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cheap boat to start my son on?

Discussion in 'Power Boats' started by dnsducks, Jul 5, 2012.

  1. dnsducks

    dnsducks Registered

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    Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions on some boats to start out a little guy in. I have been looking around and searching ebay too. I would like to go $50 or less, simply becuase he is only 5 and i just want to get him started. $100 or less pice range might a little fast for him? JUst wanted to get him something w/pistol grip so he can get used to the controls etc. for when i get him a car eventually. It certainly doesn't have to be fast, but i am trying to find something that i can throw a 2s lipo in that i run in my cars/trucks rather than buying a bunch more nimhs etc. i like to try and keep things as universal as possible..
    thanks for any inputs.
  2. Golden Child

    Golden Child Moderator Staff Member

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    A couple of us on here have this one...
    http://www.xenonproject.com/rc-boats/electric/nqd-aeroboat-yellow-p-292.html
    They are hard to find in stock sometimes but lend themselves to upgrading easily.. see this thread - http://southernoregonrc.com/index.php?topic=58.0
    Remember when using LiPo's in place of NiMH's that brushed ESC's don't have a low voltage cut-off so it is easy to ruin your good batteries ;)
  3. highlandcrawler

    highlandcrawler Registered

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    Is yours together and running?  I was thinking of taking a couple of mine out and running at the all sports park this weekend.
  4. Golden Child

    Golden Child Moderator Staff Member

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    Yup, she's a runner ;) But this weekend I'm busy with our flight training program :( Would definitely like to get out and burn some riffles up! Next weekend I'm at Lake Selmac all weekend for our annual float fly. But, I'm available most evenings starting next week and early mornings on weekends after the 15th.

    dnsducks- are you in Grants Pass? Maybe we could set a time to go out and show off these little gems?
  5. xtm0515

    xtm0515 Registered

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    Just curious about this sports park, is it in white city? Do they have ponds or what? And an rc track? Sorry if this wasn't the appropriate place to ask.
  6. highlandcrawler

    highlandcrawler Registered

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    It is in Grants Pass. There are no rc tracks or anything but I find a lot to play on there with different trucks. There are huge fishing ponds that run through most of the park and they offer a lot of fun/trouble lol. I have had to have my boat retrieved by the fishermen a couple times when I got a little crazy.
  7. casey35

    casey35 Registered

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    what is the top speed on them lil boat. and can you upgrade the motors and stuff in them
  8. Golden Child

    Golden Child Moderator Staff Member

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    Top speed is probably 20-25, and yes, easy to upgrade! Read the thread I linked in my first post above. These really are a blast!
  9. dnsducks

    dnsducks Registered

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    golden,
    Yes that is pretty much the type i was looking at. I think there was a few made by NQD or something like that. they all look to share the same TX and the twin prop design. I like the price point and battery setup and stuff of that one also the tx looks to be about the right size for his hand , 16" boat size is just right... Plus its a jet boat. Nice Rougue River tribute. 8)

    Was going to run a lipo alarm. so as to not ruin my Lipo. if you don't already have one i would  highly recommend one.  an easy way to run lipos on a brushed setup on the cheap.  not to mention the ease of use for checking batt. voltages etc. for all you batts. these things are loud http://www.amainhobbies.com/product_info.php/cPath/1574_1727/products_id/183759/n/Team-Integy-LiPo-Voltage-Checker-w-Warning-Alarm

    No i am in Klamath.. but thanks for the offer. very generous. do you know of any you tube vids tho??
  10. dnsducks

    dnsducks Registered

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  11. joebollinger35

    joebollinger35 Registered

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    im runnin a brushed esc&motor with a 4000mah 2s lipo and havent burnt up my speed control,i dont think you will!
  12. joebollinger35

    joebollinger35 Registered

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    im runnin a brushed esc&motor with a 4000mah 2s lipo and havent burnt up my speed control,i dont think you will!
  13. dnsducks

    dnsducks Registered

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    cool thanks joe. and that is in a boat?

    also i was wondering how reliable the "vector push drive" system is. It has a dual motor setup, wwhich i guess is how it steers since there is no rudder. How then, would you be able to trim out the steering.. is this possible, or am i expecting too much for $40? ;D
    thanks
  14. joebollinger35

    joebollinger35 Registered

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    no boat,the system is in my drift car,so i get alot of spinning,my esc gets warm but not bad
  15. highlandcrawler

    highlandcrawler Registered

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    Your expecting way to much. I would avoid the NQD boats for the main reason of no replacement parts and very low quality. Honestly you can get a boat from the toy store or Walmart that will outperform them. I love my NQD boat I own but they have all had to have very extensive and costly mods to be even borderline fun. The little jet boats are their best bet as they are very sturdy and don't break very easily like their other boats. I have spent more on modding these thing than a nice quality boat from aquacraft or the likes. And in the end their poor design holds them back. The boats weren't ever intended to go fast so once you get some power in them hey are very hard to drive. I guess the advice I'm trying to give is to decide what you want from a boat. Will a $50 boat you drive a couple times and breaks with no replacement parts available or save a little and buy a good boat that won't leave you swimming for it lol. I've swam in every river and stream in the valley it seems chasing mine due to failure. I did go run my mini jet last night and shot some short clips of video. I will try and uploa them and some of my other NQD crafts.
  16. highlandcrawler

    highlandcrawler Registered

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    http://youtu.be/xr17Tod1ja0

    http://youtu.be/r9vBWELgvQ4

    Here are a couple short vids of my 29" NQD boat. The only single part left thats NQD is the hull kind of as even it has pretty extensive mods. they can be a lot of fun but pretty spendy for what you get in the end. I think I like them because im a tinkerer. I like taking things that are crappy or unwanted by most and making something cool out of it.
  17. GPS

    GPS Registered

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    Cool videos.  In the first one it looks like you were fighting the river just to stop from being washed away but then it took off upstream like no problem.
  18. highlandcrawler

    highlandcrawler Registered

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    I like to idle up them just fast enough to make progress then give a little gas down the backside of the waves. A lot of times if you go to fast you end up spearing a wave an getting spun around.  In the one video you can see it go under a couple of he big waves an still pull up stream. In both clips the throttle is limited to about  20% of the available output and I only pulled about a quarter of that in those clips. It has a feigao 540 8xl on 4s with a cut and balanced prop. With unrestricted throttle it does backflips at abou half throttle ;D
  19. dnsducks

    dnsducks Registered

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    highland, yes thank you for your inputs.
    all thos are valid points. I am loooking somthing for my 5 yr old son, so no it doesn't have to be fast b ut reliability is an issue. breakage = not fun. so, yeah... i am hoping for something that is some what reliable.
    Maybe the the aquacraft racers of zig zag racers are maybe something that might be a little more reliable and sub $100 price range? i was actaully considering the "mini aligator tours" before looking at other (cheaper) options i was hoping might fill the bill.
    really i am just looking for something fun and reliable sub $100 that i can run a standard 2s lipo pack in.
  20. GPS

    GPS Registered

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    You should bring your boats out to the Rogue Valley Flyer's Float-Fly this weekend if you have time.

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