AquaCraft TOP SPEED3 User manual

aquacraftmodels.com
WARNING:
• NEVER attempt to swim after a stalled RC boat!
• Never operate your RC boat while standing in the water.
• Never operate your RC boat in the presence of swimmers.
• Always use a Personal Flotation Device (PFD) when boarding and operating your retrieval craft, i.e. Jon boat or duck boat.
NOTE: Because of the sharp running hardware included with this RC boat, we do not recommend a rubber blow up raft.
• RC boat running hardware is very sharp. Be very careful when working on and around the metal parts.
• While the engine is running pay close attention to the propeller. Do not come in contact with the propeller at any time the
engine is running or serious injury will result.
• AquaCraft products are to be used by ages 14 and over.
™
™
2008and2009WorldChampion!

2
INTRODUCTION & DESCRIPTION CHANGES
Thank you for purchasing the AquaCraft Top Speed 3 (TS3). We at
AquaCraft want the time you spend with your boat to be safe, fun
and successful. If for any reason you feel this R/C model is not for
you return it to your place of purchase immediately. Your hobby
dealer cannot accept returns on any model after final assembly or
after your boat has been operated.
AquaCraft products are to be used by ages 14 and over.
All pictures, descriptions, and specifications found in this instruction
manual are subject to change without notice. AquaCraft maintains
no responsibility for inadvertent errors in this manual.
ITEMS INCLUDED
➧Pre-Painted Top Speed 3 Hull and Cowl
➧Radio Box, Fuel Tank and Fuel Tank Mount
➧Running Hardware
➧Decals
PARTS NEEDED TO COMPLETE YOUR MODEL
AND OPTION PARTS
RADIO SYSTEM: Most any radio equipment will work quite well in
your new boat, but to aid in selection we have provided you with
three possible options.
OPTION 1: (This option is the least expensive of the three but still
has plenty of range and power for tunnel boat racing.)
❏1-TACJ0245 Tactic™2.4 Radio system less servos
❏1-FUTM0031 Futaba®3003 Standard Servo (Throttle)
❏1-FUTM0045 Futaba 3305 High-Torque Standard Servo with
Metal Gears (Steering)
❏2-FUGP7300 Fuji AA batteries (4 pack)
OPTION 2: (This option has a transmitter that has multiple model
memory, allowing you to easily grow as your racing program
grows.)
❏1-FUTK2021 Futaba 3PM-X Radio system less servos
❏1-FUTM0031 Futaba 3003 Standard Servo (Throttle)
❏1-FUTM0102 Futaba S9402 High-Speed Coreless BB
(Steering)
❏3-FUGP7300 Fuji AA batteries (4 pack)
OPTION 3: (This option costs the most money and is top of the
line equipment.)
❏1-FUTK4900 Futaba 4PK Radio system less servos
❏1-FUTM0031 Futaba 3003 Standard Servo (Throttle)
❏1-FUTM0236 S9315 Digital High Torque Servo (Steering)
❏1-FUTM1383 Futaba NRT5 5Cell NiCd RX battery
ENGINE:
❏O.S.®21XM Marine Outboard Engine (OSMG1721)
ACCESSORIES NEEDED TO OPERATE YOUR MODEL:
❏AquaCraft Fuel Line (AQUB6903)
❏TorqMaster™Electric Starter (HCAP3200)
❏30% Boat Fuel, Quart (AQUP2230)
or
❏50% Boat Fuel, Quart (AQUP2250)
❏Hot Shot 2™Glow Igniter (HCAP2520)
❏Hand Crank Fuel Pump (HCAP3015)
❏Fuel Line (AQUB6903)
❏Fuel Filter (GPMQ4150)
❏Glow Plug Wrench (GPMP2000)
❏AquaCraft GrimRacer™Pro Radio Box Tape (AQUB9514)
❏AquaCraft GrimRacer Speed Grease (AQUB9500)
EXTRAS:
#ODOG0309 ❏O’Donnell™OD-9 Glow Plug (ODOG0309)
or
#OSMG2690 ❏O.S. #6 A3 Glow Plug Hot (OSMG2690)
TOOLS NEEDED TO COMPLETE YOUR MODEL:
❏Boat Stand (see how to make a Boat Stand on page 4)
❏Setup board (see how to make a setup board on page 4)
❏Medium CA glue or 12 minute epoxy
❏#1 “Small” Phillips screwdriver
❏1.5mm hex wrench
❏2.5mm hex wrench
❏4mm nut driver
❏Pliers
❏Hand drill
❏Drill bits, 1/16", 5/64", 1/8" and 9/64"
❏Silicone sealer
❏Household cement (like Goop)
❏Masking tape
❏Moto Tool with cut off wheel
❏6" machinist ruler
❏Hobby Knife
❏Scissors
❏Thread locking compound

