noddywa

HI..

now I'm interested..keep us posted with pictures , I hope you succeed just don't give up !!

use the force luke use the force !!

Bulletlink

Hi i'm thinking o buying the NQD X-Cyclone. Is it worth it? what upgrades will i need?

saleens7

before you do, i would take a look at some of the hulls from www.bbyracing.com they are cheap, but still very high quality ABS hulls...they also come with nothing in them, so half the work is already done for you...

if you insist on buying the cyclone, you will need a dremel (to cut out all those little plasitc supports that do nothing but get in the way if you want to mod the boat), a new esc, motor, batt, radio system, hardware, and about 20-30$ in other miscelaneous items...

Bulletlink

How much will this cost? where can i get the parts?im insisting on the X-Cyclone...

saleens7

sent you a PM

dmanning

I put a small brushless in a NQD Cyclone but my motor was too small so I put it in a sunstorm with much better results.

Here is the thread, but rcuvideos links dont work anymore.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_51...tm.htm#5502111


Im actually considering reserecting the hull. I have a 2m sheet of carbon fiber leftover so I might strengthen the hull.
I was considering getting the following

Feigao 540 9XL
Hex tronic 120amp ESC
and some cheap ebay running gear


If you do buy a cyclone, what you have to keep in mind is although it looks nice and has a good shape. It really is a cheap peice of @#%$ . There are actually screws in the bottom of the boat that hold the motor in. Thats 6 screws poking thru the running surface. If you are going to mod it you will have a lot of work, but in my opinion thats the best part. starting with a peice of @#% and making it awsome.

Simon.O.

i am in NZ and have a few of the same problems that noddywa has.
There is a massive ammount of nqd and similar type of boats on Trade-me (like E-bay) and I was very tempted to get one as they are arround the $100 mark.
To do a proper FE boat will cost me $150 min for a hull and a couple of hundy more for running gear.
Importing from overseas has its limitations due to the exchange rate and freight costs.
I got a Great planes wildcat and am pretty happy with it thus far, at a guess I would say it goes 12mph.
I have reproped it and I get about 10min run time from a 2000mAh stick pack.
It is my entry into the RC boat game and fun for annoying the local ducks.
The E-bay type RTR boats in my opinion are good toys and that is that, hey mine is only one step up the food chain being ABS with two stock 550's so I am not raining on the toys.
If you want a fun rc boat to muck about with at the local reservoir or pond then E-bay RTR is the go. Only other option is big bucks and build one up.

oh there is one more option................design and build your own.............mine is coming along, about to leave the paper and hit the workshop, only thing is that it will have to go in the Airboat section (electric).

bugman72

My Feedback: (4)

OK, here's my take on the whole NQD thing. I own two NQD boats...an EP Racing 29" as well as a 24" Hydro. The hydro sucks in its stock form (and I haven't done anything with it...yet). The EP Racing boat has been converted to better electronics (Novak Rooster ESC, Hitec 645MG servo, rudder from Aquacraft Hammer). I have no additional money invested in the boat and it has served its purpose well...a fun little boat that effectively got me hooked into RC boating. As a result, I have just purchased an Aquacraft Hammer EP. Not a GREAT boat, but a definite step up in terms of quality and ability to be upgraded.

I'm from the world of RC rock crawling. We in the rock crawling world have a similar product that in itself isn't what would be considered a true rock crawler, but serves as a great stepping stone to get people interested in the hobby/sport. It's called the Nylint Rock Crawler. My first introduction into rock crawling was with a 1/18 Nylint. I ran it stock for a while, got hooked on what it could sort of do, then started doing research on hobby-grade trucks. Now I'm a diehard rock crawler and I've invested more money than I care to add up into my truck.

I believe all areas of RC need vehicles such as the NQD and the Nylint to get people interested in the respective area. What these vehicles succeed in doing is whetting the appetite of people just getting into the hobby and brings more people into RC. This is what makes the hobby grow. The more people who buy and build hobby-grade vehicles, the more the demand for replacement as well as upgrade parts.

