Custom Replica's 66 inch nautilus qutestion

[novagator]

Can it be converted to R/C? Anyone done it?

[thomcmdchief]

The short answer is yes.

The short answer is yes. Jim Key will cut the hull and provide the basic fittings for static display as well as separate dive planes etc. The guts are up to the builder. I built the basic hull structure and interior, and Chuck Anderson has the hull now and is upgrading the R/C components.

There are a lot of issues that have to be addressed, steering just being one. There's plenty of room in the hull for almost anything you want to install. I've got Dave Merriman's 3.5 WTC in mine and still have room to install working salon window iris's.

So its really not a kit per se, but its a great replica.

Thom

[Guest]

It's a great model. Not

It's a great model. Not cheap though.

I didn't like the way Jim cut the top for the RC version. I'd have kept it as two halves, added the rakers to the top half, and have that lift off, similar to the Engel boat, or the smaller Brodeen 31" Nautilus. That way the join is virtually invisible, unless you peer underneath.

What's the problem with steering? The Nautilus steers very well form what I've seen. Dive trim is another matter, as the hydrovanes are so closely couple to the CG.

Easily rectified though by either additional vanes, or a tiltable prop.

Andy

[novagator]

It's a great model. Not

It's a great model. Not cheap though.

I didn't like the way Jim cut the top for the RC version. I'd have kept it as two halves, added the rakers to the top half, and have that lift off, similar to the Engel boat, or the smaller Brodeen 31" Nautilus. That way the join is virtually invisible, unless you peer underneath.

What's the problem with steering? The Nautilus steers very well form what I've seen. Dive trim is another matter, as the hydrovanes are so closely couple to the CG.

Easily rectified though by either additional vanes, or a tiltable prop.

Andy

How do you go about a tiltable prop? Dave Merriman was telling me about that, but he never got into specifics on how to make one.

[Guest]

You could mount the prop

You could mount the prop on a bell crank , and have the prop shaft linked via a double U/J (Universal joint).

Or you could run the shaft through a gimble. These are used on model helicopters, so a quality item could be purchased off the shelf.

With a gimble, you could also make the prop steerable, with that combination the Nautilus would be extremely nimble at any speed.

[anonymous]

Hi all..A question for Sub

Hi all..A question for Sub Culture...your post mentions the 31" Brodeen Nautilas. I have never heard of it, but have spent lots of time (on and off) looking for a Nautilas that is around 30"-40", that could be R/C'd and wouldn't require the refinance of my home to buy it. Could you post the web site for the Brodeen boat, or any other Disney-like Nautilas of similar size? Anybody else out there in submarine land is welcome to chime in. Thanks

[novagator]

Hi all..A question for Sub

Hi all..A question for Sub Culture...your post mentions the 31" Brodeen Nautilas. I have never heard of it, but have spent lots of time (on and off) looking for a Nautilas that is around 30"-40", that could be R/C'd and wouldn't require the refinance of my home to buy it. Could you post the web site for the Brodeen boat, or any other Disney-like Nautilas of similar size? Anybody else out there in submarine land is welcome to chime in. Thanks

I have a resin Nautilus that is 31" on my mantle as a display piece. I got from Monsters in Motion four years ago. I have seen them for sale from time to time. I thing Custom Replicas did the original for it. The cost was about $300 to $400.

[Guest]

Right. You need to go

Right. You need to go to this site-

http://www.disneysub.com/forums

There, you will get some very good answers to your questions.

One thing I'll add is this. The 31" Nautilus I mentioned is a fine static piece, for RC however, it is cast rather heavy.

What is required, is a lightweight lay up in epoxy glass.

Andy

[thomcmdchief]

My comment on the steering

My comment on the steering is simply asthetics. You've got this beautiful hull, and personally, I don't want an ugly pushrod and bell crank ruining it. A rack and pinon system may be the answer, however ther is very little room to work the necessary channels through the tail fins into the hull. Another idea is a small pulley on the rudder post. Chuck Anderson is working on the possibilities for me, and we hope to have something vitrually invisable within the next month or so.

