| The three main types of hulls found on radio controlled | | | | high speeds. |
| boats are the monoplane, the catamaran and the | | | | Regardless of the hull type your radio controlled boat |
| hydroplane. They are classified by the number of | | | | has, each will perform best when balanced, or trimmed, |
| planing surfaces that are in the water. | | | | for maximum effect. |
| Monoplane hulls have one main surface in contact with | | | | For monoplanes and catamarans, the ideal balance |
| the water. Those found on fast electric radio controlled | | | | point is about 30% ahead of the transom, the rear |
| boats are either shallow-vees or deep-vees. There | | | | edge of the hull. To determine the best position, |
| are pros and cons for each style. | | | | measure the length of the hull and multiply that number |
| Shallow-vee monoplane hulls are often faster in the | | | | by .30. Take that number and measure that far from |
| straight-aways than deep-vees because the flatter | | | | the transom. If the boat doesn't naturally balance there, |
| bottom rides higher in the water, thereby producing | | | | move the batteries fore and aft until it does. This is |
| less friction. However, it will severely pound the waves | | | | your starting point. |
| if the water is choppy. | | | | The true test comes in the water. When your boat is |
| In a turn, the shallow-vee boat is more likely to hop and | | | | running, if the bow rides low and plows into the waves, |
| skip than a deep-vee boat, which will carve a smooth | | | | move the batteries back an inch and try again. If the |
| turn and exit at high speed. So the advantage goes to | | | | bow hops up and down, the front end is too light, so |
| the shallow-vee on the straights and the deep-vee in | | | | move the batteries forward. When your boat is flying |
| the turns. | | | | along with just a slight bouncing of the bow, you've |
| The catamaran, or cat, is basically two hulls (called | | | | found the sweet spot and your boat is well-trimmed. |
| sponsons) separated by a tunnel. The long sponsons | | | | To trim a hydroplane, start with a balance point 1-3 |
| give the boat great stability as well as good control in | | | | inches behind the sponsons. If the transom doesn't rise |
| the turns. As the cat gets up to speed, the tunnel fills | | | | out of the water at speed, it will create so much drag |
| with air, helping lift the boat out of the water, thereby | | | | it will never perform well. In addition to the balance |
| decreasing friction and increasing speed. | | | | point, you may need to experiment with the size of the |
| The catamaran's greatest advantage lies in its superior | | | | propeller and the angle at which it's mounted. |
| turning ability. All that contact from both sponsons | | | | Hydroplanes are more temperamental and take more |
| allows it to carve a sharp turn without slipping or sliding. | | | | patience to optimize, but give the greatest |
| Boats with a hydroplane hull design have three points | | | | performance to the more advanced boater who is |
| of contact with the water. The two sponsons are | | | | willing to work with them. |
| similar to the hulls of the cat, but are much shorter. The | | | | From the monoplane to the catamaran to the 3-point |
| third point is actually just the propeller. Once up to | | | | hydroplane, each hull style can teach us more about |
| speed, only the rear portion of the sponsons and the | | | | the wonderful world of radio controlled boating. |
| prop are in the water, leading to reduced friction and | | | | |