adrianojp

Thank you, it does look and sound great!

I sent an email to my contact at MHZ germany, asking if the drive is available with trim option as of now.

Cheers,
AJ

cheesewizz69

No problem.

I never asked if this was your first boat or what experience you have with RC’s. It looks like you want to add a lot of bells and whistles to great boat hull. Mart builds nice, great performing boats and I am not sure of what you are expecting as an end result.

Work closely with Mart as some of this stuff you asking for may need some fine tuning. I know some folks tend to blame the builder if things don't work, but sometimes its the customer that insists on things that just don't fit.

I have learned the hard way try to keep it simple and you will enjoy more time out on the water. Follow the KISS rule....

Cheers,
Leo

adrianojp

Sorry for the late answer Leo, been busy here!

I have about 20 years experience in RC car building, have been an owner of a real Formula 29 boat, and this is my third RC boat.
Also have much experience in mechanics, as I have driven (and won) in the Italian Rally Championship, and now I plan and have built parts for performance cars.

My humble approach is normal to me, as I think that the more information, the better the choices!

By the way, after a long think, I have decided to go with the new RCMK engine, with the new twin MHZ Z-drives.

Cheerios,
AJ

wannagofast115

Apache1 heres a short video of the boat running in the video I was running a 75mm 2 blade prop and the boat is doing about 37mph later on in the day I put a 3 blade on and the boat did 43mph but never did film. With a little more tuning and maybe a different prop i think i could get a little more out of it??
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPALFEjjhzQ

martno1fan

Im sure theres plenty left in that yet,doesnt sound as if its hitting the high notes yet bit more tweaking and you should be up in the low 40s asuming its a stock engine? if modded id be looking at high 40s to low 50s maybe a tad more .
Mart

wannagofast115

Ya its a stock 26cc sikk I was able to get it up to 43mph with a unknown 3 blade aluminum prop I hope to run maybe a better prop and see what it can do. But Im happy with it so far not the fatest but really fun to run.

martno1fan

Try a 6717/3 ,7015/3 those two are good props for these hulls even with stock engines and the sikk has a bit more hp than a stock zen anyway.I run the 6717/3 as does a customer,hes running mid 50s im arround 48 but still have some tweaking to do yet both with modded zens.
Mart

martno1fan

I plan on trying the new rcmk inline in a cut down apache hull with this new top,she will be called the Arrow.Heres a pic of the plug,i hope to have it ready to mould off next week and start producing them shortly after.
Mart

JaredW

My Feedback: (1)

Oh Man!! I have always wondered if mine got a way and went into the side of a fiberglass hull, that would cause some damage. I bet it left a mark on that pontoon also. I will sure add this to my parts list.

JaredW

My Feedback: (1)

Is the best way to get in touch with the Germany MHZthrough email? Sorry have not looked at the site yet just following along with your post, not really ready to order either.

cheesewizz69

I was out of town the past two days. Yes email is the best way but I understand that they have a young lady that speaks english and is very helpful over the phone. This the link to the German site. http://www.mhz-powerboats.com/

adrianojp

So, hello again to all!

Have been doing some very serious thinking in regards to the engine/drive setup for the Cigarette AMG apache discussed.

I narrowed it down to two possible solutions:
1)RCMK S520 twin engine, WD200 gearbox 1 (1:1 ratio), twin MHZ Z-drives, front mounted pipes
2) RCMK S254evo + S254evoR engines, twin MHZ Z-drives, front mounted pipes

Issues with option 1)
- if the carb tuning or anything else goes wrong with one cylinder, you risk blowing the crankcase and the other.
- when one propeller cavitates, the power will go to the other, thus impairing handling. (this boat will run in open sea)
- weight distribution is not optimal, as both pipes stick out one side.

Issues with option 2)
- I will have to design and build a bespoke engine mount.
- there could be power output differences between the two engines, but it should remain within 5%

What do you think?<o></o>

Speedyswede

Perhaps a Quickdraw 35cc with gearbox and drives. Combines high power output with the simplicity of a single cylinderengine. None of your choises, but anyway...

adrianojp

Yes, actually it was an option I considered, but I wish to keep the COG and weight low...

JaredW

My Feedback: (1)

Ok, I know you guys have seen this model before but I know you guys like pictures. Don't rush me please, I am trying to finish my house and get moved, I like a month but it may be the end of the year before I get my garage set back up and ready to complete my Apache. I hope to score some drivers, equipment for Christmas. This is a 57"Aeromarine Apache. Found on ebay for $200.00 total.

martno1fan

Single modded zen will have her over high 40s easy,almost all my customers run these engines and almost all are arround 48 and over,im sure 60 is possible as the one that did 56.3 mph was its first time in the water.Best motor so far has been the zen 7 from prestwich ,bags of power and reliable.
Mart

apache 1

Adriano, why did the Blata idea get canned? I thought that in concert with a nice trimax set up would have been great. Maybe the steerable one that RCMK is comming out with.

