Trial #1 This is the first time in a while that I have taken the Blast out for a whirl around the old pond. I have been monkeying around with it to see if I could get more speed out of it. For this round of testing, I have modified the drive line by removing the original tray that holds the drive tube, replaced the original motor coupler, swapping the motor with a 17 turn Kyosho, and changed the prop to a metal Octura one. I am hoping that all of this will make the boat a little lighter and reduce friction in the drive shaft. |  |
| The first thing I noticed was that the sound of the boat was improved. Before it would buzz quite loudly but now you can hear more of the motor spinning. I think the new motor coupler is the cause of that improvement. |  |
I discovered something peculiar, the boat is faster while turning then it is going straight. You can hear the motor bogging down when exiting a corner. | 
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| Here is a video of the boat as it stands. It goes pretty good in a turn but slows when going straight. |  The above video is 5.8 meg mpg file. Click on this link or the picture to view it. |
| I think I know what the problem is. The front of the boat is being lifted too high causing the back of the boat to drag. |  |
| To change the boat ride attitude, I will adjust the strut. I started out with it right in the middle of the available adjustment... |  |
| ...I moved the adjustment nut back which angled the strut downward. This should cause the front of the boat to drop. |  |
| Lowering the strut corrected the problem with going straight... |  |
| ...and did not affect the boat while turning. |  |
| The boat is moving pretty good now. It is much faster then stock. The boat corners pretty well but if you try to turn too tightly, it will spin out. |  The above video is 4.2 meg mpg file. Click on this link or the picture to view it. |
| The boat kicks up a lot more water now. |  |
| Not a bad rooster tail at all. |  |
| Not a bad looking boat but I need to paint the drivers. It kind of looks like three snowmen are piloting the thing. |  |
| I did detect just a hint of chine walking with the new setup. I think a hotter motor would magnify the problem. |  The above video is 2.9 meg mpg file. Click on this link or the picture to view it. |
Trial #1 Conclusion I am happy with the improvements. I think there is some more speed to be found in improving the hull by sharpening some of the edges. Also, the boat can be lightened further by removing the battery tray. For now, I will just enjoy the new found performance. |  |
