Hesco Racing

Hi guys been holding off on this thread until we have a product out the mould and tomorrow the first boat will be laid up and by Friday first boat will be ready for fitment and final setup testing. We did not make a running plug rather used what we learned from our first boat "Big Bertha" and what we have seen other boats on the market do. The hull is 46.5" x 19.5" wide and +/- 9" high (from bottom to top of hatch). We made the plug of the hull first and then build the deck to suite that. We have a descent tunnel height to facilitate rough water conditions as well as a wide stance to aid in fast cornering. The hatch is a detachable hatch to increase working area. The radio box is a loose item which can be placed anywhere along the top deck tunnel to help get CG right and not have to add anymore weight. The deck tunnel is 120mm wide as to get a descent width radio box to give ample clearance for mounting 2 1/4 scale servos or the servo-city system. Mounting is done to suite either of the outboard legs on the market as well as our own leg we manufacture.

Enjoy

Cobus

Hesco Racing

This was my first attempt at shaping the deck.

Dreamin Hemi

Good luck with your build. Your in the easy stages now. Looking forward to reading as the days go by.

Hesco Racing

Only started to post today although this build started November 2009. Thanks for the encouragement. Means a lot coming from you. I am confident thsi baot will be fast out the mould.

Cobus

Dana W

Great job so far Cobus .

carbonwhite

Hi Hesco Racing

Its good to see some one given it a go.
I would say that you will be given Dominic a run for his money when you hit the water.
Over here in Perth Australia I'm running one of Dominics hulls and the xray leg and still need to set it up right as I run with the inboard guys.
I see have your own leg do you have some pics of yet.
Keep up the good work.

Regards Kerry

docterEvil

Cobus well done, looking Good - show us more !! I know there's more pics

martno1fan

Nice work Cobus have you managed to get the top deck plug finished yet.You say your starting to lay the first one tomorrow which will be Tuesday then it will be ready to fit out by Friday ? id advise leaving it in the moulds a bit longer especially if your using poly resins to avoid shrinkage and warping.Looks good so far look forward to seeing the top deck and the cowl when shes done.Im currently doing two plugs using foam which is a first for me as i usually prefer wood but i have to say its quick and easy to work with so far and im enjoying playing arround with it.Keep up the great work m8 .
Mart

Hesco Racing

Thanks Dana. The molding work is being done by a very good friend Ken and although he is just shy over 70 years young, his pattern making and molding work is of great quality. I have put my fair share of sanding and shaping trying to get nice lines to the boat. The following pics is where we have taken the foam shape and made templates to do a wooden deck to work on. This was all done until myself Ken and Lance (the technical guru) sat and looked at it and Lance's exact words were "Nope to high cut down the deck and re shape".

Hesco Racing

Kerry, Dom makes a nice boat. Don not know which version of the hull you have. The guys here that run his boat are happy with it. Some have had concerns but most are happy. Seeing his boat run is one of the reasons we decided to make our own as in our race conditions a little bit different style of boat is needed (in my opinion). We also wanted to give something new to the market as in South Africa there is not a whole variety to choose from.

Martin I'm saying Friday but Ken would probably leave the first one in a bit longer to make sure the mold relaxes. He will take it out as soon as can be but I know of the previous boat that the way he lays them up it is not long before he removes them. And I have not seen one boat that's pulled.

So here is some more because DR Evil is shouting I must post all the photos.

This was final shaping before Lance said rip off and make thinner.

Cobus

Hesco Racing

So the whole deck's skin was ripped off and I sat and reshaped with Ken's help every stringer so as to get the deck flatter and this is what the end result was. You would notice that the free-board section on the side of the boat is now gone and in place is a nice sharp angle area which gives it a more sleek look.
Also the hatch started getting some shape.

Cobus

Dana W

yep , she's coming together now . Nice work .

Hesco Racing

So now we have a working deck it was time to shape the hatch to something that can be worked on. After a pow wow in my living room we got the final shape and a pre-mold was made of the foam and lots of body filler. This was then used and shaped to get it even. Another mold was made from which would then be a final plug taken to final sand and made to fit the deck. As can be seen by the photos a hatch with very nice lines appeared from this mold. O and before someone asks that is the lip added to the deck plug to make the mold. The boat wont have a 50mm flange all around
The last photo is our version of a leg developed in USA.

Cobus

Hesco Racing

OK so now we have a hatch shape and had to just do final sanding and a bit of shaping here and there to make everything symmetrical and have it sit neat on the deck and we could spray and mold. This was the final plugs before we made the molds.

That is it for now. The next post will be the first boat out the mold.

Cobus

martno1fan

Looks very good so how about a pic of the moulds while your at it .
Mart

Hesco Racing

Will take what I can tonight.

