Radio Control Boats - Types of Hulls

By: Brad Banion

The next great decision is which type of radio controlled boat hull to pick out. If you're setting up a scale project, your preference will clearly be determined by the full-size vessel you want to model. But sport, racing and sailing craft hull types show very unusual personality. In general, there are two hull classifications: monoplane and hydroplane.

MONOPLANES
Monoplane hulls have one continuous surface in contact with the water. Monoplane hulls can be separated into two subcategories: deep-V's and shallow-V's.

Deep-V's. A good number monoplane hulls are deep-V's. This typical layout brings the keel to a sharp point well beneath the surface of the water. The underside of the boat is angled upward steeply toward the hull's sides, resulting in a radio controlled boat that knifes through the water with a relatively large wetted surface area. This type of hull is steady at every speeds and provides sharper steering reaction. The downside is that the extra hull surface that contacts the water causes drag that restricts top speed. Still, as well as the right power system and accurate fine-tuning, these radio controlled boats are plenty fast—especially for newbees.

Shallow-V's are the faster of the two monoplane types since they operate 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 not as much of contact with the water means less stability, so they are more difficult to control and demand more accurate trimming. Shallow-v's are very standard for entry-level racing, the so-called Crackerboxes being the most common.

HYDROPLANES
Hydroplanes include more than 1 surface in contact with the water. They include tunnel hulls, catamarans, outriggers and stepped hydros.

Tunnelhulls are generally often related with full-size racing boats. They get their name from the raised center portion of the hull. 2 outer sections (sponsons) sit in the water with a “tunnel” between them. As the boat gains speed, 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 model provides a superior balance of speed and handling for the beginner.

Catamarans (cats) work on the similar principle as tunnelhulls and differ only in contour . They have more steeply angled sponsons—much like deep-vee monos with a tunnel along the center. A cat's tunnel tends to be taller and narrower than a tunnelhull's, so it takes longer to preserve stability. These also, are a good beginner design.

Outriggers are at the highest 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; several even run at more than 90 miles per hour! 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. Moreover, they are the least forgiving when it comes to setting the trim.

Stepped hydroplane hulls have notches perpendicular to the centerline that part the wetted surface into two or more sections. These notches get the radio controlled boat up on step faster, and that improves performance. At speed, these notches lower the wetted area, reducing drag. This hull type includes a diverse group, from straightforward deep-v's with minor steps in the hull, to 3-point hydro racers such as the full-size Miss Budweiser turbine-powered, unlimited hydroplane. At full speed, three-point hydros ride 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 great way to spend a sunny afternoon. Take the time to enjoy the activity and spend time with your kids and friends.

Article Source: https://www.collectibles-articles.com

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