How to - Origami

Deciding on an RC boat hull design requires that you consider several things. Give some though to what type of water you will be using the radio controlled boat in. Later we will discuss why this is important.

Hull design is probably the single biggest decision you have to make. Sure you have the options of electric radio controlled boats, gas powered rc boats and more. But the hull design affects the boats stability and speed no matter what the power source. There are several possible options and lets take a moment and look into them.

Hydroplane or Catamaran Hull Configuration- This hull design places two or even three surfaces in contact with the water at any one time. As a result, in this design, reduced surface area is in contact with the water which also reduces friction but more importantly air is trapped under the hull. The phenomenon that results from this trapped air is called “lift”. This reduces the surface contact between the radio controlled boat and the water thereby causing the speed of the boat to increase.

The fastest radio controlled boats are usually either hydroplanes or catamaran hull configurations. The disadvantage to this hull configurations is stability in rough or choppy water. If the water is rough high speeds are usually not attained. However, if it is calm the sky is the limit for these remote control boats.

Mono Hull Type – This hull configuration has a single surface that is always in contact with the water. Often called as a “V-Hull”, the mono hull provides better stability for radio controlled boats in rough conditions.

This design is further broken up into two categories, the “Deep-V” and the “Shallow’V”. For radio controlled the most popular configuration is the Deep-V but the Shallow-V is a close second. The Shallow-V will usually go faster with equivalent power because it has less surface area in contact with the water. However, if surface conditions are rough the Deep-V is more stable and will outperform the Shallow-V.

Compromises are just a normal part of buying a radio controlled boat. If it is calm where you operate your radio controlled boat you may enjoy having a catamaran or hydroplane type and the increased performance that is available from this hull type. If on the other hand you are operating in a rougher environment I highly recommend you stick with the Deep-V designed hull.

When racing remote control boats they are always broken down by hull design due to performance differences. So, no matter what style of boat you get you will be able to both have a great time and compete against other radio controlled boat enthusiasts .

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