Still learnin' after all these years!!!

[bufferoo]

Well here's something for you kids to think about and let's hope that you can all learn from me. When ever you buy something that you know is used, check through ALL of the packaging before you assume that something is missing.

"Apparently" I was missing some major parts from the Dumas boat I picked up last week. Well...."apparently" I'm just a big dummy because when I finally got around to tossing out the rather large box, it turns out that there was a whole hull in there. :o :o :o :o

And to top it off my wife was right there to see me at my finest. This after getting a scolding for buying something that I knew might not be complete.

Ah well...at tleast I learned.

Bufferoo

[BoatDoc]

...well, at least it was a dumas

[Hydro Junkie]

I'd rather have her say I told you so and laugh then have to go find replacement parts :D Besides, it could have been worse, you could have been missing parts to a Zen 260 :D

[Ron Olson]

Buff, dude! An entire hull? Didn't you notice it missing as some point? Yeah, when I get stuff in the mail, I've learned to check all of the packaging because there may be something else hidden in the box.
I've been FINALLY been cleaning my basement this week after the ol' Lady raggin' on me for years about it and it has been like an archeological dig with all of the misplaced goodies that I've found.
So, do you have a piece of derriere missing? :D

[bufferoo]

Surprisingly I'm all in one piece. Of course there were the required "I'm sorries" and "yes dears" applied but all in all I came out unscathed. :o

I've never worked with a wooden hull kit and to be frank, I really hadn't gone through the box yet so I did not have that great an idea as to what I may have been short on. Turns out it was common sense.

In my defense it was a BIG box. ;) Plenty of room to loose a hull frame. The skin was still in the original Dumas box. So with the exception of one 2" long piece that can easily be replaced, it's all there. I'm happy.

Now I just have to explain the Zig Zag that's on it's way. :eek: Maybe I can say that I "forgot" about it. With my track record I may just get away with it.

Bufferoo

[Ron Olson]

My wife is pretty understanding. It gives me and my son some quality time together and gets us out of her hair for an afternoon or up to a week. As long as the bills get paid (plus I've been paying some of her's lately too), she doesn't complain a whole lot.
Haven't you had that Zig-Zag racer for a while? Must be that she doesn't remember you buying it! :D

[Doubledog]

Sounds like old age is creeping up on you :)

[Hydro Junkie]

Would you rather have my significant other? She nags at me because I'm not finished with my boat so that I can be building hers :D . Could be worse, I guess. She might not let me build boats at all :(

[bufferoo]

Ron....I like the way you think. :D

DD...I'm only 32. If this how my brain is working now I have got some BIG problems in my near future. I guess I should stock up on bibs while I remember. :eek:

hydro... I'd like to say that I would trade for your wife(mine's a chef so you'd get fed well), but I would still find a way to put myself in the doghouse. ;)

Bufferoo

[Hydro Junkie]

Trust me, it's easy to get in her doghouse :rolleyes: I only have to say "what do you want for dinner?" or "what are we wearing tonight?" to get in her doghouse. It doesn't help on the what to wear question that we are both Square and Round dancers, meaning she must have close to 100 possible outfits to choose from for a night out dancing :confused: I'm lucky that there is money to even build boats, considering how often we are gone :( Just learned it's going to cost me $25.00 plus shipping to get a part for one of the boats. The only place I can find it is a model JET manufacturer in France :( Must be the breaks of building scale hydros :D

[Ron Olson]

Yeah, I'm 51 and it sucks. If I live another 20 years I can't imagine how I'll feel then. I'm glad the brain isn't keeping up with the bod.
Wanna really make me feel old, Bufferoo? I was married (the 1st time) a few months before you were born. GAWD!

[Hydro Junkie]

He is a young puppy, isn't he? I better not speak too loudly though, as you're 10 years senior to me :D

[bufferoo]

If it helps makes me seem a little older (or you younger?) I have been on my own for 18 years now (WOW!!) I have 6 year old twins and a new one on the way, I just bought my second house and I'm mortgaged to the hills. :(

And don't get me on about them kids nowadays....

How's that Ron? Any help?

Bufferoo

[Ron Olson]

I've got a son that is going to be 17 next week. My Ex is a Grandmother! :D

[Hydro Junkie]

Okay guys, since I'm not the oldest or youngest, AND don't have kids(though my significant other says I am one :)), can we get back to boats? When do we get to see pics on the ($%%^^$)&^%)Dumas boat? Sorry, but I had to keep it clean somehow :D

[Ron Olson]

OK. :( At least I had some fun today here! :p

[Hydro Junkie]

Don't stop having fun on my account. If you want to pick on "THE KID", be my guest :cool:

[bufferoo]

Well if you really want to see a pile of lumber I can certainly post some pics tonight. ;)

As for when it's going to be running...that's a thinker. Like you I have WAY too may projects on the go right now and not all are RC related. 3 planes, 2 boats, 1 truck, 1 scratch built airboat, I'm modding 3 engines (2 nitro and one gas), I just moved at the end of march so I'm stripping wallpaper and repainting, getting the back yard (2.5 acres of treed hills) in order for the kids, building a jungle gym\swingset, building a playhouse (again for the kids), getting a nursery together, setting up my workshop in the garage (that's MY room now (tee hee) ), taking a few training courses for work and I have to fix my van.

