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Harbor Freight Speedboat - 6/1/2008 7:47 AM   
vega2614


 

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From: Morton Grove, IL, USA
Status: offline 		I was at Harbor Freight Tools the other day and noticed they're selling a $50 speedboat. It has dual 380 motors, proportional control, and 20 mph top speed. Has anyone purchased this and given it a try? If it's good, I'll probably get it, but wanted to make sure first.

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RE: Harbor Freight Speedboat - 6/1/2008 5:54 PM   
alloutcustom


 

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Status: offline 		I have not however, i wouldnt stilll. It has dual 380 motors and is prolly good for 10mph if your lucky. I would recomend a mini rio or something that is actually a decent boat.

< Message edited by alloutcustom -- 6/1/2008 5:57 PM >

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RE: Harbor Freight Speedboat - 6/1/2008 8:02 PM   
StangLX302


 

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Status: offline 		You'll probably have a heck of a time trying to get parts for it.

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RE: Harbor Freight Speedboat - 6/1/2008 11:54 PM   
vega2614


 

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Status: offline 		Thanks for the replies. It looks like the mini Rio is smaller with only a single 380 motor and rudder-based steering. How fast does the Rio go? I'd expect that, if anything, the HF speedboat is faster owing to the dual motors. The more conventional pistol-grip and peak charger are attractive for the mini Rio, but it's nearly twice the cost. Of course, I don't really know what I'm talking about since I've never had an RC boat; I'm a plane guy.

Actual mechanical parts would probably be hard to come by, but the electronics seem pretty standard to RC. I actually have an extra 380 motor and ESC lying around, as well as an assortment of batteries.

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RE: Harbor Freight Speedboat - 6/2/2008 12:00 AM   
alloutcustom


 

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Status: offline 		Well it is up to you, all i can say is that the mini rio or a different hobby grade boat will be better, faster, and more parts/upgrades available. Its just like me saying should i get a Aero Ace or a Mini cessna(since your a Plane guy ). Completely different options, however if you want quality, go with the cessna. BTW, the boat you are looking at is sub surface, and the mini rio is surface drive. Therfore the mini rio will be faster even tho the HF has dual motors. Also, id guess that those 380 motors are only seeing 3.6 volts each also, but i am not certain.

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RE: Harbor Freight Speedboat - 6/2/2008 2:28 AM   
Stinger9d9



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quote:

ORIGINAL: vega2614

I'd expect that, if anything, the HF speedboat is faster owing to the dual motors.


The only reason it has dual motors, is because it's too much of a piece of junk to include a rudder! What a joke...

Instead, it has two chinzy little plastic props, and it shuts one motor off to turn (so the left side motor runs to make it turn to the right, etc.). So anytime you want it to turn, it's running on a single motor anyway...and it maneuvers like a bulldozer. Nice.

It looks like another NDQ style 5mph boat.

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RE: Harbor Freight Speedboat - 6/2/2008 3:54 AM   
vega2614


 

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Status: offline 		Good points by both posters. I liked the Aero Ace vs. Cessna analogy (my RC addiction started with an Aero Ace jet). It would seem like a rudder would be just as easy to incorporate as an extra motor.

I'll hold off on getting this one. $50 is cheap, but not cheap enough to be a whimsical purchase. I could get an ARF plane or something instead.

I definitely won't buy it unless I actually see it in operation first. I am still curious about anyone who has actually tried it though. I searched for some YouTube vids but didn't find any.

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RE: Harbor Freight Speedboat - 6/2/2008 11:43 PM   
DRAGONFIRE81M


 

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Status: offline 		i was looking around to and couldnt even find it on harbors web site

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RE: Harbor Freight Speedboat - 6/3/2008 2:56 AM   
vega2614


 

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Status: offline 		Here it is on HF's website:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=95641

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RE: Harbor Freight Speedboat - 6/4/2008 6:27 AM   
PondRunner


 

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Status: offline 		I bought two of the HF boats for my kids for Christmas and paid $35 per boat. Top speed is 11.5 and 11.3mph, I've GPSed both of them. The kids have a blast with them; they have crashed the boats into each other numerous times with no damage. I haven't checked whether the motors are wired in series or parallel. I also own a Supervee and the HF boats can out maneuver it. The HF boat is great for the kids, but I'd suggest the Supervee for the "big kids", it's a blast.

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RE: Harbor Freight Speedboat - 7/7/2009 2:41 AM   
CptCliffhanger



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Status: offline 		well to un-earth an old thread.. I bought one today, I'll test it after work, in the meantime I found this video


it'll just be for a non rc boat hobbyist who wants a toy for the river trips.. looks like it'll prove to be pretty fun..

< Message edited by CptCliffhanger -- 7/7/2009 2:42 AM >

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RE: Harbor Freight Speedboat - 7/7/2009 4:37 AM   
BACKEMF



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quote:

ORIGINAL: Stinger9d9


quote:

ORIGINAL: vega2614

I'd expect that, if anything, the HF speedboat is faster owing to the dual motors.


The only reason it has dual motors, is because it's too much of a piece of junk to include a rudder! What a joke...

Instead, it has two chinzy little plastic props, and it shuts one motor off to turn (so the left side motor runs to make it turn to the right, etc.). So anytime you want it to turn, it's running on a single motor anyway...and it maneuvers like a bulldozer. Nice.

