BOAT HULL
Hull types, materials, setup and trim
HULL TYPES
MONO HULL (DEEP-V)
Most common type. V-shaped hull cuts through chop. Stable at speed. Good for general racing and bashing. Wide speed range. Examples: Traxxas Blast, Pro Boat Shockwave.
CATAMARAN
Twin-hull design with a centre tunnel. Lifts at speed — hull rides on air trapped in tunnel. Very fast in straight lines. Sensitive to turns. Higher skill required.
TUNNEL HULL (HYDROPLANE)
Flat-bottomed with side sponsons creating a tunnel. Fastest RC boat type. Runs almost entirely on air at speed. Unstable in chop. Flat-water specialists only.
FLAT-BOTTOM
Simple flat hull. Stable, cheap to build. Good for scale models and beginners. Slow — pushes water rather than cutting it. Better for calm conditions.
SCALE HULL
Replica of real vessels — tugboats, warships, sailing yachts. Appearance over performance. Often displacement hulls. Used in scale modelling and club events.
PLANING HULL
Transitions from displacement to planing at speed. Rises onto the water surface. Wider than a deep-V. Good for bashing and rough water. Traxxas Spartan style.
HULL MATERIALS
| MATERIAL | WEIGHT | DURABILITY | COST | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABS Plastic | Medium | Good | Low | Most RTR boats. Impact resistant. Repaired with ABS cement. |
| Fibreglass (GRP) | Light–medium | Very good | Medium | Racing hulls. Can be repaired. Sands and paints well. |
| Carbon Fibre | Very light | Brittle to impact | High | Racing specialist. Excellent stiffness-to-weight. Expensive repairs. |
| Foam (EPO/EPS) | Very light | Poor | Very low | Beginner and toy boats. Absorbs water. Not for serious use. |
TRIM AND SETUP
| ADJUSTMENT | EFFECT |
|---|---|
| Move battery forward | Bow drops — more grip in turns, slower top speed |
| Move battery back | Bow rises — faster top speed, less turn-in, may blow over |
| Ride plate angle (down) | Forces bow up — more speed, less stability |
| Ride plate angle (up) | Forces bow down — more control, lower top speed |
| Prop pitch (increase) | Higher top speed, more motor load |
| Turn fin depth | Deeper = sharper turns, more drag. Shallower = wider, faster turns. |