Model Boat Mayhem

Mess Deck: General Section => Beginners start here...! => Topic started by: robertall on December 26, 2010, 10:13:43 pm

Title: My First Boat.
Post by: robertall on December 26, 2010, 10:13:43 pm

Hi,

I am currently starting a project to make my own boat - well i kind of cheated. I found a 2nd hand hull with a broken rudder and a small electric motor in, which i am going to modify and make into a nice boat. I think the electrics are shot, they don't look very good. I am wondering if anybody could advice in getting a small motor. I am bidding on a Merco 49 on eBay at the moment which was originally fitted in a model boat which caught fire originally. The seller says it is running with 100% compression.

I am totally new, and i only spur of the moment i decided to buy the boat. it is approximately 1 1/2ft wide and around 3-3 1/2 ft long. The electric motor originally fitted was smaller than a mobile phone (it is turning over but i guess the motor will be similar to a scaletrix car motor, and it appears to have "no compression" and turns over extremely easy - too easy).

I don't have any pictures of the item at the moment as i am currently away from home, but when i get back, i will put some pictures. It is a bit of the dog, it is going to need a spray up.

There is one other thing i could do. I have got an old 33cc JAP 2stroke engine from the 1940's or 1950's which i could, which produces around 0.5 bhp. It is a bit heavy, and it is a very rare item and it would be a disaster if it was sink. It weights 3-4 kg instead of under 1kg which the merco has.

Please advice me,

Rob

Title: Re: My First Boat.
Post by: nick_75au on December 26, 2010, 10:47:18 pm

Hi Rob
Electric motor may be fine, some motors don't have  cogging ,which is what i think is what your trying to describe. Just connect a 6 volt or so battery to it to see if it works.

Im a little confused, is it a different boat for the Jap motor, the boat would have to be bigger than 3 1/2 foot for that motor.

Nick

Title: Re: My First Boat.
Post by: robertall on December 26, 2010, 10:59:20 pm

I did think about the 33cc engine, but i guessed it would be a bit too big. I will try that motor next weekend and see it if it a worker or not. It just didn't appear right so i didn't bother to check. The prop appears to be good but it seems too small. It is probably in proportion to the boat.