Do we still need to seal our Boats?

[photohoward1]

With waterproof everything these days, (ESC, Servo, & Radio) Do we need to really seal our boats? Was just thinking out loud. I still do BTW!

[Peter A]

It's not the water on the outside of the boat that sinks it, but water on the inside. That being said, water can still create issues in plugs etc.

[NativePaul]

That very much depends on how much trust you put in the sellers claims of waterproofness, your maintenance schedule, and your expectations of your boats longevity.

LiPo balance plugs and leads corrode very quicky when wet bit if you have the skill and willing can be replaced cheaply when it becomes an issue, servo leads and RX pins will corrode and short, corroded plugs can easily be replaced but the crimpers to do it aren't particularly cheap, rx pins can be cleaned but every time you connect and disconnect it damages the gold plating and that increases the frequency that they need cleaning, water shorts are another matter though, it can do nothing, can stop the boat, or can result in a runaway boat that plows into the dock destroying itself or disappearing into the distance never to be seen again.

Bearings will need replacing more frequently if the get wet, Neodymioum oxidises like crazy, I lost a Neu motor and Castle ESC to motor getting wet and the magnets corroding once. theoretically they are copper and chrome plated to preven that but it only takes a microscopic pinhole during manufacture, or a tiny scratch during assembly to propagate the corrosion and lift off more of the plating allowing more corrosion untill it expands enough to snap the carbon wrap, and bang.

While I wouldn't fully rely on the hulls watertightness to keep it afloat as crashes, hitting things, running over things and driveline mishaps can all let the water in, and even if the event is big enough to wreck the hull, its nice to get the bits inside back, having it sealed is nice as a stopped boat is a lot less stressful than one that is stopped and flooded, just poking its nose or a bit of a sponson out of the water; and riggers don't always have their sponsons after a crash.

Personally I have always and will always try to keep water out of my boasts.

[ray schrauwen]

I am going to try running a 2ippkits SS mono open cockpit. SSS 800kv, 6s1p 10000, 470 x 3 prop, Castle Mamba XL2 I coated myself.

[ray schrauwen]

I am going to try running a 2ippkits SS mono open cockpit. SSS 800kv, 6s1p 10000, 470 x 3 prop, Castle Mamba XL2 I coated myself.