Topic: Spearfish requirements... (Read 45515 times)

U-33 · « **on:** March 31, 2012, 04:09:31 pm »

I've been a very lucky boy and managed to get hold of a brand new Spearfish 2 kit...well pleased about that.

So, your suggestions and advice please, gentlemen, if you don't mind...

I need the boat to be fairly quick, but not manically so (remember the troubles I had with George?) Just enough to be able to give it a large handful now and again and see the boat up on the plane, without it going ballistic.

I need a good long run time...45 minutes would be ideal, anything more would be a bonus.

And please...keep it simple. No brushless motors or Lipos, just common or garden NimHs and a sensible motor.

Oh...and don't forget my budget restrictions...I'm now a poor old pensioner.

Thanks for what's coming,

Rich

Andyn · « **Reply #1 on:** March 31, 2012, 04:47:09 pm »

A 900 would push it along very nicely, on about 12v.

U-33 · « **Reply #2 on:** March 31, 2012, 05:33:02 pm »

Got an Action 755....I'll give that a whirl before I spend any more money that I don't have.

triumphjon · « **Reply #3 on:** March 31, 2012, 07:31:13 pm »

i take it your only going to run a single shaft ? im 3/4 way through my own build of a spear ( the spearfish with an enclosed wheelhouse ) buit have chosen the twin shaft option with a pair of eflight park 450 brushless motors , fusion tornado forward & reverse escs and 11.1 volt lipos . although im still playing with props its been giving me around half an hour run times ! the huntsman 31 has also got twin shafts , but is fitted with a pair of model motors direct 777 s , a single electronize esc , its been running on a pair of 7,2 volt nimhs wired for 14.4 volts , performance isnt bad , but only lasts for around 1/4 hour , im hoping a lipo will improve this due to the weight saving ! jon

U-33 · « **Reply #4 on:** March 31, 2012, 07:52:45 pm »

I never thought about twin shafts, to be honest....my previous Spearfish was fitted out with a Bullet 30 and 24 x 4a/h cells, and that went like the proverbial matter from a hand digging tool...

Those days are gone, I fear, both due to the financial outlay and the main reason...my reactions wouldn't be quick enough to drive the thing! As long as there's enough poke to lift her up on the plane now and again, and to let her run for a sensible time, then I'll be a happy bunny.

I 'spose really I should do a build log of it when I start...

Rich

triumphjon · « **Reply #5 on:** March 31, 2012, 08:14:33 pm »

i think one trick would be to keep it as light as possible , both of mine are almost the same weight , although they both use the grp hulls , the cabins are all ply/ balsa construction . the next one on the slip will be another spear type hull built as a sword , power will be a pair of brushed low drain 600s from our local shop fratton models , the motors ive been using on both my shortened aerokits searover and my brother in laws aerokits crash tender with 11.1 volt lipo power

U-33 · « **Reply #6 on:** March 31, 2012, 09:04:58 pm »

I think some photos are called for, your boats sound very interesting...

triumphjon · « **Reply #7 on:** April 01, 2012, 07:55:05 am »

another of the crash tender , as its the lastest rebuild ,

will try to get some of both the huntsman and spear running soon , its a little difficult to operate a camera and the boat together , at the moment there is lots of clumps of seaweed floating just below the surface where i sail so not been using powered models ! if you say what youd like photos of i will try to upload some , jon

U-33 · « **Reply #8 on:** April 01, 2012, 10:22:24 am »

Hi Jon,

That Spear is certainly a different looking animal, never seen of those before.

I've been having a good ferret in my cupboards, and come up with the following, all of which I think will be compatible with the Spearfish....

An ACTion 755 motor...by heck, but that thing is powerful!
An ACTion P93 Hi Power Multi Controller.
An ACTion P95 Indicator Fuse Board.
A brand new MMB 9g Micro Servo (rudder)

Batteries...hmm, might need to flex my flexible friend here. I do have a 12v 7a/h gel cell, but it's a bit weighty...

The kit comes with prop shaft/prop tube/rudder/etc, no expense there, although I may change the supplied 2 blade plastic prop (45mm, I think) for a decent 3 blade brass one, I have a good selection of those laying about.

The kit should be here on Monday (with a bit of luck and a following wind) or Tuesday for certain.

triumphjon · « **Reply #9 on:** April 01, 2012, 07:18:22 pm »

the spear was originally built for the mod / police markets , my boats tend to be running props around the 30 mm mark , best to start with a smallish one and play around until your happy with its performance / duration , as for the 12v 7ah id avoid it as it will make the model very heavy . thats why ive gone for lipos as not only do you gain in weight saved but they deliver lots of amps too , i boought a pair of 11.1 volt 2200 mah from the component shop just after christmas which cost me £35 inc postage

U-33 · « **Reply #10 on:** April 01, 2012, 10:26:54 pm »

It's quite an attractive boat, the Spear...different.

I have a fair old selection of props in my prop box, start off at 20mm 3 blade plastic and go on up to 75mm seven bladed scimitar in brass...that may be a touch too big!

That 12v gel cell is a real heavy beast, can't remember what I bought it for now. I'll probably go for 2 x 6volt NimHs packs around 3300a/h, that should give me the odd blast of power and decent run time on a sensible prop.

