Monday, May 25, 2009

First test of Kep's .21 '09


This is me testing one of my new Kep's .21 "09" riggers yesterday in Oxelösund. The video shows it being in the drink for the second tank of fuel ever. The CMB "green head" Valvola engine is brand new also - I'm running it in in the video... The boat set-up was done at home according to my drawings and it was not handling too shabby in the quite choppy waters... ;)

In the video it runs a stock "right-out-of-the-bag" Aquacraft GrimRacer 44x66L prop. With that I mean: it was not sharped, balanced or cupped = right out of the bag... Its a very good starting prop for running in a new .21 rigger engine I think. The GrimRacer 45x68L is also a good start prop.

First let me make it clear - the "09" version is not at this point meant to be a new "Freebie". It's not even developed yet, I even have different versions of it with different sponsons...

The main things different vs the Freebie is this:
- Wider tub with off-set motor and drive line.
- Slightly different front shape of tub.
- Different sponson tube spacings.
- New front sponsons (in all we have three designs to test).
- Prop-support ski ramp with a "step" - no rear sponsons.

Other notes:
- I have two of them myself, booth are prepared for running Valvola or Sirio engines.
- Total weight "RTR" with no fuel and no prop: 1750 g / 3.86 lb / 61.73 oz.
- Afterplane length measured from back face of drive dog to trailing edge of front sponsons: 575 mm / 22.63" (same as Freebie).
- "Prop" weight is 449 g / 15.84 oz (measured with the rudder blade on the scale).

Later that Sunday when the water was smoother it did about 102 KMH / 64 MPH with the engine still not run-in and the set-up not changed. Now I need to make some new turn fins, blend some new fresh fuel, sand the running surfaces of the ski and sponsons flat and smooth and test some more... :)








Micke is not ready yet with his Kep's .21 '09 rigger so he tested his Kep's "06" instead. This one is very close to the Freebie design. Today it did 103 KMH with a 3.46" H6 prop from Mark Sholund.



Micke's SGX 45 is quite good in choppy waters but a "dog" when its smooth... Here it's a little loose.


A little more airborne... U think its all good? Think again... LOL


Oops. This is going to end in a BIG splash... And it DID.

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