Hey HJ,
1) I'm using ply. It's only basswood, as birch is extremely expensive here. I think if I build a more serious one, and I've had more experience, it'll be birch.
2) I'm in Sydney, Australia. There is a club here at the Olympic village, I plan on getting out to meet with them and see what they're running. Plus I haven't raced before so it will be good to see what it's all about. A bit harder with covid, or I would have already done it.
3) I'm not 100% sold I'll race this one, it might just be something to gain experience with. However, it would be smart to try to build to a class incase I decide I do want to race it. The rules are under "The Australian Model Power Boat Association 2019 Official Rule Book". I'd link it but I can't yet
I think the FE class would look like this (again, excuse the info dump but I can't link it):
17.2 PROPULSION CELL AND BATTERY SPECIFICATIONS
2. PROPULSION BATTERY CLASSIFICATIONS
a.
EA: The battery shall have:
i. up to 4 LiPo cells (maximum battery weight of 650g)
ii. a maximum nominal voltage of 14.8V.
b.
EB: The battery shall have:
i. 5 - 6 LiPo cells (maximum battery weight of 975g)
ii. a maximum nominal voltage of 22.2V.
c. EC: The battery shall have:
i 7 - 12 LiPo cells (maximum battery weight of 1,950g)
ii a maximum nominal voltage of 44.0V.
17.3. MOTOR SPECIFICATIONS
a. Open Motors can be any permanent magnet motor.
b. A boat must have a means of starting and stopping the motor by radio control.
17.4 HULL CLASSIFICATIONS
1. Mono, Hydro and Tunnel hulls may be separated into classes according to the combination of hull type and class of battery used.
2. Sport Hydro
a. The intent of the Sport Hydro class is to provide a racing class that resembles full size hydroplanes, without requiring scale detail.
b. Hull specifications shall be as per Section 20.2 (Petrol Sports Hydro).
20.2 HULL SPECIFICATION
1. The hull must resemble a limited or unlimited hydroplane design of the past or present with the exception that
(outrigger, modified outrigger and/or tunnel hulls are not permitted in this class).
2. Sport hydroplanes may have more than two riding surfaces touching the water at planing speeds.
3. The hull can contain rear wings and/or front wings.
4. A Canard hull defined as having two rear sponsons and a single forward sponson, will be allowed to run in this class.
5. The sponsons may have pads or breaks that contact the water at planing speeds.
6. The boat must have a name and/or sponsor’s name, logo and AMPBA racing number affixed to hull (a local,
national, or fictitious sponsor name is acceptable).
7. If the bow is recessed behind the tips of the sponsons, the recess must be no larger than 25% of the overall length of
the boat.
8. The boat must have a driver and cockpit/or defined simulated enclosed cockpit.