Ron Olson

My Feedback: (1)

While at the hobbico/Aquacraft booth Saturday while talking to Mike "Grimracer" Zaborowski, he was offering one little trick for the weights in the nose. Cut some of them loose in the front of the insert then hold them in place with radio box tape. It makes adjusting the weights a lot simpler for various conditions.

Thompy

What do you mean by cutting some of them loose? I was gonna take ob nuts little trick and put some epoxy with bb's in the nose. I can see why being able to take it out and put it in would be a good trick. I was thinking of taking quater oz. bullet fishing weights that I use for texas rigging while fishing for bass and placing them in the nose with some tape or something to hold them in. That way I could take out a quater oz. at a time if anything changes.

Ron Olson

My Feedback: (1)

The weights come in a bar that can be cut when used in anything else. What Mike suggested was to leave part of them mounted in there with the double-backed foam tape but cut some of them apart to make it easier to add or subtract weight(s) then taping over them to keep them from falling out.

Thompy

Ahhhhhhhh I see, like a brick of lead that can be broken into differnt sized bars.

Ron Olson

My Feedback: (1)

Yes, like these! http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXK204&P=RF

Thompy

When I put an order in to tower about a month ago I was going to get some of those. But I figured I could save 4 bucks and use what I had around the house. I'll figure something out, its just getting the thing as close to perfect as possible thats the scary part.

ob nut

My Feedback: (1)

On my TS2, the weight in the nose will always be there. The slot underneath has the stick weight also. It is also taped over as Grim suggest to do. First off, can't trust the sticky tape to hold securely (don't know how old it is), and secondly, the tape will give it a smoother feel than it not being there.


Glad any of my information helped you out. We will need to get together some time during the summer if you are still around the Cincy area at that time.

Thompy

That would be great. Do you guys have a race schedule out yet? I'd like to come down and see how races are conducted and see what all this is about. I can only imagine 5,6,7 of these boats on the water at the same time. I'm sure it takes some good coordination to keep from running into another boat. You guys have to run some kind of lanes don't you? Cutting some one off with a boat seems a little harder than in a car or buggy seeing his how there is NO BRAKES.

ob nut

My Feedback: (1)

Club races have not been announced. The IMPBA santioned race is July 8th and 9th. That is the race you need to show up and watch. It's not that difficult to race, even with others boats out there. Need to have a good spotter to assist in driving duties. The CD normally will state where dead boats are to even further aid in running safely without damaging other boats.

Thompy

I'd like to be there, it sounds like a blast. I'm competitive by nature and would love to get into it. I enjoy racing my truck/buggy w/e you wanna call it, but I believe these would be even better. Do they have a stock tunnel class, or is it .21 class so on so forth? I'd like to get into racing but not spend half a million dollars (just kidding) to be competitive. I'm not afraid of my mechcanical skill in making a fast boat, its just the money thats limiting me. If I make any mods what so even I'll start with a pipe. I'll figure that out when the time comes. I would like a little info on running more nitro. If I'm going to run say 50% am I going to need to make any changes in the compression ratio? If I were going to make a change how is that done?

ob nut

My Feedback: (1)

At the moment, the tunnel classes are "open", either mod or sport motors allowed. If there were more tunnel racers in the area then both classes would be offered. The club will offer a "beginner" class at the IMPBA race. Beware that there will be gassers running in the class. Those waves are 3.5 tunnel killers. Don't worry too much about getting speed to run with the hot boats. I had the fastest 3.5 tunnel at last years race. I took 3rd place overall out of 3 boats. Why? I had 3 DNF's out of 5 heats. To finish first, one must first finish

I'd start off with a pipe and some porting work on the sleeve. Compression should be around .008 - .010 for a K&B 3.5 OB motor. To make changes, shims need to be removed or placed on the head. A good set of Keeley feeler gauges are needed for this. There are other ways, but that is the best way IMO. Change the stock head to either a K&B SX head, SS air cooled head or even a Keeley Turbo Head. Any of these will add some needed hp to the motor. Another item to do would be to align the prop shaft with the skeg. Change the black carb to either a red / purple / gold carb. Best secrect for speed is props, props and more props.

Thompy

Shew, so there is alot of improvement for these little things. I can only imagine the one who thought all of this up. Changing compression, pipes, props, all of this has to have culminated from HOURS of testing and finding whats right. I was running this evening on perfectly calm water, and was getting what I believe my best runs speed wise. Now handling wise I don't know. It was hooking real bad. I came in made an adjustment and put a little positive thrust angle, and a little better. Now I've got it as far as it will go as far as positive thrust and its still hooking. I had a little weight in the nose but nothing above 3 oz. Am I going to have to take this out? One more thing, on the straights should the bow be up a little then drop down turns? My bow is considerably higher in the straights, then when I hit a turn it drops then lifts again coming out of the turn. I've watched full sized tunnels, and know a couple of guys down the street that race them and they trim up for a straight then trim down real fast for a turn, only to trim up again for another straight. Should my boat run farely parellel to the waters surface most of the time?

