DPI is back!
06-04-2012, 08:36 AM
#1
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DPI is back!
Check this out! http://www.dpihobbyusa.com/
They have a 1/4 scale tunnel hull that'll come out in a couple of weeks. I'm thinking of getting one and mounting the MHZ outboard to it with a scorpion HK-5035/760!
If anyone is interested, here is the boat: http://www.dpihobbyusa.com/index.php...&products_id=8
And here is the outboard drive (which is the only large electric outboard drive on the market): http://shop.mhz-powerboats.com/categ...oduct-889.html
And the motor: http://shop.mhz-powerboats.com/categ...-5035-760.html
idk, it seems a bit expensive so Imight not get it, but it would be lots of fun! DPI has their Mercury outboard cowlings back as well!
They have a 1/4 scale tunnel hull that'll come out in a couple of weeks. I'm thinking of getting one and mounting the MHZ outboard to it with a scorpion HK-5035/760!
If anyone is interested, here is the boat: http://www.dpihobbyusa.com/index.php...&products_id=8
And here is the outboard drive (which is the only large electric outboard drive on the market): http://shop.mhz-powerboats.com/categ...oduct-889.html
And the motor: http://shop.mhz-powerboats.com/categ...-5035-760.html
idk, it seems a bit expensive so Imight not get it, but it would be lots of fun! DPI has their Mercury outboard cowlings back as well!
06-05-2012, 08:35 AM
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RE: DPI is back!
Bill,
Too little...too late??? I owned a DPI years ago with the biggest K&B then available...it had some inherent problems that I hope have been solved...mainly the tunnel depth...and the skegs on the K&B's were too short for suitable turning...the last 1/4 scale race at the NAMBA NATS was in 2004... they were even some rules bantered about, but interest fell off. Maybe all of this will revive the class...I think that the way to go will be,
ELECTRIC POWER, and a full package with hull, engine, etc. offered at an affordable price.
Jay
Too little...too late??? I owned a DPI years ago with the biggest K&B then available...it had some inherent problems that I hope have been solved...mainly the tunnel depth...and the skegs on the K&B's were too short for suitable turning...the last 1/4 scale race at the NAMBA NATS was in 2004... they were even some rules bantered about, but interest fell off. Maybe all of this will revive the class...I think that the way to go will be,
ELECTRIC POWER, and a full package with hull, engine, etc. offered at an affordable price.
Jay
06-05-2012, 05:35 PM
#4
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RE: DPI is back!
A message sent to me from the Kevin Clements himself! This is truely amazing! We need to help get DPIgoing again!
Hello!
I was wondering why the traffic to my site skyrocketed last night so I did some research and traced it back to here. So thanks for the thread "DPI IS BACK!!!!"
It is true that DPI is back. About a year ago I purchased what was left of the molds and accessories for the old DPI Leisure Sports. I had them shipped back over here (Kirkland Washington) from England. They came in 2 shipments. One arrived in June of 2011 and the other in July of 2011. At the same time I purchased a large Vacuum Former from Colorado and had it shipped here too. Initially things were slow going. We had time to set the machine up and modify it, setup up the new platens, mount the molds we had and form a few boats. Unfortunately about the same time I lost my real job and had to scramble to find a new one. At that point DPI went on the back burner and very little was done with it through the winter.
The new job I had took didn't last that long, I couldn't stand the person I was working for at the time. So I quit and decided to put 100% into DPI since it was my dream to get it up and running again. It is in the last 4 months that things have really been cranking here at DPI. We have manged to perfect the molding of the 3.5cc tunnel, T-Plus Hydro, American Dream Hydro and the Crackerbox. We are almost done with the Schiada molds and then going to start on the Ski Nautique molds. The 1/4 scale tunnel has been sent out to have molds made so it can be produced in Fiberglass or Carbon or even Kevlar if needed. This should address the issue it had with the week transom. We are also working on a "micro tunnel" as a new product.
I have not listed the Crackerbox, American Dream or T-Plus (with hardware) as in stock because, until recently I haven't had a supplier for the hardware (prop shafts, props, rudders ect.) And believe it or not I haven't been able to source anyone yet that can reproduce the decals for a decent price. They were originally silk screened on 3mil clear adhesive back vinyl. I currently have a stock of 3.5cc "Interstate" Tunnel Decals and T-Plus decals. So until I find someone to make new decals for the other boats, it looks like the other boats will have to be sold without them.