The size of the rudder has been a topic on and off on this board for the last couple of years. Seems the Nautilus' rudder isn't very effective in making tight or reasonably tight turns. I've seen rudder extensions, and an Engle system of two plates assembled parallel to each other allowing the prop thrust to form a venturi jet between th plates, providing a more efficient rudder effect.

I guess I want an operational R/C boat that has the look of a static model.

[bob the builder]

I don't know what people

I don't know what people are expecting from the Nautilus... for a boat that was never designed to be practical, she's a stable and well-performing submarine.

My 1/32 model is docile under the controls, responds quickly to throttle, dive planes, and rudder, and cannot be beat in terms of aesthetics! The only modification that has been completed differing from the studio model is the addition of the third set of dive planes aft of the propeller. I highly recommend it to any Nautilus modeller in order to achieve the utmost from this submarine. The stock planes are too close together to offer any sort of reasonable amount of pitch control, and with her tendency to dive on her own under speed, I'd say that they are not only recommended, but completely necessary.

At any rate, in regards to the rudder, my nearly six foot long model can turn about a twelve foot diamter circle. Not bad for the scale rudder!


Bob

[Guest]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/subculture84/sm_bp21.gif

Here is my plan for



Here is my plan for Nautilus rudder control.

The rods rotate, and at each 90 degree intersection, a set of bevel gears would need to be fitted.

The keel/fin would need to be hollowed out for the rods to pass through.

Andy

[carcharadon]

".... looking for a Nautilas

".... looking for a Nautilas that is around 30"-40", that could be R/C'd and wouldn't require the refinance of my home to buy it. Could you post the web site for the Brodeen boat, or any other Disney-like Nautilas of similar size? Anybody else out there in submarine land is welcome to chime in. Thanks

Chuck, I know what you mean about expensive models. I asked myself the same question several years ago and came to the same conclusion namely that anything available would cost an arm and leg. So I decided to make my own but not just a shell a new system. The sub's you see in the videos have no external moving parts. This is particularly important if you take the sub out to a pond or lake where aquatic plants or debris could clog a propeller. If you're looking for a pool sub only than its not a consideration. But as you can see from the video even the large pool is almost too small for my sub. These are really pond or lake subs. My greatest cost in developing the system was in actual field trials. I made many modifications. While these subs are set up as dynamic divers, a static system also works. I find greater safety in a dynamic diver especially when I have a sub going halfway across the pond underwater. I'm also fortunate in having a test pond with deaths in excess of 30 feet and a relatively uncluttered bottom. Water clarity varies but is usually not too good. Hope you like just for Ideas, Tom



These are all the current videos I have on line. Two 4ft videos. And two 7ft videos. Three taken at my “test” pond Lake Mayer Savannah GA. One video at the community pool.

This video shows the 4 ft. submarine in the local community pool. It was actually the first time I saw the sub underwater.

http://home.comcast.net/~byourk/4ftpool2.mpg

The second video shows the same sub but I took some artistic license and did some color conversions and inversions, just for effect. Also some additional bow wave effect.

http://home.comcast.net/~elyourk/4ftInvert4.mpg

A video of the 7ft. On a nice day.

http://home.comcast.net/~kdawling85/12033e.mpg

The making of the bow wave effect

http://home.comcast.net/~tyourk/719c.mpg

[bob the builder]

One of the things that

One of the things that I really like about the Nautilus is the fact that the rudder is behind the prop. Unlike most modern subs, the Nautilus does not need forward momentum in order to effect a turn. Simply applying forward thrust pushes enough water past the rudder to effect a smart response from the sub.

Yet another reason to add those non-scale aft dive planes there...

[novagator]

Bob,

where are you control levers

Bob,

where are you control levers for the rudder and the rear dive planes?

[carcharadon]

I could take just about

I could take just about any Nautilus shell and turn it into a functional model as seen in the videos (if the shell were sturdy enough). The propeller would be non-functional as would the rudder and dive planes. Aside from the cost of the shell, materials would be around $600 for a 4ft model.