Baddog, I don't think that you will be disappointed in the boat.
This boat won't be available in a V hull but this is the first of more RTR boats that Aeromarine is coming out with. What else Remy and the guys have up their sleeve, I wish that I knew. All I know is that they will be IMPBA and NAMBA legal race boats, none of this stuff that doesn't really fit into a present class.

Aeromarine site says late Nov.- would that be old info.? i.e. November 2004?
Funrcboats lists mid-may.

Sorry new to this and looking for a solid fast nitro boat for my gearhead brother. Got it down to this one, Shockwave, or Bruzer 18.

cheers,
Michael

The Aeromarine site hasn't been updated in that ad. When I talked to Remy in Toledo, the boats were in transit, 2 cargo box loads in the first shipment (think short semi trailers!) They had to clear Customs then travel to Delaware. If he hasn't gotten them by now it should be any day! Keep in mind that some of the delays were because of the motors and I've heard of other minor changes to get the boat done right.

Latest info I've gotten on the availability of the MM 18 is end of June.

Are you serious? THE END OF JUNE![:@][:@][:@][:@][:@][:@][:@][:@][:@][:@][:@][:@][:@][:@][:@][:@][:@][:@][:@][:@][:@] Thats it I am not waiting for this thing any longer.[:'(][:'(][:'(] I mean come on, THE END OF JUNE![:@][:@][:@][:@][:@] Come the end of June they will be like "The new availability date is the end september![:@][:@][:@][:@][:@][:@] I am going with the shockwave 36!

Yeah- frustrating. Business 101 teaches do not over promise and under deliver. Date info came from funboat.

I also emailed hyperformance about their Bruzer. Never heard from them. Odd way of doing business.

Miss Budweiser needs alot of work for a supposed RTR, consistent delays from Aeromarine (for whatever reason good or bad- it DOES frustrate the customer), and no reply from hyperformance or aeromarinerc via email. Silly, and really bad business.

This is very disappointing to hear, I also have one on order. This makes me wonder if they will be able to support the product when they finally have them. I know they make great high end boats but what will stop them from doing the same thing if I need parts or warranty support from them? I am also considering the Bruzer Mono but Hyperformance website site leaves much to be desired, they need to put more information on their site. I also do not see any info on support or manuals etc online.

I would go ahead and get the SW 36� I have one and it’s a great boat if 35+ MPH is enough for you. Proboat/Horizon products may have a few minor bugs in it, but they have great support and a good online web front that will allow you to order replacement parts easily.

Yep I am probably going with the shockwave. Boataddict I believe you have both the miss bud and the shockwave 36. Which one is faster? AND better over all? I have heard a lot of negative things on the miss bud. My friend has a shockwave, and I agree it is a godd boat.

Biz 101 probably doesn't tell you about delays when you are trying to improve the product beore you sell it and all of the hassles when importing goods from a foreign country.

Actually Ron, it does (at least if it's an accredited university!) ;-)!

(Anticipating challenges and problem solving; including import/export, product development, product launch strategies, customer communications, etc. are all part of running a "tight ship". Obviously problems come up along the way, that's normal. It's not Aeromarine's fault for the problems, but it's Aeromarine's responsibility to deal with the customers. Building boats isn't all of the business, a good company "builds customers" as well. Whatever the problems have been, it's obvious that at least a few customers are frustrated. Just as customers are frustrated when their Miss Bud leaks water, or when a website lists an email address, says "contact us with any questions", and they never respond. If the competition was smart- they'd be on the move with a competeing product and take advantage of the unfulfilled desire of these customers to buy a boat that fits their needs.)

If I were Aeromarine, out of the many options that they have right now... I'd communicate fully with the expectations of the customer. A straight up report on the development of the boat would be interesting and show the expecting customer what a great product they are waiting for. Who wouldn't love to see some cool test videos or pictures of product design models? Heck- if you really wanted to make it interesting and appeal to the computer savvy/web addicted you could blog the drama of getting the MM18 launched. Get the customer involved in the celebration of a new product that will blow away the competition, instead of turning them away by consistent delays and or lack of information. None of the things I mentioned are new and innovative, in fact, all of them have been used by excellent companies that know how to win a customers trust, excitement, loyalty, and yep... their cash.

cheers,
Michael

T3racer,

The Shockwave is faster partly because it has a .32 motor. But comparing the 2 is like comparing apples to oranges, Hydro vs. V-Hull. Hydro works best in calm water (glass like conditions are best) and V-Hulls will handle choppy water.

