I managed to find more sticky plastic and finished off the main bit of my colour scheme. I still need to build a hatch, I would like it similar to the proppy, but I will be having a drinks bottle plastic cockpit which will end just in front of the start of the blue bit, probably a carved balsa front cone type front to it.
I tested the boat today, I had been told about hydros having a poor turning circle but this was definately not the case, I was able to turn in about 6 or 8 feet, at low speed obviously to start with. Might end up twitchy at higher speeds.
I can always turn it down a bit if required.
It ran nice up to about 1/4 throttle, getting up on the plane almost instantly and getting up to a higher speed than I managed with the Rorqual. No signs of torque roll even with sharp acceleration up to 1/4 throttle, why only 1/4 throttle?....
I thought it was drawing air in at the prop, it revved higher then the boat kind of slowed down sank in a bit and then it would go again up to about 1/4 again and do the same thing. I tried steering about to see if turning stopped it doing it. No difference, then with a very loud vibrating noise which buzzed water droplets into the air arround it..... It stopped moving, tried throttle again,, same. My coupling sleeve had separated from the shaft and come off, bit of damage to the hull but not burst through, need to check it later.
The boat looks as if it will be really quick, sits very stable on the water, accelerates really really quick to its coupling slip limited speed, once I sort this out, I will have a nice little boat that does look quite big. Good test though, very happy so far.
Another thing, I think the propshaft is too weedy, it is only 1.7mm with small nylon bearings, I think it is bowing with the centrifugal force then straightening out as the revs get up a bit. I might have to do some surgery, get the old shaft out and upgrade to a 4mm shaft. This would fit my coupling without needing to use the spacer I made up.
Need to submit a request to my financial manager (wife) and see if I can get one ordered up.