The only problem that I see with the NQD boats is the false advertising by the sellers on Ebay. People buy these boats expecting them to run 25mph (if you've never been in the hobby before, you have no idea whether that is possible or not) and then get them and they MIGHT do 5 or 10. Understandably, they are disappointed. But, for the most part (and at least in my personal experience), after the initial disappointment wears off, they are quite a bit of fun...fun enough to make the owner get "upgraditis". This affliction in turns makes the owner start learning a bit more about how a boat functions and what can and can not be done with the given equipment. This in turn makes the owner start buying hobby-grade equipment in order to accomplish what he/she wants to do. See the effect? This is the very same scenario that has played out countless times with the Nylint Rock Crawler.

The only thing that doesn't bode well with the seasoned RC boater (or RC rock crawler, as I have seen) is when someone who has one of the NQD boats (or Nylints) acts as though their boat is every bit as good and fast (or capable) as another person's $500+ boat (or crawler). Their boat may be the best of what it is...an upgraded NQD. But it will never be as good as a well designed, purpose built boat. This is what turns the experienced members away from the "newbies" and starts the bloodbath.

Sorry this was so long. I've just seen this exact scenario played out over on my rock crawling forum WAY too many times and have seen folks, both veterans as well as newbies, get banned as a result. And since I'm on the newbie side of RC boating, I felt the need to express my opinion on this.

13BT

hey there!

I live in Perth too and I must admit, there is a shortage of good places to run my boats. There is always the river but thats brackish and Id rather not play in that. There is some lakes but there is always the risk of fun police saying you cant play there.

Anyway, I hope you have fun and learn a lot from the challenge of getting a cheap hull to perform. I think everyone agrees its a crap hull but I can appreciate the need to have a go anyway. Some people just have to tinker.

dmanning

Here are some good examples of NQD Cyclone X boats with some good hardware upgrades. The dude with the two 10XL's is going crazy overboard, it will be interesting to see how the ebay hull handels that much power.

http://perso.orange.fr/pleindetrucs/index.htm

http://forums.offshoreelectrics.com/...read.php?t=302

http://www.offshore-rc.com/forum/ind...howtopic=10988

Wheelnut

My Feedback: (81)

Holy shiatzo,

That is some serious NQD's. But I say why put all that money in a time bomb hull?[sm=confused.gif]

dmanning

If you have got that much money to throw away on kick a** hardware and running gear, why not get a good hull to match??

<mod edit>

noddywa

HI... All
keep up the good work,,but please be sensible in the forums as they are supposed to be fun
and share knowledge with others
just because some people can not spend hundreds of dollars on the good stuff do's not mean that they also can not have fun tooo ..
some people are doing some amazing stuff with these NQD Boats so give them a go..
DID anybody just go out and spend 100's or thousands of dollars on the good stuff
HHHHHmmmm

Cya

Wheelnut

My Feedback: (81)

What we meant was, why did these guys spend so much money on the hardware and electronics and put it in such a cheap hull, that can't handle that kind of speed for long. Hitting small waves at high speeds is like hitting speed bumps in your car at 40 to 50 mph. And we are talking about big speed bumps here. The point is, if you have enough money for that type of hardware and electronics, they you definitely can afford a better hull. You can get a good hull pretty cheap compared to the price they spent on that expensive hardware and electronics.

<mod edit>

noddywa

Hi Wheelnut...

I actually started this thread off...everyone welcomes ideas from others but don't put people down
where did you start from ???

there is a moderator here from time to time so please be nice,, if you want to help it's welcome
I know you may have started some threads and people have been nasty to you and others there but don't bring it here..It's REALLY ALL about Money isn't it ??? are you employed full time or part time ?? ..I went from a well paying job of around 1200.00 a week to 1000.00 a month take out bills etc and I have about 200 a month if I'm lucky, due to back injury..
also RC vehicles and accessories are much much much cheaper in the USA than AUSTRALIA
please remember this ....and not everyone has lots of money !!! but would like some ideas on how to improve his or her boat or tank or plane or buggie ETC
please keep it nice and be helpful or just keep things to your self ??
this I'm better than you has really got to stop !! it shouldn't matter if your boat is NQD or Tamiya why can't we all JUST HAVE SOME FUN !!! AND HELP EACH OTHER !!

