Yowza

MOOK -

I'm using the Venom Pro Charger. It cost me $150 (Australian dollars) after some hunting around to find the best price.

I can't say enough good things about this charger. I comes with an AC adapter plus pretty much every plug connector for all types of batteries and you can also hook it up to a 12v car battery to charge. It has loads of settings that can be changed and charges all types of RC batteries out there (Lipo, Nimh, Nicd etc). Worth every cent.

TechyJoe -

What type of prop are you using with your brushless? Plastic or brass?

The reason I ask is that my 11.1v LiPo finally turned up at the end of last week, I soldered some Dean's plugs onto it and charged it up. This thing absolutely flies!!!!!

Giving it full throttle on flat water was flipping it. I couldn't believe how quick it was. It sounded like a nitro boat flying through the water.

Now the problems started after it was launching 20ft into the air off waves! It has started to crush the little dudes toes and heels from crashing into the water from those heights. Just wondering if anyone else is having or had a similar problem and if so how did you go about fixing it?

It also snapped one of the plastic blades off the prop at the end of the 2nd run using the new Lipo! Guess it couldn't handle it. So i've ordered an Octura X430 brass prop for it.

Did I say this thing was quick?!?!? WOW!

TechyJoe

Yowza

I am still using the plastic stock prop. Your prop probably hit the bottom of your board (bottoming out) as it re-entered the water and the force pushed it up into the hull and snapped it. That is why I re-enforced my prop shaft with plumbers epoxy because it was cutting into my hull (see my picture on page 14 of the epoxy fix - you could paint this to make it look better as well).

Also, lay off the throttle after you jump because your motor will spin like crazy if you don't and make sure your motor mount can handle the weight of the motor as it will also be exposed to plenty of force as the surfer hits the water. This is the issue I just experienced.

TechyJoe

Yowza

Did you ever add that weight to your board (as Jocktime suggests on page 10)? It will really help you get through the big waves and rough break water and will stop the front end from skipping.

Yowza

TechyJoe -

I think the prop blade snapping is likely due to hitting something in the water like seaweed or possibly the sand when i've brought it into shore and it's still been spinning. There's no scratches on the rudder and it's not possible for it to have hit the bottom of the board as the shaft is epoxied in rock solid.

It was a good excuse to upgrade to a balanced brass prop anyhow. I went for the Octura X430 brass prop.

I haven't added any extra weight, if anything i've lost some weight by using the smaller & lighter 3S 11.1v Lipo. I've been meaning to stop by a tyre factory and get a strip of lead weights that they use to balance wheels and put that right up the front inside the hull where the receiver batteries were originally located.

I'll hopefully get it back in the water shortly when the new prop arrives and i'll get some video as well. Be good to see some other people surfers in action if you can be bothered posting some video on here

M°°K

As soon as my dudette is up and running I'll shoot some vid.

fastkev61

I have a board shark surfer dude....and the rudder motor stopped....what do Ido

surfcurls

Welcome aboard ! This is a site of expertise for rc surfer's, all types, all levels. Glad to sea you made it to the site,
Sorry I couldnt help more with the shark, but answers will be coming your way for sure.

John @ surfcurls

fastkev61

Hey John,,,,

its fastkec...

thanks

fastkev61

fastkev...lol

surfcurls

look at this thread from the beginning, to sea how it got here today ...

Yowza

Fastkev -

There is a connection that goes from the Servo (Mechanism that moves the wire connected to your rudder) that connects to the receiver. Make sure this is in securely and is around the right way. Also check that no water has got into either the servo or the receiver as salt water is your enemy in these things.

Also are you sure the servo is not moving, if it is turning when you move the controls but the rudder is not moving it may be that the little grub screw the holds the wire in place (inside the small round hatch at the rear of the surfer) may have come loose and the wire may be moving freely. I've had this happen before.

I would suggest water proofing your receiver if it's not already ruined by placing it in a baloon etc. This will stop any water getting into it in the future. If the servo turns out to be dead, then you can purchase these from various places like ebay or possibly even Surfcurls on this forum might be able to help you out? A new standard servo isn't going to break the bank.

Hope it's an easy fix anyhow.

Yowza

AAARRRGGGHHHH.....Finally get this thing running how I want, then today it snapped another prop blade, snapped the rudder completely off and due to the shudder from the missing prop blade the epoxy holding the drive shaft in was ripped off!!!!

surfcurls

We have replacement rudders (kyosho Originals) if needed at surfcurls.com

Yowza

Thanks John. It's just I think the same thing might happen again and it's not cheap for me to get one over here to Australia.

RC Surfer

Yow Dude,
I understand your bummed right now, but there's HOPE for you yet. I think you need to decide to do a make over and spend the money it will take to get you to the point of running battery after battery without breaking or replacing little stuff like seals and O-rings every 40 to 50 runs +. So hag in there, at least you have an oridginal Dude that can take it! So read all you can there's no secrete and save you're money You'll need both.

Later Dude BB

Yowza

Haha...Yep, i'm pretty bummed because it was going so well. I've definately poured enough money into it and Brendon has made him rock solid (i've epoxied his toes and heel to reinforce them). I'll have the new brass prop and brass bullet nut this week sometime. It's just the rudder that's left.

