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From
box to pond
It
took us less than 20 minutes to prepare the ShockWave
for its initial trip to the lake. We installed eight
"AA" alkaline batteries in the transmitter
and four in the receiver, taped down the radio box
lid, and filled the tank with premixed gas and oil.
Minimal assembly is required of the included interlocking
boat stand. You can literally buy this boat and some
Zenoah 2-Cycle Oil (ZEN20001) at the hobby shop, along
with 12 "AA" batteries, pick up some gas
on the way to the lake, and have it running in less
than half an hour!
The
ShockWave comes complete with a JR XR3 FM pistol grip
radio and two servos installed and preset at the factory.
Zenoah's 23cc gas engine with custom-designed muffler
is installed on vibration-absorbing mounts, plus the
carburetor is pre-adjusted.
Genuine Prather running hardware is already installed,
including stainless steel rudder/rudder mount, strut/strut
mount, trim tabs, Prather racing prop, and stuffing
box.
What
a gas!
Gasoline-powered
engines have several advantages over nitro-powered
engines. They require little support equipment and
are economical to operate. All you need is a can of
pre-mixed gas and oil, which is much less expensive
than a gallon of glow fuel. In addition, gas engines
are extremely clean-running, start easily, and run
for a long time (20-30 minutes) on a single tank.
Zenoah
powered
The
ProBoat ShockWave comes equipped with a preinstalled
23cc Zenoah G-23M engine, one of the most powerful
in its class. The Zenoah features a recoil pull-starter
and a carburetor that uses a bulb-type primer for
easy starting. Weighing in at 52.5 oz, the G-23M is
also one of the lightest engines in its class and
provides incredible acceleration. With a solid state
ignition and reliable Walbro carburetor, the Zenoah
G-23M has proven to be extremely easy to start, never
needing more than a few tugs on the pull-start to
get it going.
A
push-button kill switch is conveniently located just
behind the windshield and used to shut down the ignition.
A 22-ounce fuel tank installed in the center of the
hull (very close to the center of gravity so as not
to affect performance with varying fuel level) features
a screw-on cap that makes it simple to fill.
Radio
box
A
wooden radio box (accessible beneath the removable
rear hatch) contains two servos, the receiver, a dry
4-cell battery holder, and a switch. A standard JR
Racing Z550 servo is used to operate the throttle,
while a heavy-duty Expert SL800 series Monster FET
servo handles the rudder/steering. To ensure positive
control of the rudder, the linkage is comprised of
a 4-40 steel pushrod and clevis. A Prather waterproof
pushrod seal is used to keep water out. Both the receiver
and its battery are mounted in precut foam.
Hyper
performance
We
knew the ShockWave had a whole lot of potential the
first time we put it in the water. The grins on our
faces continually grew wider while trimming it out
and learning how it handled in varying conditions.
On
smooth water the ShockWave was a graceful performer.
With a radar gun, we clocked the ShockWave at a consistent
top speed of 35 mph, watching it literally eat up
the lake. Acceleration from idle to top speed was
accomplished in about 15 to 20 feet with no hint of
cavitation.
Turning performance of the ShockWave was phenomenal,
as it could accomplish 10- to 12-foot diameter turns
at full speed and head out almost just as fast with
no tendencies of hooking.
In
choppy water the ShockWave really comes to life by
jumping waves, spending almost as much time out of
the water as in. With its V-shaped hull, the ShockWave
carves its own course through the rough seas.
Throttle
response was excellent throughout the speed range.
The ShockWave can run from a crawl to full speed without
loading up or leaning out. And at just $899.95 suggested
Street Price, the ShockWave is the least expensive
ready-to-run gas boat available with a high-performance
Zenoah engine installed. For an explosion of speed
and much more, check out ProBoat's ShockWave.
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