Rivarama Jet-Boat

[dr frankenstyle]

Just wanted to post my boat build.


It's a RivaRama, handcrafted wooden hull boat that I cleared out the "below-decks" a bit more and added a NQD jet-drive and ESC.


Made for a smooooth bottom profile. Had to grind the transom on both sides to get the nozzle to mate correctly with the pump-drive.


NO rooster-tail from prop-sling, fairly quiet, and steers like a seadoo.


She's a 26 footer (in 12th scale), matches my Ford VXL pretty well. Just right for my scale "lake" (2 acre pond) in the front yard.


There's something about a boat cutting thru glass-smooth water ... even in small scale.

 

[4wd4ws]

Oooh, sexay. 8)

 

[stillsmokin875]

Very nice! Now shoe horn a 28mm KMB jet into that wooden beauty on 4s and make her a river screaming ripper! Lol all jokes aside, that is a beautiful boat my friend.

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

 

[dr frankenstyle]

Thanks Gent's. Yeah, I looked at the KMB's, but with a shark like THAT on your tail ... "I think we're gonna need a bigger boat". My little shoe-horn is thinking maybe mod'n another NQD with sealed bearings and a brushless set-up with a cooling jacket. It tops out about 15-mph or so, quick enough for now. I may build a trailer for it next, to go behind the Ford. (hmmm ... maybe with a remote winch for launches and landings, lol)

 

[Zukiiholic]

Great looking Boat..

 

[jonboyauto]

Beautiful boat and a great looking install.

 

[dr frankenstyle]

Many Thanks ;-)
It sat on a shelf for years so it was really fun to make it go. The flex-shaft Dremel deserves some of the credit on the tight install.

 

[twodollarbill]

That is really slick. I didn't even know they made jet drive rc stuff.

That boat is so classy you have to be smoking a cigar to drive it around the lake.

 

[dr frankenstyle]

Thanks The drive is for the little NQD Sport racing boat, small enough for me to fit it into the wooden hull.
Yep, sit on the dock .... stoagie smolderin' .... and suspenders for that occasional "smug" snap ;-)

 

[dr frankenstyle]

I hung the gopro on the front of my li'l 'gator boat and shot a short video of the Riva' on our "lake".
http://vid1315.photobucket.com/albums/t599/dr_frankenstyle/Punky videos 026_zps7vldxnmv.mp4

 

[dr frankenstyle]

Detail credits go to the Asians on the boat. I bought it that way, all I did was make it go.

 

[kla55y]

That boat looks tops. Very nice

 

[dr frankenstyle]

Thanks for the likes and the kind words. Here's a funny short video (1 min or so) from under the water-line.


http://vid1315.photobucket.com/albums/t599/dr_frankenstyle/Punky videos 023_zpstqd7pach.mp4

 

[dr frankenstyle]

Finally got going on a trailer. Just getting rollin' with it, but it's coming along.



I've got a nice set of tires and wheels on the way for it. Then I can finalize the axle set-up and make my springs and such.



Details will be coming too, lights, winch, etc. Still deciding on a color.

 

[dr frankenstyle]

The tires and wheels arrived today, now I can work on the axles and springs. Carved a hitch coupler, made a working spring latch set-up for it.



Got some rollers made for the cross-members too. Still deciding on paint....

 

[4wd4ws]

Still deciding on paint....

Metallic silver. (galvanized)
Gloss white. (posh powdercoat)

 

[dr frankenstyle]

Yep, I'm thinkin' white lacquer, blue "water-line" pin-stripe, top the fenders (after I make 'em) in the dark purple, and make steps with stained insets to match the boat.
Anyway, I'm gettin' closer to the paint stage.



Got the drop-axles and leaf-springs built, hitch finished up, chains, tongue-jack, rollers etc.



Now it's time for fenders and lights, winch and more.



This is a FUN build.

 

[4wd4ws]

Very nice. Love the trailer. "thumbsup"

 

[dr frankenstyle]

Thanks for the likes and good comments It's a really fun build, something kinda different for me. Ok, here's what I have so far....



Scale leaf springs (3 leaves each to "bounce" right ), drop axles with rubber sealed bearings, cross-member rollers, scale-looking hitch with working ball-lock, scale safety chains, working brass "scale" tongue-jack (locking swivel, 3/4" travel and swivel caster), working scale winch (with spool-lock, synthetic line and snap-hook) and a spare-tire carrier (using a TX wheel for now ).



I "Franky'd" the winch from old steering-servo gears and a thread-bobbin spool from mom's old sewing mach.



Getting the "nose-ring" in the boat was a bigger surgery than expected, whew.
Next are fenders, steps and lights and it'll be time to tear it all back down for paint.

 

[dr frankenstyle]

Well I got some fenders made and test-towed her.



The truck tried to drag the hitch, so I made a helper spring for towing. Now it stays tall while towing and I can pull the spring in seconds for rock climbing.



Now I gotta get steps and lights so I can get her painted and detailed out.