RCU Review: AquaCraft Super Vee 27


More On This Product

  • 4 Active For-Sale Ads!
  • Discussions on this Product
  • Show user ratings
  • Check for Retailers
  •  
     
    Contributed by: Erick Royer | Published: January 2007 | Views: 87859 | email icon Email this Article | PDFpdf icon

    Review by Erick Royer


    Distributed by Hobbico
    Website: www.Hobbico.com


    See the Super Vee 27
    in action!
    CLICK HERE

    Quality
    Performance
    Ease of Assembly
    Speed:
    Looks
    Price

    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

    None
    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.

    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!

    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


    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.


    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.


    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.


    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.


    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:

    1. Install fresh "AA" batteries in your AquaCraft transmitter.
    2. Turn the throttle trim knob - located on the far right top of the transmitter - fully counter-clockwise (see illustration).
    3. Make sure that the throttle servo reversing switch is in the down position (see illustration).
    4. Turn the transmitter "ON".
    5. Install two charged, 6-cell battery packs in your SV27 Brushless boat. Then, plug them into the ESC (electronic speed control) inside the boat.
    6. Listen for a single beep.
    7. Pull the throttle trigger all the way back (as if to apply full power). Listen for a single beep.
    8. 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!


    Waterproof Radio Box
    The servo and linkage are already installed, inside an injection-molded waterproof box with living hinges.

    Twin Battery Packs in Series
    The batteries are secured by light-ply holders with hook-and-loop fasteners for quick pack changes.

    Decal Sheet.

    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.

    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!

    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



    Comments on RCU Review: AquaCraft Super Vee 27

    Posted by: launchpad51 on 04/10/2008
    Hello; This a great boat,nice and quick and easy to operate.I have had a little mishap with mine.I hit a dock full out and I thought for sure the boat sunk,but when I turned to look it was still floating;"someone was thinking about me".When I pulled the boat out of the water I heard alot of strange sounds from inside the boat.In opened the canopy and "WOW" what a mess.The stringers and the rest of the wood mounts was totalled.Also there was a crack along the side where the water outlet is which is about 9 inches long.So back to the bench.I rebuilt all the wood frame and the stringers.patched up the crack with fiberglass and ready to go again.What I am looking for now is some touch up paint for it.This boat is blue.If anyone out there knows where I could get some I would really appreciate it. Take care and great boating Al
    Posted by: Stewie2008 on 04/22/2008
    My boat came with a faulty esc and engine. I did not get to run it but 50 ft. so far. I have been waiting for two months for aquacraft to send me a new boat! Save yoursel the trouble and by a blackjack.
    Posted by: RKS1949 on 06/26/2008

    Posted by: RKS1949 on 06/26/2008
    My boat runs great (after removing almost all the hardware,and resealing it with silcone,it leaked like a seve,from the factory(no sealer at all). The boat is extreemly fast and a blast to run. Do yourself a favor,and remove the hardware,and reseal it with silcone,then give it a float test (bathtub) and check it for leaks.Also add some foam (flotation) to the cowl,or it will sink like a rock,if blown off.
    Posted by: Jefferson1964 on 10/09/2008
    I purchased the yellow Supervee 27 Brushless and this boat is increadible. The only thing ive done to my boat is used the 7 cell battery packs and my boats is hitting 45MPH easy. It was fast out of the box now its wicked fast and planning on adding a new aluminum prop. There have been NO issues with my boat NONE! My boat blew away my friends boat that cost 2X as much...now hes wanting a Supervee Brushless...come to the darkside my friend....
    Posted by: exnordel on 10/28/2008
    This boat is a hoot, plenty fast for an electric. Very high quality components and well finished. There are only a few things I would add or correct, one is a metal prop. The supplied plastic prop is a bit fragil and will shatter if it hits anything. A metal prop will also give you a little speed advantage. Add some foam strips to the underside of the cowl to keep it afloat if it comes off while running, it will sink if it comes off. I also upgraded the steering linkage with a 4-40 rod and ball link clevises. The water proof box is not really water proof and will fill with water if the boat is dumped. Also, I agree, water test the boat in your bathtub first and seal all through hull fittings with RTV. The pond I am running it on is not huge and I cannot imagine running seven cell packs, that must be wild.
    Posted by: ThePunisher on 06/14/2009
    Fit and finish on this boat is disappointing at best. Too many runs in the paint and too many chips in the cowl and nose of the boat to be new.
    Page: 1
    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.

