RE: Scratch Build - 29" Balsa Stepped Cat
 

Well I guess this has drifted down to the 3rd page. Time for an update:

Inside has 2 coats of urathane. Top skin only has one.
Foam installed.
Top skin is on.

Next I build the hatch and order some hardware.

RE: Scratch Build - 29" Balsa Stepped Cat
 

more......

RE: Scratch Build - 29" Balsa Stepped Cat
 

Very nice, how much does she way so far?

Ryan

RE: Scratch Build - 29" Balsa Stepped Cat
 

Good question. I took a vacation day today. I'm thinking of taking it up to the UPS store up the street and weigh it on their scale. I don't have anything accurage enough at the house. I planned on weighing it before and after the birtch skin goes on to see what that adds but I know this. It wouldn't last as it is. I'll find out.

RE: Scratch Build - 29" Balsa Stepped Cat
 

hats off and bravo bravissimo!!!!! excellent job dude - it looks really professional...

RE: Scratch Build - 29" Balsa Stepped Cat
 

Thanks.
Just went up the street. With no hatch and no ply outer (what you see in the photos) shes only 260 grams.

RE: Scratch Build - 29" Balsa Stepped Cat
 

Well its a great boat and pretty light, great job. Now you just have to get it in the water

RE: Scratch Build - 29" Balsa Stepped Cat
 

Hmmm. You make it sound easy. I have a lot to do.

RE: Scratch Build - 29" Balsa Stepped Cat
 

Congrats on a really good looking hull! Really made me want to start something similar. What Hardware are you planning on using and about how much you planning on spening total on the boat?
Although, i dont know if i should a Cat because the water im running on is sometimes a bit choppy. Unfortually not a pond, but in open sea.

Keep up the good work, will be following this thread closely! :D

RE: Scratch Build - 29" Balsa Stepped Cat
 

hardware will likely be fullers or possibly octura that I would modify. This will run a etti 125 esc and a fieago 9XL, at least that's the plan.
All said and done I think I'll have 700 usd in it. That's including a dedicated radio for it and an additional set of lipos. I'll have about 80-100 in the hull but the next would cost alot less b/c that includes some tools and enough minwax to do 100 boats.

RE: Scratch Build - 29" Balsa Stepped Cat
 

HELP! I'm shopping for hardware now. I'm looking at the fullers stuff in this link under offshore cats. I'm really not sure what to get. The rudder looks short on this setup. I'd like to go in-line if I can. And I'd like water cooling available through the rudder. Any advice is appreciated. It should handle an 8XL on 14 cells.

http://www.drcwebservices.com/ffe/hardware.htm

The boat is:
29.75 from tip to tail, but only 27.5 from the transom where the hardware will mount.
10.25 inches wide
tunnel is just a hair under 5 inches wide and 3/4 deep
Total height without any canopy is about 3"

RE: Scratch Build - 29" Balsa Stepped Cat
 

Dayton
Your cat looks like it's off to a good start! Looking forward to seeing how you build the rest of it. You mentioned another RC website you called RRR - what's that? I think I'd like to give it a looksee. Care to pass on the web address? Thanks in advance, Will S.

RE: Scratch Build - 29" Balsa Stepped Cat
 

sv27dayton - where can I get those plans? I think I want to try and build me a wood boat and yours looks really nice!

Will - RRR= [link=http://www.rumrunnerracing.com/feforums/index.php]Rum Runner Racing[/link]

RE: Scratch Build - 29" Balsa Stepped Cat
 

[8D]Thanks joccee. Unfortunately I'm not the original designer. I've modded the boat from the prints but I didn't do the base design, but I didn't produce the original. the guy who did goes by shockerman. I think he's mostly over there. I know he's since then built a scaled " version running on twins. I'll ping him and ask him to come visit us and fix you guys up.

RE: Scratch Build - 29" Balsa Stepped Cat
 

If you could get those plans out that would be very muchly appreciated!! :D well done mate you've done an exelant job!!!
shes a beautie, and should run lik one two!
ill be watching this thread as i have been 4 some time, very interested in making a cat myself.

good luck:D

corey.

RE: Scratch Build - 29" Balsa Stepped Cat
 

A disapointing update: I ordered the hardware from China via an ebay auction. Took two weeks to get it and it was not all there. Work looks nice but stut locator, prop nut and drive dog were MIA. Sucks. I contacted the vendor I'll let you all know what happens. Attached are pictures of what I got and what I shuda got.[&o]

RE: Scratch Build - 29" Balsa Stepped Cat
 

pix////

RE: Scratch Build - 29" Balsa Stepped Cat
 

Nice they look good.
Thats to bad they forgot a part. I have had the problem with them. I ordered two sets of turn fins. and when i got them i got four right hand fins., i told them and they sent me 4 lefts hand fins.... so now i have double what i paid for with just about 1 week wait.
don't worry, they are good customer service

RE: Scratch Build - 29" Balsa Stepped Cat
 

That's cool. I'm not ready to install it anyways. As long as it gets straightend out before I have the hull ready. I have pleanty to do.

RE: Scratch Build - 29" Balsa Stepped Cat
 

Well Jonny Zhang is scratching his head but he's shipping my parts. Sounds like he's a good guy Taylor. Since I'm going to be in Suzhou in two weeks maybe I'll run into him.:)

RE: Scratch Build - 29" Balsa Stepped Cat
 

[sm=thumbup.gif][sm=thumbup.gif] nice work!

RE: Scratch Build - 29" Balsa Stepped Cat
 

SV27....Let's see some pics when you get that running gear rigged up. Are you running a single or twin set-up?

RE: Scratch Build - 29" Balsa Stepped Cat
 

single. I'm planning on running on 12-14 cells or the lipo equivelant to a water cooled 120 amp ESC to likely a 9XL. I'll post pics. I'm trying to document this build very well for both myslef and others. As you saw the hardware did not all arrive but looking at how the rudder mount will mate with the transom it looks like a go. I may need to mod the strut so I can run it shallow enough but we'll burn that bridge when we get to it[>:].

RE: Scratch Build - 29" Balsa Stepped Cat
 

This may have been asked already, but how will you finish the boat before painting? I once built a large scale German FW 190 D-9 which I applied the thin fiberglass cloth to plane using 3m spray adhesive and then I sprayed super thin CA glue over it with my Pasch paint sprayer. Later I filled suface with a high build primer surfacer then sanded and painted.

I bet using the Pacer Finishing Resin over the fiberglass will work lots better for boating.

RE: Scratch Build - 29" Balsa Stepped Cat
 

That's a pretty intresting approach. Never heard of spraying CA. Quite different from my approach though. I'm in the middle of putting a layer of 1/64 3ply birch over the balsa skin. (not as pretty as the original balsa look as there are more seams and such but My plan is to brush it with minwax oil based polyurathane and forgo the paint for now. I may later decide it needs som color. It may get graphic over the natural wood or I may breakdown and paint it. No glass though.