Radio Control Boat – Styles of Hulls

The next important determination is which kind of radio controlled boat hull to select. If you’re planning a scale project, your option will clearly be determined by the full-size craft you would like to model. But sport, racing and sailing craft hull types exhibit very special 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. A large amount monoplane hulls are deep-V’s. This conventional design brings the keel to a sharp point well beneath the surface of the water. The underside of the boat is at an angle 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 kind of hull is stable at all speeds and provides sharper steering response. The downside is that the additional hull surface that contacts the water causes drag that restricts maximum speed. Still, as well as the correct power system and proper tuning, these radio controlled boats are plenty fast specially for newbies.

Shallow-V’s are the faster of the two monoplane types because they operate with a smaller amount 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 not as much of contact with the water means a reduced amount of stability, so they are more taxing to control and require more precise trimming. Shallow-vees are very popular 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 involve tunnel hulls, catamarans, outriggers and stepped hydro’s.

Tunnel hulls are generally often associated with full-size racing boats. They get their name from the raised center section 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 excellent balance of speed and handling for beginners.

Catamarans (cats) work on the identical principle as tunnel hulls and differ only in shape . They have more steeply angled sponsons much like deep-v’s monos with a tunnel along the center. A cat’s 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 model.

Outriggers are at the apex 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 90 mph! The drawback 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 contain notches perpendicular to the center line that separate the wetted surface into two or more sections. These notches pick up the radio controlled boat up on step earlier, and that improves performance. At speed, these notches decrease the wetted area, reducing drag. This hull type includes a diverse group, from straightforward deep-v’s with little steps in the hull, to three-point hydro racers such as the full-size Miss Budweiser turbine-powered, unlimited hydroplane. At full speed, 3-point hydro’s travel on 2 small areas of the forward sponsons and the centrally located propeller at the back.

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

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