You're so right Rowen👍
One last slurp of Castello Lugana and 😴💤💤💤
Glad you liked my Sea Scout report👍
As you can see from the vids I didn't have the slightest problem with slow speed manoeuvring or gradual TX stick controlled starts. No 'scalded cats'😊
Would be nice if more folks reported like that, instead of just when all is 'done and dusted'.
Helps the newbies (which we all were way back then😉) I hope, which is why I did it that way.
On that happy note TTFN😊
CU, Doug 😎

Thanks Doug,
Was impressed by your Sea Scout report and videos.
Sounds as if my initial thoughts are reasonable close.
Good night - long past bed time in your part of the world!
Rowen

Our mails crossed Rowen!
"Actually, now use a separate ESC power supply so do not have either red wires connected.
Works fine and have sort of "standarized" on this approach. "
I assume you mean separate RX supply as the ESC itself draws it's power from the drive battery.
But anyway, good so👍 That's also my preference.
Only exception so far has been my Sea Scout due to weight vs endurance considerations.
My mini Plastic Magic projects will mostly also need one central power supply for obvious reasons.
Exceptions to that rule will be the mammoth 1/350 USS Enterprise carrier, Bismarck, Titanic, DKM Peter Strassner carrier and two RN Colossus class Light Fleet carriers; one of which I will try to 'kit bash' into the much modified, angled flight deck etc etc, Colossus carrier (ex HMS Vengeance) sold to the Brazilian navy as NAeL Minas Gerais.
A project close to my heart as I worked on her in the Rio Naval Arsenal in the nineties. Happy times😁
Bom noite, Doug 😎

Sounds pretty good to me Rowen👍
My Sea scout is about 62cm (24.5") LoA, weighs 2kg all up.
She is fitted with a single PropDrive 2830 1000kV outrunner, 16BL30 ESC, a 30mm 3 blade brass prop (Raboesch) and goes like stink on a 3S LiPo.😀😊
I think I inadvertently (🙄) transformed her from a sedate broads cruiser into a sports fishing boat 😁 I posted a Trials Report with videos some two years ago, including results using batteries of various chemistry and voltage.
https://model-boats.com/gallery?q=Sea%20Scout
I could run her for an hour or so, mostly with the pedal to the metal (or WOT as our antipodean friends would say😁) without either motor or ESC getting more than mildly warm. No signs of any distress at all! Except that I need to add some spray deflector rails😉
The 16BL30 will cope with 30amps no sweat so should be OK for your pilot boat. Two 1500s seems more than enough, but always nice to have some Oomph in reserve (that's Grunt for our shipmates Down Under😉).
A pair of 800 or 1000kV would probably also work very nicely.
35 mm prop sounds fine since your boat is a bit bigger than my Sea Scout, has two screws and will probably end up weighing more. Don't go any bigger though. Over-propping just sucks more current, hence creating more heat, without producing any more performance. Sometimes just the opposite☹️ Don't go too coarse pitch either. That can also cause higher current draw for no real benefit. About 1.4 should do nicely👍
Hope that helps Rowen.
Looking forward to the Build Blog.
cheers, Doug 😎
PS No trips to Croatia this year I guess😭 Shame, I really like the country too.
Can drive down there in a leisurely day - in normal times!!

Doug,
The picture was to illustrate the plug and wires.
Took your advice long ago and only use one ESC power lead.
Actually, now use a separate ESC power supply so do not have either red wires connected.
Works fine and have sort of "standarized" on this approach.

We have the same plug in mind. Perhaps was unlucky; always use WD 40 or a silicon grease to seal though. Anyway, the solder seems to work.
My next project is a Vosper RTTL, am using the 2 x Turnigy 50A Escs we have been talking about. It has HK brushless motors and the limited trials have, so far, always been terminated because of either motor water leaks or the wire problem. Think may have resolved both issues.
My future project, which am still toying with, will be a modern 17m pilot boat. Will be around 28/30" long with a double chine hull, should be able to plane gently. The top speed should be around 25kn, much less that the 50 my Brave B or RTTL were capable of.
Would like to try Quicrun items in it. Find their catalogue a little confusing though, am thinking about 2 or 3s power, around 1500kv motors with ESCs to suite and the appropriate programming card. The props will be either 30 or 35mm, 3 blade. Is that something like your set-up?

