FROGMAN524

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Hey guys, after all my damn questions on rtr, I finally decided to do it for myself to save money on a big project and get some experience building with fiberglass. I am going to go ahead in the next couple of days or so, order a hull, I have to decide between the 60" MTI Cat hull, 65" expresscraft GTX hull, 65" Fountain from Marine Specialties, and the XXX hull from MHZ. It will be powered by stock 26cc zen to be modded later with black widow kit. Will use Bonzi mounts, bonzi clutch, any radio box, MX3 radio system, Ballantine or Bonzi out drive, and the usuall hardware in between. Am I missing anything? HOw hard is it to patch hull if wrong holes are drilled? Plans for these hulls? Thanks a lot guys, I'm finally firm on this desiscion.

Justaddwata

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Come on Frog - thats a selection - not a decision.

I am fairly confident that one of the hulls you listed is presently not available in the US yet. (I cannot name the Manufacturer - only that it has three letter and starts with an M and ends in Z) but I would call them first if this is a serious contender (though likely @ $1k for bare hull I am not sure it is).

Easiest way I have found to fill holes you do not need is to NOT DRILL THEM. Measure twice cut once. Measure three times and drill once. If your not sure - dont drill it. The only holes you will need are at the transom for drive, rudder, pipe. You may open an intake or two but TAKE YOUR TIME !! IF you need plans - ask the manufacturer at the time of ordering.

I have to ask - whats a "Black widow kit" ??

Sounds like your on the right track though. SHould be a fun boat.

LVEURBOATS

It’s a Zenoah modification kit that B.H. Hanson sells for $325, good luck with your project Frog................please post pictures

FROGMAN524

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Thanks, it's going to be the MTI cat. SHould I contact expresscraft and ask for plans on building this boat? I want a surface drive, is this possible? I don't want the stuffing tube to come out under the boat, but through the transom. Surface drive suggestions for cats other than wharehouse hobbies? How do I seal the stuffing tube and bolts through the transom? Looking for a rudder assemble directly behind the drive for maximum turning efficiency either way, suggestions? Building supplies? Aything else, and most importantly, WHERE DO I START ONCE I HAVE MY STUFF??????? Thanks a lot guys, Frog.

FROGMAN524

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COme on guys, can't let this post die, I NEED IT.

xxxboatworks

Frogman,
I did get your email but will have VERY limited internet access till tuesday. Email me your # and I can call you if you'd like. Don't expect much in speed with a stock g26 and you cannot use a surface drive on a cat unless you are putting the drives on the 2 spnsons.

FROGMAN524

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Ok, just wondered if it was possible. I guess I'm looking for a good subsurface drive and the Zenoah 26 is what I'll probably get, but I have been looking at a Quickdraw 25cc on ebay for sale to put in it. The Zenoah is very upgradeable, i'll probably upgrade it later, otherwise, I'll talk to you through e-mail, we're quite a ways apart, especially on the phone bill. So thanks for any help through e-mail or on here. Ken.

Ron Olson

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Frog/Ken, I'm glad to see that you've finally narrowed your list down. I was getting to wonder if and when you were going to make a choice.
You did take your time and do a lot of research to find a boat that will make you happy so keep us up-to-date on how things are going.
Hey, I know how tough it is to pick out just one hull. I'm still looking at what I want when I have the coin to get a gas boat. Going to races and watching how various boats handle helps me, that's how I've picked out a couple of mine.

FROGMAN524

My Feedback: (5)

I'm not in it for the racing, but I noticed there are pictures of the hull running in a race on expresscraft's website. If I were to race, which I actually wuold like the choice to do in time, I would have to race in District 19, I'm pretty sure because that's in Laughlin and that's about 40 minutes from me. Anyway, any help would be appreciated, I have to pick out a drive, any suggestions? I'll probably buy a Bonzi sports engine. In the setup tips on expresscraft's website they say for all of their hulls the CG is about 13" from the transom to spark plug, should I check anyway, how? Once I do set this up, how long should I order a flex cable? Can you cut them to length? Square or round collet at clutch? X dimension for drive placement on back of hull? Where is the best place for the stuffing tube to come out of the hull and to the drive? At the very back in the seperation between hull and transom? How do I install the engine level and making sure all 4 mounts are alligning right? Do you drill the holes or just screw through the stringers? As you can see I have a whole lot questions, and I need all the help I can get, will order the hull on Monday. Thanks a lot guys, Ken.

FROGMAN524

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Can the drive by Bonzi sports be used on the MTI cat hull? Any better ones?

FROGMAN524

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Decided to use Bonzi CZ outdrive after seeing it on their website on an Avenger. Going to use their motor mounts, engine, drive, water pump, clutch, BHHanson pipe and header, a gas tank, prather prop, and what else am I missing? Drive cable, round or square collet? Do I need trim tabs? HOw do I seal stuffing tube, fiberglass and 5 minute epoxy? THanks, Ken.

