Contributed by: Erick Royer | Published: January 2007 | Views: 91667 | Email this Article
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Review by
Erick Royer |
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Distributed
by
Hobbico
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Strong
Fiberglass
Construction
Water
Cooled
ESC and
motor
Fast
Speed
Long Run
Times
Between
Charges
Ready to
Hit the
Water in
10
Minutes
Lots of
Metal
Anodized
Parts
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None
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There is
no doubt
that one
of the
hottest
new
things
to hit
the
radio
control
industry
are
brushless
motors.
Aquacraft
is
leading
the
boating
market
with
their
new
SuperVee
27
providing
extreme
power
and
speed
making
it a
worthy
competitor
in the
fast
electric
racing
classes
and
still
easy
enough
for
beginners
to
operate.

The
AquaCraft
SuperVee
27
is
constructed
of
durable,
hand-laid fiberglass
and is
available
in 6
different
colors.
Each
color
represents
a
different
frequency
allowing
you to race
with 5
of your
buddies!
An AquaCraft
B36-56
Brushless
Marine
Motor
comes
preinstalled
complete
with a
water
cooling
jacket.
The
motor is
driven
by an
AquaCraft
Water-cooled
45 amp
brushless
ESC.
A two
channel
pistol
grip
transmitter
(made by
Futaba)
puts you
at the
helm of
this bad
boy and
an AquaCraft
servo,
(also
made by
Futaba)
sends
your
inputs
to the rudder.

A nice
wooden
stand is
included
making
it easy
to
display
your
boat
when
your
back at
shore.
The
stand is
also
very
helpful
at the
water
for
starting
the
boat.
A full
sheet of
decals
and a 12
page
instruction
manual
are also
included.

Over the
years I
have
tested
many
boats
from Gas
to
electric.
While
large
gas
boats
will
always
be my
passion,
they are
big,
noisy
and can
be messy
dealing
with the
fuel.
The
electrics
that I
have
piloted
in the
past
have
used
conventional
brushed
motors
and have
always
left me
disappointed
with the
performance.
The
SuperVee
27 with
its
brushless
motor
bring a
whole
new
element
to the
water.
Lets get
this
thing in
the
water
and see
how it
performs.
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Model name:
Super Vee 27
Brushless
Type:
Brushless
Electric Powered
Deep Vee
Manufacturer:
AquaCraft by Hobbico
Distributor:
Great Planes
Model
Distributors
Total Length:
27 in (686
mm)
Beam: 8.13 in. (205 mm)
Height:
5.5 in. (140 mm)
Hull
material:
Fiberglass
Weight (w/o
batteries):
4.5 lb. (2.04
kg)
Includes:
AquaCraft B36-56
water-cooled
brushless motor,
brushless 45A
ESC, AquaCraft
2-channel radio
Batteries Used:
Two Duratrax
Shark 1500 Mah
Nicd Packs
Requires:
(8) AA
batteries for
the transmitter;
(2) 6-celll
battery packs
with Deans Ultra
connectors
Street price:
$279.99
The
included
AquaCraft
2-channel
pistol
radio is
made by
Futaba
and the
receiver
and
servo
are
already
installed.
The
transmitter
includes
a
battery
status
monitor,
as well
as trims
for
fine-tuning
steering
and
throttle
action.
Lightweight
transmitter
includes:
-
Battery
status
indicator
-
Fine
trims
for
steering
and
throttle
-
Servo
reversing
on
both
channels
-
Adjustable
steering
rate
-
Charge
jack
for
(optional)
NiCd
batteries
-
Both
a SX-100
standard
servo
and an
RX-100
receiver
are
already
installed!
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The
AquaCraft
B36-56
water-cooled
brushless
motor
features:
-
High
Efficiency
-
Tons of
Power
-
Water
Cooling
Jacket to
keep the
motor cool
-
45 Amp
Water
Cooled
Brushless
ESC
-
I Powered
the boat
with 2
Shark 1500
Mah NiCD
Batteries
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Upon taking
the boat out
of the box,
I carefully
removed the
hull and
other
components.
The quality
of the
fiberglass
and paint
job are
second to
none.
The boat
comes with a
nice wooden
stand which
makes it
easy to work
on and
display the
boat.
The first
step in
getting the
boat ready
for the
water was to
adhere the
stickers
from the
sheet to the
hull.
They go on
very easily.
You can used
some water
with a drop
of dish soap
to allow you
some
flexibility
in
positioning
the stickers
in the
correct
spot.
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Surface
Drive Adjustable
Strut Assembly
Made of machined
aluminum, with a
.150" flex drive
cable and a
3/16" prop shaft
that allows for
unlimited prop
selection. |