Kit should be here tomorrow...

triumphjon · « **Reply #11 on:** April 02, 2012, 07:44:41 am »

having bought some lipos and realised the weight difference id go for the lipo every time , just one 11.1volt pack will weigh far less than one of the nimh , hence making the model lighter to get unstuck ! although mine will plane and go rather well i quite often cruise around with the throttle set on the 5% trim on my tx , on a test at constant full power it returned a run time of just over the 30 mins mark . for detailing information on your spearfish have you looked at the fairey owners club site ? they have a very useful section , per hansons photo gallery , look for MISS DAISEY which has been converted from a spear back to a spearfish and very well detailed , lots of good photos of her . jon

U-33 · « **Reply #12 on:** April 02, 2012, 09:09:17 am »

That's a great site Jon, some cracking pictures on there to study, thanks for that link.

I'm still not sure about the power train yet...I did find that ACTion 755 motor, but that's a right beast of thing, I've got a pair of Ark Model 540's, I don't know what they are like...they came with the Hooben Perkasa, which is the same size boat. Or maybe a Speed 600?

Decisions, decisions....

Rich

Andyn · « **Reply #13 on:** April 02, 2012, 10:26:21 am »

Got a couple of 1800mah 11.1v lipos that are yours for a fiver each if you're interested?

U-33 · « **Reply #14 on:** April 02, 2012, 11:03:15 am »

1800m/ah...they won't last very long, will they. Now, if they were 5800m/ah....

Ta anyway,

Rich

Andyn · « **Reply #15 on:** April 02, 2012, 11:52:21 am »

1800 mah on parralell - 3600mah at 5 amps will last approx 45 minutes

triumphjon · « **Reply #16 on:** April 03, 2012, 06:58:43 am »

u33 my lipos are only 2200 mah , which are giving me run times of around half an hour !

U-33 · « **Reply #17 on:** April 04, 2012, 10:32:30 am »

Well, I have to report a sad failure...between them, Swindon Model Centre and the Pony Express couriers managed to get the Spearfish kit to me in less than 2 days...superb service.

I opened the box...and found that the hull had three holes in it(two in the stern, one in the starboard side)the forward part of the deck was badly moulded, the radio box was cracked, and there was no prop or windscreen moulding supplied.

The hull...well, yes...I could have repaired it.
The deck...would have been a problem to repair any sense.
The radio box...well, yes...wouldn't have been a problem to replace that.
The missing prop...well, yes...easily replaced.
The missing windscreen moulding...that would have been a real problem to make a new one.

So, the kit has to be returned to SMC. They contacted MFA who did say that they could repair the hull, but I'd be on my own with the rest of the problems. And as the Spearfish(as well as the Fantome)have been dropped from the range, there's no chance of getting a replacement screen moulding.

Swindon Model Centre bent over backwards to help me out, they couldn't have done any more, so a big "Thanks" to them.

Rich

triumphjon · « **Reply #18 on:** April 04, 2012, 08:35:48 pm »

is it really that bad ? personally id repair any of the damage to the mouldings , the missing shaft can be sourced and the screen material is available from mfa ( i got some last summer for a fantome i was building ) could always build as a mk 1 spearfish which had wooden topsides !

U-33 · « **Reply #19 on:** April 04, 2012, 10:32:00 pm »

The hull would have been an easy repair...spot of filling and sanding, drop of paint, job done.
The deck wouldn't have been that difficult to repair...best way I could see would be to have cut away the damaged area and replace it with a strip of styrene.
Prop...well, not a problem, it was only a standard 45mm 2 blade plastic job.
Radio box...not a problem, I wouldn't have used it anyway.
The screen...I guess I could have made a replacement one from clear styrene sheet, made in four sections with a styrene frame.

The shop had called MFA and told them, so I'm thinking that MFA insisted on the kit being returned.

I'm now contemplating a 34" Aerokits Sea Commander instead....trouble is, it's all wood. And I hate wood. And it hates me....

Rich

triumphjon · « **Reply #20 on:** April 05, 2012, 08:24:12 am »

sorry to hear its been returned , keep looking on evil bay as they often turn up in varying states , thats how ive got mine three hulls ! all of them were once overweight ic powered models that ive stripped out and rebuilt . whats wrong with a wooden boat ?

U-33 · « **Reply #21 on:** April 05, 2012, 08:29:03 am »

Wood? I hate wood! I can't even draw a straight line on a piece of wood, let alone cut one...and the there's the painting of it....ooh, no.

I don't like wood and it don't like me!

Rich

triumphjon · « **Reply #22 on:** April 06, 2012, 07:43:01 am »

contract building the vessel or time to look for a prebuilt one then ?

U-33 · « **Reply #23 on:** April 06, 2012, 07:54:11 am »

Morning Jon,

Well...who's a lucky boy, then? A chap on Facebook(also an AMS member)heard of my plight and offered me a brand new and untouched Spearfish kit which he'd had for years and never got round to building it. Needless to say, I snatched his hands off. and it's en route from deepest Norfolkshire.

Keep watching this space....

Rich

triumphjon · « **Reply #24 on:** April 06, 2012, 08:20:18 am »

very lucky boy ! so the build is back on if the kit comes with a 5mm shaft i think it would be wise to change for a 4mm stainless version , as there seems to be a betteer choice of props commercially available ! look forwards to seeing youyr progress . jon

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Author Topic: Spearfish requirements... (Read 45515 times)