EGAD!!! I think I'm going to have to have a little talk with my wife about the workload. The wallpaper and paint may just have to wait for a while.

Think it'll work?

Seriously, back to the boats. I'm in a search for the right hardware for the Dumas. I have a few engines in mind but none on hand in the .21 size range. I'm going to try to pick something up this month. I'm not looking for anything outrageous or expensive. Mainly I'd like it to run. ;)

As for the hardware I'm stumped on that one. It has to have the right look and at this point everything that looks right costs too much. I think what I am going to do is get the hull done and painted and get the engine and work from there. I think that the paint scheme will be a starting point for what the hardware should look like.

Luckily I have a few radios sitting around so at least that decision has been made already.

Bufferoo

[BoatDoc]

hey bufferoo...that sounds like a lot of work!!! hmmmm...once i'm out of the army i'll need employment: will work for food...and r/c gear :D !! but what you forgot to add to your list of things to do is the hours or laborious sanding involved in building a dumas kit (ooops i dissed dumas again).

[bufferoo]

What do you think about using a .21 buggy engine in this boat? It'll run open anyway so airflow shouldn't be an issue. I just happen to have one of these sitting around and this way I can put the engine $ into hardware.

Now, the engine I have isn't a super high end italian powerhouse but it is nice and strong. What do you think about some of the OFNA engines ie P4, Hyper 8 port?

Bufferoo

[Ron Olson]

The buggy motor might work pretty well in a low profile hull like John Finch's Wild Thing if you want to try your hand at a scratch-built boat.
I've got one in a .12 size and 2 friends have the .21 size. They handle really well, comparable to a Speedmaster 21 or Seaducer.

[Hydro Junkie]

Bufferoo, now I know you're a young puppy, as only someone young and INSANE would have that much going :D You might want to take Boatdoc up on his offer with that kind of schedule. But then again, I'm one to talk with three 1/8th scale Miss Madisons, one 1/6th scale 2003 Oh Boy Oberto, one 1/6th and one sport 40 Pay N' Pak, one 1/8th scale yard tug, one .40 size Mustang, one .25 size Sopwith Triplane, one .40 size trainer, and home improvement projects on a mile long "Honey Do" list to get finished :confused: On second thought, send Boatdoc out my way :D I also don't see any problem with a buggy engine. I would use a "through the bottom" strut with a rudder mounted as close to the transom as possible. Either that, or use a rudder through the bottom behind the prop with it's own stuffing box. :)

[bufferoo]

I like the idea of a searate rudder and strut setup as I like to turn in both directions. ;) Why would I go with the "through the bottom" setup rather than through the transom? I kinda like the idea that it might get a bit squirrley like a crackerbox if I go through the transom. Mind you if it's going to make it near uncontrollable then it's certainly not the way to go.

I am really leaning towards a .21 buggy engine as opposed to onroad. I think that the torque curve my help run a larger diameter prop. I'm not overly worried about top speed but I would love to have a great hole-shot and get up on plane ASAP. Doesn't too much pitch also lead to cavitation or is it the other way around?

I think that with a larger diameter prop running slightly lower RPMs with a decent pitch sould give me some decent power and speed.

Any suggestions?

Bufferoo

[Ron Olson]

Props are something that you always have to experiment with. On our Speedmaster 21 after the Nova Rossi took a dump, I got a Rossi Niagara (a.k.a. Pirahna). It took a while to get the motor broken in and as it did, I kept changing blades. I started with an X440/3, then an X642 and now it runs either a Prather 220 or Octura M445.

[Doubledog]

Read through the posts and can only say YOU GUYS AINT RIGHT! Bufferoo, you know I was pulling your chain buddy. (wink)

I'm soon to be 32 and if I want to remember something it has to get put on a sticky note on the dash of my car. Ya know, right in front of the guages so it blocks the MPH and I have no choice but to see it.

But now that I think about it, Cant say as i've ever almost tossed a boat... LMAO !

[Ron Olson]

Yeah, like you look at the Speedometer! OK, only when there's a Cop on your butt! :D

[Hydro Junkie]

Why the "through the bottom strut"? If I remember right, the Dumas hardware kit for these used a screwed to the bottom strut and a solid shaft. The through the bottom lets you use a flex shaft, making the prop adjustable, while keeping the look original. It also used a center skeg to help it turn. Might make a better boat without having to make major mods :) After all, don't we have to keep "the BOSS" happy? :D