Just trolled back down to your picture Rowen.
Somehow missed that along the way!
Sure it shows a potential bad connection, due to maybe not being stripped properly?
Must be the exception that proves the rule!
BUT; since the ESCs both have a built in BEC only ONE of the red power leads should be left in the RX plugs in your twin set up anyway. OR, if you are using a separate RX battery BOTH red leads from the ESCs should be disconnected, tied back and insulated.
Otherwise a fully charged RX battery voltage may exceed the BEC voltage, thus feeding current back into the ESC with unpredictable results😮
Even with no extra RX battery leaving both red leads from the ESCs connected to the RX creates a short circuit between the two BEC outputs, again with unpredictable results on the ESC behaviour.
I still believe though that the root of your problem lies in the ESC / motor setup; Punch and Timing.
Cheers, Doug 😎
PS I do not have shares in HobbyWing (unfortunately 🤔) or own the Quicrun Trademark 😉
I speak simply from experience and experiment. And I thank Canabus in Hobart (long defected to the Model Boats mag forum☹️) for putting me on to the Quicruns three years ago when I was still a 'brushless novice' and asked for advice on upgrading my Sea Scout. It worked a treat and still does😊

" talking about the three wire connector that fits into the Rx "
Now I'm even more surprised Rowen!
I've never found any RC device from anyone that didn't have crimped RX connectors (JR etc etc). And I can't see how that could affect slow speed running. To my mind that is solely a basic function of the BL motor ( essentially an AC motor). It needs a start 'shove' to get going.
Which can either be a gentle slowly increasing push or a sharp kick in the pants!😠
I.e. The 'scalded cat' effect!
If you are really concerned about moisture / corrosion in the RX plugs affecting the issue give the plugs a quick squirt of WD40. Or; mask the contact pins, whip out your tool (🙈) give the crimp connections an extra squish and then a dab of PCB conformal coating varnish.
Used to moisture / condensation proof electronic gear intended for use in marine and humid environments, especially if MIL STD 801 is specified.
I buy mine from Conrad or Krick here in Germany.😊
Bon chance with the next project mon ami! What will it be by the way?
All the best, Doug 😎
PS I've occasionally tried to 'improve' the continuity of JR and BEC type crimp connections.
But then found I had to fight to get the damn pins/sockets back in the plug shells☹️
And no discernable difference on my milli-ohm meter or in voltage drop.
Must have made up dozens from plug/socket kits over the years and not had problems with them - YET!🤞

Doug,
To clarify, am talking about the three wire connector that fits into the Rx and is part of the wires from the ESC. Had hoped my picture showed it. The three wire motor connectors are gold plated and work fine.
Had to wiggle the ESC plug off the Rx male pins and then remove the female pins from the connector sleeve. You can see a very neat crimped joint where each wire goes into the female pin. Added a small dob of solder onto the end of the wire in the crimp.
For the battery supply I always use XT60 connectors, had miserable luck with Tamiya.
Will try 2 x Quikrun brushless ESCs on my next project; from your experience they sound better than the Turnigys. Must agree the programming steps are coarse and could well be a contributor to my challenges.
Oh well, not much else to do anyway!

"had dismantled the plug to check"
An AHA! moment!
I thought you were talking about the internal connections Rowen.
Odd, my Quicruns were supplied without battery plugs, i.e. open wires just solder sealed, the JR type RX plug and gold plated bullets for the motor connections.
So for my Sea Scout I made up a large Tamiya type plug with gold plated pins. And Yes, I did crimp and solder😉 That was two years ago, no problems😊
"Afraid, in the current circumstances the Chinese are not on my Christmas card list any more!"
Understandable! On the other hand, I order my Quicruns from Krick here in Germany. Just bought two for my PTB restoration, to replace the two titchy Turnigy 'things'. They arrived last week just four days after ordering 😊
Since the motors are 2200kV whereas the Sea Scout was only 1000kV, I'll probably use Deans or XT60 connectors on the PTB.