The new hardware should be arriving in the next few weeks and the rudder's will be CNC machined aluminum with built in water pickups. Not the old injection molded plastic stuff they used. I am hoping this will be one of many improvements we are doing to bring the kits up to a more "modern standard"
We are slowly adding other products to our website as they come in.
As much as I would like to say that our boats are the fastest, capable of being raced and winning etc. I honestly don't care. That is not really our intent. I wanted to build a quality product that people could buy and enjoy and have fun with for a decent price but most of all put a smile on their face when they are out running them. The days of "RC Boat Kits" and Hobby Shops on every corner are long gone and in my opinion the hobby hasn't been the same since. Everything is now dominated by mass produced Chinese products. I will be the first to admit thought that as much as I despise cheap Chinese stuff, it has forced a evolution of sorts and brought forth technology like brushless motors, lipo batteries and inexpensive radio gear that is obtainable by the masses. Even I have to carry some of these products in order to remain competitive in the market.
I would be more then happy to answer any questions you might have regarding our products.
Regards,
Kevin Clements
Owner
DPI Hobby USA
www.dpihobbyusa.com
Hello!
I was wondering why the traffic to my site skyrocketed last night so I did some research and traced it back to here. So thanks for the thread "DPI IS BACK!!!!"
It is true that DPI is back. About a year ago I purchased what was left of the molds and accessories for the old DPI Leisure Sports. I had them shipped back over here (Kirkland Washington) from England. They came in 2 shipments. One arrived in June of 2011 and the other in July of 2011. At the same time I purchased a large Vacuum Former from Colorado and had it shipped here too. Initially things were slow going. We had time to set the machine up and modify it, setup up the new platens, mount the molds we had and form a few boats. Unfortunately about the same time I lost my real job and had to scramble to find a new one. At that point DPI went on the back burner and very little was done with it through the winter.
The new job I had took didn't last that long, I couldn't stand the person I was working for at the time. So I quit and decided to put 100% into DPI since it was my dream to get it up and running again. It is in the last 4 months that things have really been cranking here at DPI. We have manged to perfect the molding of the 3.5cc tunnel, T-Plus Hydro, American Dream Hydro and the Crackerbox. We are almost done with the Schiada molds and then going to start on the Ski Nautique molds. The 1/4 scale tunnel has been sent out to have molds made so it can be produced in Fiberglass or Carbon or even Kevlar if needed. This should address the issue it had with the week transom. We are also working on a "micro tunnel" as a new product.
I have not listed the Crackerbox, American Dream or T-Plus (with hardware) as in stock because, until recently I haven't had a supplier for the hardware (prop shafts, props, rudders ect.) And believe it or not I haven't been able to source anyone yet that can reproduce the decals for a decent price. They were originally silk screened on 3mil clear adhesive back vinyl. I currently have a stock of 3.5cc "Interstate" Tunnel Decals and T-Plus decals. So until I find someone to make new decals for the other boats, it looks like the other boats will have to be sold without them.
The new hardware should be arriving in the next few weeks and the rudder's will be CNC machined aluminum with built in water pickups. Not the old injection molded plastic stuff they used. I am hoping this will be one of many improvements we are doing to bring the kits up to a more "modern standard"
We are slowly adding other products to our website as they come in.
As much as I would like to say that our boats are the fastest, capable of being raced and winning etc. I honestly don't care. That is not really our intent. I wanted to build a quality product that people could buy and enjoy and have fun with for a decent price but most of all put a smile on their face when they are out running them. The days of "RC Boat Kits" and Hobby Shops on every corner are long gone and in my opinion the hobby hasn't been the same since. Everything is now dominated by mass produced Chinese products. I will be the first to admit thought that as much as I despise cheap Chinese stuff, it has forced a evolution of sorts and brought forth technology like brushless motors, lipo batteries and inexpensive radio gear that is obtainable by the masses. Even I have to carry some of these products in order to remain competitive in the market.
I would be more then happy to answer any questions you might have regarding our products.
Regards,
Kevin Clements
Owner
DPI Hobby USA
www.dpihobbyusa.com