3
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
• Never, ever, attempt to swim after a stalled RC boat. DO NOT
get in the water for any reason to retrieve your boat. Your TS3
has flotation added to the interior of the hull and the cowl. They
will not sink. To aid you in retrieving a stalled RC boat you can
use a fishing reel with a tennis ball tied to the end of the line. Or
better yet, get yourself a small Jon boat so you can row out and
pick up your boat. Remember to use a PFD any time you enter
your retrieval craft.
• AquaCraft products are to be used by ages 14 and over.
• Do not touch the propeller anytime the engine is running. Pay
equally close attention to items such as loose clothing, shirtsleeves,
ties, scarves, long hair or anything that may become entangled in
the spinning prop. If your fingers, hands, etc. come in contact with
the spinning propeller, you may be severely injured.
• The speed and mass of this boat can inflict property damage and
severe personal injury if a collision occurs. Never run this boat
in the presence of swimmers or where the possibility of collision
with people or property exists.
• Glow engines produce heat. Do not touch any part of your engine
until it has cooled.
• This boat is controlled by radio signals, which are susceptible to
possible interference from other R/C transmitters, paging systems,
or other electrical noise. Before turning your radio transmitter and
receiver on, make sure no one else in the area is operating a radio
on the same frequency (channel).
• If your TS3 should happen to stall, water currents will slowly carry
it to shore. The bad news is that the boat could be carried to the
opposite shore. When surveying areas to run your model, keep
variables in mind such as wind direction, size of the lake, etc. It is
not advisable to run R/C boats on any free-flowing bodies of water
such as creeks or rivers.
WARRANTY SERVICE
AquaCraft will warrant your model for 90 days after the purchase
from defects in materials or workmanship of original manufacture.
AquaCraft, at their option, will repair or replace at no charge, the
incorrectly made part. This warranty does not cover damage caused
by crash, abuse, misuse, alteration or accident. To return your boat
for service you need to provide proof of purchase, your store receipt
or product invoice will suffice.
IN NO EVENT SHALL THE PURCHASER BE ENTITLED TO ANY
INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES,
WHETHER RESULTING FROM THE USE, MISUSE OR INABILITY TO
USE THE PRODUCT OR FROM DEFECTS IN THE PRODUCT.
This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may also have
other rights, which vary from state to state.
Outside USA and Canada, contact local importer for warranty
information.
Hobby Services
3002 N. Apollo Drive, Suite 1
Champaign, Illinois 61822
Attn: Service Department
Phone: [phone]:00 am - 5:00 pm Central Time M-F
E-mail: [email protected]
FEATURES & SPECIFICATIONS
BOAT SPECIFICATIONS:
Hull Length: 30" (765mm)
Overall Length: 36" (915mm)
Width: 10.5" (265mm)
Height: 6" (154mm)
Weight (less fuel): 5 lbs (2.3 kg)
BOAT FEATURES:
Race-winning heritage
Fiberglass construction
High gloss, fuel-resistant painted finish
Water-resistant radio box
8 oz molded plastic fuel tank

4
BOAT STAND
You are going to want to build the boat stand as soon as you can. It makes assembling the boat easier and the stand can be used as the
starting stand for the boat as well.
There are a lot of ways to build a boat stand, but we would like to show you one way that is inexpensive and durable.
PARTS YOU WILL NEED:
❏(8) 1" PVC T’s
❏(2) Lengths of 1" PVC piping 16" long
❏2 – Lengths of 1" PVC piping 11-1/2" long
❏4 – Lengths of 1" PVC piping 2" long
❏2 – Lengths of 1" pipe insulation 11-1/2" long
❏PVC cement (like the tube kind for boat stand building)
Pre-assemble the parts without using any cement first. Then
disassemble and reassemble using the cement.
Assembly is easy, as the long 16" lengths of PVC piping run the
length of the boat and the shorter 11-1/2" lengths side-to-side.
Glue the Ts to the ends of the tubing, making sure the Ts are
parallel to each other. Join the completed parts together using the
short 2" lengths of piping. You will have to work fast as the cement
sets the parts almost instantly.
SETUP BOARD
Your setup board is going to be a very important tool in getting your boat to perform at its best. Here is a simple how to:
Using MDF or common shelf board (do not use plywood or a media with a grain), cut the board 25" long and 11" wide. Place a slot 1/2"
wide on one end of the board, aligning it in the center of the 11" width.
The nice thing about this setup board is it fits between the Ts of
the boat stand you just made, making boat setup even easier by
keeping the skeg of the engine a safe distance from the table top.
GrimRacer says: It’s a good idea to
place a hole in one end of the setup
board and hang it from a hook or nail for
storage. This will help keep the setup board true.

