Hello, Just want to introduce myself and get started here. First off my name is Joe, and I am in the St. Louis area. Unfortunatly there are no clubs anywhere near here, so my top goal is to form one. I am a "ship" newbie, I have played with r/c stuff for ages, just recently quit racing 1/8th scale, as the upkeep was getting outrageous. I luckliy found this great idea. So I'll get started. I am going to go with a VDT for my "beginner" ship. And will buy the kit from BC. I have some questions though. With a fiberglass hull is it still easily repaired with the dope? Do you still build the skeleton from plans? (looking forward to that) and since the sides have to be balsa wood, im assuming the hull doesnt go all the way up the sides? Is it better to just learn how to skin a ship with balsa? I know Im firing away here, and ill stop for now to get some answers. And anyone in the area, please dont hesistate to contact me, I always believe a mentor is the key to anything, and without phyisical presence, over the computer is hard to get going. Anyway thanks in advance and I'm excited that I have found this! Thanks Joe
It's unlikely during normal combat that a fibreglass hull will suffer significant damage requiring anything more than some CA glue or epoxy to repair. Eventually (over many years) the hull may become so beat up it needs replacing, but that's a long-term thing. With a fibreglass hull, the balsa skin is applied over the hull, and it will take the same damage as on a scratch-built hull. Silkspan tissue and dope repairs take care of this, until there's more repairs than balsa, then strip it all off and "reskin". Yes, the fibreglass hull does go all the way up the side to the deck level, but has "windows" or "panels" cut out with vertical "ribs" left as structural support for the balsa "skin". There are many pictures around showing the basic construction methods.
I've had to make repairs to my fiberglass Invincible, which has been in service many years. I use epoxy and where necessary, little bits of fiberglass. But if you use your VDT 10 years, you'll know how to do it by then
welcome, I too got my start in 1/8th scale (3 point hydro's, tunnel hulls and jet boats) racing and found it to be $$$$. the nitro motors and fuel alone are the cost of a ship in this hobby. theres plenty of help here if you're looking for it to get started. did you build with wood or fiberglass? I build mostly with wood so if you have any ?? just ask.
Hey Joe. Check out Visit this site for local contacts. Kevin Hovis is a great guy, he was very helpful in getting me started in this hobby.
Kevin Hovis, Kevin Kaminski & Ron Faltus are all in the St Louis area. Plus we have several guys in KC as well. I live in MN where we have 20+ battlers. We had a battle last Memorial Day in Farmington, just south of St Louis. I would guess we'd be there again Memorial weekend 2009.
Reading through your first communication.... The Fiberglass hull forms the frames of the ship (much like if you had built the ship from wooden frames.) On top of that you "skin" with 1/32" balsa and that is nomally all that gets hurt in battle. Join the MWC and have fun! marty
