Jerry Dunlap

Check the warranty on the hull in your instruction manual.

JD

piper_chuck

My Feedback: (12)

A few questions. First, were the props balanced? Second, how tight are you making the prop nut?

chrsvct

I bought both props from twisted liquid, Im assuming they were balanced, they were tight (snug not insanley tight), same way I tighten the stock props


Chris

misshydro

Hi,Just to let you guys know I was snopping around ebay and found a Miss Vegas that Jerry has sighned and the boat was mod by Sam Miller racing!! Ebay #170037370791 [>:]

Jerry Dunlap

That's a good running Miss Vegas.

JD

Ron Olson

My Feedback: (1)

I'm curious to see what a boat autographed by Jerry goes for and I'll bet that he is too!
If it goes for big money I see Jerry getting stocking up on Sharpie's!

RcBoatman59

We have 2 of the Miss Vegas boats and a 3rd on back order for our daughter, love em, lots of fun.
Mine is getting faster and faster, just trying different things that I have read about here.
My wifes has basically had nothing done to it, jus a prop swap to a 435 and is just as fast as mine almost.
The problem I am having is that my prop shaft keeps coming loose from the collet.
I have one on back order but am told it wont be in till late Octoberand I want to run now !!!
What causes this and are there any ones off others engines that will work ?

007clint

THANKS for the 48 pages of advice! I just returned from the Lone Star Model Boat Club's Fall Classic where they hosted an 18 Scale Hydro race where we had five Miss Vegas competitors. This was my first race and I came home with the First Place trophy thanks to all this good advise (along with John Finch's Powerboat Racing booklet for basic racing knowledge)!

A good pitman was VERY important for a new racer and thanks goes out to the Number One pitman Jason Claborn (a class act) and his dad Wade Claborn, the race CD.

Thanks also goes out to the Lone Star Model Boat Club - a great group of guys that accepted a newbie and also hosted this new class - 18 scale hydro. I will be definitely be moving up into some faster boats in some faster classes after I perfect my driving skills.

For this (near stock) race, I think the most important things were: breaking in the engine with about 3/4 gallon of 30% fuel; lots of playing around with the needle to get it just right and then leaving it alone, a polished Twisted Liquid 2-blade metal prop; lubricating the drive shaft between heats; adjusting the strut to require a good toss to start it on plane (although still being able to get it back up on plane with some work if things don't go as planned); sanding the bottom with 600 grit paper (and squareing up the sponsons); using a polished, sharpened, and bent turn fin for left-hand turn corrections (which by-the-way there are a lot of when you are a new driver); and who knows how many other small tweaks and adjustments of the boat and controls that helped; and the MOST important - getting an experienced pitman to help you learn the racing ropes!

Thanks to eveyone!

piper_chuck

My Feedback: (12)

Octura makes one that gives a tight fit on the shaft with no need for shimming (which can cause runout). The part number is a couple pages back. It costs less than $15 shipped from several different sources. I got mine from G&M models at 630-279-2451.

Kelly Miller

Congrats Clint, yes a good pitman is invaluable and it sounds like you had some great help. nothing like that rush of adrenaline when they anounce the start of pit time. you gotta describe that. and with this being your first race you had to be pumped.

Kelly Miller


Sam Miller Racing

Wichita R/C Model Boat Club

Dan S

Hats off Clint on your first place win.

RedBullVegas

Congrats Clint,

I got my dads boat broke in yesterday and experienced 3 beautiful take-offs. Unfortunately the landing was not so spectacular and ended with me saying "Oh!... followed by an explicit noun. The boat looked more like a bad attempt at 3 in 1 foam flying boat than it did a hydroplane. The boat is completly stock and the water was like that of a bath tub with no one in it......calm as ever.

I will go back through the pages to see if any of you mention this, but if none of you recall seeing it mentioned, it would be great for you to direct me. Thanks 4 your help.

Happy boating.

Dan S

Just a though,

check your prop angle, may have too much positive, creating lift!

I know when I tested on mine to find the best prop angle it did happened.

Bruce Frost

My Friend has replaced 2 shafts that broke about an inch from the coupler. He luckly has had them both replaced by warranty. He was running the stock prop both times.

I also snapped a shaft an inch from my coupler but I was using a metal prop at the time.

007clint

First time as a participant - 'pumped' doesn't even get close! I started up the engine the race before just so it was still warm. They called up to the pits and started the clock. It fired right up, Jason took it to the water and looked back over his shoulder at me. I nodded and he gave it a quick throw. It was off - I immediately turned the wheel - the wrong way! Ok, back the other way, zig-zagging to buoy one for the first race, the first time on a pond with another boat, and only the 5th time on a pond with buoys. I got around buoys 1,2, and 3 and on the back straightaway the engine came up on the pipe and started to scream. I got around buoys 4, 5, and 6 and stayed away from the other boats as they launched. We went around 3 times with Jason talking in my ear the whole time which REALLY helped - calm down, breath, you have too much time - stay wide in the turn, ok - take him on the inside, watch the buoy, 6.5.4.3., ok punch it. Oh, the adrenaline rush!

