Fast electric nationalls

Radio Control Boat Modeler, Dec 2001 by Yarrish, Gerry

If ever the NAMBA Fast Electric Nationals return to Anchorage, do yourself a favor and attend, or better yet, compete. There's more racing excitement in Alaska than you can shake a dogsled at!

NAMBA Class Breakdowns

Most fast electric boats are classified by the number of cells they run and by the hull type. Hull type is relatively straightforward: monoplane and hydroplane.

* Monoplane (monohull): has a single planing surface and is typified by the classic deep-vee designs so prevalent in RC boat racing.

* Hydroplane (hydro): any hull that is not a monohull. Outriggers, catamarans (cats) and three-point racers are hydros, as are all monohulls with steps or wings.

Outboard tunnel boats technically are hydros, but they have their own special class (OPQ.

A hydro has less of its hull in contact with the water, and this means reduction in drag. This allows it to run faster than a mono with the same power. Both mono and hydro classes race 5-lap heats on a 1/10-mile oval course (clockwise), and the first one across the finish line wins the heat. Points are awarded for each placement ir heat finished, and the class winner is the driver who has the most points in three heats.

The new offshore classes mimic the full-scale offshore racers: monos, cats and stepped monos race together. Good handling is very important in offshore because there are two left turns in each lap. Boats that cannot successfully turn left just can't compete, and to win an offshore heat, a driver must complete the most laps in 4 minutes. At the end of the day, the driver with the most laps in three heats is the winner.

Within each class, there are the cell-class breakdowns. Simply put, the more battery cells a boat has, the faster it runs, so 6-cell boats don't run in the same class as 18-cell boats. Most classes allow any type of motor, from standard RC car motors to exotics with rare-earth magnets and brushless motors.

NAMBA Fast Electric Nationals Sponsors

Primary Sponsor

Fuller's Fast Electrics

Class Sponsors

Bandit Boats

Blew By You Racing

DRC Web Services

Fastelectrics.com

Fast Graphix

Fine Design Mfg.

Frontier Travel

Hill's RC

Hitec RCD

Joe's Drafting Service

Lithia Chrysler/Jeep

Parkside Assisted Living

Rodney P. Kenny & Associates

Rum Runner Racing

SteelFab

VIP Distributing