Ron Olson

My Feedback: (1)

You don't need trim tabs on a Cat. If it gets to that point something is terribly wrong.
You've pretty much gotten the big stuff on the list, it's the little things that add up.
Which strut that you get will determine if you need a square drive or a flex cable collet.
Prather prop? Just get the best one for your boat no matter what brand that it is.
For putting a stuffing tube in place you might want to use a slower setting epoxy to give you more time to work in the fiberglass. I've used radio box tape around the bottom of the stuffing tube to keep the epoxy from dripping through, mostly because it was handy.

FROGMAN524

My Feedback: (5)

Never had to take the stuffing tube apart or take the flex cable out, what is the difference between the square and round collets? They're used to hold the clutch to the flex cable right? Pros and cons? Mostly, where do I start when I have everything? Thanks a lot guys, hope this turns out great. Will post pics. Ken.

lzvagias

OH GOD, i just realized something! Ron burns that stuff that smells funny and costs too much. somebody sell this man real motor!. sorry Ron just pokin'.

Ron Olson

My Feedback: (1)

I think that everyone has their preferred starting point. I like to mount the engine first, transom hardware, and radio box almost last. The other pieces like the fuel tank somewhere in between.

Ron Olson

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Don't worry, I'm starting to see the light! Whenever I get around to a next boat project, it'll be a gas burner. In the meantime I'm hanging around in here to see what's going on in the gas boat world. I'm kind of getting tired of constantly messing with needles on the fuel burners, towing around 3 toolboxes plus a starter box.
I still want to mess aorund at the bottom of the spectrum, my .12 powered boats. I finally got those things to scoot.

lzvagias

Ron, my first boat was a 7.5cc rigger that i bought used some years back. i had no idea what i was doing although i did have alot of experience with airplanes (flown since i was a kid) so i thought i should have no problem with tuning and running the motor. but after i got it home i realized it didn't even have a throttle on carb. it was designed to run wide open all the time!?[:-] then there was the vibration issue, my motor kept coming loose. needless to say its been in the attic ever since and that was my last attempt at a nitro boat. two tanks through it and it did scream, but way to much hassle. of course the fact that it was a rigger and my first boat didn't help either. i may give that boat another try one day, but gas is the way to go.

Frog- i love that MTI cat, can't wait to see how it turns out! take lots of pics from the time it hits your door step to the time its wet and post em.

FROGMAN524

My Feedback: (5)

I'll do, most likely ordering on Monday, wonder how long it's going to take to get here? Can't wait though, I live in the Bundocks. What can I say, UPS has been showing up here the last 4 days at 10:30 P.M. with packages ordered for Christmas. Well, don't know how it turns out till I try it right? Hope Expresscraft sends some plans with it. Thanks again guys for all the help, Ken.

xxxboatworks

Ken,
It should ship within a day or two if it is in stock. Make sure to ask if they have them or not. It may take a day or two to build you one if they don't have one in stock. The boat does not come with plans, but Tom from Expresscraft or I will be gald to help you out. It should ship via fedex. Keep us posted!!

FROGMAN524

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Thanks, I may have to pick it up at the post office because the part of the Mountains that I live in surrounding Kingman, well, only UPS ships there, not Fedex. I'll get it somehow. Bonzi should be sending me the engine I bought on ebay in a day or two. I'll probably post pics of my first zenoah marine engine. Plan to order hull and engine mounts tonight. Do need help on selecting cable for Bonzi CZ drive if it doesn't come with one. Tom sent me an e-mail in response to my ? on the mounting and said he sets the Zen up 13-14.25" to the middle of the carbureutor from the transom for CG. What radio box is suggested? Do I need to make or order supports for the stuffing tube between engine and back of transom? Thanks again for all of this help, Ken.

lzvagias

who did you order hull from?

FROGMAN524

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I haven't ordered it yet, doing that tommorow. I'm going to order it from Expresscraft.

Paul M

The MTI doesn't come with plans.

Paul M

Frog,

There are some good set up pics on the Expresscraft web site under "your projects". I am going to try to draw some info from those as well.

Since I am building an MTI as well, maybe we can both post some pics of what we're doing, before holes are drilled (heh heh), and let some of the more experienced guys guide us along.

I have built a ton of planes and thought I'd try boats cause they'd be easier??!! Yea right.[sm=drowning.gif]

Good Luck

FROGMAN524

My Feedback: (5)

Yeah, I think that we'll both have to post our pics on this post, getting a lot of attention, especially with two projects starting up! Well, I saw those pics, and I too am trying to get some help from somebody, once I get my ingredients that I plan to order tommorow I can start cookin'.

Good Luck.