5
PREPARING THE ENGINE
FOR THIS STEP YOU ARE GOING TO NEED:
➧#1 Phillips screwdriver
➧4mm nut driver
➧Thread locking compound
Prepare the engine by installing the metal ball links to the
engine tiller arm. You are going to want to install the ball
links in the inner most holes of the tiller arm. You might have
to enlarge the holes of the aluminum tiller arm to allow the
screw to pass through. It’s a good idea to use a little thread
locker on the screw to help secure the parts. Now is also a
good time to check the direction of the mount plate to make
sure it’s positioned with the pivot boss near the bottom.
You can also install the throttle cable clamp at this time.
FOR THIS STEP YOU ARE GOING TO NEED:
➧Scissors or hobby knife
➧Hand drill with both 1/8" and 9/64" drill bits
➧2.5mm hex wrench
➧Masking tape
Cut engine mounting template from the back of this manual.
Center the template on the transom and tape in place. Use a 1/8"
drill bit and drill the center marks on the template. Remove the
template and enlarge the holes by re-drilling with a 9/64" drill bit.

6
Slip the metal backing plate into the opening in the back of the
boat. You will have to rotate it 90° to align the screw holes.
Attach the engine to the boat using the 3mm bolts
and washers supplied in the kit. Don’t worry about
setting the engine height at this time as we will get
to that during the “setup” part of the manual.
FOR THIS STEP YOU ARE GOING TO NEED:
➧Medium CA glue or 12 minute epoxy
➧Hand drill with 1/16” drill bit
➧#1 Phillips screwdriver
Glue the fuel tank tray together. Waterproof
the tray by applying a coat of epoxy.

7
Center the tray on the back tank platform. Using a
1/16” drill bit, pre-drill the mounting holes.
Screw the tray in place using the provided 2mm wood screws.
Install the fuel tank to the mount using the supplied O rings.

8
RADIO BOX ASSEMBLY
FOR THIS STEP YOU ARE GOING TO NEED:
➧Medium CA glue or 12 minute Epoxy
➧ #1 Phillips screwdriver ➧1.5mm hex wrench
➧Moto tool with cut off wheel ➧Hobby knife
➧Household cement or silicone sealer ➧Pliers
➧Hand drill with 1/16" and 5/64" drill bits
With the switch mounting feature towards the starboard
side (right side of the box when viewed from behind), glue
the servo tray onto the standoffs inside the radio box.
Install the two waterproof boot mounting plastics
by sliding them in from the inside of the box.
Use medium CA to glue them in place.

9
Use a 5/64" drill bit to enlarge the hole in the
switch for the ON/OFF switch pushrod.
Slip the switch (ON facing to the front of the
boat) through the throttle servo opening.
Place the switch plate in place.
Slide the ON/OFF pushrod in the box, positioning the
hook in the end of the wire through the switch. It is
best to install the wire through the hole in the switch
from the box side so it cannot fall out during use.

10
Screw the switch in place; do not overtighten the screws.
Install and glue in the small rubber rod seal by slipping
it over the ON/OFF wire and gluing it in place.
Install the servos next. The front opening is for the throttle
servo and the rear for the steering servo. Install the servos
so the output shafts are towards the front of the radio box.
GrimRacer Says: The metal eyelets that
come with the servos are inserted from
the bottom side of the servo; this way the
rubber grommet is captured by the flange of the eyelet and
the built-in washer of the servo screw. This provides the best
vibration protection and strongest mounting for the servo.
Remove the servo arms from the servo and
clip the spokes as shown in the picture.

11
On the dual servo arm only, use a 5/64"drill bit to
enlarge the holes furthest out on the servo arm spokes.
Do not enlarge the hole on the single servo arm.
Here are the parts we need for the next step.
Slip the 90° end of the short steering pushrod
into the servo arm from the bottom.
Add the pushrod keeper and snap it into place. Repeat
with the other side to complete the assembly

12
Slide the completed steering servo arm
into the radio box from the inside.
The rods protrude through the pushrod rubber seal mounts.
Slip the rubber seals over the rods. Be careful not
to puncture the seals, and glue them in place.
This is what the radio box looks like thus far.

