich404

On this day (July 2) 1998 I laid the keel on my Dauntless. She is now 15 years old...

-Rich.

dauntlessfan

Rich how will you celebrate? You gotta get the props gold plated or something.

deep sky

hi caps july 2 is also a day for me i turned 59 today for my b day i orderd batterys so if all goes well when they get here ill be off to sea trials

Rich404

I have not been near the boat in days but I still think about it. Rich.

Rich404

happy birthday deep sky! Rich.

rblubaugh

My Feedback: (5)

Happy Birthday Deep!

Bob

dauntlessfan

Hope you had a great birthday Deep. The battery packs will provide a lightweight power source to make your boat really fly, as Bill's setup has shown us. Keep everyone posted and a camera handy during that maiden voyage!

All - I found a tiny, operational, liquid filled compass and was hoping to somehow add it to the helm. But, when I set it anywhere close to the ship's wheel, the little thing gets confused by the magnetic fields of the boat motors instead of finding north. Oh well nice try.

Sound Sailor

DF, what you are experiencing is known asvariation and is common on magnetic compasses in the real marine world when mounted on a vessel with any magnetic material aboard. They compensate for it by strategic placing of magnetic objects around or near the compass (sometimes you might see large steel balls mouned on a binnacle )
Since you are not going to navigate your Dauntless by compass but by dead reckoning go ahead and mount it. It will look good on her.
BTW another effect on the magnetic compass is deviation. A compass will will point to magneic north rather than true north (they are different) so when navigating by compass that must also be figured in . How much deviation in degrees and whether easterly or westerly depends where on this planet you are sailing. Dallas deviation is 4 degrees 11min E, New York is 14 degrees E.
Sure you always waned to know this bit of information. Today a gps solves all.
Another thing about modern navigation I became aware of on the bridge of my cruise shipis the ability of auto with gps to correct for set and drift. If you sail a straight course for an object you will never arrive at it without compensating for the effect of other forces such as tide and wind. The sailor always had to adjust for it and alter his course. Now the auto with gps figures all that and adjusts to make good the course

Bill

rthalls

My Feedback: (63)

QUESTION , if I use 700BB motors will the 2 inch props that come with the dauntless hardware kit be the right ones ? also what speed control and 1 or 2 needed on these motors .......... thanks

deep sky

hi i have 700s in my dauntless and 2 30 amp escs you can run 1 but i like to know if 1 fails i can still get her back to land .as far as the 2in props you will have to play with your boat and see witch works best i have 2 in allso but i havent run mine yet rich or one of the other captains can tell you more on that

Sound Sailor

2" props are to big for 700BB motors and will overheat the motors and or ESCs. DF and Rich are running 1 3/4 andI found mine runs best with 1 1/2 and am using Graupner 700BBs and Astroflight 208D ESCs . I started with 2" went to 1 3/4 and finally 1 1/2. I am not running water cooling.There are videos of all 3 of our boats running on this thread.
Bill