Does racing a FE boat take less driving skill than racing a nitro/gas boat?

[T.S.Davis]

Don’t knock it until you try, and that goes for everyone.

I haven't hit myself in the head with a hammer yet. I can make some calls without trying them. I hear huffing is fun for a while.

[Punisher 67]

I haven't hit myself in the head with a hammer yet. I can make some calls without trying them. I hear huffing is fun for a while.

Huffing is only fun with females Terry........................

[siberianhusky]

LOL now I know how I got into electric boats! It was that damn hammer! A couple days later I was shopping for an electric boat! I was a well adjusted nitro burner till then!
Grin!
Until I hooked up with some electric people last year I thought they were boring toys, I tried it and now own a bunch of electric boats . I'd be a confirmed nitro burner still if I hadn't gone out of my way a bit to try electric boats.
I still run nitro I enjoy the challenge of tuning an engine too much to ever give it up.
This year will be the first year of an semi-organized electric club around here, myself and John Mclean are working on getting it off the ground, have about 5 people interested as of now. Our running location is great, bathrooms and everything!
My point being is I went from a not so great opinion of electric boats to working on getting a club together in less than a year, all because I tried something I thought I wouldn't like!
I started running nitro boats when I was about 14, I'm 42 now.

[T.S.Davis]

My wife always says I have sensory issues. Maybe I can't handle the noise.

[AlanN]

The noise factor used to bug me but not much anymore as long as it's a properly tuned gas hull. Never liked nitro. Found out I was really alergic to it by attending races.

[Doug Smock]

I don't have a problem with the noise so much. I have a problem with the nitro fumes since I've gotten a bit older though. My head just can't take much of that.
I was the pit boss at the Spring Nats last year when the nitro twins went in the pond for a heat. Man!!, I didn't think I was going to make it back up the stairs LOL
I'm the same way after two beers, just a wuss I guess.
Doug

[Jeff]

For me, I grew up racing real sized boats in apba. I totally understand the mill and quite frankly if you don't jump the gun ocaisionaly you are not trying hard enough. I started racing FE first and just recently bought a sport 20 nitro boat. Yes the mill and tunning is diferant. But driving the pins, having the skill.the depth perception and and reaction time are the same. What I did find diferant and this is why I think nitro is harder is if you come out of the turn with a nitro you had best be pointing exactly where you want to go. Any adjustment in steering on the straight away slows you down tremendously. In nitro, steering is for in the corners. It just isn't as noticable in the fe's for some reason. So I have to think more clearly where I come out of the corner and where I want to be in the next corner to make a pass. In fe it seems because of the constant torque that changing lanes when ever is not that big of jeopardy. So the more thinking requires more strategy and that is what I have experianced.

Jeff

[TheShaughnessy]

Race whatever you like, nitro, gas, FE, but don't bash anyone for their preferences. There isn't 10 cents difference in the skills required. You still first have to finish to finish first!

The sad part is the tendancy of nitro/gas oriented clubs to shun, or reluctance to accept, the electric racers. I have found resistance from the IC clubs to electrics to be a bit rediculous to say the least.

i would say i experienced that reluctance first hand. My first rc boat race was a gas event. I was trying to find out more about the electric racing so i asked one of the gassers.

I said something like," I noticed this event was being put on by H20 gassers, are there any electrics running?"

He said something like yes, this is a gas event but we are LETTING the electrics run today.

I have yet to venture to the nitro/gas world but i will say getting 5lbs to go 50 + mph isn't exactly what i would consider easy.

On the other hand after watching the gassers mill for position and seeing what happened to to the people who may not have tuned their engines good enough or had an experienced pit man, i can see why a IC guy/gal would say more skill is required.

Electric guys still have to tinker with what kv motor to run, are my batts going to last through the heat? Is this prop going to run to hot and cause stuff to melt? Did i solder these motor connectors on well enough or are they going to melt when i pull 100 amps across them? There is still a lot of tuneability with electrics IMO

I would almost venture to say watching the gas boats run is more exciting to watch, but i have only seen videos of FE racing.

Coming from a motocross back round there is something about hearing a IC engine roar that FE hasn't quite matched. But just like the 2 stoke guys were reluctant to race with new emerging 4 stoke technology, IC racers are shunning the FE racers. What we saw happen with motorcycles is that 2 strokes have actually been largely phased out by 4 strokes in more recent years. Now you will still hear freestyle riders say 2 stokes are lighter, they are easier to handle in the air and other things, but, does that mean 2 strokes are better in every category? Not really.

