jelly bean

I have a problem with my nitro hammer, i bought it used on the classifieds from this site and just ran it for the first time today.
The problem with it is it has a different metal rudder and i think it may be too long...its 3 inches. i will launch it and try to get it on plane but then the nose goes too far in the water and the back starts waddeling like a duck. here are some pics of my rudder and trim tabs. any help would be appreciated please...
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wekenav8r

My Feedback: (37)

It's hard to tell from your pics. FWIW, the stock rudder is about three and a half inches long, so I don't think that's your problem. Check to see if your trim tabs are bent down, as that could cause the bow to dive.

jelly bean

when we first started they were way up. Thanks... i still think its the rudder, i know i was running it backwards today! but i dont think that would cause it to act like this at all. if only i had a video camera there to try and get it so i could show you.
Any more suggestions would be very nice

wave waker

if that's my boat the first thing i gonna do is turn the rudder to the opposite side, with the present rudder set-up it causes a lot of drag due to large surface hitting the water upon turning even a little that causes the boat to go slow and bow digs in..and make it act like a duck as what u said.... then i'l check the trim tab position, the vertical fin is always 90 degree to the bottom surface of the hull, the horizontal fin will determine the up and down of the bow, as u bend it up the bow will go up and the opposite when it bend it down..

the stock rudder measures 3.5 inches and it bends during hard turn, i would like ur metal rudder than the stock honestly....ur boat was modified pretty good for me the way the pictures show...

since the pics is kinda blurdy it looks like the trim tab is set high, horizontal fin should be level the transom bottom edge.

jelly bean

ok i just remeasured my rudder, it came out to be 3 3/4inches long when holding it in a better position. i just put the rudder on the right way and my trim tabs are a little up, not that much though. i will give it a test like this and hopefully it will work, hopefully i can test it sometime soon if my dads not too tired after work tomorrow to take me.
Thanks for all help and please keep suggestions coming, what prop would work best for this boat and where can i get it also?

jelly bean

ok i was just looking at my nitro hammer again and the rudder is pointed in towards the hull a little too. could this cause my problem?? should i fix that also??
Thanks

Ron Olson

My Feedback: (1)

From what I can see in the shots is that the rudder is tilted a little plus it is offset slightly from the prop so you might be getting an uneven amount of turbulence from the prop. The bracket is mounted lower than it should be as it could be raised so that the linkage connector is on the bottom instead of the top.
The rudder does look like it's on backwards except for it being rounded in what is now in the shot as the front. That could make the handling a little funny.

jelly bean

yes Ron,
i do know the rudder is on backwards i just fixed that, i was just looking at it and the rudder isnt offset from the prop, just looks that way in the photo. i fixed the rudder so its not tilted in towards the hull anymore, im just waiting for a chance to take her to the lake to see if i fixed the ducky problem i hope ive got it fixed and if not i should have a new computer instead of this old slow one, or the one that wont start up so that will alow me to upload better pics.....
If i get a chance to try it out ill let ya guys know how it was.
Thanks for all help