If I had only one suggestion for another new racer, PICK YOUR PITMAN carefully - I really got a good one. There is SO much more to racing than "Making it Fast". I was probably a little faster than most but it is the driving that wins the race!

So the race goes on, I am making squirrelly turns around the buoys, working at missing the other boats, hitting one buoy, cutting one buoy, it was a mess. But it was enough for a 3rd.

With each heat I got better - 3rd, 2nd, 1st, 1st (at least until the 5th and last heat). Then checking the accumulated points, I knew I only had to get a 2nd to take 1st overall. But suddenly, I found myself in 2nd, then in 3rd, and then back in 2nd ... I got so nervous - I made more mistakes in my 5th heat than the previous three all together! BUT, it was the calm voice of Jason "breath, just watch your boat, don't worry about the other boats, turn.turn.turn, get in close, take him on the inside, ok you're around - take your lane" etc. etc. that got me successfully through the heats.

...Until you have some experience, pick your pitman carefully and discuss each race before and after - IT REALLY HELPS!

It almost doesn't seem fair that I got the trophy.
Thanks Jason - You are great!!!

Ron Olson

My Feedback: (1)

You're right, there is nothing like a good pitman. My son complains that I talk too much on the drivers stand but you want one that is a great second set of eyes to let you know how you're doing, watching the clock and warning you of where the dead boats are especially when they drift during a heat.

Kelly Miller

Clint I can tell the whole thing is still very fresh and just reading your desciption gets me going. yes you are correct A GOOD PITMAN IS CRITICAL someone that will talk to you and keep you focused on just the boat. We are going to a fun run in Del city OK next saturday and Sam and I are taking 3 Boats. I get a charge out of running the boats but Racing is a rush like nothing else.

You are just down in Texas so you will have to come up next spring for the Heartland Vegas Invitational.

Kelly Miller

Sam Miller Racing

Wichita RC Model Boat Club

007clint

Del City, OK is closer than Houston to me - too bad I am tied up this weekend or I would go north! Where is the Heartland Vegas Invitational going to be held? What type of classes (ie. restrictions) will there be? I was thinking about building a much more modified 18 or 21 Vegas this winter!

Kelly Miller

Heartland Vegas Invitational will be held in Wichita, Ks. Am trying to get a date set. My idea is to have the stock, modified and unlimited class for the Vegas or any RTR for that matter. I have a completely stock Vegas now (I modified components that came on the boat) but am planning on a modified Vegas (anything to the boat and up to .18 engine and pipe) Unlimited ( If it will fit stuff it in). There is a lot of interest here for the Vegas and I think everyone needs to experience the RUSH of racing.


Kelly

klm4488

hey guys,

Ordering a new fuel tank and some new fuel line, but I don't know the ID and OD size of fuel line. Can anyone help?

Rev

Dan S

Rev,

1/8 ID

Dan S

Well boys,
me and terry went out today to have some fun, it was pretty windy, the Vegas don't really like big chops.

The funny part is, that my Vegas handles the chops better than Terry does, we tried setting his like mine but still did not make any difference, I guess each Vegas are different, can anyone make any sense of this.

Maybe its just the way we blue printed the Vegas that makes the difference (both running same grim fin, same prop, at same depth) the only thing different is the engine (original .18 and OS .18 crv mx).

Also Terry blew another rear bearing???????

He thinks it may be caused by getting too much water or NOT DRAINING the water properly, now I have been getting my fair share of water aswell and my bearings (knock on wood) are doing good.

any suggestions?

Terry's been using Red Max 30% Nitro/20% oil, and I am using WildCat 30% Nitro/18% oil.

klm4488

Thanks Dan for the info. I got lucky and ordered "Medium" Tower Hobbies fuel line. I guessed and I guessed right. Anyway, about your rear bearing. Is the flex shaft lined up perfectly with the collett? A Buddy of mine told me a horror story with his vegas. It was set wrong from the factory so didn't think anything of it. Ran it a few times and blew the bearing out. Don't know if this is your problem, just thought I would pass the info on.

Rev

Jerry Dunlap

Water in the boat would not cause a bearing problem.

JD

piper_chuck

My Feedback: (12)

By rear bearing, do you mean the one closest to the stern of the boat? Sorry for asking, but I also fly planes, and the engines face the other way. If it's the bearing closest to the drive shaft, look at how he's installing the shaft. In particular, see if he's leaving the necessary gap between the drive dog and strut. If there's no space there, when the engine gets going, the contraction of the shaft will exert quite a bit of pressure on the engine bearing.