I read the forums regular basis and don't always sign in
other wise keep up the good work
CYA

Wheelnut

My Feedback: (81)

You just don't get it do you? We are not saying you have to be rich to be in this hobby, yes you can get a cheap boat and modify it fairly cheaply to make it go a little faster. But the subject really got out of hand when the links were posted to the guys that put $500.00 or more in a $50.00 boat. In my opinion (and some other people share my opinion) its stupid. If you can afford expensive electronics and hardware then you can afford a decent $100.00 hull.

On the other hand, I am saying you have to be ready to spend some money if you want to do it right. I don't mind helping out, I need help all the time myself, but when someone gets a $35.00 boat and they say I want to make it go fast, I laugh to myself and ignore the thread. But sometimes I get in a mood and I feel like saying something.

Bulletlink, save your money and buy something decent. You will thank yourself in the long run. The NQD boats are for guys that like to tinker and they will spend just as much money as they would have if they would have bought a decent boat in the first place. But they will still have a cheap hull with upgraded decent electronics. So then they want a good hull to put it all in, so when they get a good hull and put all the good electronics in it, and it all probably won't fit and will need more modding, they will have spent more than they would have in the first place with a good RTR boat.

You can get a good starter RTR boat for $139.00
You can get a great brushless RTR boat for $279.00

You can get a fixer upper, tinkerer boat for $30 to $50.00 but take a guess what you will spend to upgrade it.

noddywa

HI...I do get it !!!!

you just don't realize that it's much much much cheaper in the USA THAN Australia..what you pay for an item We can pay almost double the price or more,,,
the option to buy from the USA involves customs ETC ...and yes it may be cheaper ...then the wait if your item is sent and may just disapear in transit..
People pay outrageous prices for electric and petrol RC Vehicles in Australia unless of course EBAY..
again it comes to the dollar , you say save save and yet some people have a hard time saving because of low income ...
there is nothing wrong with what people are doing if of course they have the money,,
I have two NQD Boats one was the 12volt tracer and the other the Miami Vice Preditor..I removed
the 12volt system from the tracer and put it in the Miami Vice preditor with a little Mod and now it really screams along the water, the Miami Vice Preditor was 7.2volt with a 3600 battery and at 1meter long it's very impressive !!

It can be done by everyone...did thomas edison give up ?? did watts give up ?? NO !!
just by working out the voltage of the motors etc you can increase the size of the motors or battery to give them that little bit extra zip...we could argue about this all day but this is not the place for it or anytime..I think that the following Boats have some potential even if others don't

The Miami Vice Preditor, cyclone ( single deep vee ) the Tracer 2 and a couple of others maybe..
I for one would rather get that extra bit of zip out of my boats or tanks than saving up 400.00 plus

for someone with some knowledge of electronics etc more than me, it's possible to put in bigger motors in these NQD boats without damaging the circuit boat etc,, prop size bigger, smaller , angle I wouldn't have a clue ??

Cya

Wheelnut

My Feedback: (81)

Ok, tell me what that has to do with putting $500.00 worth of hardware and electronics in a $50.00 boat.

dirtysouth31

i gotta agree with wheelnut on this one..i was looking at the nqd arrowwind on ebay.i have a spare supervee system that i can throw in there,but whats the sense..the hull has a limit to how fast it will go and abuse it will take..sure it would be fun to stand back and say i just did this work but in all reality it will just get to a point where it willnot go anyfaster.read some of the nqd threads on here and guys were putting alot of money into nqd boats and sure it was faster than stock but than in the video you would see smoke,hear something break..than they would put more money into it and before you know it you have a money pit that really wasnt worth the time,when you could of bought onertr or put together and would whip on some heads at the pond.but if your just in it to do something than go ahead and do it and have fun.i got to go now the vicodin is wearing off,im not making sense no moreundefined

13BT

to NQD or not to NQD, that is the question.

The answer: Chuck Norris.

Wheelnut

My Feedback: (81)

I don't get it, what does Chuck Norris have to do with it?
My vote is to not NQD.

13BT

you just dont get it do you?

Bulletlink

1st im not rich
2nd i dnt want speed jst something fun
3rd i am gonna upgrade some stuff
SO STOP TELLING ME TO BUY SOMETHING EXPENSIVE!!!!!!!!!!!

dirtysouth31

OKAY ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!this whole thread is in time out..everybody go to there own corner and dont come back until your ready to play nice

Wheelnut

My Feedback: (81)

Walmart sells some nice NIKKO boats