I really don't want to just spend $30 or $40 on another original Kyosho one as the same thing will probably happen. It snapped off at the stem that goes through into the board because it's plastic.

What rudder are you using RC Surfer. I know you've put the hours of research in so you'd have likely had similar issues with your brushless setups.

Any help would be great on this one.

Thanks

surfcurls

It would be about $32 To OZ, But Normally they last, as long as you dont hit reef or something, and dont let the surfer wash up in the shore break, we try to grab it at the nose before it gets in too shallow water, to protect the rudder & prop...

Upkeep costs some money, but this is by far the most fun Radio Control product ever made, and still cheaper than Jets and Nitro cars & boats.

Iv'e seen guys crash their jet planes, and Boom $3000 Gone in sixty seconds ...

This Hobby We all love here is still cheap in comparison.

Yowza

Thanks Surfcurls - I definitely never run it into the sand or up the beach. I usually walk out up to my knees in the water and ride the surfer in behind a wave where it's the fullest. It think the plastic rudder & prop weren't up to the task, The pressure of the surfer going so fast then quickly turning would put a lot of pressure on the the plastic rudder.

Do you guys us the stock Kyosho rudder in your brushless boards or have you made some custom ones up?

$30 odd dollars isn't much, but it's kinda pointless buying these if the same thing is going to happen. I think a single rudder made out of metal would hold up better. I just wouldn't know where to begin with making one. I remember seeing on some websites that guys had made their own and even the guy in that Radio Waves movie I saw the shorts of.

Thanks again...

surfcurls

I just printed your shipment mail, will go out Monday, We also have some rudders made in brass, as experimental units, They are Heavy, well made and will be costly to sell
I would guess about $49 Plus Ship, We haven't tested them yet, but my shop has made some solid brass rudders to test, as we have lots of test items on the table, to keep rc surfing moving forward.

I also Sent you a (Free) Black Nose Guard For Your Board, Because these are cool and are actual board noses for real surf boards, and they work great on an rc surfer.

John
Surfcurls

Yowza

Great John, thanks for organising it so quick!

surfcurls

I can respond faster to your email. I have [email protected] / we are [email protected]

We are here to keep you rc surfing, that was the goal to start, that is the goal we will finish, Plus Brendon Knows me well
and we are trying to be part of Jasons next project Rc surfer as the United States Team .

Once we have tested Some models, I'll send you one out to test in Some Beautiful OZ Salt Water.

I Didnt get your PM in Time, Best to email me, as we are always on line to catch the next situation / peak / swell / problem / smile ...

It's all Good, as in this room, we are surfer's for surfer's... We are a Tribe In itself, And As RC Surfer's We are The New Tribe Of A Tribe
So The Vibe Becomes ELECTRIC, Lipo Or Not ...

Thanks To All That Started This Site, Contributed, Believed, Dreamed, Questioned, Explored, Failed, Succeded & Now Continued ...
WE ALL HAVE MORE TO GAIN FROM IT, AND MORE TO COME. AND ALWAYS SUPPORT JASON HALL (RC SURFER) FUTURE PROJECTS BECAUSE WITHOUT HIS FIRST CONCEPT, WE WOULD NOT BE HERE
DISCUSSING ANYTHING! HE INVENTED IT, MADE IT WORK, AND HE NEEDS TO BE PART OF THIS FOREVER ... NUFF SAID. OK I'M DONE PREACHING. BUT AS SURFER'S WE ALL RESPECT THE WATER, THE PEAK'S, THE TAKE OFF'S, THE WATER, THE LAND.

John
CEO / Surfcurls.com

TechyJoe

Yowza

I guess I've just been lucky so far as to not have broken anything. The one thing I have mentioned before is that when I added the weight to the bottom of my board, I tried to balance it so that it is slight bow/nose heavy so the bow starts to point downwards as it hits the water. You should try to balance the board both from the middle of the hull and from the center line of the hull. I picked this trick up from flying planes. Balance is extremely important in air planes. Now I'm not saying my board hits nose first everytime but it does maybe 60% of the time. I glued in two strips of hobby weight to the bottom using Epoxy glue and then I added a sheet of fiberglass and resin over it, sanded it fairly smoth and then painted it. Also, your board may also be much faster then mine adding more stress. I am only using a 3300Kvm motor. Not sure what you are using but it looked real fast in your video.

TechyJoe

All

One problem I am having is that the rubber band type straps which hold the NQD Lisa surfer in place dried out and broke a long time ago. Since then I have been using some small thick rubber bands to hold her in place. However, these only last about 3-4 rides before breaking and are a real bear to put in place.

Yesterday, I had one band snap after she got a little toppled by a wave. She turned upside down and never righted - hence TJ goes swimming. Luckily it is summer and the water is over 70 degrees and nice.

What are you guys doing to strap in your riders? I like the fact the bands give the surfer some flexibility to move some if hit hard by a breaking wave so I am reluctant to just epoxy the figure in place.

Suggestions welcome........................

RC Surfer

One more time! Here are some unbreakable rudders. and kits motor mount for the fex drive and a Dude surfer are only a few custom parts I make. Thanks BB [sm=biggrin.gif]

surfcurls

How Do We Buy Some ?