tt-r

I have several issues of RadioControlBoatModeler and in one issue they tested the 1/4 scale DPI tunnel with a K&B 11cc. The boat is awesome, but i cant find anything on the web about it. Did they close down buisness? They had an webadress too but that doesnt work.

Vertical3-D

My Feedback: (20)

Not sure where they went, but theres one for sale with a 13cc .82 outboard on it in the market place, Im waiting for those gasser outboards to become more popular, they are really awesome...

wave waker

is this the one??...in the middle....

Ron Olson

My Feedback: (1)

DPI has been out of business for quite a few years now. I had one of their electric C-boxes, a Shiada River Racer, 2 3.5 OB tunnels and one of the first six 7.5 OB tunnels out of the mold. They also made the Nitro Fury for Pro Boat.
A company in England bought some or all of the molds and did produce some for a while. They were going to make some of the hulls in 'glas but don't know if they ever did. I'm thinking that it was Pandan Models for some reason.
The past few nights I've been taking some old copies of RCBM with me to work and it's interesting to see who is still around and which companies have gone belly up.

tt-r

Waker: Yes it looks like that one, only the one i saw was white/blue/red with RollaPropellers on the whole side. Cool boat.

Theres probably a bunch of small companies that goes out of buissnes. As Ron say'd its kind of fun to look at really old magazines and see what existing today and back then. My oldest RCBM are dated back to the late 80's or early 90's. One ad in the old mags are a huge Mercury outboard engine with zenoah powerhead, cluch and waterpump and the works. Really cool scale item. They too are impossible to find on the web so im guessing they went belly up too

Ron Olson

My Feedback: (1)

Surprisingly, that company is still around but at the moment has a shaky reputation. They've changed the name several times but somehow survivng.
The issues that I was looking at the other night had Rick Eyrich writing a letter ot the magazine, Mike Tyson (not the one who bites off ears) of the gas muffler fame writing in with a tip and another person that I know from the 'net who was talking about his first Warehouse Hobbies boat. Now he's got a fleet of them and just won an Aeromarine hull.
I loved my DPI 3.5 OB tunnels as they were easy to build and forgiving in the handling department. My 7.5 was another story. If you moved anything a hair, it affected the handling of it.
I'll have ot dig up the pix of those boats sometime and post them.

there was one in the Maketplace and another on eBay very recently but I felt that both were a little overpriced.

ryan_t888

I own a DPI 7.5 Tunnel and am happy with it. They must have quickly changed the molds after they introduced the hull as I do not have any handling problems when there are slight or significant changes.

Ryan

Ron Olson

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Mine had a huge rocker in the rear of the sponsons. I've seen the newer ones and they don't have it. This is what I thought made setting it up so critical.

ryan_t888

Ya, nice looking hull. Do you know if it is still racing around somewhere?

Rockers are not good for any boat, they aren't meant to rock!

Ryan

Ron Olson

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I sold mine to a guy up in Grand Rapids who sold it on eBay and I think that person sold it later so I don't know where it's at now. I was bummed as it had gotten butchered by owner three.

Slop Jockey

There is a DPI just like the one in your pic here in my local hobby shop. The owner bought the hull awhile back off ebay. He has added a 7.5 K&B. The hull is kinda rough, but could be fixed easily. If we can work a good deal out I might add it to my fleet.

Jarcaines

I think (but I could be completely wrong) that Jerry Dunlap designed the DPI tunnel hulls, he might be the guy to ask.

Ron Olson

My Feedback: (1)

I know that Jerry worked on the 3.5 OB tunnel and possibly the Shiada River Racer which became one of Pro Boat's first kits, the Nitro Fury.

MiniMental

Is that your Speedmaster .21 in the left of that picture ron? lol im still definatly building mine.. i have the stuff on order from glenn quarles... just waiting now lol

Ron Olson

My Feedback: (1)

Good eye! Yeah, that's it but looking butt ugly as it was in the middle of a repaint getting it ready for the IMPBA Internat's.

Glenn's cool. We're both into trying to make .12 powered boats a little faster. He currently holds the SAW record for his 'rigger and possibly his highly modded Wild Thing hull. He makes a hot tuned pipe for them that is really quiet.
I'm guessing that you're getting a Nova Rossi from him. They're very good engines as I had one in the Speedmaster until it went south.

MiniMental

if he would let me pay off a novarossi .21 over 2/3 months i would gladly get a novarossi but i dont think he would... i simply cannot afford one :'(. i wouldnt mind payin a lil interest to make it worth his while but i havent asked him because i dont think he would... any ideas? up to now i will be using a cheap force engine

Regards
Aidan

Ron Olson

My Feedback: (1)

Save your pence up as there are a lot of good engines that can go in there. Start off with the Force to get you up and running then.

MiniMental

i just posted a reply to ure post in my other thread lol... i havent got a PM yet :S

Aidan