Hi Bikerbob,

I agree, it is good to have options & decide from there, knowledge is key!

RCShipyard,

I agree all around, it is better to spend the extra money on better ESC’s or electronics in general pays for itself long term. .

BikerBob/RCShipyard,

I think the PT boats were counter rotation port & starboard and the center prop turned left…or something like that…I forget. I know it is on the PT boat sites for reference, definitely check it out before ordering props. I would personally go 3 blade like the original PT’s to keep it authentic. (3) 3 blade brass props should do the trick. Just check the clearance between each prop before ordering.


I am going to run LIPO’s in my Dauntless which is about the same size & hull style as the PT. I am using LIPO because I am fitting the boat with a full interior and don’t have much space to dedicate to heavy or bulky batteries. LIPO is a good solution. My ballast will come from non battery sources. The motors will be (2) Astro 25's.

I like the idea of (3) 3S 5000 MAH LIPO’s in the 48” PT from a weight saving and performance perspective. If the boat was using 3 12V motors, and a battery pack for each motor for decent runtime, the LIPO will weigh much less than a NIMH giving you more power & speed and possibly better runtime. Recently I weighed a 3S 11.1 LIPO from my racing boat & it came in under 2 LBS. It was something like 1.85 LBS if I remember correctly. If it were a 12V NIMH pack which is comparable, (11.1 LIPO actually puts out 12.3V give or take) it (NIMH) weighs a little more than 3 1/2 LBS per pack. When you multiply that by 3 packs, the weight does add up which will weigh down the narrow stern.

For the weight of 2 NIMH packs, you can run 3 motors on LIPO giving you some extra speed and the PT realism of running 3 motors without losing performance or runtime. The extra weight that would have gone into battery weight can go toward onboard accessories.

This is just my opinion.

If considering LIPO, read up about it. LIPO is not as forgiving as NIMH and is a different beast altogether, both good and bad. The biggie with LIPO is the initial investment of the proper tools such as charger, balancer & LIPO specific cell meters which are all essential to the longevity of the LIPO. Once you have the tools and learn how to use them, it is really simple. Like NIMH, there are cheap cells and there are expensive cells, so it is up to you to decide on the budget. There are always discussions going on in the RCUniverse fast electric boat forums. There is a sticky on that page as well to learn more.

I hope this helps a bit further.[sm=shades_smile.gif]

-Rich.