The Bud looks great when running because it runs on-top of the water and is a crowd pleaser (just like the big boys) but you are limited to right turns ( which it does really well). The .15 motor will get you up to 30+ MPH. The initial Bud design has flaws but can be resolved with some work, read [link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/Proboat_Miss_Budweiser_1%2F12_%E2%80%93_Awesome%21/m_2799689/tm.htm]" Bud 1/12 post "[/link] .

Horizon/Proboat recently overhauled the Bud’s design to have the same upgrades as the Miss.Llumar. This includes the flex shaft, sealed engine area, drain plug, better servo supports etc. over all a better design from the previous release with less trouble and required mods.

The Shockwave is an awesome boat. 35+ MPH, huge fuel tank, flex shaft, stainless steel hardware, trim tabs, .32 motor with tuned pipe and with an over all length of 36� makes it look so sweet. The engine in this boat is very easy to start and gets on plane very quickly. Initially when the boat was released the major problem everyone was having was with the flex shaft breaking but since then Horizon has resolved this problem. The only other issue I had with my SW was with the stock exhaust coupler (a 2$ part) breaking apart from the heat[]. I have since replaced it with a more durable coupler.

I would recommend the SW because it is easy to get up and running without much fuss. Hydro’s can be a bit of a challenge to those with less patience to learn and understand how to operate them. I still love to run the Bud but the SW can be more fun.

Back on topic, the unique design of the Mean Machine is that it is a cross between a Hydro and a V-Hull, it’s a catamaran meaning it can handle choppy wake like a V but with less drag like the Hydro making it go faster. I hope they get the boat in before the summer ends.

Hope this helps.

***? Is it really June now? Are we to believe that it will ship in June and not here July next?

Well it is now rumored to be mid July, any votes for mid August. I have called but I suspect that I am just being told "another two weeks". Since Ron O seems to have some insight is it possible to get the real story? Back in a previous post they were just getting ready to clear customs. Either that was not true or something else has changed.

I'd be curious to know too, but it seems Aeromarine has a policy of non-communication.

Sorry if this was already posted/ old info, but you can buy the MM hull only. No mention of it being back ordered or wait listed, stuck in customs, delayed for product improvement, etc..

http://www.funrcboats.com/ProductInf...d=AERMEANHULLN

Hmm, you would be over 500 with HW kit, engine and controls. I think I am going to bag it for the summer. I

Yes, but you get to choose the engine. I'm thinking of putting a .45 in one.

I just made a phone call to Fun R/C Boats to see what's up with the MM 18 and could only leave a message. Hopefully they'll get back to me soon. I know that Don Ferrette at www.jackrabbitracing.com is waiting for them also.

Ron,
Thanks for looking into this. I had called AeromarineRC.com for my info but only got the same answer. They seem to be the ones that are the distributor.

I just bought a SW 36 off e-bay but I still want the MM 18. I have two kids and I can see myself and them fighting over the control! It would probably more fun to have two boats that respond differently in water conditions for a little racing.

I got an e-mail from Debbie at Fun R/C Boats, she called while I was at work. They are still 3-4 weeks off yet from delivery so if you want one, get in touch with them as they already have a huge waiting list.

It has been 5 month since anyone has heard about the Mean Machine.

Has anyone had any luck contacting Aeromarine RC about the Mean Machine?

Since the Holidays are upon us once again I figure the Aeromarine Mean Machine .18 would be available.

I have tried calling Aeromarine to inquire about the Mean Machine and get no answer or voice mail.

Also has anyone purchased a Bruzer 18 Mono?

Try contacting www.funrcboats.com , you'll get a faster answer if they have them yet or not. They (Fun R/C) are building some .21 versions but the price tag is a little high, this could be because they are hand building them from the electric hulls.
I'll bet that there are a lot of disappointed customers that have already plunked down their hard earned cash and have had to wait this long. I want to see the production version to see how different it is from the prototypes that I've seen.