Anodized FE
Rudder
Blue anodized
and adjustable,
with a built-in
water pick-up.
The bushed pivot
shaft is a
performance
feature not
found on many
racing boats. |

FE Turn Fin &
Trim Plates
The mirror
finish on the
trim plates not
only looks
sharp, it will not rust ' and
because they're
stainless steel,
they won't flex
upon contact
with the water.
The FE turn fin
assembly is made
of aluminum and
blue anodized. |
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The SuperVee 27
comes as a
Ready to Run
(RTR) boat, and
it is just that.
The boat
requires
absolutely no
assembly other
than the
stickers and
install 8 AA
batteries in the
transmitter.
You have a wide
range of battery
options
available.
I chose to used
a pair of
Duratrax Shark
1500 mAh Nicd
packs to power
the boat.
I would have
went with 3300
Nimh Packs but I
did not have two
in my possession
that were the
same. It
is necessary to
make sure the
batteries have
Deans connectors
on them.
Most 6-7 cell
battery packs
are design for
Car use and come
with a standard
Tamiya-style
connector.
These packs were
no different so
I cut them off
and installed
the Deans.
The included
Velcro strips
aid in making
sure the
batteries remain
put while under
way.
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AquaCraft
Water-Cooled 45
amp Brushless
18V ESC
It's rare to
find an ESC
that's
water-cooled,
but this one is!
A blue anodized
aluminum jacket
cycles water
around the ESC
very efficiently
and the
pre-wired plugs
are Dean's Ultra
plugs, a
favorite with
racers! |

Grimracer
Silicon Water
Jacket
Another SuperVee
27 advantage is
the durable,
lightweight
cooling system
that actually
directs water
onto the can to
effectively
remove heat from
the motor.
The
blue-anodized
motor mount is
also designed to
make motor
removal easy. |

Cowl Lock System
Boasting the
durability of
stainless and
spring steel,
it's a quick,
easy and
convenient way
to attach and
remove the hatch
with no loose
parts to
misplace.
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Now that my
battery packs
are installed
and fully
charged, I
powered on the
boat and radio
and performed a
range check and
checked the
controls to make
sure they
operated
correctly.
I looked at the
AquaCraft
website and
noticed that
they put a Tech
Bulletin up with
some comments on
Arming the ESC
correctly.
You can view the
full page
here.
To arm the
AquaCraft
SuperVee 27
Brushless power
system, follow
the steps below:
-
Install fresh
"AA" batteries
in your
AquaCraft
transmitter.
-
Turn the
throttle trim
knob - located
on the far
right top of
the
transmitter -
fully
counter-clockwise
(see
illustration).
-
Make sure that
the throttle
servo
reversing
switch is in
the down
position (see
illustration).
-
Turn the
transmitter
"ON".
-
Install two
charged,
6-cell battery
packs in your
SV27 Brushless
boat. Then,
plug them into
the ESC
(electronic
speed control)
inside the
boat.
-
Listen for a
single beep.
-
Pull the
throttle
trigger all
the way back
(as if to
apply full
power). Listen
for a single
beep.
-
Release the
throttle
trigger to
neutral and
listen for the
five remaining
beeps. Your
boat is now
ready to
operate.
Basically that
is it!
Off to the lake!
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Waterproof Radio
Box
The servo and
linkage are
already
installed,
inside an
injection-molded
waterproof box
with living
hinges.
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Twin Battery
Packs in Series
The batteries
are secured by
light-ply
holders with
hook-and-loop
fasteners for
quick pack
changes. |

