Gas powered RC boats info

Float Your Gas Powered RC Boats
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So, you've decided to get into
gas powered RC boats,

also known as Nitro boats.
They come in a variety of styles and configurations and many are scale models
of real vessels, including racing boats, military ships, aircraft carriers, etc.
The smaller, less expensive units travel around 20+ mph, and if you've got a
real "need for speed" then some of them can reach nearly 100 mph!

Of course you'll want to consider your time and your budget. You can buy simple
RTR (Ready-to-Run) plastic boats that take only a couple of hours to assemble
for under $200 dollars. And at the other extreme, 1/8 scale RC speed boats that
are race ready, like the famous "Miss Budwieser" costing nearly a thousand
dollars, can be viewed through our site too.

The following information should help answer some questions for you about these
radio control model boats.


HULLS:There are several different types or styles of gas powered RC boats hulls available and each style is offered in many different sizes, ranging from about 20" to 60". The different styles are:

1) Deep Vee (Mono Hull) - Top photo, the most popular and the best bet for the beginner. Widely manufactured as Inboards or Outboards for Nitro gas powered RC boats. They can handle rough water, turn sharply and are most forgiving to the driver. They also have the most drag.

2) Catamaran - The yellow boat, they are a nice blend between a Hydro and a Deep Vee as it can handle rough water but has less drag than a Deep Vee therefore able to go faster. Cat's also are manufactured as Inboards or Outboards.

3) Hydroplane - Hydroplanes or Tunnel Hulls, right, are the fastest radio control model boats on the water but require near perfect conditions or they will flip! With little or none of the boat in the water while running, these scale models have very low drag.

ENGINES: Most gas powered RC boats use a 2 or 4 stroke glow engine, sized specifically for that model. They range in displacement from .049 cu. in. to 1.2 cu. in. (80cc to 200cc). RC speed boats glow engines cannot be operated with the same gasoline youd use in your car because they require a special fuel called glow fuel (or Nitro fuel) which contains methanol as the base. Different amounts of nitromethane are added to increase the energy that the fuel can provide. Oil, pre-mixed into the fuel, lubricates and protects your tiny engine as it pounds out amazing power!

Two-Stroke means that the engine "fires" (ignites the fuel in its combustion chamber) with every revolution of the piston. Generally, theyre a good place for new gas powered RC boats modelers to start. Two-strokes are easier to operate, less vulnerable to problems if misused, and deliver more power for their size and weight.

Four-Stroke engines fire once with every two revolutions. They consume less fuel, sound more realistic, and provide more torque but cost more, are harder to adjust and require more maintenance.

Break in your Glow Plugs: The idea is to temper the tiny coil by heat and cooling 4 times. Take new glow plugs and ignite them with your glow starter for 10 seconds and then let cool. They'll last a lot longer and save you money

Fuel Nitro %: It is always a good idea to start at 20% Nitro fuel in your gas powered RC boats engine and work your way up if you need more power. 20% is very reliable in a boat and less temperamental.

Common radio frequency bands for radio control model boats are 27mhz and 75mhz as well as a series of individual frequencies available within each main band. The frequencies can be changed with "Crystals" The crystals are specific to each manufacturer and are sold in sets. The set contains one crystal for the Receiver (Rx) and one for the Transmitter (Tx) and you can not mix the Rx and the Tx crystals for radio control models.

Polishing a Prop: Sharpen the curved edges and only polish the front side. Leave the back side in the factory cast or "sand blasted" looking finish. This will help to push the water on your gas powered RC boats.

Rudders and Turn Fins: The parts in the water should have a very sharp leading edge and a flat back edge. This way the water does not try to "steer" the surface as it passes by! Get all the surfaces smooth (or polished) if at all possible.

Paint Colors: Try painting your RC speed boats Yellow or White, they are the MOST noticeable colors on the water.

Important Safety Precautions



Never operate your gas powered RC boats around swimmers.

Never operate them around real boats.

Never operate RC speed boats without some sort of retrieval system. Don't go in swimming to retrieve a boat in dangerous or frigid water.

Whenever operating any radio control model boats, including gas powered RC boats, the radio transmitter should be the first thing switched on (prior to switching on any receivers) and the last thing switched off.

Here are a few last-minute preparations:



If you're operating your boat in an area where there are other radio control model boats in operation, check your radio frequency. Make certain that you're not operating on a frequency that is already being used by another hobbyist.

Do a range check. To check your transmitter and radio controls and verify that they are operating correctly, have an assistant stand at a distance from the boat and turn on the radio transmitter. Make certain that the transmitter antenna is collapsed.

While your assistant works the controls, make certain that the servos are receiving a signal and operating properly. If you get a good signal during your test, with the antenna collapsed, you're not likely to get into problems when your gas powered RC boats are on the water.

I hope this information helps you in your decision making and above all...have fun!