Cobus

Hesco Racing

Well here they are laid up. The first one will be yellow top white bottom. The photos shows the hull and deck laid up with the hatch just gel coated. Hatch will be laid up tomorrow. This first boat will be the thrashing boat to see where we need to strengthen or stiffen if needed. They will be in the molds till Friday and bonded the weekend.

Cobus

martno1fan

Looking good wont be long now .

YPC

Good evening Cobus
Let me start by saying a genuine "Well Done" If anyone knows what it has taken to come this far, I sure do, and hats off to you ![8D]
From what is shown in the pics, you ceratinly have shaped a very good looking, more modern, style of F1 Tunnel Hull boat.
This moment for me, as I am sure for you, is one of elation. It affirms the continued interest and comitment that others have in SA, apart from myself. to the growth of the Gas F1 outboard class. A dream fulfilled for me
I look froward to seeing your success and results realised over the coming months.
As you say, there will be the testing stage, its just part of any creative process.
I am truly looking forward to the 2011 National, where we could be 30 plus outboards- that will be something.
Once again- Proudly South African.
Best Regards
Dominic(YPC)
Youngz Performance Craft

Hesco Racing

Thanks Martin.

Yes hope to have the boat joined by Sunday. So that it can be fitted on Monday and be on the water in next week. Everything is standing ready to be mounted. And because radio box is loose unit can be build complete while boat is being made. All mountings has aluminum back plates so it is just drill and tap and bolt on leg. Position radio box. connect steering rods and throttle and away we go.

Cobus

martno1fan

Hi Cobus you make it sound so easy ,hope all you hard work pays off for you in fact im sure it will.

YPC

Morning Cobus
Do you have a selling price in mind - for the complete hull ? and when will the first retail hulls be available.
There are sure to be some guys at our club who would want a different set up.
Will the hull be sold, bonded and trimmed, with a high gloss gel finnish ?
Will it have all the neccasary - floatation,radio box, transom/rear sponson reinforcement and canopy fittings as part of the package?
With regards to your outboard leg and pipe displayed.-What will the selling prices and availability be for these ?
Any sales info would be great as many are asking the questions.
Best of luck with the final setting up for testing.
It would be great if you could U-Tube the water tests.
I have noticed in the pictures, that it seems as if you have chosen to opt for zero compresion in the actual Tunnel. It will be interesting to see the overall effect of that.
Regards
Dominic (YPC)
Youngz Performance Craft

martno1fan

Sounds like the competition is getting worried ,just kidding Dominic .Im sure theres lots of testing and tweaking to be done to the design before its ready for production but then again you never know it might be prefect as it is looks awesome.

Hesco Racing

The selling price will be set once we go into production. With a order book of close to 10 boats the first run would be able to clearly indicate what the price would be. The guys that have enquired have been given the provisional pricing. As pricing can not be displayed on this forum when the boats are available the price would be competitive and available to all to see.
The boat would be supplied bonded trimmed and yes a high gloss gel finish. Transom plate support and front hatch mounting support would be fitted. The hatch sits very tight in the top tunnel and fixings in the back would be either pin and body clip or o-rings (customer's choice)

Flotation will be fitted as this is a closed deck boat. There is no holes through the deck and radio gear is in it's own radio box.

As for our leg the first 5 is made and we are busy with the second 5. Our pipes are in production and will be made as the boats are finished. Once again pricing to those whom have asked.

Yes Mart I'm sure that this boat will be fast out the mold. Looking back at our previous boat (which was much bigger) that one was strong out the mold.

Cobus

YPC

Hey Mart
Definitely not getting worried -Rather "GETTING VERY EXITED'"
Gas F1 has been my absolute passion- any contribution to the class is so appreciated by myself.
October has been a wonderful month for me in SA - the visual confirmation of many F1 products now been manufactured (hulls - legs and pipes) by others locally is fantastic, all this showing that the GAS F1 class in SA now will have a very positive exponential growth curve into the future.
It has been a long and hard slog over the past decade, persevering in the development and promotion of the GAS F1 class in SA, overcoming some big mountains.
In the past weeks, we have had Body Guards hull, manufactured by Craig in SA make a huge impression at the Durban event, there has been a Chinese imported F1 hull make its debut with good results, and now Hescos hull, looking very promising, has come to the for - and all said to be ready for our coming National in early 2011.
All I can say to all of this is - Hallelujah !
As they say in NASCAR - Gentleman START YOUR MOTORS
Finally we can say - "The F1 Gas class race is ON".
South Africa will most certainly be the place to watch if Gas F1 racing is your thing.
Well done to all !
Proudly South African.
Kind Regards
Dominic (YPC)
Youngz Performance Craft.