jw637362

My Feedback: (1)

Ok here is my dilemna, I have finished my canopy, trimmed, mounted and fits great. It has the single rigid dowel in the center front and slips in on the front sides for no lateral movement. I can actually pick up the boat with the front of the canopy. Very solid dowel configuration.
How the heck do I make a clip for the back for a fast on and off design.
I have thought of cabinet holds. The ones with the bent metal on the canopy and the duel nylon rollers that it snaps too but they are too big.
My wife has suggested magnets, possibly. The push down and turn style but no where to mount them??

Any Ideas as I want to be done with this boat. It has been too long a build. Thanks a bunch,

Jeff

brettos01

Nice build Jeff,

I have always used magnets, I use rare earth nickle plated magnets that are 10mm round and 3mm thick.

You can get them from www.jaycar.com.au @ $20AU for 4.

I don't know where you will find equivalent types in the US but I'm sure they are out there.

These magnets are very strong and a single magnet can hold up a house brick.

Mount the magnets under the deck with epoxy, let dry, put on your canopy, then drop the magnets onto the canopy and they will locate themselves. Then draw around them with a pencil, remove them, place a drop of epoxy inside the pencil marks, then replace the magnets and let dry. Simple.

Another feature of using magnets is the fact that they allow the canopy to move a little without breaking mounting posts off or damaging the hull in any way.

Make sure you have a way to remove the canopy when you are done as they really do stick very well.

Hope this helps you Jeff.

Regards Brettos.

Square Nozzle

My Feedback: (1)

Jeff, I used the cabinet latches you mentioned. I installed one on my 1982 Pay n' Pak scale hydro. I has worked flawlessly for me. Mine was installed up front with tabs in the rear of the cowl to hold that down. I was concerned that there may not be enough hold on the front to keep it down but to date I have not had a problem. You may have to shop around at a wood working place to find one that gives you a firm grip.

jw637362

My Feedback: (1)

Thanks for the replies, I really wish I had posted before starting it. I would have secured in back and put the cabinet clip up front as John stated.

Now I will think about the magnet route. I can make two standoffs on the inside rear, drill for magnet install on the standoffs and do the same inside the hull as I have no way of going under the deck. Thanks for the idea brettos

I am going to Home Depot today, I'll see what they have in stock that I can utilize.

Jeff

pinky_d_brain

have you tried velcrow don't no if i spelled it rite but i have seen it used on cars befor vary fast, simple and lite wate just make shire if your canopy comes off it will float hehe just glue with velcrow on works best if you can get it on the sides holds better that way

balsadustmaker

Take a look at what the helicopter guys use to secure their canopys. It's just a standoff post that accepts a rubber grommet. Easy to use, secures the canopy very well, and simple to install.

jw637362

My Feedback: (1)

Thanks everyone for the replies, Pinky - Velcro was an interesting Idea but I have nothing on the bottom side to adhere the velcro too.

Crash - The whole idea is to have a very fast on off procedure with boats. Although that would be a clean install, just takes to long to put on and take off.

John, found a different style of clip rather than the u-shaped clip that goes around but through the two rollers. Premo fit.
Notice where I decided to put the clip hold downs, Could not have worked out better, no new holes in the hull!!

Anyway, I already went to home depot and came up with this. All done. just need to finish sand, Prime and paint!!!!!!

Thanks again,

Jeff

Square Nozzle

My Feedback: (1)

Looks just like mine Jeff. You will notice that you can adjust the roller set to even give you some "pull down" on the cowl. Good luck with the installation. Glad I could be of assistance.

Hydro Junkie

Pinky, have you considerred what will happen if the boat blows over or, if used for actual racing, runs through a rooster tail? Velcro doesn't have the holding power to keep on a cowling in a flip, let alone in the wind at high speed. Just so you know, IF your boat looses it's cowling in a race, you either get reduced or no points for that heat. To make things worse, every time you pull velcro apart, it looses some of it's holding ability. Therefore, velcro isn't a viable option for retaining a cowling. If you look closely, you can see the cabinet latch rollers just behind the fuel tanks on the left side of the engine bay in this picture.

t_hedlund

My Feedback: (1)

That is a awesome looking cowl, I have to make a cowl for my dumas ALV, but i think i'm going to stick with the orginal design.

jw637362 How does she run?

I'm planning on locating the reciever , battery and throttle servo, ahead of the engine and the tanks are going under the deck. using the information on your other post.

jw637362

My Feedback: (1)

Talon, thanks for the compliment. It has been a long process, I should have it done in the next couple of days.

Have not had a good run yet as the day we were testing was windy and had some chop. Still working on the correcty prop as I think from everyones info will be an x 455 and x457 2 and 3 blade for next test day. I had an x 462 and it was Way too big. Just putted along, I threw a smaller size on that my brother hand on hand and it took off like a bat out of hell. but engine kept dying. Hence getting the cowl done. I think I was sucking water. Good idea on your config. keep the back light, Balance at the rear of the sponsons. We can get in to that later as I learned here as well.

Good luck with it.
Jeff

pinky_d_brain

The velcrow was just an idea i don't no anything about racing and i don't even have a boat yet thx for the info.
Boat looks good have to get a vid of it runing for us

brettos01

Hey Jeff,

Here are more catches that are available from most ship chandlers.

Regards Brettos.

jw637362

My Feedback: (1)

Thanks for the other info Brettos, the clip on the left looks interesting....

Here she is........... Done..................at last.......... Less trimming on the water...............going through the props routine, etc..

Thanks for everyones help,
Next post on this thing will be video but not for awhile,
Jeff

330T

thats a sharp looking boat

jw637362

My Feedback: (1)

Thanks 330T- it has been a long process so far. My first ground up 1/8 scale hydro.

Jeff

jetpack

My Feedback: (1)

I have a Dumas Eagle Sport 40 hydro thats pinned in front just like yours, and the back gets fastened with screws through the cowl into wooden blocks that are glued to the center section deck cover.

I didnt like the idea of this due to the fact that I could picture what would happen in a blow-over or collision. If something would break it would be the screws tearing through the ABS cowl, or knocking the wooden screw blocks free from the deck cover.

My way around this was to use a ball link screwed into each corner of the ABS cowl near the tail, and one nylon landing gear strap with an O-ring captured under it on each side.

When the canopy is laid down in place, the O-rings are stretched foreward over the ball links, drawing it backwards and downwards.

I do not utilize any type of locating block, as the tension of the O-rings pulling against the square nose up front keeps everything centered and tight.

Two flips of the finger and the canopy is free. No screwdrivers, loose screws, no stripping of threads, no damaged cowl or blocks.

You can adjust the tension with the diameter or cross section of the O-ring to your satisfaction, or how far back you locate your landing straps.