It looks like another NDQ style 5mph boat.



LMAO!!!!!!!

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RE: Harbor Freight Speedboat - 7/7/2009 4:56 AM   
rebuilder



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Status: offline 		Damn, that thing is fast for 50 bucks, who cares if it doesnt have a rudder, once again................only 50 bucks, some kid or novice adult would love that for bashin on the lake over the weekend.

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RE: Harbor Freight Speedboat - 7/7/2009 12:14 PM   
SacMan31



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Status: offline 		Check out the Venom Killer Vee........ its the same set up as the HF boat, i have one of the HF boats and its slower then the killer vee...... Check out the post of my custom painted killer vee) ...... there for i gutted the hull and i now have twin 775 motors in it on a thunder power 2200mah battery and a 30amp ESC and it hauls some butt. Still turns like a dozer but its alot more fun then stock. Now its my retreival boat for my Mini Rio and Velocity Mono.....

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RE: Harbor Freight Speedboat - 7/7/2009 10:18 PM   
CptCliffhanger



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Status: offline 		well I ran it last night.. I gotta say it's pretty ok.. can't really complain.. after 10-15 minutes, the batt was dead, and the inside of the hull was bone dry.. i imagine it'll last a while if it stays dry.. top speed isn't super impressive, but the acceleration is. it doesn't slow down as much as you might think in the turns with one motor slowing down. pretty fun.

with the accelleration as impressive as it is, i'm pretty sure it has the power to go quite a bit faster with more pitch on the props.. it just runs out of pitch, so it stops going faster. Pretty sure it would be impossible to find higher pitch props for it. they are counter rotating so you would need right and left.

all in all not bad.. if they go on sale for $35 then it's a no brainer. I'll try it in my buddies pool tonight to see how it does in a small place.. it's prolly too fast for the pool. we'll see

Stephan

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RE: Harbor Freight Speedboat - 7/8/2009 5:16 AM   
rebuilder



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Status: offline 		Wow, a good review..............and only 50 bucks?!!, I think my son will be getting one.................. when he gets bored in a few months.........................then i'll rip out the guts and put in twin graupner 600's.......................then................etc...............im getting ahead of myself, but thats how it always ends up.

< Message edited by rebuilder -- 7/8/2009 5:17 AM >

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RE: Harbor Freight Speedboat - 7/18/2009 12:53 AM   
CptCliffhanger



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Status: offline 		well at ran it this weekend at the colorado river.. didn't take any pics, but for non rc boater, it was pretty fun. we got a kick out of it, and so did everyone at the sandbar..

If ur hard core into RC boats.. u'll prolly be disappointed. everyone else, you'll get a kick out of it. we were airing it out when ever a wakeboard oat went by.. pretty silly fun..

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RE: Harbor Freight Speedboat - 4/17/2012 9:48 AM   
meaux122


 

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Status: offline 		i bought the boat and after the first time i ran it i was satisfied with the speed it put out so upgraded it to 2 19,000 rpm speed gems crominum brushless motors and it got just a little faster i figured it wasnt getting the amount of power it need so i added another battery to the mix, it ran amazing for about 5 min and then one propeller spun and then did absolutely nothing and fried the chip. I guess what i am trying to get at is what kind of battery or chip should i get to with stand the power of the motors but also show there true potential


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RE: Harbor Freight Speedboat - 4/17/2012 12:46 PM   
woodw10


 

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Status: offline 		The Harbor Freight boat is the go to boat for a bunch of guys who decided to have a "racing series" in the neighborhood pond. 50 dollar limit on initial purchase. I got a Century and ran with the pack. (there were others with different makes.) Popping the battery up to 8.4 got me way up on the pack. Then decided to run "factory experimental" with it. (still satisfies the 50 original limit.)  Packed two 550 motors in it and it ran like gang busters for half the lenght of the course. Esc did not get burned up, it popped.  Now it has a new esc, retrofitted with a proboat 26 rudder with the original 7.2 battery. Okay why do I spend this money for (what my boat is called) a "Ten Cent Boat".  Its still legal in the group, it ticks everybody off, it gives me the opportunity to do some creative work,  and it has initiated the need for a different race class. Ah the joys of playing with toys in a grown man.

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RE: Harbor Freight Speedboat - 4/17/2012 2:53 PM   
Searey Troy


 

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Status: offline 		I have one and its alot of fun but, it does run out of pritch.
It pulls a nice hole shot and turns tightly at full throdle. and stays dry inside.
I charge it with my charging computer and its ready to go in an hour.
I would like to swap motors for brushless.


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RE: Harbor Freight Speedboat - 4/17/2012 3:31 PM   
asupervee72


 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: alloutcustom

Well it is up to you, all i can say is that the mini rio or a different hobby grade boat will be better, faster, and more parts/upgrades available. Its just like me saying should i get a Aero Ace or a Mini cessna(since your a Plane guy ). Completely different options, however if you want quality, go with the cessna. BTW, the boat you are looking at is sub surface, and the mini rio is surface drive. Therfore the mini rio will be faster even tho the HF has dual motors. Also, id guess that those 380 motors are only seeing 3.6 volts each also, but i am not certain.



HF boat is surface drive.

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