Ron Olson

My Feedback: (1)

Usually they'll run nose high on the straights. Mine used to run with around the last 4" in the water. The higher it runs, the less steering that you have, it's a trade-off.
Once you find that happy medium that you like, mark it wherever you can so that if you remove the engine or try other adjustments, you can always easily go back to square one.

ob nut

My Feedback: (1)

I like to run my boats a bit loose, then back it off just a bit. Each boat is different, it just takes a bit of time to find the right spot. Run the boat a couple of laps and make a change. Until that spot is found, don't run out a tank without a pitstop.

When I get back from this business trip, we need to get together for some fun.. I'll get in touch.

Thompy

Business trip, sounds like fun. I guess your right, I'll just have to find my boats sweet spot. I need to balance the thing though thats for sure. The other day I could run WOT all the way around and no probs, yesterday try and do that and she hooks. Rasing and lowering the prop isn't going to effect hooking in any way will it? I didn't even think of that, just thrust angle. I have to get more fuel as I ran it all out in the past week or so, and my brother is being stingy with his airplane fuel. I'm only running 20% Wildcat, and hopefully the kinda sorta local hobbyshop will still have another gallon laying around. I had to pry this one out of them because they swore up and down they didn't have any.

The guy that built this boat didn't install the servo's right. THATS why I could never get a good idle setting. I was looking at the TP2 manual and got to thinking about my boat. The servo arms were in the same spot and the throttle servo was backwards. The throttle servo arm was cut to make it fit in the radio box because it was in the smaller end of the box, not the widest end. When I go to pick up fuel I will also pick up a new arm so I can get more throw out of the servo.

One more thing. When out on the water, should the motor hesitate if I let off the throttle and get back on it full? If not, is this running it to rich? If I let off the throttle and get back on it it tends to hesitate but runs at WOT like a champ. Leave it, or tweak the needle some more?

Thompy

Made some adjustments the other day, and the boat ran great. I think I found her sweet spot. Still likes to cavitate in the corners just a bit, and i was getting around to making an adjustment. Just as I did, I launched the boat, and the flex shaft snapped. I've got two Lawless shafts on the way from Precision Boats. Ordered them last night, should be here by next week. I'll keep yah posted on any changes.

ob nut

My Feedback: (1)

Sounds like you have the needle in the ball park.. I'm thinking of heading up to Cincy this coming Sunday. If you can make, let me know...

Ron Olson

My Feedback: (1)

If you're cavitating in the corners, you have to drop the engine down a little bit more as the boat is leaning in the turns raising the engine up.

Thompy

It's been about..... 10 days since I've placed my order with Precision Boats. I talked to Josh Fulton, and he said they got the shafts in a couple of days after I placed the order (they were fresh out when I placed it). I can't get ahold of them as of now, no email response, and no one picks up the phone in the shop. I left Josh a voicemail, so hopefully they'll get back to me when they can ship them out. I'm about to go nuts, but what can you say, Fred Howe's wife got hurt and it took awhile for them to get the flex's in. On top of that I'd say they've had alot of backorders for the shafts, so I'll wait patiently twiddling my thumbs.

Will Sgarlat

Congrats in getting a really cool boat! One thing about tunnels, they don't like big chop! So for your first time out, try it on calm water. Also, this boat has to be tossed into the water with a fair amount of forward speed, so I glued strips of 80 grit sandpaper to the cowl at the balance point so my slippery castor-oily hands will maintain a good grip on the boat. It's also an idea to have a hand-cleaning rag to keep the oil mess somewhat under control.
The third pic shows the styrofoam floatation inside the cowl, so in case it parts company with the boat, you can reel it back to shore with your fishing rod, if you can reach it!

I have the newer motor with the 13 mm crank and it hauls this boat like stink! I'm using an Octura 3-blade X440 for good top end, and an Octura 2-blade X440 for power and acceleration, with a sacrifice in top end.

In setting your needle valve, go slobbery rich on shore, so that you have to work the throttle to keep it from stalling. If you notice it sagging off top speed, make it richer.

Keep the centerline of the prop shaft level with the bottom of the sponsons as a starting point, with the prop angled up so the boat runs dry, but doesn't flip over too easily at top speed. The wood Sprint is a really fun boat, enjoy!!

ob nut

My Feedback: (1)

HHMMMM, never had to give any tunnel any fair amount of forward speed. I just drop mine in and hit the throttle.


BTW, nice looking boat....

Thompy

OB nut, when do you think you would be available to run these tunnels? I think I can get a weekend off here soon, at least a day, and I'd like to come up and run with yah. I'm still flex shaftless, but when Tim or Josh at Precision Boats can get em out I'll throw em in and be ready to go. When I get the shafts I'll let you know, and we can pick a good date to get together.

ob nut

My Feedback: (1)

I was thinking of coming up today, but looks like rain, rain and more rain up in Cincy. [] If Wed or Thurs is nice, I'm heading up. This coming weekend I'm working and the following weekend will be a trip to the 4th annual K-Zoo Fun Run. If you don't get the shaft don't worry, I have a few spares you can have..

Thompy

I can't make it on any weekday, for work and school take up almost all of my time during the week. MAYBEEEEEE another time. I'll keep yah heads up when I might be able to make it.