Decal Sheet. |
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We were at
the lake on a
nice fall Sunday
morning and
there was
very little chop
on the water as
it was still
early for the
boaters and
there was
practically no
wind to speak
of.
I plugged in two
freshly charged
battery packs
and armed the
ESC. A
quick pull of
the trigger and
the motor jumped
to life.
I double checked
the rudder
direction and
all was a go.
The SuperVee 27
has a surface
drive power
system which
means that you
need to launch
it to get the
prop to bite in.
If you place the
boat in the
water and try to
gun the
throttle, the
prop will
cavatate and
suck air with
very little
forward motion.
So
I gave it it a
gentle, level
toss with my
finger on the
throttle and as soon
as the rear of
the hull hit the
water, the prop
grabbed and she
bolted out
across the
water.
I took it easy
on the motor for the first
couple runs to
allow the motor
to break in.
I had no idea
what kind of
battery life I
would get on
these 1500
packs, but I was
happy to see
about 5
minutes.
Again my first
choice would
have been some
3300 packs which
should yield
between 7-9
minutes on a
charge.
On the third
run, as soon as
it hit the
water, I punched
the throttle and
the boat seemed
to leap out of
the water. The
bow was running
a bit low, so I
brought it back
to shore and
made a minor
adjustment to
the trim tabs by
simply bending
them up a
little. The next
run the boat was
up on plane very
fast as it
screamed across
the glassy water
kicking up a
really cool
rooster-tail.
With the trim
tabs properly
adjusted the
boat responded
much better in
the turns as
well as gaining
a few MPH in the
top end speed.
Right hand turns
were much
sharper than
left ones, most
likely due to
the FE turn fin
on the right
side of the
transom.
When doing a
high speed left
turn the boat
would tend to
skid into the
turn more and
you needed to be
more careful of
capsizing.
It screamed
across the water
as if it were on
rails. I felt
the rudder was
very effective
reacting
instantly to my
every input.
The next few
runs were
uneventful -
Just a whole lot
of fun!
I was really
surprised at the
speed of this
boat. For
a RTR package,
it really
compared to many
of the smaller
nitro powered
boats on the
market.
There is just
something so
nice about
electric, just
charge and go.
All in all I was
very impressed
with the overall
performance of
the SuperVee 27.
This is a boat
that will please
both the novice
and racers
alike.
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The AquaCraft
SuperVee 27 is
the perfect
solution for
someone who
wants an entry
level boat with
better than
entry level
performance.
Other than the
decals and
installing some
batteries, it is
a true
ready-to-run
boat.
Once you are at
the water, you
will be pleased
with how much
performance this
little boat
packs and you
will have the
piece of mind knowing
that you will be
spending all of
your time having
fun on the water
instead of being
stuck on shore
with engine
troubles and
adjustments like
the glow-powered
counterparts. !
For $279.00
Ready to Run it
is a great deal
for anyone at
any skill level!
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AquaCraft
Models
Distributed Exclusively in the U.S.A., Canada and Mexico by:
Great Planes Model Distributors
P.O. Box 9021; Champaign, IL 61826-9021
Website:
www.AquaCraftmodels.com
Futaba Corporation of America
Distributed Exclusively in the U.S.A., Canada and Mexico by:
Great Planes Model Distributors
P.O. Box 9021; Champaign, IL 61826-9021
Website: www.futaba-rc.com
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The comments, observations and conclusions made in this review are solely with respect to the particular item the editor reviewed and may not apply generally to similar products by the manufacturer. We cannot be responsible for any manufacturer defects in workmanship or other deficiencies in products like the one featured in the review. |
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