Deciding on an RC boat hull configuration requires that you take several things into consideration. You need to weigh what type of area you will be using the radio controlled boat in. Later we will discuss why this is important.
One of the most important is hull design. Sure you have the options of electric radio controlled boats, gas powered radio controlled boats and more. No matter what type of power source you choose the speed and stability are still determined by the hull type. Lets take a moment as look at the various options available.
Hydroplane or Catamaran Hull Configuration- Hydroplane and catamaran configurations place two or three hull surfaces in contact with the water. Two things result from this type of configuration the first being less surface area is in contact with the water and the second is that air is trapped under the hull. What is produced by this trapped air is called “lift”. This will reduce the surface contact between the radio controlled boat and the water thereby causing the speed of the boat to increase.
Catamaran and hydroplane hull configurations are usually responsible for the fastest RC boats. One drawback to this hull designs is lack of stability on choppy surfaces. If the water is rough high speeds are usually not attainable. On flat surfaces the speed attained by your RC boat can be truly incredible.
Mono Hull Type – This hull configuration has a single surface that is constantly in contact with the water. Often referred to as a “V-Hull”, the mono hull provides better stability for radio controlled boats in rough water.
This design is further broken up into two categories, the “Deep-V” and the “Shallow’V”. The Deep-V is the most popular design for RC but the Shallow-V is a close second. The Shallow-V will usually go faster with equivalent power because it has less surface area in contact with the water. However, if surface conditions are rough the Deep-V is more stable and will outperform the Shallow-V.
As you can see there are a number of compromises that need to be considered when buying your remote control boat. If it is calm where you operate your radio controlled boat you may enjoy having a catamaran or hydroplane type and the increased performance that is available from this hull type. For those that operate their boats in a rough environment the recommendation is to get a Deep-V design hull.
If you are racing remote control boats, the boats are normally broken into classes based on hull design. So, no matter what style of boat you get you will be able to both have a great time and compete against other radio controlled boat enthusiasts .