Spiky Cact.us

Remote Control Boat – Types of Hulls

Posted March 9th, 2010 by Spike

The next important determination is which type of radio controlled boat hull to choose. If your are planning a scale project, your option will clearly be determined by the full-size craft you want to model. But sport, racing and sailing craft hull types show very unusual characteristics. In general, there are two hull classifications: monoplane and hydroplane.

MONOPLANES Monoplane hulls contain one uninterrupted surface in contact with the water. Monoplane hulls can be separated into 2 subcategories: deep-V’s and shallow-V’s.

Deep-V’s. For the part monoplane hulls are deep-V’s. This typical layout brings the keel to a sharp point well below the surface of the water. The underside of the boat is sloping upward steeply toward the hull’s sides, resulting in a radio controlled boat that knifes through the water with a comparatively large wetted surface area. This style of hull is steady at all speeds and provides sharper steering response. The downside is that the additional hull surface that contacts the water causes drag that limits top speed. Still, with the correct power system and proper tuning, these radio controlled boats are plenty fast especially for newbies.

Shallow-V’s are the faster of the two monoplane types because they function with less surface area in contact with the water. The shallower keel v’s-angle produces a flatter bottom that causes less drag. The downside is that a reduced amount of contact with the water means a reduced amount of stability, so they are more tricky to control and require more accurate trimming. Shallow-vees are very widespread for entry-level racing, this type of radio controlled boat or the so-called Cracker boxes being the most common.

HYDROPLANES Hydroplanes possess more than one surface in contact with the water. They consist of tunnel hulls, catamarans, outriggers and stepped hydro’s.

Tunnel hulls are generally often connected with full-size racing boats. They get their name from the raised center part of the hull. 2 outer sections or sponsons sit in the water with a tunnel between them. As the boat gains velocity, air builds up in this tunnel and raises the boat higher out of the water. This reduces the surface area that contacts the water. This means less drag and higher speeds, while the relatively wide spacing of the sponsons maintains stability. This design provides a superior balance of speed and handling for the beginner.

Catamarans (cats) operate on the similar principle as tunnel hulls and fluctuate only in shape . They have more steeply angled sponsons much like deep-v’s monos with a tunnel along the center. A catamaran tunnel tends to be taller and narrower than a tunnel hull’s, so it takes longer to preserve stability. These also, are a good beginner design.

Outriggers are at the pinnacle of the performance ladder; their sponsons and main hull are separate pieces. This improves the airflow at high speeds, so outriggers are the fastest radio controlled boats; some even run at more than 90mph! The hitch is that they’re intended to work best at full throttle. At slow speeds, they sit too low in the water and don’t handle well. Furthermore, they are the least forgiving when it comes to setting the trim.

Stepped hydroplane hulls have notches perpendicular to the center line that separate the wetted surface into two or more sections. These notches get the radio controlled boat up on step sooner, and that improves performance. At speed, these notches decrease the wetted area, reducing drag. This hull type includes a varied group, from simple deep-v’s with small steps in the hull, to three-point hydro racers such as the full-size Miss Budweiser turbine-powered, unlimited hydroplane. At full speed, three-point hydro’s travel on two tiny areas of the forward sponsons and the centrally located propeller at the rear.

Any way you look at it radio controlled boats are a super way to spend a sunny afternoon. Take the time to enjoy the activity and spend time with your family and friends.

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