Villain EX - need to go faster

[River]

I'm already running 14 cells, have carbon fiber props, added turn fins, added cooling kit for the motors, and reversed the motors.

is there already a thread someone can point me to with the next step (motors I assume?) or have info on what to do next (aside from buying a different boat that is). I really like the hull and the twin drives, would just love to get another 5 mph out of her. will still be slower than the below boat but that's ok.

my buddy broke the seal on his aquacraft 27 this weekend. WOW that thing is fast. very hard to keep it on the water, it's more like a plane! he did suffer some glass damage when he cut in front of me and i ran over him, the turn fins took the glass off the top of the cowling. repair time LOL.

[SJFE]

The only options you have left are motors and gears. Pick up a set of trinity monster 19-T motors from towwer hobbies and maybe some smaller pinion's. Do not go lower than 19 turns for motors. Any other options will cost to much in relation to the gain's in performance. If you want to out run that Sv keep your eye on the swapshop and ebay for a nice 30 inch+ custom built FE setup.

[Mich. Maniac]

Is it a must to run those with 2 motors? Ive never had or seen one really. If you could run just one is it possible to run a larger BL like a L size? That may allow for a larger prop with still keeping rpm down? just questions really, sorry I have no advise

[River]

thanks

ok, i'm a rookie so FE is 'fast electric'?

also, what pinions would you recommend? do you think it would pick up much speed with those motors?

i dont really want to outrun the SV, my buddy can't control it anyway LOL. maybe he'll learn but that thing is f-a-s-t with 2 seven cells in it.

i still like the deeper v for rough water.

any boats you recommend i look for? also, is the 'swapshop' here or another site?

thanks again, appreciate the heck out of the help!!

[Ron Jeremy]

You do not necessarily need to run them high voltage motors.
I have had a (although not the same) Villain since about 1994. I have yet to run an EX style setup and my junk is FAST.
Your motor selection for 14.4v motors is crappy to say the least.
That is the only real problem with them. I think technically, higher voltage and less amps is more efficient than lower voltage higher amps...
And try lipo! WAY more energy density. One 4000 mah 20C 5S pack would be light and faaaast.

[RandyatBBY]

Ron is correct the next step after lipo, I think I would go to brushless. But at some point possably this up grade the hardware would be inadequate.

[River]

i think i need a translator LOL. i know what the lipo batteries are, but short of 'brushed' vs. 'brushless' motors, i don't understand the rest of the info. Like I said, I'm a rookie at these so I need to leard what all this lingo means.

of course, if all this stuff ended up requiring replacement of the drives, motors, shafts, etc, i might as well just get something else than dump the $$ into this one?

[Ron Jeremy]

There is a tipping point... where the platform needs to be changed. And there are not very many boats in the size/cost range of the Villain with 2 motors. So you could be wasting cash going upgrade crazy.
The Villain series are pretty much junk in the grand scheme of things, but they have a unique drive train that I think is cool, and they can be pretty fast for pretty cheap.
How you do get to fast on the cheap is more of an art than a science and we can't spoon feed you through the entire thing. Go read about lipos and brushless. Read about ESC, voltage, motors. There are no shortcuts, because even if we give you the shopping list, who is going to fix it when you break it?

[Quicksilver]

You technically dont have to run two motors, which means you technically dont have to run a brushless motor. couldn't one run a single 700 series off the original 14.4v system. If so, it wouldnt be very expensive to switch to something like me and kahnen has. About $100, however it has to be set up correctly. Mine is still in the tuning stage but kahnen's is running pretty well, and these are fast electrics.

my less than perfect video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2iKi4eDvMc

[River]

Quicksilver - since it's got 2 outdrives, i would think converting it back to 1 would be more than it's worth, would be better to get an older one with single drive and start from there. I watched your video, definitely alot faster than mine. Yours is single drive, right?

Ron - You are right on the drives which makes this one fun - no torque and whichever way you turn, it handles the same. As for the others, I am continuing to look into motors, etc and will decide soon to either upgrade this one or buy another boat that's already faster. I can handle swapping all the parts, etc and maintenance, although I don't want to turn it into a maintenance nightmare either. There's always a point where the fun ends unless you have lots of time to work on them, and truly enjoy working on them. I like working on them a little, love driving them, but have too many other things that take up my time to make it a full time hobby. Which leads me to asking if anyone has already done this.

Thanks!

[Quicksilver]

All the villains had two drives. Mine is actually a Villain EX, that I converted. It's not too hard, basically you take everything out, everything... Then fiberglass all the holes in the transom and you have a new hull basically. So then you can do whatever you want.
It might not be for you, it is a bit of work, I bet I've got a good 24hrs of work into her. Now my jet drive version, I've probably got 96hrs into building her. I have trouble finding time; I work full time, do most all the maintenence on my apartment and my two cars and I'[m trying to plan a wedding. Somehow I actually get some time to run the boats.

Most people here have seen these pics, but these are my two villains, both should have two outdrives originally.