RC BOATING SCALE BOATS Builds Scale Boats Electric Predators 6.5m Archer 650 Offshore Cruiser

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      This project has been on the back burner for a while but as the motors will arrive any day it’s time to start documenting the build.

      This is the actual boat that the model is based on.

      The hull is a 900mm (approx1/7th scale) fibreglass scale model of an ARCHER 6.5m Offshore “walk around” fishing boat.

      Some pics as it arrived from QLD, not too bad straight from the mould.  Needs only minor tidying up & I only found one tiny leak in the deck/hull join.

      Overall View

      Side profile from bow

      Interior facing forward (showing helm)

      Interior facing rear (with removable floor in place)

      Rear swim deck & boarding doorway

      Targa Top (that I have not yet fitted)

      Targa Top (Side View)

      I have 2 ProBoat “Stiletto” outboards on order from Offshore Electrics in the US & hope to fit them up with brushed motors driven through twin ESC’s.

      Ideally I would like to have power tilt/trim on the motors controlled remotely. Time will tell.

      cont…

      The twin ProBoat Outboards turned up today from Steve Vaccaro at Offshore Electrics & boy do they look huge.

      Here is a comparison with the keel on Blue Moon (Victoria One Class)

      Luckily, when fitted up against the hull they look about right.

      Mock up in tilted position.

      With the current weather not good for any outdoor activities they may get fitted up sooner rather than later.

      cont…

      Just seen this & those motors are huge.

      Once your finished it would look sweet sitting on a trailer behind the Honcho

      cont…

      Yes they are not a bad size. Look about right though against the hull.

      I’ve fitted an Axial brushed rock crawler motor in one just to see how it performs but I need to source a prop or two to test it.

      The propshaft looks like 4.75mm and it takes up to a 45mm prop so should have plenty of choice, just need to look around.

      cont…

      Got a little bit further today with the build.

      Made up adaptors to get the 5mm flex drive couplings attached to the 3mm motor shafts,

      Gave it a quick run & it sounded terrible, dismantled & greased everything that should be and now they run quiet at a mouse.

      It’s an interesting prop drive arrangement with a captive shaft mounted in a screw in brass bush. At least the props won’t fall off if the flex shaft breaks. The square ended flex shaft then pushes into the rear of the captive shaft & also into the motor coupling.

      Did a bit of current testing, around 7 amps WOT (wide open throttle) in air and around 17 amps fully submerged in water so should be OK.

      Currently fitted up with the 2 blade surface prop from the Impulse 31 but I have a pair of 3 blade 40mm props on order.

      cont…

      This is a great looking build with a nice design hull. How does it look for scale behind the Honcho??

      cont…

      G’day Overlander, the Archer scales up around 1/7 & the Honcho is only 1/10 so its a bit small, probably closer to my Predator Baja at 1/5 scale.

      cont…

      Finally got the Archer 650 ready for its first water test as soon as the second ESC turns up. Other than that she is all ready to go, still need to finish off the power tilt/trim but that won’t hold up testing. 8)

      Motor Mount / Tilt bracket

      Tilt/Trim bracket

      Transom fittings

      Tilt/Trim bracket

      With motor mounts fitted

      Tilt/Trim bracket

      Motor tilted position

      Tilt/Trim bracket

      Motor fit-up

      Fitup of Motors

      Steering linkages

      Steering linkages

      Water Cooling discharge pipe

      Cooling discharge pipe

      Internal Cooling Pipe arrangement

      Steering Linkage completed

      Steering Linkage complete

      cont…

      The second ESC has arrived & been programmed and installed. Just been making a few final adjustments & checking all the fixings etc.

      Now only need the weather to be kind on Saturday for her first shakedown cruise.

      Power connected

      Ready for the first water tests

      Hardtop & Screen fitted

      And of course the all important name.

      Double Trouble

      cont…

      Well, Double Trouble got her first run today and apart from some minor adjustments that are needed she performed extremely well.

      She was slightly faster than I anticipated, I was aiming for 15kph which is close to 100kph @ 1/7 scale. She managed 18kph  without working up a sweat which is 126kph or 68knots, probably just a tad faster than a 6.5 metre offshore with twin 200’s. :lol:

      The First Video

      On Water 2

      On Water 5

       

      Since the last report Double Trouble has had a couple of outings. I have lifted the motor mounts slightly (10mm) from the original video and think they are now closer to the correct height.

      Shot a bit of video last weekend from behind the motors & all looks good.

      https://youtu.be/ZsQTE_ZIoQU

      Also tried out the new remote control pan mounting for the GoPro camera & shot a bit of our yacht racing.

      https://youtu.be/mh5bZXbLEts

      Finally got the FPV gear fitted up to Double Trouble.  First on water test tomorrow hopefully.

      Here is a quick bit of video

      https://youtu.be/N54zYz0g6Us

      cont…

      After going to all the trouble of setting up the twin outboards & getting them running perfect I have decided to abandon this idea & convert the Archer to twin in-boards.

      The boat ran great with the outboards and looked good but given that we only operate in salt water the ongoing maintenance to keep the motors in top condition was taking up too much time after each trip.

      I have procured a pair of 300mm brass & stainless rigid prop shafts & a couple of water cooled alloy & fibre engine mounts so am in the process now of fitting it up.  Will still use the rock crawler motors & ESC’s and hopefully performance will be similar but without all the maintenance.

      cont…

      Look forward to seeing this project back on the water mate, will be a lot less work with the in-boards.

      • This topic was modified 5 years ago by Predator.
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