"Beginning to wonder if some of my brushless reservations could be linked to this issue."
I don't think crimped or soldered was / is your issue there.
Having looked a the Turnigy specs of the ESCs you appear to have used I am still convinced that the problem lies with the lack of programming finesse of the Turnigys (Aquastar or similar?) compared with the Quicruns.
I believe I did discuss with you back then the eight fine adjustment steps I had available for Start punch. As opposed to just three for the Turnigys, plus the timing adjustment also available on the HobbyWing programmer. This enables you to adjust the motor timing for either max speed or max torque, or a sensible compromise somewhere in between. Reminds me of fiddling with the distributor and points to adjust ignition timing while tuning cars yonks ago.
Like I said we 'talked' about this back then so I was very surprised to read some of your recent posts about brushless being lousy at slow speeds and being advised against etc!
So far I haven't seen such sophistication on any Turnigy ESC suitable for boats.
Like I said I'm gonna stick to the Quicruns.
I won't be touching a Turnigy ESC with a barge pole😁 Only ones I ever had were bought in a boat and one burst into flames on it's first bench test. Two Quicruns will be fitted!
Typical Quicrun BL user manual with programming instructions attached.
Cheers, Doug 😎
PS I doubt very much that the Hobbyking/Turnigy programming card will work with a Quickrun BL ESC. For the simple reason that it can't set parameters that the Turnigy ESC just don't have or allow you to adjust! But my HobbyWing card was only about 7 or 8 quid anyway, and it has an LED display so you can check settings before you press SET/SAVE.
On a side note; considering the price I don't really understand folks spending hours and hours trying to simulate programming cards! Seems a lousy hourly rate to me🤔
Especially if they take as basis a 'primitive' card which can't do half what the HobbyWing job does. Depends where your real interest lies I suppose. Each to his own😉

Thanks both for your replies.
Have now examined my only QUIKRUN ESC (brushed) and see it is crimped, just like the Turnigy. In the year it has been in use it has been flawless though.
Nevertheless, as had dismantled the plug to check, it is only a moments job to reinforce with solder.
Did not realize they also made Brushless ESCs, suppose it is too much to hope the HobbyKing programming card will work with them?
Afraid, in the current circumstances the Chinese are not on my Christmas card list any more!

Begining to wonder if some of my brushless reservations could be linked to this issue.
Once we get back on the water will be checking to see.

Hmm! Think I'll stick to the HobbyWing Quicrun series, for both brushed and brushless.
Have had no trouble at all with them and find them very easy to program, using the HobbyWing Program Cards with LED display. Including Soft / Progressive Start (7 steps available) for eliminating the 'scalded cat' problem when starting BL motors, and the irritating Brake function intended for Rock Crawlers😊
Cheers, Doug 😎
PS Have never had to look inside to check any leads. Now I'm curious.
Remember; solder melts when it gets hot!!
Only Turnigy ESCs I had I inherited with a twin motor PTB model I bought from a fellow member.
The titchy thumbnail type. One burst into flames and the solder joints all melted on it's first bench test 🔥😭 Gonna fit a pair of Quicrun 16BL30s, like the one in my Sea Scout😉

Hi Rowen, I think you will find that none of the pre-made Chinese leads for anything are soldered.I used to solder all of mine for the planes for safety (as well as making my own leads from the parts kits.) None of the HK ones I have bought have ever been soldered.
JB

Hi Doug
These are the 50A water cooled, programmable ones.
Also have the 30A which are similar. Although those work fine they are new. Going to solder anyway - plenty of time on my hands!
Rowen

Hi Rowen,
Interesting!
Which Turnigy ESC was that / were they?
Doug😎