    EMAIL THIS ARTICLE OR CHECK OUT THESE OTHER GREAT REVIEWS!
     
    PhotoManufacturerProductSummaryReviewed
    Redcat RacingAftershock 3.5 RTRShort course truck racing seems to be the new big thing in radio controlled racing. I can understand why. The excitement of "...11/08/2009
    AeroWorks50cc Extra 300 ARF-QB Aeroworks continues to come out with new designs in their QB series. In case you haven't heard yet, the QB stands for Quick B...11/08/2009
    Redcat RacingBackdraft 8E RTRI really like the Redcat Racing Backdraft 8E RTR. I know I had some problems with breaking the wing mount and a couple other ...11/01/2009
    TraxxasSummit RTRTraxxas introduces the RC world to remotely controlled differential lockers with the Summit. Is it true? A cross between a ro...10/25/2009
    SeagullDecathlon ARF 120Since the maiden flight I have flown the Decathlon several times in a variety of weather and wind conditions (including once,...10/17/2009
    TikGames / Creat StudiosSmash Cars PlayStation 3 GameI asked my two boys to rate this game. On a scale of 1 through 10, one of them said 8 and the other said 10. Those are really...10/04/2009
    Hangar 9Saratoga ARF on Floats!The design team at Hangar 9 decided they wanted a different look, drawing back to an early years racer, so they created a mid...10/04/2009
    ROAR2009 Fuel Off Road Nationals The ROAR Nationals are comprised of 5 different races that are held at different locations around the US. The 2009 Fuel Off R...09/28/2009
    Exceed-RCMad Beast RTR I can remember as a boy loving to watch the monster trucks. I got so excited as they roared over the crushed cars, pulled whe...09/05/2009
    Top FliteP-47D Thunderbolt ARFThe maiden flight was taken at a Fun-Fly I was invited to at the TCRC field in Jordan, MN. Now, I have a rule when it comes t...09/05/2009
    NutechThunderbolt II 1/5th scale RTR 4WDSo, here we are again, another year, another large scale 4wd buggy to talk about. For those of you who missed my independent ...08/25/2009
    The Wings Maker1/4 Scale Super CubThe Wings Maker is a new version of a familiar company - The World Models. With a few revamped designs and a different brand ...08/23/2009
    AquaCraftMiss Vegas DeuceThe Miss Vegas has great handling characteristics and can hold it's own in moderate chop. I was impressed how it handles in s...07/28/2009
    Z-Car USAZMXT - 8 RTR TruggyThere is no fooling anyone when it comes to a very solid, fun to drive, race bred and fed Nitro Truggy. The RTR version of th...07/28/2009
    AssociatedRC8T RS RTRAfter completing a couple of laps, the adrenaline was pumping through my veins.......07/19/2009
     

      Return to Magazine Homepage






     
    RCUniverse is a service of Kaango, LLC dba RC Universe. Copyright © 2001-2009.  Privacy Policy
     
    GET FREE RC CONTENT FOR YOUR WEBSITE

    Search | Marketplace | Event Central | Local Clubs | Magazine | Product Ratings | New Products | Discussion Forums

    Photo Gallery | Instructor Search | Field|Track|Marina Search | RCU Videos | RCU Youtube Channel | | RCU Twitter!

    Member Locator | Advertisers | Hobby Vendor Resources | Rate Manufacturers | Sign In/Sign Up

    Products Videos WattFlyer.com RC Classifieds

    RCU3 | 38.107.191.83 | 0 | 1 | 01:13:43 AM EST | NC