13
Install the screw lock connector onto the servo arm
with the one remaining spoke. Slip it onto the servo
for safe keeping. At this time it’s a good idea to loosely
install the servo arm screws so as not to lose them.
Next we are going to install the throttle cable. Begin by
cutting the white outer housing to 17-1/4" (438mm)
long. Next take the remaining small rod seal and
remove half of the pointed end with a sharp knife.
Slip the outer housing through the seal, positioning it about
2-1/2" (64mm) from the opposite end of the housing.
Glue the seal in the radio box, being careful not to get
any glue on the white outer housing. We are going
to adjust the position and glue the housing to the
seal later in the setup portion of the manual.

14
Although not necessary, we recommend tack gluing
the radio box into the boat with a few small dabs
of household cement or silicone sealer.
Install the steering rods onto the engine by
snapping the ball link over the metal ball.
Slip the lock collars over the long rods and then back
over the short rods protruding from the radio box. Snug
the lock collars in place. We will make final adjustments
to the steering rods in the setup part of the manual.
Slip the white outer housing in the clamping portion of the
cable clamp and snug the other housing in place. If you
find the cable is not held well, you can carefully sand some
of the thickness of the upper portion of the clamp to allow
better clamping. (Do not overtighten the clamp screw).

15
Using a moto-tool and cut off wheel, cut the stainless
throttle cable 20-3/4" (527mm) long. It’s best to place a
short length of masking tape over the cable and place the
mark on the tape. Cut the mark with the tape in place.
Slip the short length of fuel tubing over the
cable and up to the metal clevis.
Next slide the cable into the white outer housing; as you
do this, get ready to guide the cable through the screw
lock connector (do not tighten the connector).
Attach the metal clevis to the throttle arm of the engine
and slip the silicone tubing over the metal clevis.

16
Next we are going to install the ON/OFF pushrod guide.
Slip the guide over the pushrod and
position it as shown in the picture.
Using a 1/16" drill pre-drill a pilot hole for the
2mm wood screw. Screw the guide in place.
Next, using a set of pliers, put a 90° bend in the end of the rod.

17
If your receiver has an external antenna you can use
the include antenna to extend it from the radio box.
Drill a 1/4" hole approximately 1" from one end of the
radio box lid and install the antenna using a dab of
silicone between the hole and the base mount.
GrimRacer Says: If you are using a
2.4GHz radio system you can shorten
the antenna tube to 5" long. Do not drill
a hole in the top of the cowl but rather allow the antenna
to gently bend under the cowl for a neat and clean look.
Glue the plastic washers on the cowl. Use a
small amount of CA to hold them in place.

18
FINAL CHECKS AND SETUP
Position the lower unit into the slot on the set up board.
Using a small machinist rule (you can get one at your local
home store), adjust the engine so the distance between
the boat stand and the bottom of the cavitation plate are
30mm at the front and 28mm at the back. This will get you
close in both the height and tilt for your first test runs.
Having completed this, remove one engine mount bolt
at a time and place some silicone sealer on the bolt and
re-install it. Do this with all 4 engine mount bolts.
Place the provided foam into the bottom of the radio
box and insert the receiver battery pack. Place the
receiver in the box as well. Do your best to place the
receiver so as not to stress the servo plugs.

19
Detach the servo arms from the top of the servos and
turn the radio system on. Adjust the steering arm to
center and the throttle arm to the position shown in the
photo and re-install the arms and servo arm screws.
Check the direction of both the steering and throttle
movement. NOTE: The throttle arm will move forward (front
of boat) to open the carburetor. Adjust the lock collar on the
steering arms so the engine is centered with the steering
wheel in the center position. Tighten the lock collars.
With the metal clevis attached to the throttle arm,
make sure you are getting a full range of motion.
GrimRacer Says: Adjusting the throttle
can be a tad more difficult so please
follow along closely. IMPORTANT:
After you have the throttle movement adjusted, you are
going to want to glue the white outer cable housing to
the rubber seal as it exits the radio box. The two must
be secure to maintain the throttle adjustment.
Make sure the carburetor barrel can fully open as
well as fully close.NOTE: If you are not getting a full
range of motion you might need to loosen the set
screw (1.5mm hex wrench) on the carburetor arm and
reposition the arm on the barrel of the carburetor.

20
Squeeze the throttle trigger on the transmitter as well
as push the throttle barrel into the full throttle position.
Snug the set screw on the screw lock connector.
Release the throttle trigger and the carburetor
barrel should go to high idle.
Push the throttle trigger forward and the carburetor
barrel should FULLY close. Make any necessary small
adjustments to make sure that the barrel FULLY closes.
Hook up your fuel and pressure line using the picture
for reference. The use of a fuel filter is not required
but is recommended for the first few runs.
Carburetor Closed
Carburetor Partially Open (Idle)
Carburetor Fully Open