Wannagofast, thanks for the video of yours running. Got me excited to get mine done. Home bound right now anyway, thats how I found the time to be on here anyway. Truck is in the shop costing me thousands. Kind of ironic how I just bragged about what a great truck it is on another thread.

adrianojp

hi Mate,

Sorry to hear about your truck, I hope it will fix soon, and won't be too expensive!

I dumped the Blata solution when I learnt about the new RMCK S520 was coming out, with Evo cylinders. This is more power at less weight, that's all!

I didn't know RMCK was coming out with a new steerable drive! This is very interesting. I have placed the order, but am still in time to add!
First thing in the morning I will ask them about it.

MHZ has put the Z-drive out of production, and will not guarantee service parts for the only 4 items left in stock.
Till this moment I was thinking of using the WD200 steerable drives.
I will use a WD200 gearbox, with +16% ratio.

The reasons for using doubledrives are two:
- I am using the boat in open sea, and need stability.
- scale.

Do you have any further info/pictures of the RCMK steerable drives?

apache 1

Hi Adriano
That steerable trimax style drive from RCMK is still in the development stage I believe. Mr Parks keeps everyone updated on his products on the Boatdock.
I just like the idea of the Blata for its simplicity and proven track record. But it is a little big isn't it? This RCMK twin is the nicest one I've seen so far, and I hope they got all the bugs worked out of it. Multiple pipes,carb and carbs and linkages put me off a little still. Then again I'm not as mechanically inclined as you.
Mech. just called, truck is ready with a $2300.oo bill. There goes my boat money again. Damn!!!!!!

adrianojp

2300 is Steep!!
What was wrong with the beast?

I will drop an email to Mr. Park tomorrow and see.
Yes, I am inclined to mechanics... Will try to make a great job out of this one, as I want to present it to the owner of Cigarette racing. Family friends over here have had the licence to build Cigarette boats for Europe for the last 20yrs...
Cooling pipes in copper and all the rest, I will try to make a beauty replica of the new Cigarette AMG boat featured at the Miami Boat Show, the one in my avatar.
It won't be 100% scale, because I cannot find Z drives that are backed up by guarantee!<o></o>

JaredW

My Feedback: (1)

Why are they stopping production on the drive?? Price = no sales? I really wanted those. I don't really want to buy them if they are not going to guarantee parts or servive. Looks like Imay have to stick with the basic plan. Strut rudder combo. Or maybe this new RCMK drive you are talking about. Is there a link to this RCMK drive?

02f350psd

My Feedback: (3)

I am also looking at the WD-200 steerable drives as they seem to be the only option for steerable drives. RCMK has not set a date for release or a price of their unit but it does look nice!!

wannagofast115

Those wd200 sterable drives are nice seen them in person but was told that you need a big boat to run them as the really through the little boat all over the place. Boat probably bigger than 65" I was told to run a two of them though a single one maybe be different?

Apache1 thanks ya the boat is running pretty well my brother had it up to 46mph the other day. Love it so far.

adrianojp

I think this is a very good observation, was thinking the same! Infact, the lengh of the drive is of 233mm (180mm to the beginning of the propzone). That is more that 10% lengh of any hull under 180cm (70 inch).

There are some technical rules (can't find them now) that give you the basics of how far away from transom the propellers have to lay in the water (for a given type of hull). Then again, this is a test and trial process that even real boat builders go thru at every new hull.

In my experience, Apache and other Deep V hulls have always had propellers quite colse to the transom, in order to maintain a constant lift of the boat's bow, even at high speeds.

There is another Steerable Strut from WD200, that technically complies better (overall lengh 130mm, about90-100 to the propzone).
The fact is that with this strut, you do not have trim. This is a negligible problem, as with surface piercing drives the propeller trim attitude has very little influence on the hull's attitude. Thetrim tabsdo that job.

Here it is, and it's even cheaper!http://www.wd200-modellbau.de/?Antri...ives:Lenkstrut

Cheers,
AJ

martno1fan

Beg to differ,prop angle makes a huge difference to how these hulls run,even 1 degree up or down will make all the difference between running wet and running on the edge.As ive said many times i dont use trim tabs on any of my hulls and several of my customers have realised these hulls just dont need them.Of course if you want a scale look then tabs wont hurt and on the sea they may help more but when im fine tuning my hull all i use is prop angle and rudder angle,you would be surprised what just moving the rudder in or out will do to the boats ride attitude also.Also Apaches have no problems with lift if they are balanced correctly the strakes on the bottom create more than enough.
Mart