What Gives???

[Brijar]

Ok, I just got back from a small vacation down to the lake. I took my Villain with me because my neighbor's grandkids were at the lake too. They have a completely stock Villain EX.
We have been trying to arange a race between our boats, but last time, I lost a steering screw and had to forfeit. This time is different. Before I headed over to their dock, I tightened all the grub screws and the trim screws. It was getting rather dark, almost to where I couldn't see well, but I had to go back home that night and I really wanted to race. So we got down to the water and put the boats in. Mine seemed to be running as good as it could. I did a bit of warming up while they put their boat in. We were going to race around the next dock's bouy(sp) and back. We took off and they kinda went slightly off course. It was very difficult to see now, and I was driving by the spray the boat put up. I went around the bouy, but the other boat got lost. I came back to finish before him, but as they was comming down the home strech, I noticed their boat was going a lot faster than mine did. We raced again, only we both got lost at the bouy and took about 5 minutes to find our boats. We decided to just mess around a bit, as it was too dark to go very far from the dock. Now I notice that their boat is definately faster than mine as I go full throttle past the other boat that is just sitting. Their driver gasses it when I'm about 10 yards away, and, within seconds, overtakes me.
This concerns me, as I have a highly modified boat running more batteries than them, but they are still faster than me. I also felt of the motors after the run and mine were hotter than his, even though I had water cooling and a lower gearing. I may try getting some marine Titans if this don't shape up. I'd love to get some Johnsons. Heck, if I'm desperate, I'll get some Permax motors and only run them for the racelol. Here are the upgrades:

-14 RS GP3300's
-Brand new, never ran even once Carbon Fiber props from Offshore
-Reversed prop rotation
-Graupner U-Joints
-Deans
-E-Maxx Titans (21 turns)
-Stock EVX and a 2055 steering servo
-lightweight electronics plate (not the box)
-Water cooling all around with bigger tubing (3 inlets and outlets(one per motor and one for the EVX))
-Custom Paint Job
-Sharpened Prather Spin Fins
-12t pinions

They were running:

-12 Radio Shack Brand 3000's
-Stock Tamaya connectors
-Stock props
-Stock EVX
-Stock motors
-Stock gearing (14t)
-Stock water cooling to EVX, nothing to motors
-NOTHING MODIFIED!!!

I'm blaming my issues on the gearing and the turn fins. I'll try removing the turn fins and using 14t or maybe 16t pinions just to see what they'll do (carefully watching heat, of course).
I won't be able to re-race them untill the 4th of July next year, as they live in Indiana and only come down to the Lake of the Ozarks on the 4th and on Labor Day. Till then, I'll be testing and tweaking.

My boat spun out very easily, just like his, so I'm moving the little pivot knobs on the servo horn inward to give me more control but less throw. I don't use hardly any throw when racing anyway.

Comments and suggestions are welcome

Brijar!!!

[cooleocool]

By those specs yours should have been faster. 14 cells, faster motors, etc. Even geared lower and with fins... Check for binding. If your motors are getting hot with water cooling then I would NOT gear up. Especally higher than a 14-tooth! That would possibly fry the motors.

The best thing you can do is to just play around with the settings. There are really not a whole lot of them on the Villain. Make sure your ESC is set-up properly, etc...

Happy boating,


-Tom