But this isn't about bikes, its about boats. If i like running FE because i think it is cleaner, easier or that i am less likely to have neighbors/people complaining (which on occasion they still do) why should that be an issue? Lets see the nitro guys come run at the pond with the duck lady and see how that fares. We all have our reasons for running what we do and I don't think any of us needs to claim that one is far superior to the other.


Hey grim are you going to be at the straight races April 16/17 at legg lake in CA. I was told Darin was going to be there. Seems as how i have a boat from each of you I thought it would be cool to meet you.

[Grimracer]

TheShaughnessy

I will not be at the LA SAWs but there will be some Grims at the event!.. Mark most likey.. good folks!

Please say hi to my Buddy Dmon for me.

Grimracer

[785boats]

I've run a few nitro's in my younger days but never raced any.
But the biggest skill difference I can see (apart from the milling) is staying out of another boats rooster tail with a nitro to avoid being flamed out.
Whether cutting across behind a boat to pass up the inside trying to steal lane 1 going into a bend.
Or when a boat passes you & cuts across etc.
Electrics don't have that problem.
Paul.

[old guy]

When will folks begin to realize that every fuel racer doesn't have to join FE!

Some fuelers will ALWAYS have some excuse why they do not run FE. Once we go to 2-lap mills they will find another excuse - like 'you don't have to be careful to stay out of another boat's roostertail to avoid being drowned out', or 'you don't have to have the skill to set a needle', or 'batteries are too expensive', or 'FE is too quiet'. I have heard them all, they are just excuses. The two disciplines are different, they do not have to be the same. We do NOT have to change our rules to accommodate guys who don't even run FE boats. Let them enjoy their part of the hobby, and we'll enjoy ours.



/

I woulf like to say this. I have lots of 1 national titles 2nds ans 3rds too in Nitro and Gas. for getting a good needel that's a snap just hook up the the flow meter and go. If you run nitro at this level you have one. as for the milling around it is all pointless on till the last 10sec any way so who cares about the pre mill. now for FE this is way harder for me trying to figure out all the watts milly amps thingymebobs. ESC will it smoke or will it work is the motor going to work or not. Nitro just buy a motor for the class you run in some 65% fuel get it set up on the flow meter and stay in lane one and you will win just that simple. Ok a good $100 prop helps to racing in any class is all about the start and the last 10 sec of the mill is all that matters nothing els. of course unless you want to run some one over or put his fire out so I would have to say I agree with you know who

and this is what it should be all about

I don't see nitro/gas going away and wouldn't wish it to! If that's what they enjoy and they can retain a race site, more power to them. I would just like to see them be accepting of the new technology and allow us to join their clubs and run either with them or in our own classes. The more the merrier.

thats my 2 cent on this

[ditzola]

If you have a nitro-powered car then you will need the following items: 12 AA batteries, Glow Heater (G70402), High quality car model fuel 20%, Flat head screwdriver, Fuel bottle it also would not hurty to learn how to drive a real race car or boat at a racing school

If you have an electric powered car then you will need the following items: 8 AA batteries, 7.2-volt battery, 7.2-volt battery charger

[Jeff]

^ wut?

[LuckyDuc]

Mill video

Here is a good video clip of a nitro Sport 40 heat race with 7 boats milling for position to get the start. Neat stuff!

[HTVboats]

My son Jay and I have had the opportunity to run nitro, gas and FE. One thing we have always said is the race starts at 30 seconds and is half over when the clock hits zero. Positioning during the "mill" is a big part of succesful racing as the "Z"man knows. Nitro adds just putting a very reliable setup on the water and the better racers find their way to the line without too many others challenging them, take lane 1 and are gone. In gas you can idle down easier than nitro and you find a 3-5 boat drag race at the line many times with guy that could not run a nitro boat the same way. Definately bigger crowds in turn 1 gas heats. FE you just have 30 seconds and one lap for strategy kind of the readers digest version of a mill. Each one takes skill to hit the line on time. I think comming from nitro has an advantage in learning "mill" strategy as not being able to throttle down consistently makes you pay attention. Even with nitro setups that idle down well if you push it too long you loose heat and woof out comming to the line when you thought you had it timmed just right.
If you want an interesting start we have run our nitro Mod Vp's off the beach with pitmen tossing them in running. Same 2 1/2 min clock but the pitmen draw for starting positiond 1-8 left to right and the CD blows an air horn between 5 and 1 second left on the clock. Everyone hits the water and goes to an offshore bouy or just head for turn two like full size tunnels.
Every format has strategy you just need to figure out the edge and apply it.
Mic